Post-Game Talk: There's Nothin' Fin-ah than losing to Carolina, Leafs 1, Canes 4

[The_Chosen_One]

Yes, I am overreacting, for not bashing the team for losing one game.

The people calling the team a disgrace, and pathetic are being completely rationale.


We came out flat, it happens. Get over it. Come out hard Saturday. We finished the game strong after we made changes.

We should at least be considering to tinker the top line, though. Our possession numbers even during the winning streak was pretty lacking. Even elite teams tend to mix things up in order to maintain their performance and the Leafs ought to be doing the same thing.

JVR with Kadri. Bozak-Kadri with a more defensive winger. Panik displaces Clarkson on the Holland - Lupul pair.

 

[PuckMagi]

I like the new lines:

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Santorelli
Winnik - Holland - Clarkson
Booth - Smith - Panik

When Komorov comes back, I'm guessing we'll see:

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Santorelli
Komorov - Holland - Clarkson
Booth - Winnik - Panik

 

[Squiffy]

Man, what was Winni doing? I'm sitting there watching him wheel it back and I think "uh oh, that's gonna cost them" and bam, in the net game over. We were still going to win that game despite mailing in the first until that exact second. Brutal. He's been great, I'll give him a pass but this loss is on him to me.

Still tho, great run of games, hopefully it's a learning moment, straighten them back out.

 

[Squiffy]

I like the new lines:

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Santorelli
Winnik - Holland - Clarkson
Booth - Smith - Panik

When Komorov comes back, I'm guessing we'll see:

Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
JVR - Kadri - Santorelli
Komorov - Holland - Clarkson
Booth - Winnik - Panik

They just won 6 straight and 10 of 12 with the non-juggled lines, don't read to much into it, randy was just trying to get a flat team going. Lines back to normal Saturday.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Man, what was Winni doing? I'm sitting there watching him wheel it back and I think "uh oh, that's gonna cost them" and bam, in the net game over. We were still going to win that game despite mailing in the first until that exact second. Brutal. He's been great, I'll give him a pass but this loss is on him to me.

Still tho, great run of games, hopefully it's a learning moment, straighten them back out.

Are you for real? Winnik isn't to blame for losing the game, granted that play on the goal wasn't ideal or smart. The leafs lost simply because they got cocky and failed to show up in the first, by that point the damage was already done, they did try for the latter half of the game but it's a case of "too little too late" approach.

No one single player is to blame for the loss, group effort as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Nithoniniel]

He was the reason we were in the game after the first! He had a good game..

Yeah, I've changed him to good just haven't updated the post. I'll do that now.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Leafs always play to their competition.

In the beginning they beat teams they have no right to but then lose to the teams they shouldn't i.e Buffalo,Carolina. These teams have owned To. for years.It is just that as the season gets tougher,the Leafs stop beating teams they shouldn't but still lose to....you know the rest.

Don't get too high on this winstreak,just be grateful and accept that they usually don't last,almost every team gets hot in an 82 game season.We have better odds of not collapsing as badly and still recovering rather than throwing in the towel this year.With a what 20 out of 25 roadtrip coming,some are looking at Nostradamus' crystal ball and predicting a pullback, that this is unsustainable...really Sherlock?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

guys relax after a 10-1-1 run one loss means NOTHING

 

[garce]

guys relax after a 10-1-1 run one loss means NOTHING

With 15 of the next 20 on the road the key is not to squander the points accumulated. 20-25 would be just ok anything over that great.

 

[Erdinger]

With 15 of the next 20 on the road the key is not to squander the points accumulated. 20-25 would be just ok anything over that great.

Granted it's a small sample size but since winning in Ottawa almost 6 weeks ago the Leafs have only played the one decent road game in the OT loss to Pittsburgh. The Buffalo,Detroit and Carolina games were dreadful team efforts. Reimer singlehandedly won the road game in Detroit. They better get their act together on the road after Christmas.

 

[Warden of the North]

Some genious on the radio this morning said the Leafs dont have the mental fortitude to go on a win streak.

After going 10-1-1

 

[BraveCanadian]

Some genious on the radio this morning said the Leafs dont have the mental fortitude to go on a win streak.

After going 10-1-1

I heard that too.. sounded like a lot of people. Trying to ram the facts into a preconceived narrative. Not exactly a genius.

The Leafs are going to continue to throw up the occasional stinker if they continue to get out worked and out shot so often. They are living and dying on scoring and goaltending.

So lucky that we have had two goalies playing well recently.

 

[Squiffy]

Are you for real? Winnik isn't to blame for losing the game, granted that play on the goal wasn't ideal or smart. The leafs lost simply because they got cocky and failed to show up in the first, by that point the damage was already done, they did try for the latter half of the game but it's a case of "too little too late" approach.

No one single player is to blame for the loss, group effort as far as I'm concerned.

Granted of course, they don't sleepwalk the 1st they don't lose, I just think they were coming back still until that, has momentum, would have killed the pk off, and bam, over.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Some genious on the radio this morning said the Leafs dont have the mental fortitude to go on a win streak.

After going 10-1-1

boy i love it when we lose, we get amazing gems like that.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Many of us saw this one coming from a mile away. Sh-t happens.

On to the next one.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Some genious on the radio this morning said the Leafs dont have the mental fortitude to go on a win streak.

After going 10-1-1

Hahaha. Unreal funny. Lots of fans aren't playing with a full deck out there.

 

[Trapper]

boy i love it when we lose, we get amazing gems like that.

I've stopped worrying about 1 game results to the next.
You'll live longer.
I will just watch the games and let me know when we have made the playoffs.
I'm going to believe they know what they are doing and have it all under control.
However should we miss the playoffs again.....not acceptable.

 

[realgoodleafs]

They just won 6 straight and 10 of 12 with the non-juggled lines, don't read to much into it, randy was just trying to get a flat team going. Lines back to normal Saturday.

Until the second period when they've given up 30 shots, then he'll go back to those lines.

 

[Cams]

A few comments.....

Polak is ready to get back in, but you sit Holzer and not Gardiner? Holzer has been solid. Either play 7 D, or let Polak practice a few more times. Don't fix what ain't broken?!

Gardiner - Terrible, terrible d-man. Even offensively he is not very good, points aside. This baseball/sword play with his stick???? Not good at that either! One shift last night, the Leafs had a nice cycle going, even got a line change while pinning the Canes in their own end. Puck gets played back to Gardiner. What does he do? A feeble attempt at putting it in the corner, goes right to a Carolina player. End result.......killed a good cycle and offensive momentum.

Also - there are a few comments on here about the latest streak, and not get worried about "1 loss". There problem is....they have not been playing that well, and have been lucky the goals were coming pretty easy and in bunches. Getting outshot again is becoming a worrying trend. So yes, we do have to worry about this "1 loss". Mostly because it was against a team they should beat. Look at their record against the very weak teams. If this isn't troubling.......?

OTL Col 4-3 (25th OA)
S/OL Col 4-3
Reg L Buf 6-2 (26th OA), NJ 5-3 (27th OA) (at home!), CAR 4-1 (29th OA), ARI 3-2 (28th OA)

So yes...this is points given away basically.

 

[Mess]

A few comments.....

Polak is ready to get back in, but you sit Holzer and not Gardiner? Holzer has been solid. Either play 7 D, or let Polak practice a few more times. Don't fix what ain't broken?!

It is a little surprising that a coach would want to mess with a winning combination by making the swap.

However that said I thought the in-game move breaking up the top line and putting JVR with Kadri and Santo making them the most effective line was effective and something we might see again in the future.

 

[Cams]

It is a little surprising that a coach would want to mess with a winning combination by making the swap.

However that said I thought the in-game move breaking up the top line and putting JVR with Kadri and Santo making them the most effective line was effective and something we might see again in the future.

Agreed! As you said...why mess up a winning group, when they were fine without Polak. Sure, they won't win every night, and no game is a guarantee (and don't us Leafs fans know this!), but momentum, confidence and chemistry are huge in hockey. Plus, what kind of message does that send to Holzer? He has been more than they could have asked for, and actually has been make Gardiner look better (which seems impossible on most nights), so he gets a thank you by watching from the box.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Agreed! As you said...why mess up a winning group, when they were fine without Polak. Sure, they won't win every night, and no game is a guarantee (and don't us Leafs fans know this!), but momentum, confidence and chemistry are huge in hockey. Plus, what kind of message does that send to Holzer? He has been more than they could have asked for, and actually has been make Gardiner look better (which seems impossible on most nights), so he gets a thank you by watching from the box.

Agree 100%. All excellent points.

 

[egd27]

So let me understand something:

The Leafs had Det, L.A., Ana & Carolina in a 6 day span, and managed 6 out of a possible 8 points, and some people are calling them embarrassing and disgraceful?

Just wow.

 

[realgoodleafs]

Agreed! As you said...why mess up a winning group, when they were fine without Polak. Sure, they won't win every night, and no game is a guarantee (and don't us Leafs fans know this!), but momentum, confidence and chemistry are huge in hockey. Plus, what kind of message does that send to Holzer? He has been more than they could have asked for, and actually has been make Gardiner look better (which seems impossible on most nights), so he gets a thank you by watching from the box.

We didn't lose the game because of a 6th defenceman. We wouldn't be any better replacing Gardiner's blatant errors with a defenceman that spends most of the game stuck in his own zone.

 

[Leafidelity]

At least Kadri was the best player on the ice for the 100th game in a row. His improved two way play and exciting brand of corsi loving puck hoggery has made us a better overall team, just not in Carolina apparently. Chin up, our hero is well on his way to the monumental payday he so richly deserves for putting the team on his back during our hot streak. Such a dream beast, I think I'm in love. Phaneuf should just give him the C and toss in Elisha while he's at it to make the passing of the torch complete.

We lost, and it sucks that it happened against a weak team but it should at least make it evident that there's still plenty of "same old Leafs" left in this squad despite the post Nashville rebirth. Work to be done still for this team without question.

One of these days you need to tell us what Kadri did to you and your family