Game 13 - Leafs @ Bluejackets - Thursday November 3rd, 2011 - 19:00 EST - 4-1 W

[Kin]

See the thing is, on back to back nights it's good to give the normal starter a rest. 

It can be. But we both know that starters play back to backs all the time. Especially if the management doesn't have a ton of confidence in the back-up or really needs a win.

I understand putting the guy in net who gives you the best shot to win but, pretty clearly, Wilson thinks that's Gus right now. Given that they've won three of the last four and the other option is a guy who's never played in the NHL before there's not really enough grounds to say he's wrong.

 

[rdowdall]

Nik, this is not an argurment of Monster and Reimer.  Its an argument of putting the best goalie on the ice tonight.  Reimer is unavailable, therefore no need to evaluate him.  Gus has been awful in his appearances.  Scrivens got the cal up the call up because he is capable of a shot in the NHL.  The monster has shown, for 2 plus years now, that he isn't very good.

Scrivens got the call up because they needed a backup goalie.  He has the best stats out of the goalies in the Leafs system, so the put him in as a backup.  There is nothing that says he will be a capable NHL goaltender.  Gus has been awful in some of his appearances and good in others.  No need to through a unknown at a poor team, when you have a guy that has NHL experience.  What happens if you put the rookie in and he gets shelled.  I'm pretty sure Scrivens knows the Blue Jackets record.  What happens to his confidence after that?

Isn't that the risk any goalie takes prior to his first start?  How will you ever find out what stage you're at if you don't' get a shot to play?  The Leafs are 8-3-1, they're not desperate for wins right now and they can afford to try Scrivens.  If they need Gustavsson again for Saturday, he'll have played 3 in 4 nights again.

What about this scenario? Scrivens goes in, gets slammed.  His confidence is shot because <tongue in cheek>he has the same mental makeup as Kessel</tongue in cheek>.  Saturday they go back to Gus, but because he get injured in the first, they have to put in a shaky Scrivens. He gets blown up again, and now he has the nick name Shaky Scrivens.

Whereas, they can play Gus tonight, and whether he gets slammed or not, we will all still think he is totally useless tomorrow, and on Saturday, we can all have the debate on whether or not Scrivens should get the start against the Bruins again.

 

[bustaheims]

I'd also start Scrivens tonight, not because Gustavsson has been bad, but, because, last night, he was starting to look a little mentally fatigued. There was a lot of scrambling on his end last night, and, while it led to some spectacular looking saves, many of those were also the result of him having put himself out of position. While Gustavsson hasn't be spectacular, and, yes, he has let in some soft goals, he hasn't been as bad as some people are portraying - and, as many of you know, I've been very critical of him up until this point. I just think he needs the mental break right now, just in case Reimer isn't good to go for Saturday's game against the Bruins.

 

[lc9]

That sort of absolute statement really doesn't do much for you here. Gus hasn't been uniformly awful. He's been up and down. He was very good against Pittsburgh and New York, so-so with Ottawa and I didn't see the game last night. The numbers Gus has put up over his last four games are very comparable to the numbers Reimer has put up this season and nobody was clamoring for Reimer's exit from the net.

Gus has now played 71 games in his career, a whole season pretty much, and sports a 3.08 GAA and .897 SV%, and they continue to get worse year by year:

09-10: 2.87 GAA, .902 SV%
10-11: 3.28 GAA, .890 SV%
11-12: 3.72 GAA, .888 SV%

Again, this isn't a Reimer comparison (who sports a career .920% and is clearly better thus far), its a tonight comparison...no more gus is my conclusion.

 

[Zee]

That sort of absolute statement really doesn't do much for you here. Gus hasn't been uniformly awful. He's been up and down. He was very good against Pittsburgh and New York, so-so with Ottawa and I didn't see the game last night. The numbers Gus has put up over his last four games are very comparable to the numbers Reimer has put up this season and nobody was clamoring for Reimer's exit from the net.

Gus has now played 71 games in his career, a whole season pretty much, and sports a 3.08 GAA and .897 SV%, and they continue to get worse year by year:

09-10: 2.87 GAA, .902 SV%
10-11: 3.28 GAA, .890 SV%
11-12: 3.72 GAA, .888 SV%

Again, this isn't a Reimer comparison (who sports a career .920% and is clearly better thus far), its a tonight comparison...no more gus is my conclusion.

He's 1 shutout away from improving 11-12!  (Wouldn't that be nice?)

 

[Kin]

Again, this isn't a Reimer comparison (who sports a career .920% and is clearly better thus far), its a tonight comparison...no more gus is my conclusion.

Exactly, it's a tonight comparison. And how Gus played two years ago or one year ago has absolutely no bearing on it.

Gus, in the last four games, is 3-1 with a 2.75 GAA and a .908 SV%. Those are numbers, again, roughly in line with what Reimer's done this year. He's playing better of late and that should be what goes into the decision.

 

[Kin]

I'd also start Scrivens tonight, not because Gustavsson has been bad, but, because, last night, he was starting to look a little mentally fatigued. There was a lot of scrambling on his end last night, and, while it led to some spectacular looking saves, many of those were also the result of him having put himself out of position. While Gustavsson hasn't be spectacular, and, yes, he has let in some soft goals, he hasn't been as bad as some people are portraying - and, as many of you know, I've been very critical of him up until this point. I just think he needs the mental break right now, just in case Reimer isn't good to go for Saturday's game against the Bruins.

I don't disagree. Gus has been asked to play a lot of late and against some very good teams. If Wilson came out and said he was getting the night off I'd think it was well deserved.

I just object to the nonsense that is proclaiming with certainty that a complete unknown like Scrivens gives the Leafs a better chance to win than Gus.

 

[bustaheims]

markhmasters: Leafs confirm James Reimer will not dress tonight in Columbus.

 

[Stebro]

I'm not sure why, but 7-2 to the leafs. 4 pp goals.

 

[Zee]

I'm not sure why, but 7-2 to the leafs. 4 pp goals.

I'm holding you to this Kreskin.

 

[Scot4bz]

markhmasters: Leafs confirm James Reimer will not dress tonight in Columbus.

I hope he stays indoors - otherwise there could be some indecent exposure charges to deal with on top of the injury.

 

[iwas11in67]

4-3 Leafs over a desperate Columbus squad.

Every team gets 'up' when they play the Leafs. That's why so may streaks end against the Leafs.

 

[Kessel Run]

Leafs 0-2 on the second night of back to back situations? Hopefully that doesn't bite them tonight.

 

[Bullfrog]

Gus has now played 71 games in his career, a whole season pretty much, and sports a 3.08 GAA and .897 SV%, and they continue to get worse year by year:

09-10: 2.87 GAA, .902 SV%
10-11: 3.28 GAA, .890 SV%
11-12: 3.72 GAA, .888 SV%

Again, this isn't a Reimer comparison (who sports a career .920% and is clearly better thus far), its a tonight comparison...no more gus is my conclusion.

Are you only using statistics to prove he's been awful or have you watched the games? Because he surely hasn't been awful. He's let in a few softies, but overall he's been pretty good (note I didn't say great, outstanding, etc.) He's been satisfactory. he's certainly done his job as a backup.

 

[TheMightyOdin]

2 more points please b

 

[lc9]

Are you only using statistics to prove he's been awful or have you watched the games? Because he surely hasn't been awful. He's let in a few softies, but overall he's been pretty good (note I didn't say great, outstanding, etc.) He's been satisfactory. he's certainly done his job as a backup.

Come on, at least read all the posts before you accuse me.

I stated, and have previously to this, that Gus is awful for the following reason:

He doesn't know where the post is and doesn't have great positioning.  Positioning you can learn, but finding the post is instincts, and once he leaves the crease he has no idea where he is.  And as his numbers sequentially indicate, he has not gotten better since his arrival. 

 

[Deebo]

Jonas says Scrivens is getting the start.

EDIT: Jonas Siegel, not gustavsson

 

[lc9]

Jonas says Scrivens is getting the start.

This would be welcomed news.

 

[Kin]

He doesn't know where the post is and doesn't have great positioning.

Sure, those are his weaknesses. But he also has strengths. He's been, to my mind, the superior of the two goalies in terms of playing the puck. He's got great reflexes and a knack for making some great saves.

And as his numbers sequentially indicate, he has not gotten better since his arrival.

You're putting entirely too much faith on some pretty dicey stats here and it's leading you to some pretty ridiculous conclusions.

The reality is that Gus has been pretty good this year against some pretty tough competition. Save percentage and GAA are stats that are heavily influenced by the team and the Leafs have been both a bad penalty killing team and a bad defensive team overall. It's why even Reimer is letting in a good number of goals.

As I said, in the last four games his numbers are a vast improvement and the fans here have acknowledged that. Gus is second only to Kessel in the MotM standings.

 

[Redleaf]

Jonas says Scrivens is getting the start.

EDIT: Jonas Siegel, not gustavsson

Yes. Our first look at The rookie. I hope he has a solid game tonight, and makes it tough for the Leafs.