Post-Game Talk: This is 40. Toronto beat up on Habs 5:2

[crump]

Thought Kerfoot had a really good game. PK and some hustle on the forecheck. With Foligno and Hyman out, he really picked up the slack there.

A little snake bit shooting wise but he showed he can centre a 2 way line. If Mikheyev and him ever get some semblance of a hot streak going, it’ll be a really good line with Hyman.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Reading the Montreal threads about Leafs being poor in the play offs and they can take us.

A. We never played somebody that ass before.

B. All the best thinking that this is the same Leafs.

 

[Shooter14]

Oilers lost 6-3. 1 point to division title!!!!

16 Playoff wins to go for the Stanley Cup!!!!

 

[Victory Avenue]

So privileged to be watching the best player in Leafs history.

I would say players, both Marner and Matthews are unbelievable.

 

[Damisoph]

They need to start letting Sandin or Muzzin hammer it from the point. I know s% from point shots is dismal but it's better than passing it around doing nothing for 2 minutes.

Also, Caufield gets a gift from Perry last night, is a -2 and gets third star. What a joke.

 

[BertCorbeau]

One thing to keep in mind is that that Leafs have a 4-day break between tomorrow's game and the following game against the Sens next week.

Resting our stars now almost provides too much time off. IMO play them tomorrow and possibly even next week against the Sens before resting them against Winnipeg in the season finale.

That would give them nearly a full week of rest with 1 game in 12-ish days.

 

[Alerion]

The PP moves the puck too slowly and goes through the exact same set motions every single time. If the Royal Road pass isn't there (and EVERY team knows to clog the middle against the Leafs by now) the first unit goes through the following options, without fail:

1. Puck to Marner on the half-wall who glides in 10 feet looking for the cross-ice pass to Matthews, which isn't there, so he reverses to Rielly.

2. Rielly gathers the puck and stickhandles back toward Matthews feigning shot, then dishes down to Matthews.

3. Matthews gets the puck with a stationary D in front of him because the movement was too slow and doesn't have much to look at.

4. Puck goes down to Nylander who tries a jam play because Tavares isn't open in the slot as the bumper.

5. Every so often Rielly fires a wrister wide or Marner fires a Royal Road pass into a sea of bodies and they lose the zone.

They made a killing under Hiller a few years ago utilizing the high tip with Bozak or Kadri in the bumper spot but they never look for that shot any more. Also, given his vision and total lack of shot, I'd like to see Marner down low facilitating from Gretzky's office, and Nylander operate at the half-wall where he's a dual threat.

 

[Primary Assist]

The PP moves the puck too slowly and goes through the exact same set motions every single time. If the Royal Road pass isn't there (and EVERY team knows to clog the middle against the Leafs by now) the first unit goes through the following options, without fail:

1. Puck to Marner on the half-wall who glides in 10 feet looking for the cross-ice pass to Matthews, which isn't there, so he reverses to Rielly.

2. Rielly gathers the puck and stickhandles back toward Matthews feigning shot, then dishes down to Matthews.

3. Matthews gets the puck with a stationary D in front of him because the movement was too slow and doesn't have much to look at.

4. Puck goes down to Nylander who tries a jam play because Tavares isn't open in the slot as the bumper.

5. Every so often Rielly fires a wrister wide or Marner fires a Royal Road pass into a sea of bodies and they lose the zone.

They made a killing under Hiller a few years ago utilizing the high tip with Bozak or Kadri in the bumper spot but they never look for that shot any more. Also, given his vision and total lack of shot, I'd like to see Marner down low facilitating from Gretzky's office, and Nylander operate at the half-wall where he's a dual threat.

Excellent post

 

[VanW27]

The PP moves the puck too slowly and goes through the exact same set motions every single time. If the Royal Road pass isn't there (and EVERY team knows to clog the middle against the Leafs by now) the first unit goes through the following options, without fail:

1. Puck to Marner on the half-wall who glides in 10 feet looking for the cross-ice pass to Matthews, which isn't there, so he reverses to Rielly.

2. Rielly gathers the puck and stickhandles back toward Matthews feigning shot, then dishes down to Matthews.

3. Matthews gets the puck with a stationary D in front of him because the movement was too slow and doesn't have much to look at.

4. Puck goes down to Nylander who tries a jam play because Tavares isn't open in the slot as the bumper.

5. Every so often Rielly fires a wrister wide or Marner fires a Royal Road pass into a sea of bodies and they lose the zone.

They made a killing under Hiller a few years ago utilizing the high tip with Bozak or Kadri in the bumper spot but they never look for that shot any more. Also, given his vision and total lack of shot, I'd like to see Marner down low facilitating from Gretzky's office, and Nylander operate at the half-wall where he's a dual threat.

Agreed, current setup the PK has it too easy.

Give Rielly (Sandin now) and Marner space and take away Matthews and Tavares, that's it. Marner and Rielly aren't shooting threats so they just leave them. Puck down low to Nylander isn't effective because the defense is already taking away Tavares and Matthews so his only options are jam attempt or back to Marner and start over.

Nylander on the wall and Marner down low forces the PK to cover the shot threat from Nylander which in turn opens up space for Tavares and Matthews.

 

[Brobust]

They need to start letting Sandin or Muzzin hammer it from the point. I know s% from point shots is dismal but it's better than passing it around doing nothing for 2 minutes.

Also, Caufield gets a gift from Perry last night, is a -2 and gets third star. What a joke.

There are no second chances on the leafs PP. They shoot and there are rarely if ever any rebound chances. Fix that and there's nothing to worry about.

A strategy is to use slapshots. Another would be to plant Foligno or Simmonds in front of the net and go with a 5 forward unit.

 

[Spargon]

Lol, Caufield whose a -2 is third star of the game

After Galchenyuk then KK disappointed for them as top 3 picks. Goal goalfield (what habs fans call him) is the one kinda good prospect they have so gotta pump him to the moon to make the fans have a false sense of hope. We as leaf fans should be used to that heh.

 

[Bluelines]

Thought Kerfoot had a really good game. PK and some hustle on the forecheck. With Foligno and Hyman out, he really picked up the slack there.

A little snake bit shooting wise but he showed he can centre a 2 way line. If Mikheyev and him ever get some semblance of a hot streak going, it’ll be a really good line with Hyman.

Kerfoot is kinda growing on me. Didn't like his game last year, didn't like his game this year to start the season but recently he seems to be less a problem for us and more a problem for the other team.

 

[Mopar]

Reading the Montreal threads about Leafs being poor in the play offs and they can take us.

A. We never played somebody that ass before.

B. All the best thinking that this is the same Leafs.

Losing a close series to Washington as a young squad that went from 30th overall to playoffs in one season, then losing to Boston twice in 7 games is not a definition of doing poorly in the playoffs. The "Leafs suck in the playoffs" narrative is such a joke. Let them hang their hats on that though. It won't age well.

We don't have anything in the "W" column in the post season, yes. But it's not like we've been bad.

The Habs are nowhere near either of those teams we lost to. Nor is anyone else in this division. Time for us to do some damage this spring.

 

[Spargon]

Here's a fun exercise. Who would you expansion protect on the Habs?

Can you even use all the slots on deserving players?

 

[ShaneFalco]

Losing a close series to Washington as a young squad that went from 30th overall to playoffs in one season, then losing to Boston twice in 7 games is not a definition of doing poorly in the playoffs. The "Leafs suck in the playoffs" narrative is such a joke. Let them hang their hats on that though. It won't age well.

We don't have anything in the "W" column in the post season, yes. But it's not like we've been bad.

The Habs are nowhere near either of those teams we lost to. Nor is anyone else in this division. Time for us to do some damage this spring.

I would agree to an extent, however we previously didn't match up well against teams like CBJ/Bos. We were too easily shut down. I don't think that happens this year

 

[Garthinater]

Losing a close series to Washington as a young squad that went from 30th overall to playoffs in one season, then losing to Boston twice in 7 games is not a definition of doing poorly in the playoffs. The "Leafs suck in the playoffs" narrative is such a joke. Let them hang their hats on that though. It won't age well.

We don't have anything in the "W" column in the post season, yes. But it's not like we've been bad.

The Habs are nowhere near either of those teams we lost to. Nor is anyone else in this division. Time for us to do some damage this spring.

What about Columbus?

 

[Brobust]

Habs board seems to think this game was winnable if not for Primeau.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Habs board seems to think this game was winnable if not for Primeau.

By far the most Bipolar fan base in the league.

They go from contenders to blowing it up on a day to day basis.

 

[ShaneFalco]

 

[al secord]

Hit 'em with a 4 - 0

 

[lottster14]

Expected. Wake me up when the playoffs start.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Here's a fun exercise. Who would you expansion protect on the Habs?

Can you even use all the slots on deserving players?

I mean it's an underwhelming list but:

F - Anderson, Toffoli, Gallagher (has NMC), Kotkaniemi, Evans, Lehkonen
D - Chariot, Petry (has NMC), Edmunson
G - Price

Notable exposed players:

- Drouin is likely gone. He's really underwhelmed and given his leave of absence you wonder if he's been off being exposed and maybe given a chance elsewhere.
- Tatar and Danault are a pending UFA's
- Weber's showing his age and given his cap hit and no NMC he can be left exposed though I doubt Seattle claims him given the term left on his deal. IMO Weber probably plays another 4-5 years.
- Price has his NMC so he's a must-keep. Though Allen's solid play this year makes me wonder if they'll try to ask Price to waive his NMC and work a deal out with Seattle to take him. Montreal has a lot of draft picks they can leverage for the expansion draft this year.

 

[Leaf4Life]

The PP moves the puck too slowly and goes through the exact same set motions every single time. If the Royal Road pass isn't there (and EVERY team knows to clog the middle against the Leafs by now) the first unit goes through the following options, without fail:

1. Puck to Marner on the half-wall who glides in 10 feet looking for the cross-ice pass to Matthews, which isn't there, so he reverses to Rielly.

2. Rielly gathers the puck and stickhandles back toward Matthews feigning shot, then dishes down to Matthews.

3. Matthews gets the puck with a stationary D in front of him because the movement was too slow and doesn't have much to look at.

4. Puck goes down to Nylander who tries a jam play because Tavares isn't open in the slot as the bumper.

5. Every so often Rielly fires a wrister wide or Marner fires a Royal Road pass into a sea of bodies and they lose the zone.

They made a killing under Hiller a few years ago utilizing the high tip with Bozak or Kadri in the bumper spot but they never look for that shot any more. Also, given his vision and total lack of shot, I'd like to see Marner down low facilitating from Gretzky's office, and Nylander operate at the half-wall where he's a dual threat.

That pretty much sums it up.

Leafs are constantly looking for one thing on the PP, the perfect wide open cross-seam pass and nothing else. Problem is, seams don't just magically open up when you're standing still or moving the puck slow as molasses with little to no variety.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Complete and total domination .. congrats Matty on 40 .. hope we can get in reps for our D to be playoff ready and 2-3 backups ready too .. Freddy looked HORRIBLE in Marlie game which I watched .. still not moving well at all .. maybe it is his new normal if he is healed up .. or maybe it was just rust .. either way same old issues as past 2 years

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Those “fans” complaining over something so little are the same fans that will jump in the air and be all happy after the Habs win their first following a 16-game losing streak. There are a lot more things to be upset about (e.g.: how inept our management has been since forever). Good on the Leafs, do what you gotta do to win. Us Habs would do the same if the roles were reversed. No mercy.

Don't think it had anything to do with mercy. Their PP has been down the toilet. I think they are taking what little opportunity they have left to try and get it working.