Matthews Match-Up Strategy in Games 3/4

How would you deploy Matthews vs. the Bruins in Toronto?


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GoBs

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Nov 21, 2009
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Cassidy was rolling the lines he didn't care who the Leaf's matched up. Before you have team D you need a defensive core and the Leaf's are having difficulty there.
 

Cotton

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May 13, 2013
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whoopdeedo? goals are 12-4 in 2 games with Bergys line massing 20 pts. who cares about a bunch of perimeter shots that have lead to nothing. the Bergeron line has been men amongs boys against the top 2 lines for TOR.

And watching this series would tell you they are less dominating than being gifted opportunities. I mean most of their goals have been of a fluky variety when they aren’t being gifted the time and space.

If you are shutting a player down and schooling them than I would expect they wouldn’t be getting off the most shots in the series... you know, because they’d be getting shut down. You’d also expect he’d be some massive minus player because of them and their 20 points, but I believe they’ve scored only one with him on the ice. He’s also a + on faceoffs.

That the rest of his line can’t get to a rebound or establish a net from presence isn’t on him. He was one of only a few players for the Leafs that showed any drive last night.
 

BB88

Registered User
Jan 19, 2015
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With Kadri suspended, I don't know who I would trust against Bergeron outside of Matthews.

My preference:
Marleau-Matthews-Hyman (Bergeron Match-up)
Johnsson-Nylander-Marner
JVR-Bozak-Brown
Moore/Martin/Leivo-Plekenec-Kapanen

Yeah I was coming to post here that if not Matthews who can you put up against Bergeron line and expect something?
 

The Winter Soldier

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Apr 4, 2011
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if they're gonna get suspended I'd rather have a player that we don't rely on. although apparently you don't get suspended for it.
If the Leafs actually had players that can deliver a clean hit as the Bruins have. I think your perspective would change. Leafs are built for regular season play where teams often play no touch hockey. Playoff hockey is more intense and often leads to contact hockey. This is why you see a Bruins 2-0 series lead.

It was no secret the B's were going to try to play physical to take the Marners, Nylander's and Matthews out of the game. Matthews has been largely ineffective with mostly perimeter shots, playing on the outside. You can say the strategy has worked in Boston. Now will it work in Toronto? We are about to see. I think Matthews will be better, if he isn't I will be disappointed.
 

joe dirte

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Sep 28, 2017
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If the Leafs actually had players that can deliver a clean hit as the Bruins have. I think your perspective would change. Leafs are built for regular season play where teams often play no touch hockey. Playoff hockey is more intense and often leads to contact hockey. This is why you see a Bruins 2-0 series lead.

It was no secret the B's were going to try to play physical to take the Marners, Nylander's and Matthews out of the game. Matthews has been largely ineffective with mostly perimeter shots, playing on the outside. You can say the strategy has worked in Boston. Now will it work in Toronto? We are about to see. I think Matthews will be better, if he isn't I will be disappointed.
built for the regular season eh? lol. like Detroit was for so many years.

I'm really not worried about it. this isn't the leafs year. next year is when we can really start expecting them to contend. as a team they're in the best spot of any Canadian team to win a cup in the near future.

it's nice having one of the best young teams in the league, playing an exciting brand of hockey. carrying the flag for Canada.
 

PenguinSpeed

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Oct 4, 2017
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built for the regular season eh? lol. like Detroit was for so many years.

I'm really not worried about it. this isn't the leafs year. next year is when we can really start expecting them to contend. as a team they're in the best spot of any Canadian team to win a cup in the near future.

it's nice having one of the best young teams in the league, playing an exciting brand of hockey. carrying the flag for Canada.


-Ah, I see. Always "next" year for Matthews and Mcdavid. Seriously, why is Toronto laying down already? Man, talk about zero confidence in your team. Maybe Matthews isnt a superstar, but just a "good" "average" player in the NHL. I guess the Bruins already won
 

danpantz

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Mar 31, 2013
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built for the regular season eh? lol. like Detroit was for so many years.

I'm really not worried about it. this isn't the leafs year. next year is when we can really start expecting them to contend. as a team they're in the best spot of any Canadian team to win a cup in the near future.

it's nice having one of the best young teams in the league, playing an exciting brand of hockey. carrying the flag for Canada.

Did I miss something where Winnipeg left Canada?
 
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Golden_Jet

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Sep 21, 2005
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built for the regular season eh? lol. like Detroit was for so many years.

I'm really not worried about it. this isn't the leafs year. next year is when we can really start expecting them to contend. as a team they're in the best spot of any Canadian team to win a cup in the near future.

it's nice having one of the best young teams in the league, playing an exciting brand of hockey. carrying the flag for Canada.

Last year Ottawa carried the flag, this year it's Winnipeg, next year who knows.
Best chance in near future is Winnipeg. Plekanec had more hits for the Leafs since the trade deadline, than Matthews or Nylander did all year. They need to play with more jam.
 

joe dirte

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Sep 28, 2017
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-Ah, I see. Always "next" year for Matthews and Mcdavid. Seriously, why is Toronto laying down already? Man, talk about zero confidence in your team. Maybe Matthews isnt a superstar, but just a "good" "average" player in the NHL. I guess the Bruins already won
what? no one is laying down. even if they came back and won though, I don't think this is a cup winning year. they just aren't there yet.
 

joe dirte

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Sep 28, 2017
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Last year Ottawa carried the flag, this year it's Winnipeg, next year who knows.
Best chance in near future is Winnipeg. Plekanec had more hits for the Leafs since the trade deadline, than Matthews or Nylander did all year. They need to play with more jam.
incorrect.
 

Sonny21

Registerd User
Oct 3, 2009
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Definitely in the minority as I voted Bergeron line - Offensive focus. For me, I'm not interested in Leafs being a beast of regular season team...only to wimp out in playoffs in round 1/2. Therefor, Matthews needs to learn how to play against and thrive against players like Bergeron.

I guess I'd be taking the big picture approach, even if he continues to get feasted on, at least Leafs have 4 games in which they can study how Matthews handles himself vs one of the best lines in hockey. I can't think of a better teaching material and experience going forward.
 
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joe dirte

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Sep 28, 2017
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I must have missed the part where they were eliminated. I honestly thought they were up 2 games to none in there series and were 14 wins away. My bad
they're not winning the cup this byear. no chance. yes, thats your bad.
 
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