Bruins @ Leafs - Jan. 12th, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[herman]

Do you think they'll beat them in April?  I am not convinced they can, as now constituted. 

What I'm saying is that it's crazy to think that they can't beat them. Heck, the Leafs were one win away from beating them last year and we've essentially swapped Tomas Plekanec for John Tavares from that series. Just think about how that sounds for a second.

We took them to 7 games minus our match up centre for three games, and giving them a two game head start, and with Andersen and a Matthews under performing.

Now we?ve dumped Polak and defensive nothings Bozak/JvR and put in Tavares, and confident Johnsson and Kapanen. They just nearly lost to our third string goalie.

 

[lamajama]

Patty, we have a beautiful beach chair for you on Robidas Island where your kidz can swim and play. Please go, we will allow many short visits from Mitch, and Auston and the others whilst you are there or would you take a coaching job for your big bucks for one year?

Yeah he's been non-existent for too long. Problem is he's morphed into this "great-in-the-room" guy who seems to be so revered by Babs.  He's too healthy to be Robida'd (as far as history goes) so he has to be traded to get out of the Cap hit and I really doubt Dubas will go that far.

 

[Zee]

Patty, we have a beautiful beach chair for you on Robidas Island where your kidz can swim and play. Please go, we will allow many short visits from Mitch, and Auston and the others whilst you are there or would you take a coaching job for your big bucks for one year?

Yeah he's been non-existent for too long. Problem is he's morphed into this "great-in-the-room" guy who seems to be so revered by Babs.  He's too healthy to be Robida'd (as far as history goes) so he has to be traded to get out of the Cap hit and I really doubt Dubas will go that far.

He has a NMC thanks to Lou so he would have to agree to be moved

 

[Guilt Trip]

Agree with all that believe the Leafs can beat the Bruins. I think they can too. I think they can beat anyone, including T-Bay. They will be ready come playoff time and it will be interesting to see what Dubas does to help out the D.. Maybe it's from within, who knows. Good game tonight. The breakdowns defensively cost us huge.
Also agree with the Marleau comments. He looks tired out there. I think he can be useful in the playoffs as it's more a grinding game but he looks like he's lost a step. Hoping it's mid season blues.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Of course they can beat them.  I truly believe, though, unless some changes are coming on defense (and Babcock pulls himself together enough to demote Marleau), the only way that happens is if we get home ice *and* Andersen plays at the very top of his game, stealing at least one game the way Rask did tonight.  It's a thin margin for success.

Gardiner does not match up well against the Bruins forecheck, Zaitsev is not good enough, and Dermott needs more seasoning.  Ozhiganov (or Holl, or Marincin) also not good enough.  Hainsey likely to be battered into mistakes over a series.  They are simply a piece or two short on the blueline.

I don't see it happening unless they move Kapanen or Johnsson as part of a deal for a defenseman.  I hate to see either go but that's the way forward I'm afraid.

I mean, I could say that exact same thing about Boston. They'll need Rask to play at his best (and Andersen so far this season has been the better goalie). They'll need home ice to get their match-ups (Leafs are still currently up by 2 points with a game in hand). They'll need to make a move to upgrade their centre depth (Noel Acciari and kidwithlonglastname is a pretty below average 3-4 C). They'll need to hope Chara doesn't finally remember he'll be 42 years old. They need to hope the refs don't call all the bullcrap they do.

These are two very good teams who also have weaknesses. Boston's isn't some juggernaut team anymore. A playoff series between the two will very likely essentially be a coin-flip.

 

[Stronger Than All]

They outshot the Bruins, controlled the shot share, and lost by 1 goal with their 3rd string goalie in net. Step away from the ledge people.

I get that, it's just the GWG so avoidable.

 

[herman]

They outshot the Bruins, controlled the shot share, and lost by 1 goal with their 3rd string goalie in net. Step away from the ledge people.

I get that, it's just the GWG so avoidable.

#BlameGardinerApparently

 

[Guilt Trip]

They outshot the Bruins, controlled the shot share, and lost by 1 goal with their 3rd string goalie in net. Step away from the ledge people.

I get that, it's just the GWG so avoidable.

#BlameGardinerApparently

#NotTheThirdGoal
1 and 2 he had a big hand in tho.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I'd say that was in our top 10 efforts of the season. The powerplay was dangerous, we were dominating a lot of the game 5 on 5, and we outchanced a good team by a healthy margin.

The only thing missing was the result. Not concerned in the least.

 

[ZBBM]

Do you think they'll beat them in April?  I am not convinced they can, as now constituted. 

What I'm saying is that it's crazy to think that they can't beat them. Heck, the Leafs were one win away from beating them last year and we've essentially swapped Tomas Plekanec for John Tavares from that series. Just think about how that sounds for a second.

Of course they can beat them.  I truly believe, though, unless some changes are coming on defense (and Babcock pulls himself together enough to demote Marleau), the only way that happens is if we get home ice *and* Andersen plays at the very top of his game, stealing at least one game the way Rask did tonight.  It's a thin margin for success.

Gardiner does not match up well against the Bruins forecheck, Zaitsev is not good enough, and Dermott needs more seasoning.  Ozhiganov (or Holl, or Marincin) also not good enough.  Hainsey likely to be battered into mistakes over a series.  They are simply a piece or two short on the blueline.

I don't see it happening unless they move Kapanen or Johnsson as part of a deal for a defenseman.  I hate to see either go but that's the way forward I'm afraid.

I'm calling you Peter Chiarelli from now on

One thing I'm confident of is that I could do at least as well as he has.  I could do that by throwing darts at bubblegum cards of potential acquisitions.  While blindfolded.  And drunk.

 

[ZBBM]

Of course they can beat them.  I truly believe, though, unless some changes are coming on defense (and Babcock pulls himself together enough to demote Marleau), the only way that happens is if we get home ice *and* Andersen plays at the very top of his game, stealing at least one game the way Rask did tonight.  It's a thin margin for success.

Gardiner does not match up well against the Bruins forecheck, Zaitsev is not good enough, and Dermott needs more seasoning.  Ozhiganov (or Holl, or Marincin) also not good enough.  Hainsey likely to be battered into mistakes over a series.  They are simply a piece or two short on the blueline.

I don't see it happening unless they move Kapanen or Johnsson as part of a deal for a defenseman.  I hate to see either go but that's the way forward I'm afraid.

I mean, I could say that exact same thing about Boston. They'll need Rask to play at his best (and Andersen so far this season has been the better goalie). They'll need home ice to get their match-ups (Leafs are still currently up by 2 points with a game in hand). They'll need to make a move to upgrade their centre depth (Noel Acciari and kidwithlonglastname is a pretty below average 3-4 C). They'll need to hope Chara doesn't finally remember he'll be 42 years old. They need to hope the refs don't call all the bullcrap they do.

These are two very good teams who also have weaknesses. Boston's isn't some juggernaut team anymore. A playoff series between the two will very likely essentially be a coin-flip.

I don't think they are a juggernaut either but they have the advantage.  Those calls you think Chara should be taking?  They aren't coming, my friend.  He plays in a HOF bubble and refs just assume that every time he knocks someone over it's legal because he's the human equivalent of Mount Everest dontcha know.

Marchand flies around out there like he's all by his lonesome (the score should have been 2-0 B's after about the first 2 mins), they cannot seem to grasp the idea that it's kind of good to know where Pastrnak is at all times, Bergeron just kicked Tavares' ass and there are very few who do.  And their lower lines are very effective along the walls.

And let's face it, they are inside the Leafs' heads. 

As I said, Leafs might win but not very likely as currently lined up.

 

[Bender]

They outshot the Bruins, controlled the shot share, and lost by 1 goal with their 3rd string goalie in net. Step away from the ledge people.

Money puck also agrees far and away that we were the better team tonight.

http://moneypuck.com/g.htm?id=2018020690

 

[Bender]

Do you think they'll beat them in April?  I am not convinced they can, as now constituted. 

What I'm saying is that it's crazy to think that they can't beat them. Heck, the Leafs were one win away from beating them last year and we've essentially swapped Tomas Plekanec for John Tavares from that series. Just think about how that sounds for a second.

Actually they were one period away, even with undisciplined play, no Kadri for 2 games and bad goaltending from Freddy. If we get average goaltending from Freddy that series is over. People make it seem like we got swept.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

People make it seem like we got swept.

People around here make it seem like we're fighting for Jack Hughes

 

[dekedastardly]

Was at the game last night, it looked like a tight one but I saw a couple clear difference makers. 2 horrible turn overs committed by #22, and #51 stung us. The Bruins don't give much. The other thing is, while the stats show the number of hits being fairly even, it certainly didn't look at way. This team continues to push us around and many Leaf players appear intimidated.

I wish the Leafs would play teams like these with a little more of an edge. It's frustratingly painful to watch. #43 seems a mere shadow of his former self. Maybe a Simmonds, a Schenn or a Marlie with some grit call up is in order.

 

[ZBBM]

People make it seem like we got swept.

People around here make it seem like we're fighting for Jack Hughes

:

I totally see now why you claimed not to get it in the PP thread the other day.  Apparently this is your go-to move.

 

[Stronger Than All]

They outshot the Bruins, controlled the shot share, and lost by 1 goal with their 3rd string goalie in net. Step away from the ledge people.

I get that, it's just the GWG so avoidable.

#BlameGardinerApparently

#NotTheThirdGoal
1 and 2 he had a big hand in tho.

I didn't notice who it was on the 3rd goal, just that it was not not good.

Why are we not allowed to bring up bad Gardiner defensive zone plays?  Because he has good offense?

 

[TML fan]

Zaitsev coughed it up.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I didn't notice who it was on the 3rd goal, just that it was not not good.

Why are we not allowed to bring up bad Gardiner defensive zone plays?  Because he has good offense?

3rd was Zaitsev and Dermott.
Apparently good offense makes you exempt for defensive ineptness but fear not, he's the next  best choice behind Reilly so he's the best of the crap. I like Dermott better and would live with his "growing" pains. Gardiner isn't going to get any better defensively and I think they should see what they can get for him on the trade market and if the return isn't good enough, keep him as an own rental. There's no scenario, unless he takes a huge discount, that he's back next season.

 

[Bullfrog]

I didn't notice who it was on the 3rd goal, just that it was not not good.

Why are we not allowed to bring up bad Gardiner defensive zone plays?  Because he has good offense?

We're absolutely allowed to bring up bad Gardiner plays. It would be nice, however, if we also mentioned his good plays which significantly outnumber his bads. The difference in number is so significant, you might even say that he contributes to the success of the team.