Game 21 - Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes - 5:00pm

[TML fan]

If our goalies weren't obligated to let in 1 bad goal per game, the Leafs are a lucky bounce away from being tied. They're playing like crap but Carolina is a crap team playing well and the Leafs are still in this game.

 

[Oracle]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

Wilson, I think.  Yes, Wilson.

Yup, I'm beginning to lean that way. A game like this you'd think is a no brainer to be rolling 4 lines.

 

[Bender]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

Wilson, I think.  Yes, Wilson.

Yup, I'm beginning to lean that way. A game like this you'd think is a no brainer to be rolling 4 lines.

I think he was being sarcastic.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

It's not like it's just a Leafs thing.  Roughly half the league will be below .500 in the 2nd game of a back-to-back.

This is only as of January last season, but I would guess it continues fairly similarly the rest of the season as teams won't have too many more of them: http://blog.sportsbookbonus.ca/proline-strategy-nhl-teams-records-back-to-back-games/

 

[Bender]

I don't understand how a team can be so inconsistant as the leafs, I mean if you win 7-1 the night before one could expect more than 10 shots after almost 2 periods.

The Leafs played well last night no question, but last nights game had a lot more to do with how pitifully awful Washington was.

True, I don't think Washington played well, but I still think the Leafs at least met halfway and played a very solid game. Washington did get 40 shots off.

 

[Oracle]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

Wilson, I think.  Yes, Wilson.

Yup, I'm beginning to lean that way. A game like this you'd think is a no brainer to be rolling 4 lines.

I think he was being sarcastic.

Either way. 4 lines. Please.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

Wilson, I think.  Yes, Wilson.

Yup, I'm beginning to lean that way. A game like this you'd think is a no brainer to be rolling 4 lines.

I think he was being sarcastic.

Either way. 4 lines. Please.

The forwards ice-time is being spread out pretty evenly.  You just can't give Orr-Rosehill much more time than he's giving them already.  They're close to their TOI average already through 2 periods.

 

[TML fan]

I don't understand how a team can be so inconsistant as the leafs, I mean if you win 7-1 the night before one could expect more than 10 shots after almost 2 periods.

The Leafs played well last night no question, but last nights game had a lot more to do with how pitifully awful Washington was.

I'm just surprised as to why they're showing so little, they should have a lot of confidence after that game. Sure they may be tired, but it's not like this is something that only will happen to Toronto.

I hear ya. I dunno what to say. A lot of it has to do with the fact that they aren't a very good team to begin with. That + tired = tonight's game.

 

[Bender]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

Wilson, I think.  Yes, Wilson.

Yup, I'm beginning to lean that way. A game like this you'd think is a no brainer to be rolling 4 lines.

I think he was being sarcastic.

Either way. 4 lines. Please.

The forwards ice-time is being spread out pretty evenly.  You just can't give Orr-Rosehill much more time than he's giving them already.  They're close to their TOI average already through 2 periods.

Yeah, I don't know if I'd roll four lines tbh. The fourth line is next to useless offensively.

 

[Zee]

It's not like we're trotting 40 year old players out there. I can understand they're tired, but this is one of the youngest teams in the league and you would hope that they would not be totally gassed playing 2 in a row. Frustrating to watch.

 

[TML fan]

I don't understand how a team can be so inconsistant as the leafs, I mean if you win 7-1 the night before one could expect more than 10 shots after almost 2 periods.

The Leafs played well last night no question, but last nights game had a lot more to do with how pitifully awful Washington was.

True, I don't think Washington played well, but I still think the Leafs at least met halfway and played a very solid game. Washington did get 40 shots off.

Sure, the Leafs probably still win against a sharp Washington team, just not 7-1.

 

[Oracle]

Why is it when the Leafs play back to back we look totally out of gas and play like crap, but when other teams come in on a back to back they seem to handle the Leafs?  I'm referring specifically to the Sens game where they played 3 in 4 nights including back to back and had no problem beating the Leafs.

Wilson, I think.  Yes, Wilson.

Yup, I'm beginning to lean that way. A game like this you'd think is a no brainer to be rolling 4 lines.

I think he was being sarcastic.

Either way. 4 lines. Please.

The forwards ice-time is being spread out pretty evenly.  You just can't give Orr-Rosehill much more time than he's giving them already.  They're close to their TOI average already through 2 periods.

3 and 4 minutes ish, they could be being used more to rest up the others. All they have to do is not get scored on, and if they could bruise a Hurricane or two, that works too.

Well, hopefully we see some of that late game energy the Leafs have shown once in a while.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

It's not like we're trotting 40 year old players out there. I can understand they're tired, but this is one of the youngest teams in the league and you would hope that they would not be totally gassed playing 2 in a row. Frustrating to watch.

It's also 3 in less than 4 nights.  I think it's really just a crapshoot whether or not a team will overcome it, because all things considered, in theory the team who hasn't done that should look fresher.  It just seems like common sense - but then obviously there are other factors at play, a poor goaltender can change the outcome of a game, a lot of PP's, etc, etc. 

 

[Zee]

It's not like we're trotting 40 year old players out there. I can understand they're tired, but this is one of the youngest teams in the league and you would hope that they would not be totally gassed playing 2 in a row. Frustrating to watch.

It's also 3 in less than 4 nights.  I think it's really just a crapshoot whether or not a team will overcome it, because all things considered, in theory the team who hasn't done that should look fresher.  It just seems like common sense - but then obviously there are other factors at play, a poor goaltender can change the outcome of a game, a lot of PP's, etc, etc.

Which is why I brought up the Sens last weekend. They played 3 in 4 nights too and looked like the better team in every aspect of the game.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

It's not like we're trotting 40 year old players out there. I can understand they're tired, but this is one of the youngest teams in the league and you would hope that they would not be totally gassed playing 2 in a row. Frustrating to watch.

It's also 3 in less than 4 nights.  I think it's really just a crapshoot whether or not a team will overcome it, because all things considered, in theory the team who hasn't done that should look fresher.  It just seems like common sense - but then obviously there are other factors at play, a poor goaltender can change the outcome of a game, a lot of PP's, etc, etc.

Which is why I brought up the Sens last weekend. They played 3 in 4 nights too and looked like the better team in every aspect of the game.

Which is why I linked to a list of all the teams records up to January last season in the 2nd game of a back-to-back.  It doesn't tell me anything to just point to one game and say something - the Leafs won 3 and lost 4 last season at the time that list was compiled.  I don't know why Ottawa won and Toronto didn't play as well - maybe Ottawa's coach actually lit a small bonfire under each of them.

 

[pnjunction]

That's the game in Ward's glove

 

[Edeagle]

Toronto Maple Leafs: helping struggling teams and players find their stride since 2004.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Toronto Maple Leafs: helping struggling teams and players find their stride since 2004.

As I said earlier, just like they helped Washington and Ovechkin last night.

 

[Zee]

Leafs thought it was a 7pm start. I get it now.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

That's the game in Ward's glove

Best chance for either team I think.