Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 5-3

[Pi]

You forgot the mathematics of a bird in the hand being worth 2 in the bush.


Panthers win % is basically 50%, which means they are likely to get 5 or 6 points in those 10 games. I'd much rather have the points in the bank than to need to win 5 straight and make up the difference. The optics of it look like they are close but they are a long ways behind us.

Yeah, the Panthers aren't catching up to us and they definitely aren't a team I'd be afraid of at all. We completely outplayed them despite missing Matthews, being on a back to back and a 3rd game in four nights. We looked like the faster team despite the previous game going into a SO.

If people remember, everyone here was afraid of the Panthers last year around this time when they went on a hot streak and became the first team from the East in like 5 years to sweep the California road trip. They fizzled like an open Pepsi can a couple games later.

Leafs are stuck in third place unless they win or lose out.

I just hope we use the last few games remaining to try out some new things...change up the stagnant PP, give more ice time to players who can help you win instead of players who help you stay tied in a game etc.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Also - I'm looking forward to the Stanley Cup winning goal being decided on a goalie interference review. Because that is absolutely going to happen.

 

[Liminality]

Also - I'm looking forward to the Stanley Cup winning goal being decided on a goalie interference review. Because that is absolutely going to happen.

I don't think anyone is going to be able to complain about it on here. The boards will be crashing for the entire day.

 

[Pi]

Yeah. I'd even say that it's not just bewildering, it's counter-intuitive at every turn. I don't think I exaggerate when I say that the last 10 or so challenges I've seen has gone against common sense.

If they would come out today and say that they will skip the whole coaches challenge and just go with referee's impression, I'd be fine with it. I understand why the ref gets things wrong. I don't understand these calls.

I do hope they decide to put more of it in the hands of the war room, get the same people the job to check goals, review if needed, and then judge if it's a goal or not. Same people should mean consistency, at least.

I think Hughson/Simpson nailed it. There are 36 refs that work the game and each of the seem to have their own interpretation of goalie interference. The best solution is to let Toronto headquarters handle the final call.

Referees have some bias involved. Why would they change their own call unless it is something egregious? I know I would just let it go if I was a ref instead of being proven wrong if its something minor even if it was goalie interference. It's just human nature.

 

[Gary Nylund]

You forgot the mathematics of a bird in the hand being worth 2 in the bush.


Panthers win % is basically 50%, which means they are likely to get 5 or 6 points in those 10 games. I'd much rather have the points in the bank than to need to win 5 straight and make up the difference. The optics of it look like they are close but they are a long ways behind us.

Here's a super quick cheat method - look at how many more points the teams have than games played.

BOS + 25
TOR + 17
FLA + 7

Doesn't give a perfect perspective but it's close. And even better, it's fast.

 

[Mugzy97]

I think Hughson/Simpson nailed it. There are 36 refs that work the game and each of the seem to have their own interpretation of goalie interference. The best solution is to let Toronto headquarters handle the final call.

Referees have some bias involved. Why would they change their own call unless it is something egregious? I know I would just let it go if I was a ref instead of being proven wrong if its something minor even if it was goalie interference. It's just human nature.

It certainly feels like the refs or the league has some kind of issue with Andersen diving or selling interference.

 

[ToneDog]

Leafs (minus) Matthews (plus) Pleckane = loss to the 31st team in the standings.

Leafs are playing some really poor hockey the last week or so and going small at the TD seems to being having the opposite intended effects.

Without Auston this just doesn't seem like a very good team.

This is why this team needs a JT or one of the kids to become more dominant.

 

[ToneDog]

Last night's game summed up:

The hockey gods laid some karma on Babs' and the Leafs for Babs' comments on the Buffalo rebuild earlier in the week with all of those bounces.

The Leafs were leaky defensively, when they were in their own zone.

You can't fix the bounces but you can fix the defensive issues.

It has been a long time now and I keep wondering why Babs has not been able to correct our play in our own end.

 

[ToneDog]

It certainly feels like the refs or the league has some kind of issue with Andersen diving or selling interference.

NBA refs are the biggest joke, but NHL refs are closing in. You have to wonder what goes on in their minds. Then again I don't think any of them are going to split the atom soon.

 

[JadedLeaf]

It has been a long time now and I keep wondering why Babs has not been able to correct our play in our own end.

He had from the beginning of the season. They haven't been "terrible" in their own end for months now. They aren't great but he HAS improved them from what they looked like at the start. He just can't seem to get them to take another step.

 

[JadedLeaf]

NBA refs are the biggest joke, but NHL refs are closing in. You have to wonder what goes on in their minds. Then again I don't think any of them are going to split the atom soon.

Wasn't there an NBA ref that got caught either fixing or betting on the games he was officiating? Also, out of all the big NA sports, are there any fans that dont' think the officiating is a joke? I've followed junior hockey, NHL, baseball and I know a lot of people who follow basketball and the one thing they all seem to have in common is the fans think the refs/umps/officials are terrible at their job.

 

[ToneDog]

Wasn't there an NBA ref that got caught either fixing or betting on the games he was officiating? Also, out of all the big NA sports, are there any fans that dont' think the officiating is a joke? I've followed junior hockey, NHL, baseball and I know a lot of people who follow basketball and the one thing they all seem to have in common is the fans think the refs/umps/officials are terrible at their job.

I believe he was point shaving but yes he was guilty. Not accusing anybody of cheating but I question what they are thinking when they don't make a call on a play that is right in front of them and on some of the penalty calls they make. It is just too inconsistent between refs.

Ask yourself this, why did they take the names off the backs of the refs and linesmen ?? I hardly know who these guys are.

 

[ToneDog]

He had from the beginning of the season. They haven't been "terrible" in their own end for months now. They aren't great but he HAS improved them from what they looked like at the start. He just can't seem to get them to take another step.

IMO we spend too much time in our end, mostly chasing the opposition and we are too soft in front of Andy.

 

[Carltons Cup]

If the referee on the ice said Gardiner was pushing Larson into Andersen, I wouldn't agree but that would at least be a debatable reason. For the on ice officials to tell Babcock the goal was called off because the contact was outside the crease, and then the league to give him a totally different reason after the game, is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, Gardiner doesn't push anyone around, not even his sister....

 

[ShaneFalco]

IMO we spend too much time in our end, mostly chasing the opposition and we are too soft in front of Andy.

That could be this team's downfall

 

[ToneDog]

That could be this team's downfall

Said it before (and hoping) that the team elevates it's commitment to D in the playoffs as they did last year. If not, it will be a short playoff run. Right now they seem to be in coast mode or the dog days are taking their toll on the boys. They need something to invigorate them and I believe that to be the playoffs.

 

[JadedLeaf]

I believe he was point shaving but yes he was guilty. Not accusing anybody of cheating but I question what they are thinking when they don't make a call on a play that is right in front of them and on some of the penalty calls they make. It is just too inconsistent between refs.

Ask yourself this, why did they take the names off the backs of the refs and linesmen ?? I hardly know who these guys are.

Absolutely, I'm not insinuating there's game fixing or anything like that going on but the pure incompetence of the league these past few seasons and especially this one opens them up to those kind of accusations. Fans have short memories when calls go their way but calls that go against their team? They'll go to the grave thinking about it lol.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Also - I'm looking forward to the Stanley Cup winning goal being decided on a goalie interference review. Because that is absolutely going to happen.

1999 all over again.

 

[robertmac43]

1999 all over again.

All we need is Lindy Ruff back in a contender head coaching position :p

 

[Menzinger]

Mountain out of a molehill.

Leafs were the better team, regardless of the final score.

If the team is going to lose a game, I’m happy it’s like that

 

[Suntouchable13]

Mountain out of a molehill.

Leafs were the better team, regardless of the final score.

If the team is going to lose a game, I’m happy it’s like that

They should have been the better team so that's not an accomplishment. It wasn't a good game at all. Almost nobody looked good. Most of the shots were right at the goalie's chest and pads. I expected a better effort.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Said it before (and hoping) that the team elevates it's commitment to D in the playoffs as they did last year. If not, it will be a short playoff run. Right now they seem to be in coast mode or the dog days are taking their toll on the boys. They need something to invigorate them and I believe that to be the playoffs.

they said this today on Leafs lunch and i agree with it.
the Leafs defense isn't.. bad. it's just that they make [either forwards/defense ] make one horrible egregious mistake a game. (sometimes two).

I think (personally) that's why Babcock doesn't do a lot of things (ie: stack lines etc) because he's still trying to mitigate the damage. it works against us sometimes, but sometimes i find it helps. That's why i feel when we make more changes (that we know it's coming) we'll see more common place moves) right now i do feel there's a lot more "hey yah, mistakes were made, i'm not going to over react and do things and cause panic around here."

that's how i see it, anyway

 

[egd27]

Here's a super quick cheat method - look at how many more points the teams have than games played.

BOS + 25
TOR + 17
FLA + 7

Doesn't give a perfect perspective but it's close. And even better, it's fast.

If the Leafs can go .500 the rest of the way Florida need to go 14-3-2. (129 pt pace)

Team	GL	W	L	OTL	PTS
Leafs .500	14	7	7	0	99
FLA	19	14	3	2	100

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Pretty tall order

 

[Brock Radunske]

The Leafs need a kick in the ass or the Bruins are going to embarrass them.

 

[Gary Nylund]

If the Leafs can go .500 the rest of the way Florida need to go 14-3-2. (129 pt pace)

Team	GL	W	L	OTL	PTS
Leafs .500	14	7	7	0	99
FLA	19	14	3	2	100

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Pretty tall order

For sure. I haven't worried about someone chasing us down for 3rd place in quite some time and I'm now pretty much resigned to the fact that we won't be catching Boston either. That's fine too, home edge against Boston would be huge but it's much more important to be healthy and ready to play when the time comes.