Post-Game Talk: Leafs win 5-3

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

 

[PromisedLand]

Somehow our Leafs won the game all the while playing rather poorly!

Special teams alone won this game. 5 on 5 our team was very flat and not sharp at all!

Good teams find ways to win games even they play like crap.

Its a good sign

 

[Maplebeasts]

By far the best player in the last half of the year and the playoffs. Maybe you can lay off on the I hate Marner thing.

I don't hate him. I will not call him the best player on the team though when he isn't. Sorry if you're offended by that.

 

[PromisedLand]

Babcock is the one telling him to make stretch passes

I didn't see any other D-man attempt a stretch pass except Gardiner. Are you saying Babcock has one set of systems for other D-men and a unique one especially just for Gardiner?

 

[Boutette]

His past showings last season and the fact Leivo hasn't ever locked down a spot while he has means he should've been the one on 3rd line

IMHO, he was the second best LW on the ice tonight, and put in the effort it takes to move through the neutral zone. Johnsson needs to do more to take that spot away.

 

[PromisedLand]

Kadri was not the best player on his line tonight.

Was it Brown or Leivo?

 

[Boutette]

Was it Brown or Leivo?

I saw more effort from Leivo 5 on 5 tonight. But the line overall still doesn't have much chemistry.

 

[TMLeafs17]

Get used to scores like this folks

 

[thewave]

I saw more effort from Leivo 5 on 5 tonight. But the line overall still doesn't have much chemistry.

I don't even know what Brown is doing.

 

[GodEmperor]

Kadri needs better wingers... Move AJ and Kaps up, drop Leivo and brown down. Problem solved.

THIS PLEASE.

Brown has sucked literally every game he has been in, Kap looked good a few times and damn good tonight.

 

[TMLeafs17]

I saw more effort from Leivo 5 on 5 tonight. But the line overall still doesn't have much chemistry.

Agreed, our third line looks pretty meh 5 on 5. I wouldn’t mind seeing Kapanen and Brown swapped. Or even if Nylander signs we could try Ennis on that line.

 

[A1LeafNation]

No joke Leafs made Price look like Reimer.

 

[Boutette]

This season's iteration of Marner so far is a cross between Doug Gilmour and Patrick Kane. I could live with that.

Imagine if he was double shifted like Dougie was... He plays like he he has the energy to do 25 minutes a game on back to back nights.

 

[PromisedLand]

Does anyone want to debate anymore that they are working on a set play from the defensive corner backhanding it to someone that's supposed to be at the bottom of the circle? They tried it several times tonight and it still isn't working. I said it the first time I saw Kadri supposedly give the puck away in the first pre-season game and I don't think anyone was seeing it (it wasn't a giveaway).

They very successfully used the same thing from the half boards the last two years. It ain't working from the corner.

they were trying out new breakouts this year I think they are still working on it

 

[Kiwi]

Good teams find ways to win games even they play like crap.

Its a good sign

I can't say I'm in agreement if the only reason your not getting pounded is Andersen standing on his head

 

[Boutette]

Agreed, our third line looks pretty meh 5 on 5. I wouldn’t mind seeing Kapanen and Brown swapped. Or even if Nylander signs we could try Ennis on that line.

Kapanen looks like he's ready to make the jump. I don't think either Ennis or Johnsson have the strength to replace Leivo. If you replace Lievo, it would have to be by Marleau or Hyman for that line to maintain effectiveness.

 

[Notsince67]

I don't hate him. I will not call him the best player on the team though when he isn't. Sorry if you're offended by that.

They won the game,he got 4 points,he has had points in every pre-season game, he had more points than any leaf in the playoffs and he put up 1.13 pts per game in the regular season since January and you are putting the break on his hype on a great night. If you don't hate him, I would like to see what you have to say when he goes a night that is pointless.

 

[ULF_55]

Preseason game preseason performance.

Ozhiganov and Lindholm looked okay.
Zaitsev was fine.

They do need a lot of improvement on the Left D though. Rielly and Gardiner have to be much better, and someone has to to earn the 3rd. spot on LD.

Wasn't a good game for the forwards, if not for PP they'd have scored 1 goal. Leafs PP was okay, Habs PP was okay ... for the Leafs.

Andersen was fine.

Be nice to have Nylander in the line-up, quite a hole there right now.

 

[Boutette]

Marner deserved 2 assists on that goal.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

When they were rookies I remember someone from TSN saying Marner may end up better than Matthews. I have no idea if it will happen but it’s a hell of a good problem to have for you guys. Scary for my team though.

 

[Drytoast]

Defense was horrible and was disrespected and out muscled
Andersen looked average at times.
The powerplay looks godly
Marner is going to cost us a fortune.
Tavares had a quiet night.
We looked like the slower team 5v5.

Montreal isn't as bad as paper suggests. I don't think they are playoff bound but they will be hard pressed to finish bot 5.

 

[PromisedLand]

I can't say I'm in agreement if the only reason your not getting pounded is Andersen standing on his head

It's one freakin' game; if this continues for 10+ games then yes worry; you are worrying about a 1 pre-season game where team was trying new breakouts and new set plays where they ended up giving the puck.

Babcock even admitted that they will have to work on it.

 

[Maplebeasts]

They won the game,he got 4 points,he has had points in every pre-season game, he had more points than any leaf in the playoffs and he put up 1.13 pts per game in the regular season since January and you are putting the break on his hype on a great night. If you don't hate him, I would like to see what you have to say when he goes a night that is pointless.

I'm telling people that think he's a better player than Matthews or JT that they're wrong. It's not hate, as of this very moment it's reality. Again, preseason means f*** all. Playoffs were 7 games.

 

[Boutette]

Be nice to have Nylander in the line-up, quite a hole there right now.

The hole was on Tavares line, IMHO. Needed an Ennis or at least a Hyman calibre player for it to actually function 5 on 5.

 

[PromisedLand]

If Hyman takes longer than expected, they'd probably be better served with either Johnsson, Leivo or Ennis (if Nylander signs) instead of the likes of AHL level players like Moore. I agree their line looked like it only had 2 forwards.

If Hyman isn't good to go the obvious and clear answer is Engvall