Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose 6-4

[ULF_55]

That is a stretch.

Yeah, 2 of the best players in the world.

Have to have MacKinnon and Crosby in there, not sure I put Pastrnak there.

Best player and another top 5 player ...

 

[Gary Nylund]

Yeah, 2 of the best players in the world.

Have to have MacKinnon and Crosby in there, not sure I put Pastrnak there.

Best player and another top 5 player ...

I know +- isn't a great stat but still, Draisaitl's -16 gives me pause.

Best player and ... borderline top 5 forward?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Lol, Draisaitl is not a top 5 forward, even if you take away his defensive issues.

 

[TheUltimateOiler]

Lol, Draisaitl is not a top 5 forward, even if you take away his defensive issues.

He actually plays a good defensive game. His minus game this year was with McDavid. Both him and McDavid have been lazy at times playing a two way game. Not to mention the goaltending and defense have been trash. Saying drasaitl is not a good two way player means you don't watch enough Oilers hockey. Draisaitl is a top 5 player. Last year and this year.

 

[Mess]

Draisaitl is the best player from his own Country.

His last season's stats of 50 goals and 105 points is something I'd like to see Matthews achieve this year however.

 

[BlueForever75]

Draisaitl is far from a top 5 forward in the NHL. Lol

McDavid
Mackinnon
Crosby
Kucherov
P. Kane

Then I would still rather have all these players prior to him:

Marchand
Eichel
Matthews
Marner
Tavares
Stamkos
Panarin
Bergeron
Ovechkin
Malkin


I would put him in the same tier as:

Pasternak
Schiefflie
Wheeler
Kuznetsov
Seguin
Point

He cannot run a team without McDavid. As the other players cannot without the players they have above them.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Can I ask who wasn't horribly exposed last night?

McDavid and/or Draisaitl were in on 5 of the 6 goals.

Rielly -3, so even strength goals against, but it was $700k Marincin's fault.

Both teams scored one PPG, so it was and even strength game win.

Leafs scored 4 goals, but we know defending isn't their strong point, they needed 7 .

Marchment 1st. point.
Brooks 2nd. point.

Engvall.

They're getting there ... still a journey.

I agree, it wasn't a very good effort from our top two lines or top 4 D pairs. I have been impressed by Holl, but I've found he's slipped in the past few games. I believe you can't rely on Holl being a top 4 defenceman without the help of another top 4, i.e. Muzzin.

 

[ACC1224]

Draisaitl is the best player from his own Country.

His last season's stats of 50 goals and 105 points is something I'd like to see Matthews achieve this year however.

Great player, no doubt.
I didn't find him overly noticeable last night.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

It was a shoot out fast flowing up/down ice game best suited for McJesus and Drai. At game live I can tell you that our top 2 lines got outplayed by oilers top 2 lines. That was it in a nutshell. Our bottom 2 lines outplayed theirs. Each of our goalies gave up a SOFTIE. It was a fun game to watch. Tons of skills on display.

The first game in a while where both Matty and JT either took it off OR just got flat our outplayed. Hard to tell for sure. But McJesus and Drai came to play and they decided the outcome. Tip your hat to the better players who wanted it more.

Many of these type of game earlier in year where Freddy won it for us. But not last night. Move on. Lets hope it is an outlier.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I agree, it wasn't a very good effort from our top two lines or top 4 D pairs. I have been impressed by Holl, but I've found he's slipped in the past few games. I believe you can't rely on Holl being a top 4 defenceman without the help of another top 4, i.e. Muzzin.

The team misses its defensive ace in Muzzy. It was bound to happen as we are so thin on defense. With Marincin in lineup screw ups are bound to happen. The guy is not quick enough to process game at NHL speed. and Ceci oh boy he has so much to learn too. and even a young Rielly. Too many guys wet behind the ears on defense.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

You know it's an awesome goal when the home team's crowd is cheering it on, even if it was his home town. I bet the majority of fans in the stands couldn't believe what they just saw.

 

[Dekes For Days]

He actually plays a good defensive game.

While true that he hasn't received the best goaltending behind him, and while I'm not a big fan of how current defensive stats capture individual impact and his impact there is exaggerated, he is one of the worst in the league in essentially all defensive stats this year, even ones unrelated to goaltending, and he's played primarily with McDavid which should be tilting the ice. He's also the worst regular in every single one of them on his team at ES, so I'm not really sure who you think is to blame.

 

[Clark4Ever]

We were overdue for a regulation loss. That being said, we should have at least gotten to overtime last night if Freddy was on his game.

Hopefully Freddy can rebound tomorrow against Winnipeg.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

You know it's an awesome goal when the home team's crowd is cheering it on, even if it was his home town. I bet the majority of fans in the stands couldn't believe what they just saw.

Why wouldn't you cheer for him, he'll be coming home once his contract expires.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

You know it's an awesome goal when the home team's crowd is cheering it on, even if it was his home town. I bet the majority of fans in the stands couldn't believe what they just saw.

I have seen it for many many years. I don't need to see it in our barn. Although Rielly really helped him out there with the puck watching. He is still wet behind the ears. All Rielly has to do there is stay in middle of ice and watch McJesus chest (not puck) and play results in a shot not a breakaway.

 

[Beyonder91]

Tavares line was outshot 20-4 and outchanced 12-1 by McDavid line. To be fair most starts were in their own zone.
I still don't understand how Keefe thought it was the right line to match up against Mcdavid. Something like Engvall-Tavares-Marner would have been much better if you wanted to play a matchup game.
I can only assume he was hoping they would be able to get out of their own zone and establish their own good puck possession but that certainly didn't happen. Nylander/Kerfoot are not line matchup guys...

 

[Cotton]

We were overdue for a regulation loss. That being said, we should have at least gotten to overtime last night if Freddy was on his game.

Hopefully Freddy can rebound tomorrow against Winnipeg.

I think it was on the players last night who didn't show up, and less on Freddy.

I'm also starting to wonder if theres not something going on behind the scenes that's affecting Rielly. Even before Hainsey was signed, Rielly has never been this disengaged, something just seems off and I wouldn't be shocked to hear at some point that he's been dealing with something stressing behind the scenes.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I have seen it for many many years. I don't need to see it in our barn. Although Rielly really helped him out there with the puck watching. He is still wet behind the ears. All Rielly has to do there is stay in middle of ice and watch McJesus chest (not puck) and play results in a shot not a breakaway.

Ya the drop pass and/or cross seam pass was never likely with 3 leafs backchecking so I'm not sure why the head fake worked so well on Rielly there

 

[ULF_55]

I have seen it for many many years. I don't need to see it in our barn. Although Rielly really helped him out there with the puck watching. He is still wet behind the ears. All Rielly has to do there is stay in middle of ice and watch McJesus chest (not puck) and play results in a shot not a breakaway.

Concussion?

Everyone keeps saying he must be injured so maybe it is between the ears?

Anyway, McDavid doesn't seem to care who is defending him, even 1 on 2, he can get through to the net.

Leafs don't have anyone near his level.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Ya the drop pass and/or cross seam pass was never likely with 3 leafs backchecking so I'm not sure why the head fake worked so well on Rielly there

He decided to make the poke check and took himself out of position. Watch his eyes following puck. Watch his stick which is fully extended.

In that situation you keep your stick back closer to your body and keep your eyes firm on attackers chest. Then once attacker makes his move either way the feet follow the eyes the stick extends and goes between his legs. and you ride him into taking a shot. worst case scenario is you take a corkscrew penalty.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

He decided to make the poke check and took himself out of position. Watch his eyes following puck. Watch his stick which is fully extended.

In that situation you keep your stick back closer to your body and keep your eyes firm on attackers chest. Then once attacker makes his move either way the feet follow the eyes the stick extends and goes between his legs. and you ride him into taking a shot. worst case scenario is you take a corkscrew penalty.

It was a pretty weak poke check attempt if that is what it was. I thought he was just blocking the passing lane across ice with his stick as McDavid was looking in that direction. Agreed about the watching the attacking players chest though.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Meh. Our defense had one of its best games Saturday.

True, which was quite impressive.

I suppose it helps NYI has a fairly weak offense...

 

[JT AM da real deal]

It was a pretty weak poke check attempt if that is what it was. I thought he was just blocking the passing lane across ice with his stick as McDavid was looking in that direction. Agreed about the watching the attacking players chest though.

If there was an Oiler coming from behind yes you need to protect against the pass but with 3 Leafs coming back hard on the backcheck there was no need to extend the stick to protect the lane. And he was skating backwards so he could see the whole play. He is still learning the ropes of playing NHL defense.

 

[hotpaws]

If there was an Oiler coming from behind yes you need to protect against the pass but with 3 Leafs coming back hard on the backcheck there was no need to extend the stick to protect the lane. And he was skating backwards so he could see the whole play. He is still learning the ropes of playing NHL defense.

it's easy to see the play develop at home on the couch but McD was selling the pass hard and when Rielly took a quick peak to his left to see if who/anyone was coming McD used his explosive first steps to blow by him

just a great play by the easily the best player in the game and no reason to rag on Rielly

 

[Ziggdiezan]

If there was an Oiler coming from behind yes you need to protect against the pass but with 3 Leafs coming back hard on the backcheck there was no need to extend the stick to protect the lane. And he was skating backwards so he could see the whole play. He is still learning the ropes of playing NHL defense.

I agree with that, I was just explaining what it looked like Rielly was doing. I was surprised he bought the head fake so hard.

Normally Hainsey would be the last man back as Rielly is jumping into the play so I get what your saying about still learning to play defense.