Pre-Game Talk: Leafs vs Lightning. Game 5

[stickty111]

This is honestly the game that will determine what this team really is. After getting humiliated, how do they respond? This is almost like a core defining game for this core.

Also please play your best D core and that doesn't include one of Holl or Lyb. Lose with your best

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[Kiwi]

No excuses for anybody

Be better than the guy opposite you and prove game 4 was an aberration

It's time boys, either prove you're worth investing in or some of you need to go

It's time to put on the big boy pants and play like you have some mental fortitude

 

[wingman75]

I would argue this is a pressure moment for Keefe as well. He needs to get the lineup right... I personally think he had it right in game 1, and I would at least consider replacing Blackwell with Spezza.

Let the refs do their thing, but lets play the game we want to play too... and if the league feels the need to screw us over, so be it but go out on your own terms not theirs.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Can't see the Leafs winning the series. Just cannot picture them actually surviving a deciding game. So it's Tampa in 6 or 7. I honestly don't know what is better for the team moving forward. Do we avoid the game 7? Or just live through it?

 

[wingman75]

Can't see the Leafs winning the series. Just cannot picture them actually surviving a deciding game. So it's Tampa in 6 or 7. I honestly don't know what is better for the team moving forward. Do we avoid the game 7? Or just live through it?

I'll take the game 7 and roll the dice. Rather finish it in 6!

 

[BTP]

The series is going 7. You can bet all the money in the world they win game 5, lose game 6.. Game 7 is where we see what we've learned.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Liljegren in for Holl Keefe!!!!!

 

[Leafblooded]

If we lose this game, it's basically over. Ride or die boys!

 

[PromisedLand]

Justin Holl will start the game and will have another give away in the first minute of the game; Keefe will think that was an elite play.

you think I am joking but I am not

 

[BayStBullies]

No excuses, get them started on time Keefe.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Can’t wait for Captain Do Nothing to put in another uninspiring performance.

 

[stickty111]

May as well post it here

On the Leafs Report card, this is what was said of Holl and it sums up a lot of us.

Justin Holl

For goodness sake, somebody please find Timothy Liljegren.

 

[Stephen]

This is honestly the game that will determine what this team really is. After getting humiliated, how do they respond? This is almost like a core defining game for this core.

Also please play your best D core and that doesn't include one of Holl or Lyb. Lose with your best

For me, Game 4, was actually our big test: winning in Game 3 was a bonus, we were playing with house money and could have made a real statement. Take the stranglehold, go home close it out and write a new chapter for the team.

The way they got their doors kicked in for most of the game and then got on their horses for their mini fake comeback just ain't it for me. Game 2 slipped away but they came back. Fine. But tonight was different and much worse.

I think they have a good shot at winning Game 5, but I don't trust them to play strong in Game 6 if they were good in Game 5. If they lose in Game 5 they'll claw back for Game 6. They'll give Tampa a freebie in any case and by Game 7 they'll be in their own heads. We're such a 2000's Ottawa Senators group. They're free to prove me wrong but I don't like their chances.

 

[stickty111]

Can’t wait for Captain Do Nothing to put in another uninspiring performance.

Yeah I am one of his bigger fans but he needs to show up.

 

[Stephen]

May as well post it here

On the Leafs Report card, this is what was said of Holl and it sums up a lot of us.

Justin Holl

For goodness sake, somebody please find Timothy Liljegren.

Did Keefe pull a "well that's your opinion man" when a reporter referred to Holl as his worst D man?

 

[binop7]

I'd like to see muzzin on the 1st powerplay. The powerplay has been garbage

 

[justloveleafs]

Blows my mind, no one has pointed out, that our entire gameplan, has been aborted.

They have a big defence, and in game one and two and the first period of game three, we swarmed that D.

It was incredible to see, then suddenly, out of nowthere, suddenly, our new strategy was to dump the puck in and withdraw, retreat and see what might develop.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. But that is what is happening and what happened.

We went from dominating them, to not even playing.

If we come out with this strategy in period one of game five, that is it, the television goes off.

And no one, can justify, wtf, this winning strategy suddenly was abandoned.

Smells really fishy to me. Smells like WWE....type fish.

Someone got a call, and we were told to withdraw, we were embarassing the defending Stanley Cup Champions, but suddenly, Keefe, decides to withdraw a winning engagement.

Me being a trader, I don't buy that it was Keefe. Guy is smart, and Matthews expression, demeanor and body language speaks volumes to me. He smells a whole factory of fish.

I have never seen anything like this, in all my years of watching hockey.

Once the Lightning D gets a chance to roll, their team comes in as a big wave.

But we never let that wave develop initially. We also did this in the regular season regularly.

Suddenly we are playing unrecognizable hockey.

And the players have gone from enthusiastic to "get me the f*** out of here".

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Blows my mind, no one has pointed out, that our entire gameplan, has been aborted.

They have a big defence, and in game one and two and the first period of game three, we swarmed that D.

It was incredible to see, then suddenly, out of nowthere, suddenly, our new strategy was to dump the puck in and withdraw, retreat and see what might develop.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. But that is what is happening and what happened.

We went from dominating them, to not even playing.

If we come out with this strategy in period one of game five, that is it, the television goes off.

And no one, can justify, wtf, this winning strategy suddenly was abandoned.

Smells really fishy to me. Smells like WWE....type fish.

Someone got a call, and we were told to withdraw, we were embarassing the defending Stanley Cup Champions, but suddenly, Keefe, decides to withdraw a winning engagement.

Me being a trader, I don't buy that it was Keefe. Guy is smart, and Matthews expression, demeanor and body language speaks volumes to me. He smells a whole factory of fish.

I have never seen anything like this, in all my years of watching hockey.

Once the Lightning D gets a chance to roll, their team comes in as a big wave.

But we never let that wave develop initially. We also did this in the regular season regularly.

Suddenly we are playing unrecognizable hockey.

This is out there. Even for you. We didn't job the game WWE style. Stop this.

 

[IPS]

Blows my mind, no one has pointed out, that our entire gameplan, has been aborted.

They have a big defence, and in game one and two and the first period of game three, we swarmed that D.

It was incredible to see, then suddenly, out of nowthere, suddenly, our new strategy was to dump the puck in and withdraw, retreat and see what might develop.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. But that is what is happening and what happened.

We went from dominating them, to not even playing.

If we come out with this strategy in period one of game five, that is it, the television goes off.

And no one, can justify, wtf, this winning strategy suddenly was abandoned.

Smells really fishy to me. Smells like WWE....type fish.

Someone got a call, and we were told to withdraw, we were embarassing the defending Stanley Cup Champions, but suddenly, Keefe, decides to withdraw a winning engagement.

Me being a trader, I don't buy that it was Keefe. Guy is smart, and Matthews expression, demeanor and body language speaks volumes to me. He smells a whole factory of fish.

I have never seen anything like this, in all my years of watching hockey.

Once the Lightning D gets a chance to roll, their team comes in as a big wave.

But we never let that wave develop initially. We also did this in the regular season regularly.

Suddenly we are playing unrecognizable hockey.

And the players have gone from enthusiastic to "get me the f*** out of here".

Smart man justloveleafs and you're onto something... We completely ruined Tampa's breakout and forced them into a comical amount of turnovers in game 1, our speedy forwards made their lives hell.

Then you watch tonight's game and wonder WTF happened to the original game plan?

I pointed it out the other day that Tampa's weakness to exploit is their D's skating ability.

 

[Hoglund4MvP]

ill let you know my opinion on this game when they release if holl is playing

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Smart man justloveleafs and you're onto something... We completely ruined Tampa's breakout and forced them into a comical amount of turnovers in game 1, our speedy forwards made their lives hell.

Then you watch tonight's game and wonder WTF happened to the original game plan?

I pointed it out the other day that Tampa's weakness to exploit is their D's skating ability.

We seem to have wanted to copy their weakness by subbing out smooth skating Liljegren for choppy Holl

 

[binop7]

Smart man justloveleafs and you're onto something... We completely ruined Tampa's breakout and forced them into a comical amount of turnovers in game 1, our speedy forwards made their lives hell
Then you watch tonight's game and wonder WTF happened to the original game plan?

I pointed it out the other day that Tampa's weakness to exploit is their D's skating ability.

Tampa has made adjustments and Point has woken up.

 

[OVO16]

Justin Holl is 9 packs of hot ass

 

[PROUD PAPA]

I want to be excited and have a positive confident outlook but then game 4 soils your t.v screen and halfway through i'm just like wtf was that? I mean i'm always nervous when we embark on another playoff adventure but that feeling is normally a distant second to my excitement. But now the nervous/excited levels are doing a 180 and it's taking away from the experience. I really hate feeling like that, i need some success to restore the fun of the playoffs.

Rereading my post it sounds kind of whiny lol ..........but it's the truth.

 

[deprw]

For me, Game 4, was actually our big test: winning in Game 3 was a bonus, we were playing with house money and could have made a real statement. Take the stranglehold, go home close it out and write a new chapter for the team.

The way they got their doors kicked in for most of the game and then got on their horses for their mini fake comeback just ain't it for me. Game 2 slipped away but they came back. Fine. But tonight was different and much worse.

I think they have a good shot at winning Game 5, but I don't trust them to play strong in Game 6 if they were good in Game 5. If they lose in Game 5 they'll claw back for Game 6. They'll give Tampa a freebie in any case and by Game 7 they'll be in their own heads. We're such a 2000's Ottawa Senators group. They're free to prove me wrong but I don't like their chances.

At the moment it's near impossible to defend this team, that performance was so flat. Took all air out of the series and gave Tampa tons of momentum. If we can't make it trough we need some core changing moves, but worst thing is that we can't change whole makeup of the team and like you said with your comparison that this isn't looking good.

Only good thing is that we can really slay our demons if we dug out of this hole, but I really don't know how. We need some foundation that we don't give up the game in five minutes no matter what. Then we can hope that someone can lead that offense. These are the moments when you wish that Babcock would have been proper human being or that we could have snatched Trotz from free agency.