Post-Game Talk: Leafs lose. 6-4

[TMLBlueandWhite]

So the team enters into the playoffs with a whimper instead of a roar.

No matter how you look at it the Leafs didn't end the season the way needed to placate nervous fans. The coach admits Nylander is disinterested. The special teams have once again fallen to pieces.

Entering the playoffs we should be discussing things like who will score the series winning goal.

Instead we're discussing how to get the high-priced talent to produce. How to get the goalies and defense to stop a shot. How to get the special teams going again.

To top it off they just lost the last four games of the season.

The complacency being displayed here is disgusting. They should be livid with their performance. Instead Keefe admits he isn't concerned.

The Leafs are about as playoffs ready as I've ever seen them.

 

[Leaf Fans]

So the team enters into the playoffs with a whimper instead of a roar.

No matter how you look at it the Leafs didn't end the season the way needed to placate nervous fans. The coach admits Nylander is disinterested. The special teams have once again fallen to pieces.

Entering the playoffs we should be discussing things like who will score the series winning goal.

Instead we're discussing how to get the high-priced talent to produce. How to get the goalies and defense to stop a shot. How to get the special teams going again.

To top it off they just lost the last four games of the season.

The complacency being displayed here is disgusting. They should be livid with their performance. Instead
='https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2024/04/18/sheldon-keefe-post-game-lightning-6-vs-leafs-4/']Keefe admits[/URL] he isn't concerned.

The Leafs are about as playoffs ready as I've ever seen them.

He is concerned, Keefe admits, about Boston. Oh and Matthews with the series winning goal.

 

[sittler rules!!!]

Nylander stuck at 96/97 for weeks. Mailing it in. Lame.

Matthews at least went for it.

Willie Nye, the corner shy guy. Waste of good cap

 

[Arthur Morgan]

kinda feels like our boys have troubles getting over the hump
took Matthews more games than normal to hit 60 then he got fired up and got another 9 pretty quickly and then well it was a small amount of games left
but Nylander with so many games to hit 100 and couldnt get there
then every playoffs when we got the lead in the 7th game and just cant get over the hump
hope that ends in the playoffs cause I bet our boys are feeling pretty shitty right now

 

[Burnie97]

kinda feels like our boys have troubles getting over the hump
took Matthews more games than normal to hit 60 then he got fired up and got another 9 pretty quickly and then well it was a small amount of games left
but Nylander with so many games to hit 100 and couldnt get there
then every playoffs when we got the lead in the 7th game and just cant get over the hump
hope that ends in the playoffs cause I bet our boys are feeling pretty shitty right now

It does make you wonder with some of the core guys.

I mean they have proven multiple times so far that they can't get it done.

Yes we won round 1 last year but whimpered out in the second.

They have to build off that for once and go into the playoffs with some swagger. The way they played lately isn't what you would hope for.

I'm hoping they were just garbage games to them and they wanted to avoid any kind of injuries. I've just always felt it's tough to flick a switch the 1st playoff game. A week or 2 ago they looked much better.

We'll see. Hope they prove a lot of us wrong for once. Either way I'll be cheering like crazy.

 

[Madap]

Marner seemed like he was more concerned with him getting the primary assist on Matthews 70th than Matthews actually getting 70. But in fairness at least he was trying… Tavares just ripping past the goalie at the end of the game while Matthews was right there was ridiculous lol.

At the end of the day, these games meant nothing. They were only trying to get Matthews 70 and played brutal hockey because of it, but they’re professionals and will be able to focus in the playoffs again.

 

[DarkKnight]

Was hard to watch Matthews post game, said all the right things but was clearly dejected.

 

[ACC1224]

Was hard to watch Matthews post game, said all the right things but was clearly dejected.

It wasn't from lack of effort, he could have had 75 with a few breaks.

I think he's going to go off on one against the Bruins, he's playing so well right now.

 

[DarkKnight]

Wow so Keefe's big moment with Matthews was telling him there was 34 seconds left in the game and how fitting to end the season. Geezus, that's his insight, the clock.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

These last 4 games were pretty brutal. Going to be nice just to watch regular well coached structured hockey again.

Wait.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Matthews with 69 goals, I guess that’s still a nice number if you know what I’m sayin!

Go on...

 

[Stephen]

It's not about the total. It's about failing to achieve your goal. You can say that one more goal is meaningless and technically speaking, you would be correct. Is there really a difference between 70 and 69? Not really, no. But it was important enough for him to risk injury before the playoffs to play their final two games. So it obviously meant something to him and the team. And once again, he couldn't rise to the occasion and finish the job. Just like Mitch when he got halted at 99, going for 100. This is their entire career synopsis. Always come up short. Losers, imo. That's why you have one playoff series win from this core in 7 years.

When they get within a hair of their goals and appear to be on cruise control to get there, the moment always gets too big, and they just stop doing all the things that made them successful before.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

I blame Marleau. He infected them when they were young with his loserdom.

I kind of agree. That's the guy we sign as a role model, a career compiler that never won anything of consequence? Absolute disaster of a signing. Thanks Lou.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Keefe kills me.

whatever.....

69 is a lot more sexier than any other shit anyway


yes i am really pissed and annoyed

and FU Keefe

Dunno, I'm fairly uncomfortable saying "Hit 'em with the 69 like Matthews."

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This all goes back to that very first game where Matthews teed off for four goals but the Leafs were porous defensively and Andersen couldn’t stop a beach ball so we lost. This team rarely hits milestones or manages to give us good clean memorable moments for them.

 

[Gallagbi]

Wow so Keefe's big moment with Matthews was telling him there was 34 seconds left in the game and how fitting to end the season. Geezus, that's his insight, the clock.

Do you think there needed to be a big moment with Matthews on the bench there?

 

[rumman]

To be honest. Dont be shocked if he has the most energy of all of them vs Boston. He gave up on 100 and went conservation. If I am wrong I am wrong

More like saving it for team Sweden………

 

[rumman]

HOLY SHIT

I just realized the playoffs are beginning on... wait for it.....

4/20

Got my gummies all ready for the drop of the puck………

 

[rumman]

Folks Matthews is beast. The difference between 69 and 70 is meaniless. Who cares Papi is a baller and nobody can be disappointed.

Now Nylander on the on hand. This dude few games back took a little body check and was never the same. Nylander was and is a bad contract. Anyone ever comparing Nylander random puck luck playoffs to Matthew needs to give head a shake. The truth is Matthews is the leafs. The best there is the best there ever was and the best there ever will be. Leafs and papi team and the guy does it all. Any leaf fan every talking smack on papi is nuts. Papi should be captain.

Mathews isn’t even close to being the “best Leaf” ever, he hasn’t won shit and until he raises a cup or two he can’t be mentioned in that discussion………..

I wasn't alive then. I'm 62.

Ditto…….

 

[Stephen]

To be honest. Dont be shocked if he has the most energy of all of them vs Boston. He gave up on 100 and went conservation. If I am wrong I am wrong

I dunno man. It’s like imagine the idea of Kucherov laying an egg and falling short of his milestone so he can conserve his good hockey for Florida.

Why does it seem like we’re always trying to squeeze the last bit of toothpaste and have to choose between brushing our teeth in the morning or at night with this team.

 

[rumman]

Hard to produce with 3rd and 4th liners.

I was under the impression that elite players can drive their own line, Nylander doesn’t get a hall pass for being useless imo, he’ll never live up to that boat anchor of a contract………

Sums up Nylander in a nutshell………

 

[Confucius]

I think it was all for the best.. Papi scoreless in 2 games now, we are on a 4 game winless streak, it’s time the pendulum swings the other way and just in time for the playoffs. What luck!

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Disappointed not seeing numero 70, but, not disappointed in 69 goals in general. As has been posited -- had the team taken a regular sporoach to the last two games, AM likely pot's 70. But that's hypothetical and we'll likely never know....until we're dead.

I’m with you, disappointed, but it’s not like he didn’t have chances. They should have let it happen organically and perhaps he wouldn’t have pressed so hard. But it’s human nature to try to help him get to 70. I kind of admire that the team has that desire to help each other achieve their goals. Now put that togetherness to work and win the damn series.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Garbage time games mean NOTHING .. players are playing not to get hurt .. sucks for Matty though .. if he had domi and bert he would have got 70 .. but thats ok .. bottom line if we are gonna take da Bruins Matty needs to light it up every game .. be da best man on ice every game and we will win

 

[Gilmour1996]

Maybe he had a $100,000.00 bet on the game, for Tampa to win? Or just a lazy hockey player. I haven't seen anything like this, ever, and I've seen a lot of scrubs over the years.