If Danault's line doesn't come up with a goal again last night then we probably don't get the win. And it's not just the goal, they were offensive threats all game and helped put Winnipeg on their backfoot. Danault and linemates deserve way more credit for these past few games where they've been threats offensively then they deserve credit for the Toronto series where they did nothing offensively and Price stole the series.
If we want to win games we need to score 3 goals, scoring 3 goals is extremely tough to do if your most used player/line doesn't produce. Let's just hope Danault's recent level of offensive play is him finally adapting to the playoffs, because if we go back to Danault's line not producing offensively then Price is going to have to steal the series.
I mean ya, Danault line has been a beast defensively and from game 5 on in the leafs, have been grinding top lines in the offensive zone. Again though, Danault keeping the best line at near net zero is more than suffice to win a series. Of course, if they go up on the first line its a huge W but again by taking on the top line, it puts our other 3 lines in matchups they should win. Also again, Danault's line isn't a traditional first line either, they also aren't put in offensive situations to nearly the same extent as others. Before last game, Danault's line had ZERO offensive zone starts against the Jets.
We are winning because our other 9 have been able to capitalize, they weren't able to capitalize against the leafs until near the end of the series, thats on them.
If danault is matching against a top line and having similar minutes as their top line, that means the other 9 on both teams have similar minutes dispersed between them. If we wanna win, we have to beat our matchups, especially if we are in favourable positions.
Danault and his linemates kept a potent offensive juggernaut line in the leafs to lower than expected goals %, we were about to lose that series because our other 9 didn't take advantage of playing against inferior competition (especially with JT out) That is all.
This whole game plan only becomes an issue when Danault's line starts getting torched by the other teams top talent, which hasn't happened at all in both series.
Anyway, that line has been lights out and Lekhy picked up right where Evans left off. You are right, they do deserve more credit, maybe on this thread lol cause there already getting it everywhere else
