Post-Game Talk: welcome back 34!! leafs win!

[Thread The Needle]

I thought it was a pretty solid road win. Only thing that bugs me is what the heck is Babs thinking on that 5 on 3. Takes off Matthews and Nylander who have been flying and puts on Bozak JVR and Kadri but leaves Marleau on in place of Marner who's been the driving force on his line. No wonder we never score 5 on 3 lol.

My thoughts exactly. I understood that Matthews was just on so that maybe got a pass, but why Marner was not there escaped me.

 

[ULF_55]

Doubt it

The kids good but I don't think there going to rush him especially when you look at how there developing Dermott who looked very close to being ready in the pre-season games

Isn't Dermott LHD?

 

[A1LeafNation]

Good:
AM 34
Nylander
Marner
JVR
Rielly

Bad:
Gardiner
Andersen
3rd Period
No finish on breakaways

Andersen .938 sv%

Leaf fans: bad

Lol

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Marner could have a dozen more points if bozak could finish

Gardiner has a million dollar pair of legs and a two cent brain

Moore sucks as the fourth line center

Kadri and Marleau have no chemistry getting by on skill alone

Komarov has to get off the power play

Merry Christmas everyone!

To be fair, Bozak could have a dozen more points if Marner could finish, too. JVR is really the finisher on the line.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Hyman Matthews Brown
Marleau Nylander Marner
Komarov Kadri Kapanen
JVR Bozak Leivo

I don't care about the ups and downs of the regular season. Good luck to the rest of the league holding down this offence if we are healthy in the playoffs.

 

[therealkoho]

Isn't Dermott LHD?

he is and hurt atm

 

[weems]

Hyman Matthews Brown
Marleau Nylander Marner
Komarov Kadri Kapanen
JVR Bozak Leivo

I don't care about the ups and downs of the regular season. Good luck to the rest of the league holding down this offence if we are healthy in the playoffs.

That first line sucks.
Brown already played with Matthews and did nothing.
Putting our superstar center with 2 guys that are essentially hardworking role players is a bad idea.
Teams can just swarm Matthews because they're not afraid of the other two burning them. You play him with a Nylander or Marner and they cant do that and thus it gives Matthews much more time and space to work.

 

[54thecup]

Marner could have a dozen more points if bozak could finish

Gardiner has a million dollar pair of legs and a two cent brain

Moore sucks as the fourth line center

Kadri and Marleau have no chemistry getting by on skill alone

Komarov has to get off the power play

Merry Christmas everyone!

lol funny on Gards, (sadly)

Not sure what to do with Kadri, he will get out of his funk and look out when he does! Not that he is playing poorly, just not dangerous at the moment.

Funny, I think Moore has been playing better of late and I like him as a 4th line c.

 

[Kiwi]

Isn't Dermott LHD?

He is, he's also miles better than Polak or Carrick and could have played in the 3RD spot but management decided they wanted him playing top pair minutes on the Marlies just like Liljegren

I think they would bring up Holl Dermott (when fit) Valiev long before Liljegren would get the call

 

[weems]

What's the deal with Holl?

I've watched him a few times and he looks decent.

He's a big RHD which is nice.

Can he PK?

 

[Gallagbi]

He is, he's also miles better than Polak or Carrick and could have played in the 3RD spot but management decided [v]they wanted him playing top pair minutes on the Marlies just like Liljegren[/b]

I think they would bring up Holl Dermott (when fit) Valiev long before Liljegren would get the call

Haven't watched a second of the Marlies this year, are those two playing top pair minutes?

 

[Pi]

Things would look pretty different in the standings if we didn't sweep that back to back against the Bruins. For whatever reason I think that team will fade a bit.

Yeah, the Bruins aren't as good as they are playing right now. I have no doubt that the Leafs will finish 5-10 points ahead of them as long as Matthews is not injured again.

We had a tough December schedule with a lot of road games. Once we head into the second half we'll be fine. In fact, we have played 7 more road games than the Bruins already so they will be in for a lot of travel in the second half, we'll have an equal amount of home/road games remaining.

 

[Kiwi]

Haven't watched a second of the Marlies this year, are those two playing top pair minutes?

Yep, Dermott and Liljegren are the top pair

Sometimes in defensive situations Dermott will come over the boards but one of the older guys will partner him, I've been hugely impressed with how we're developing him

 

[1specter]

Yeah, the Bruins aren't as good as they are playing right now. I have no doubt that the Leafs will finish 5-10 points ahead of them as long as Matthews is not injured again.

We had a tough December schedule with a lot of road games. Once we head into the second half we'll be fine. In fact, we have played 7 more road games than the Bruins already so they will be in for a lot of travel in the second half, we'll have an equal amount of home/road games remaining.

Bruins fans are very arrogant. Would love to get home ice then crush them in the first round.

 

[I Believe]

Matthews looked like his dominant self. So happy to see that

 

[Bigmarycombo]

To be fair, Bozak could have a dozen more points if Marner could finish, too. JVR is really the finisher on the line.

When has bozak given marner any tap in goals
Marner has given bozak and jvr plenty of tap in goals
And some they missed!

Bozak doesn’t have half the hockey iq that marner has

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

When has bozak given marner any tap in goals
Marner has given bozak and jvr plenty of tap in goals
And some they missed!

Bozak doesn’t have half the hockey iq that marner has

I never said he does. Bozak may not be great in the defensive zone, and might not have the same scoring touch as JVR or Kessel, but one thing he's good at doing is setting up plays and threading nice passes. If you can't admit that, then you're riding blind on a Bozak hate train.

Marner has had plenty of juicy opportunities in the slot, set up by Bozak, and either whiffed, sent wide, off the post or right into the goalie's chest. It's just not going for him on finishing chances right now and you know that.

 

[ULF_55]

Matthews and Nylander out to close the game in the defensive zone last night.

Babcock showing who he trusts the most.

 

[Blanche Blanche]

I thought it was a pretty solid road win. Only thing that bugs me is what the heck is Babs thinking on that 5 on 3. Takes off Matthews and Nylander who have been flying and puts on Bozak JVR and Kadri but leaves Marleau on in place of Marner who's been the driving force on his line. No wonder we never score 5 on 3 lol.

Who knows with Babs sometimes... my guess is this...

Seeing how Marner and Nylander scored and awoke the dormant beasts within, he was probably thinking 5v3 is a good chance for Kadri to awaken his inner beast, for whom we all know has taken a double dose Triazolam.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

What's the deal with Holl?

I've watched him a few times and he looks decent.

He's a big RHD which is nice.

Can he PK?

I think he does and he can rush the puck well, but decent is not good enough for this team. You may be quick to say "anything is better than Polak or Carrick" but really, he's not.

Still would be better off replacing Borgman with Marincin if you wanted a more serious upgrade on the defense.

 

[meefer]

That first line sucks.[/B]
Brown already played with Matthews and did nothing.
Putting our superstar center with 2 guys that are essentially hardworking role players is a bad idea.
Teams can just swarm Matthews because they're not afraid of the other two burning them. You play him with a Nylander or Marner and they cant do that and thus it gives Matthews much more time and space to work.

No it doesn't! It may not be as an effective line as one that contains Marner or Nylander, but sucks!!!, come on.

 

[Kazparov]

Probably this has been mentioned already but Gardiner had way too many horribly bad giveaways

 

[deletethis]

Bruins fans are very arrogant. Would love to get home ice then crush them in the first round.

As nice as that sounds, I'd prefer not playing one of these more physical teams in the 1st round.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

As nice as that sounds, I'd prefer not playing one of these more physical teams in the 1st round.

Are they really that physical though? I mean sure they have Marchand, but he's about as physical as Kadri. A couple of big physical guys on the back end, but at the same time the Leafs can skate right around them.

The Leafs have done very well against Boston recently for obvious reasons. If we can shut down their few good offensive players and do not totally suck ourselves, they'd be one of the easier teams to dispatch. I'd rather face them than get 1st and play Pittsburgh or NYI or some team in the Metro first round. I think we could beat most of them, but not as easily as Boston.

 

[weems]

No it doesn't! It may not be as an effective line as one that contains Marner or Nylander, but sucks!!!, come on.

The only reason that line would be anything of worth would be Matthews being a star.
So you put him with two guys who are basically grinders (Brown a good version) and two guys totally incapable of driving offense whatsoever.
Proof is in the pudding. They played that line for like 3-4 games and they did basically zilch.

Putting one specialist with our star is one thing. Putting another role player on the other side is bordering on insane. Like I said, you make a line like that and it becomes VERY easy to shutdown Matthews because they dont respect the other twos ability to hurt them and can just overcommitt on Matthews.