Post-Game Talk: Well.... learning experience?

[Daisy Jane]

I do think fans, bouyed by Andersen and the powerplay, have an inflated sense of just how good this team is right now.

Tampa showed up for 13 minutes last night, steamrolled the Leafs with ease, and then shut it down.

That's just 2 wins from their last 11 games for a Leafs team who will be starting the playoffs on the road.

Think some have gotten way too far ahead of themselves here.

that's fine that you believe that way.

i personally feel this team lot of good things. not just about Andersen, not just about the powerplay, but because I feel they can. and honestly, until the Leafs get eliminated there is no reason to think otherwise. thinking positively doesn't mean being too far ahead of themselves but each their own.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

7 injured players: Bergeron, Backes, DeBrusk, Bjork, Nash, Chara & McAvoy. That's a lot of injured players. Even getting back Bergeron and McAvoy would be huge for them.

 

[Gary Nylund]

7 injured players: Bergeron, Backes, DeBrusk, Bjork, Nash, Chara & McAvoy. That's a lot of injured players. Even getting back Bergeron and McAvoy would be huge for them.

I had a quick peek at the Boston board yesterday and they seem to think that pretty much everyone will be back in time for the playoffs so anyone thinking that their injuries will provide us with an edge is probably mistaken. I'm more worried about Matthews and Zaitsev myself.

 

[Joey Hoser]

I had a quick peek at the Boston board yesterday and they seem to think that pretty much everyone will be back in time for the playoffs so anyone thinking that their injuries will provide us with an edge is probably mistaken. I'm more worried about Matthews and Zaitsev myself.

Well how does that make any sense? You worry about the two guys who are having full practices and will be good to go by the weekend, but there's no worry about all 7 of those guys with varying timelines?

 

[T REX]

Frankly I'd be more worried if I was Tampa. Spotting a team a 3-0 lead is much more dangerous in the playoffs than what we did. Andersen was too rusty and we were missing our best player. Honestly we win that game 90% of the time. **** happens though. Let them get false confidence

No false confidence here. In fact, the opposite. The team(TB) had such a big lead(in the standings) they went on auto-pilot and frankly, haven't been playing their best hockey. We were looking for that spark...that game where that team from earlier in the year decided to wake up. From what I've heard, the lockerroom was completely different last night and something has changed(for the better). TB fans have been waiting for that moment when the Bolts switched gears. When we are clicking there's not a team I'm afraid of. Just being honest. Stevie Y has built a solid team...a cup team. We've been sleepwalking for weeks and this is the jolt they needed. I have a strong feeling in June when we look back on the season this is the game where TB regained that swagger. Thank you. Good luck the rest of regular season.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

No false confidence here. In fact, the opposite. The team(TB) had such a big lead(in the standings) they went on auto-pilot and frankly, haven't been playing their best hockey. We were looking for that spark...that game where that team from earlier in the year decided to wake up. From what I've heard, the lockerroom was completely different last night and something has changed(for the better). TB fans have been waiting for that moment when the Bolts switched gears. When we are clicking there's not a team I'm afraid of. Just being honest. Stevie Y has built a solid team...a cup team. We've been sleepwalking for weeks and this is the jolt they needed. I have a strong feeling in June when we look back on the season this is the game where TB regained that swagger. Thank you. Good luck the rest of regular season.

but if you don't get false confidence how are we supposed to get the moral victory here

 

[Joey Hoser]

Yeah we only played 2 periods, but Tampa only played one.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Well how does that make any sense? You worry about the two guys who are having full practices and will be good to go by the weekend, but there's no worry about all 7 of those guys with varying timelines?

Zaitsev will be good to go by the weekend? Is that true? First I've heard of it but if true that's wonderful. The thing is though, even if true I'm still not quite satisfied because he has seemed off for a long time so even if he's been playing, the question is will he still seem off? To me it's a big concern because we are NOT deep on defence and how well Zaitsev plays will have a definite impact on our chances of beating the top teams in the NHL in a 7 game series. Yeah I've been worried about Z for a while now, still am.

Matthews has said that he won't be back to 100% this season. How close to 100% he will be is obviously another thing that will have huge impact on our post season chances.

And of course I'm more worried about our guys than the Boston guys. For one thing, they're our guys. For another thing, if we want to win the cup we have to play 4 series, Boston will only be a part of one of those at the most. Not only that, we may not have to play them until the 2nd round or we may not even have to play them at all.

 

[White Shadow]

I do think fans, bouyed by Andersen and the powerplay, have an inflated sense of just how good this team is right now.

Tampa showed up for 13 minutes last night, steamrolled the Leafs with ease, and then shut it down.

That's just 2 wins from their last 11 games for a Leafs team who will be starting the playoffs on the road.

Think some have gotten way too far ahead of themselves here.

From the other side of the fence...

Through 73 games, Toronto has just 4 fewer regulations wins than Tampa.

 

[White Shadow]

No false confidence here. In fact, the opposite. The team(TB) had such a big lead(in the standings) they went on auto-pilot and frankly, haven't been playing their best hockey. We were looking for that spark...that game where that team from earlier in the year decided to wake up. From what I've heard, the lockerroom was completely different last night and something has changed(for the better). TB fans have been waiting for that moment when the Bolts switched gears. When we are clicking there's not a team I'm afraid of. Just being honest. Stevie Y has built a solid team...a cup team. We've been sleepwalking for weeks and this is the jolt they needed. I have a strong feeling in June when we look back on the season this is the game where TB regained that swagger. Thank you. Good luck the rest of regular season.

The Bolts have been playing for 1st in the division ever since Boston turned up the heat weeks ago. It's the Leafs that have been on auto pilot. We are easily in the playoffs with no one to catch. If we aren't on auto pilot, Matthews is playing.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I do think fans, bouyed by Andersen and the powerplay, have an inflated sense of just how good this team is right now.

Tampa showed up for 13 minutes last night, steamrolled the Leafs with ease, and then shut it down.

That's just 2 wins from their last 11 games for a Leafs team who will be starting the playoffs on the road.

Think some have gotten way too far ahead of themselves here.

always love it when people think being excessively negative helps them come off as smarter than other people

 

[HoweHullOrr]

I do think fans, bouyed by Andersen and the powerplay, have an inflated sense of just how good this team is right now.

Tampa showed up for 13 minutes last night, steamrolled the Leafs with ease, and then shut it down.

That's just 2 wins from their last 11 games for a Leafs team who will be starting the playoffs on the road.

Think some have gotten way too far ahead of themselves here.

always love it when people think being excessively negative helps them come off as smarter than other people

I'm sure that excessive positive thinking is never devoid of critical thinking either or is never a reflection of naivety.

 

[stuart5035]

I'm sure that excessive positive thinking is never devoid of critical thinking either or is never a reflection of naivety.

It was a tough loss to swallow, left a bitter residue, a “not fair” aftertaste, it looked to be a masterpiece, where our troops had matured into a cohesive deadly unit-then shot to earth suddenly, old warts showing.

The glass is half full! We were playing a powerhouse, in their rink, minus our best player and leader and we dominated for long stretches. We deserved to win and were it not for a fluke goal off a skate and numerous near misses, we would of.

Rielly? I don’t understand the criticism, he “floated” all over the ice with his speed, there is no one I’d rather see carry the puck out of our end.

Gardiner? Just as dominant as Rielly, great skater and passer, sure he sometimes gambles and loses but I’ll take his mercurial playmaking any time.

Hyman? I’d put him out 6-5 too, smart move by Babcock, it’s a game of bodies banging against the boards 6-5, a game of hopefully someone can dig it out when there is so little room, that’s his strength.

Marleau? I’ll take a 20plus goal scorer with speed and his experience any day. Please keep the lynch mob away people; now I read how anger at the possible loss of JVR due to Marleau’s contract is stirring against this first rate veteran. Do we really think this kind of venom will attract a Tavares?

Babcock criticism? Really? Isn’t the best reference what his peers think? Those in the know with no agenda? Check out those reviews, see his name and Quenneville as the most respected. Please Brendan, don’t listen to the lynch mob, shield him, we need him long term.

Elite teams can win even when they don’t deserve to, and that’s what we saw last night. It’s the experience and calm we are missing. That’s why we panicked and ran around with that “deer in the headlights” glaze. And the old razor sharp Anderson would go a long ways, with a generous helping of Matthews!

I know I’m finally convinced and don’t have my historic “Leaf dread” that they’ll fall apart somehow. We really can beat anyone.

 

[hoglund]

The Bolts have been playing for 1st in the division ever since Boston turned up the heat weeks ago. It's the Leafs that have been on auto pilot. We are easily in the playoffs with no one to catch. If we aren't on auto pilot, Matthews is playing.

 

[hoglund]

This is true, the Leafs aren't going to be moving out of third place regardless, that's why Matthews shouldn't be rushed to get back.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

What did any leaf do?

They didn't have a chance to do anything because when they finally gained offensive zone possession Hyman decided, with enough time and space, to flip the puck to open ice for no reason in particular resulting in a defensive zone puck recovery with 25 seconds left in the game.

It was a simple decision/execution for an NHLer and he couldn't pull it off. The exact sort of play that he botches 5 times a night which makes you scratch your head and wonder what a guy with Junior B puck skills and decision making is doing in our top 6 and at such a critical juncture when we have plenty of high-end talent ready to slide up our depth chart on any given night.

 

[Superstar]

No. A statement game is when you're down by 3 goals and you come back and beat the leafs.

Who are we? The Stanley Cup defending champs? We dominated them for most of the game, and their shooting percentage was 40% (4 goals in a span of 10 shots) from when they scored their first goal late in the 2nd to when they took the lead in the 3rd. A statement game for neither.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

It was a tough loss to swallow, left a bitter residue, a “not fair” aftertaste, it looked to be a masterpiece, where our troops had matured into a cohesive deadly unit-then shot to earth suddenly, old warts showing.

Please keep the lynch mob away people; .....

Please Brendan, don’t listen to the lynch mob, ......

Elite teams can win even when they don’t deserve to, and that’s what we saw last night. It’s the experience and calm we are missing.

I know I’m finally convinced and don’t have my historic “Leaf dread” that they’ll fall apart somehow.

It was the comment about "coming off as smarter than other people" that I was pointing out. Not sure how anyone can infer something like this based on a few comments on a hockey board without knowing anything about the person in question and his or her intent.

I think we have a good team that should be competitive against any opponent that we might face. I just don't know why it irks some people so much when they see a comment that is more tempered and less rosy. It seems that unbridled optimism without any reservations is the only acceptable position for some.

Not sure at all how the lynch mob comments are appropriate, although I suppose it could be reflective of the way that a few people think - just not me.

 

[X66]

The game essentially came down to 3 things.

1) Leafs couldn't clean up the 2nd period perfectly, giving Tampa that late goal gave the bolts a lot of life.

2) Rielly and Hainsey had probably their worst game of the year. They were awful.

3) Andersen needs to make one of those saves. I know the chances were very good, but he needs to save at least one of those somehow to stop the bleeding.

Overall, I can't crap on the Leafs too much, Tampa played 15 minutes of good hockey and was able to steal a win, that's sports.

 

[Al14]

Man I loved the Flintstones. Was a lunchtime ritual for many, many years in school.

Hurcules followed the Flintstones at 12:30! I then had to run back to school to make it back for 13:10! Good times.