Ducks @ Leafs - Oct. 22nd, 7:00pm - SN, TSN1050

[applecheeks]

If the team can play full games like they did for the 2nd half of tonight's game, they're going to be a good team. If they keep playing like they did in the first half . . . well, we've seen what that's like already.

When they are good, they are very very good
And when they are bad, they are horrid.

Horrid? Really? This team has lost 3 games by scores of 2-1, 3-1 and 3-2.

I agree Joe, but there are a lot of posters here that know they, at times, look like a minor league team. Are we missing something? They are up there in goals for, so we know they can score. It will be interesting to see how they do for the month of Nov. when some bodies are back and they start with consistant play. sixty minute hockey. I'm sure every team has their nights, kinda like the ducks last night in the 2nd half. I'm looking forward to the next ten games.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Kessel's 2nd tonight was spectacular.

No doubt, not many people can snipe a corner like that.

 

[Kessel Run]

Can someone explain why there is a centreman thrown out on just about every face off(mostly in the offensive zone).
Kadri seems downright confused with what he's doing wrong.

I noticed this too. Its a little crazy. A couple of times also they dropped the puck, but the linesman on the far wall calls it off and they have to do it again.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Can someone explain why there is a centreman thrown out on just about every face off(mostly in the offensive zone).
Kadri seems downright confused with what he's doing wrong.

I noticed this too. Its a little crazy. A couple of times also they dropped the puck, but the linesman on the far wall calls it off and they have to do it again.

I found the officiating lacking last night in a lot of areas. The calls were off, the face-off dot was ridiculous and even the icings and offsides could have been called better IMO.

 

[bustaheims]

I agree Joe, but there are a lot of posters here that know they, at times, look like a minor league team. Are we missing something? They are up there in goals for, so we know they can score. It will be interesting to see how they do for the month of Nov. when some bodies are back and they start with consistant play. sixty minute hockey. I'm sure every team has their nights, kinda like the ducks last night in the 2nd half. I'm looking forward to the next ten games.

In the previous 3 games, they were outshot 115 to 60 and spent most of all three games playing in the defensive zone. That's, you know, bad. The scores from all three of those games flatter the Leafs. They got lucky against Minnesota's rookie goalie, and were very fortunate that Carolina and especially Chicago did not capitalize on more of their chances. They didn't exactly look great against Edmonton, either. If the Oilers could play defence or had quality goaltending, that would have been a fairly one-sided loss. These are the things people point to when they say the team hasn't played well, because, really, they haven't. They've scored a lot of goals, sure, but they haven't played a lot of very good hockey overall.

 

[Joe S.]

In the previous 3 games, they were outshot 115 to 60 and spent most of all three games playing in the defensive zone. That's, you know, bad. The scores from all three of those games flatter the Leafs. They got lucky against Minnesota's rookie goalie, and were very fortunate that Carolina and especially Chicago did not capitalize on more of their chances. They didn't exactly look great against Edmonton, either. If the Oilers could play defence or had quality goaltending, that would have been a fairly one-sided loss. These are the things people point to when they say the team hasn't played well, because, really, they haven't. They've scored a lot of goals, sure, but they haven't played a lot of very good hockey overall.

I hear what you're saying - but to use the term 'awful' I reserve that for those games they used to play against the sens and bruins - remember they'd be losing games 8-0, 6-1 - that's awful.

These 3 games they were sleepwalking through them. It wasn't an indication of lack of talent - it was a lack of effort.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

In the previous 3 games, they were outshot 115 to 60 and spent most of all three games playing in the defensive zone. That's, you know, bad. The scores from all three of those games flatter the Leafs. They got lucky against Minnesota's rookie goalie, and were very fortunate that Carolina and especially Chicago did not capitalize on more of their chances. They didn't exactly look great against Edmonton, either. If the Oilers could play defence or had quality goaltending, that would have been a fairly one-sided loss. These are the things people point to when they say the team hasn't played well, because, really, they haven't. They've scored a lot of goals, sure, but they haven't played a lot of very good hockey overall.

I hear what you're saying - but to use the term 'awful' I reserve that for those games they used to play against the sens and bruins - remember they'd be losing games 8-0, 6-1 - that's awful.

These 3 games they were sleepwalking through them. It wasn't an indication of lack of talent - it was a lack of effort.

Some of those games could have been that bad if they were getting the goaltending they were those seasons though.

 

[Kin]

In the previous 3 games, they were outshot 115 to 60 and spent most of all three games playing in the defensive zone. That's, you know, bad. The scores from all three of those games flatter the Leafs. They got lucky against Minnesota's rookie goalie, and were very fortunate that Carolina and especially Chicago did not capitalize on more of their chances. They didn't exactly look great against Edmonton, either. If the Oilers could play defence or had quality goaltending, that would have been a fairly one-sided loss. These are the things people point to when they say the team hasn't played well, because, really, they haven't. They've scored a lot of goals, sure, but they haven't played a lot of very good hockey overall.

I feel like that sort of reading ignores the reality of teams in the new NHL though. All NHL teams are good at some things and bad at others. If Edmonton could play defence or had quality goaltending they'd be an amazing team. Minnesota doesn't have great goaltending in part because of how they've invested elsewhere. The Leafs have kept those games close because of their goaltending(although the extent to which Bernier should get credit for keeping it close against Carolina is debatable) because that, right now, is a big strength of their team. It's not irrelevant to their fortunes going forward.

 

[bustaheims]

These 3 games they were sleepwalking through them. It wasn't an indication of lack of talent - it was a lack of effort.

No one said anything about a lack of talent, but, a lack of effort is often just bad, and is frequently worse.

 

[Joe S.]

In the previous 3 games, they were outshot 115 to 60 and spent most of all three games playing in the defensive zone. That's, you know, bad. The scores from all three of those games flatter the Leafs. They got lucky against Minnesota's rookie goalie, and were very fortunate that Carolina and especially Chicago did not capitalize on more of their chances. They didn't exactly look great against Edmonton, either. If the Oilers could play defence or had quality goaltending, that would have been a fairly one-sided loss. These are the things people point to when they say the team hasn't played well, because, really, they haven't. They've scored a lot of goals, sure, but they haven't played a lot of very good hockey overall.

I hear what you're saying - but to use the term 'awful' I reserve that for those games they used to play against the sens and bruins - remember they'd be losing games 8-0, 6-1 - that's awful.

These 3 games they were sleepwalking through them. It wasn't an indication of lack of talent - it was a lack of effort.

Some of those games could have been that bad if they were getting the goaltending they were those seasons though.

Having better goaltending isn't cheating though - it's an improvement of the team same as it would be in any other position.

So having inproved goaltending puts them in a better position to win some games that they shouldn't - which we saw happen from time to time in the Quinn years.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

In the previous 3 games, they were outshot 115 to 60 and spent most of all three games playing in the defensive zone. That's, you know, bad. The scores from all three of those games flatter the Leafs. They got lucky against Minnesota's rookie goalie, and were very fortunate that Carolina and especially Chicago did not capitalize on more of their chances. They didn't exactly look great against Edmonton, either. If the Oilers could play defence or had quality goaltending, that would have been a fairly one-sided loss. These are the things people point to when they say the team hasn't played well, because, really, they haven't. They've scored a lot of goals, sure, but they haven't played a lot of very good hockey overall.

I hear what you're saying - but to use the term 'awful' I reserve that for those games they used to play against the sens and bruins - remember they'd be losing games 8-0, 6-1 - that's awful.

These 3 games they were sleepwalking through them. It wasn't an indication of lack of talent - it was a lack of effort.

Some of those games could have been that bad if they were getting the goaltending they were those seasons though.

Having better goaltending isn't cheating though - it's an improvement of the team same as it would be in any other position.

So having inproved goaltending puts them in a better position to win some games that they shouldn't - which we saw happen from time to time in the Quinn years.

I'm not saying it doesn't, but that doesn't mean the team overall didn't play terribly.  A goaltender is one of the few positions that can win or lose a game on it's own.  But a goaltender bailing the team out doesn't change the team played awful.

Just like those 8-0 games or whatever, not all of those were terrible team efforts but were let down by awful goaltending.

 

[Joe S.]

I'm not saying it doesn't, but that doesn't mean the team overall didn't play terribly.  A goaltender is one of the few positions that can win or lose a game on it's own.  But a goaltender bailing the team out doesn't change the team played awful.

Just like those 8-0 games or whatever, not all of those were terrible team efforts but were let down by awful goaltending.

yes.. that's what I said... wait... I can't lose an argument...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNzqf8a3mbc[/youtube]

 

[hockeyfan1]

There used to be a saying in the NHL -- " the defence never rests."

Well, in the Leafs case, it's the goaltender who never shall rest! 

Kudos to Bernier for all those times he's kept the team in the game, so to speak, even when they are trailing.  Ducks game, case in point.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I'm not saying it doesn't, but that doesn't mean the team overall didn't play terribly.  A goaltender is one of the few positions that can win or lose a game on it's own.  But a goaltender bailing the team out doesn't change the team played awful.

Just like those 8-0 games or whatever, not all of those were terrible team efforts but were let down by awful goaltending.

yes.. that's what I said... wait... I can't lose an argument...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNzqf8a3mbc[/youtube]

Consider this the last word.

 

[Joe S.]

Consider this the last word.

I wanted to post 'I said plum' but I wasn't sure anyone would get the reference.

 

[Bender]

Consider this the last word.

I wanted to post 'I said plum' but I wasn't sure anyone would get the reference.

Tugnutt.

 

[Bullfrog]

Reading this thread from start to finish is like looking at the Dow Jones over any given week.

I find it's always more enjoyable to read when I'm not able to participate and read it all from front to back later on. The roller coaster of emotions expressed is hilarious.

 

[pnjunction]

Reading this thread from start to finish is like looking at the Dow Jones over any given week.

I find it's always more enjoyable to read when I'm not able to participate and read it all from front to back later on. The roller coaster of emotions expressed is hilarious.

I usually can't be bothered to read all of it afterwards, I'm all about going along for the ride. This was probably a good one.