anton girdeaux
New member
I thought we'd lose, so content with a point, not so content with folks saying we were sloppy. Given what happened last October I'd have thought consistency would have been hammered home...
Game 4 - Colorado Avalanche vs Toronto Maple Leafs OTL3-2
- Thread starter McPwnage
- Start date
They need to play the full 60 minutes in order to give themselves a chance at a win. They have shown some grit in coming back from slow starts but need to get out of the gate quicker sometimes. I guess it's preferable to get stronger as the game goes on as opposed to faltering at the end of the game (as in the Ottawa game).
At least they squeaked out a point against a team that is on a hot streak.
At least they squeaked out a point against a team that is on a hot streak.
L K
Well-known member
anton girdeaux said:
The thing is, they haven't been consistent in any of the games. Montreal dominated them in the first period of the first game. Ottawa dominated them in the 3rd period of the 2nd game. They came out sloppy against Calgary and relied heavily on Reimer to hold on to win.
If anything, I think we have really seem par for the course from the Leafs in terms of being a one-line team (so far it has been the Kessel line), that struggles to get offense from the 2nd/3rd/4th line and a defense that looks like its earning it salary for half the game, and leaves guys wide open in the defensive zone for the other half.
It's too early in the year to conclude much, but I think the season is still going to rely heavily on the team having the Kessel and Grabovski lines providing all of the offense, and an even heavier reliance on Reimer/Gustavsson to steal games.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
L K said:
That's true for almost any team, though. Not even the best teams get through without other teams dominating periods against them - they just win anyways. Heck, we've seen the Leafs in the last few years dominate periods or entire games against good-to-great teams. They get bailed out by their goaltenders, too.
I don't really think that is emblematic of anything really, at least not this early in the season. That's still a lot more hockey played better than not.
Kin
Active member
Bill James once wrote something that I think generally holds true. A team that wins a bunch of early games by a close score is a team whose record owes a lot to luck. A team that wins a bunch of early games by wide-margins is probably a better bet to really be establishing themselves as a very good team. I think we saw that last year with the Leafs, where three of their first four wins were one goal affairs, and the same is probably true right now.
I think there are some very encouraging signs right now. Phaneuf looks like a legit #1. Kessel looks awesome. Reimer looks like he's anything but a flash in the pan.
I know people are down on Connolly right now but I think his return is crucial to the team. They need a very good centre for Kessel and the power play.
I think there are some very encouraging signs right now. Phaneuf looks like a legit #1. Kessel looks awesome. Reimer looks like he's anything but a flash in the pan.
I know people are down on Connolly right now but I think his return is crucial to the team. They need a very good centre for Kessel and the power play.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
Saint Nik said:
I was just thinking about that after the game, how it's weird he hasn't even played yet, which made me feel better about the record because I think he will ultimately help in the long run.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
At least he's been able to skate so he should be in alright shape coming in. Then it will obviously be a chemistry issue.
AlmosGirl
New member
Saint Nik said:
Phaneuf, Kessel & Reimer are all positives right now and I'm hoping the rest of the team steps up to help out. I think Connolly will make a big difference and hopefully he's ready soon. There are positives and sometimes they are hard to see when the negatives are constantly brought up but I'm trying to focus on the positives and hoping that everything else will fall into place.
maplesyrup
New member
I know getting the point back is supposed to be some kind of moral victory but somehow, I'm not feelin' it this morning. Oh well, shrug it off and on to the next...
anton girdeaux
New member
L K said:
I haven't watched any games yet as ESPN aren't covering the NHL this year, not had the chance either to view via streams, so what you say is pretty disappointing as far as I'm concerned. At the least, they have 7 points on the board, without playing well/consistent.
Floyd said:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, after reading Moneyball for the second time, I am now, more than ever, comfortable with results as a whole rather then game to game. Basically, everything is part of a process. You are going to win games you shouldn't. Lose games you should win. You can't win them all, yadda yadda.
At the end of the day, as Lou Pinnella once said, 'Every team wins a third of their games, and every team losses a third of their games... it's what you do in the other third that separates you.'
I've watched enough hockey to know we're going to have some ups and downs so just let the damn season play out
McPwnage
New member
Honestly people are saying how sloppy the Leafs were but I thought they played well for the most part. The main problem was they couldn't convert on chances and particularly on the powerplay. No team plays 60 perfect minutes, hockey is really a game of mistakes but the Leafs played well and got a lot of chances and deserved the point they got. That being said the two goals Reimer allowed in regulation were really weak so that is a bit of a concern.
maplesyrup
New member
Erndog said:Floyd said:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, after reading Moneyball for the second time, I am now, more than ever, comfortable with results as a whole rather then game to game. Basically, everything is part of a process. You are going to win games you shouldn't. Lose games you should win. You can't win them all, yadda yadda.
At the end of the day, as Lou Pinnella once said, 'Every team wins a third of their games, and every team losses a third of their games... it's what you do in the other third that separates you.'
I've watched enough hockey to know we're going to have some ups and downs so just let the damn season play out
I like the cut of that jib.
Floyd said:Erndog said:Floyd said:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, after reading Moneyball for the second time, I am now, more than ever, comfortable with results as a whole rather then game to game. Basically, everything is part of a process. You are going to win games you shouldn't. Lose games you should win. You can't win them all, yadda yadda.
At the end of the day, as Lou Pinnella once said, 'Every team wins a third of their games, and every team losses a third of their games... it's what you do in the other third that separates you.'
I've watched enough hockey to know we're going to have some ups and downs so just let the damn season play out
I like the cut of that jib.
You like Lou's sail?
GhostofPotvin29
New member
Erndog said:Floyd said:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, after reading Moneyball for the second time, I am now, more than ever, comfortable with results as a whole rather then game to game. Basically, everything is part of a process. You are going to win games you shouldn't. Lose games you should win. You can't win them all, yadda yadda.
At the end of the day, as Lou Pinnella once said, 'Every team wins a third of their games, and every team losses a third of their games... it's what you do in the other third that separates you.'
I've watched enough hockey to know we're going to have some ups and downs so just let the damn season play out
*golf clap*
I wasn't disappointed with the Leafs last night at all. It is hard for a team to be at home for as long as the Leafs have and remain completely focused. They have a possible 7/8 points and their one loss was to a big and fast Avs team.
I thought the game was pretty well played last night, both teams took over for minutes at a time creating one of those, "entertaining but frustrating," games.
4 games in and we still haven't lost in regulation, lets just hope we can keep it going. I think the team is playing just fine though. In the NHL you will rarely see one team play dominate hockey for 60 minutes, it just doesn't happen.
This Leafs team looks like a playoff competitor.
I thought the game was pretty well played last night, both teams took over for minutes at a time creating one of those, "entertaining but frustrating," games.
4 games in and we still haven't lost in regulation, lets just hope we can keep it going. I think the team is playing just fine though. In the NHL you will rarely see one team play dominate hockey for 60 minutes, it just doesn't happen.
This Leafs team looks like a playoff competitor.
hockeyfan1
New member
Unhappy with Colorado winning yet happy that the Leafs still get a point. Reimer did seem slightly 'unfocused' on two of the Avs goals, but then, every goalkeeper will allow some soft goals every now and then. Nothng to get alarmed by. Reimer has been nothing but solid.
On the other end of the spectrum, one could say that it was Giguere's nght to shine (chosen as the game's first star) in an Avalanche uniform against his former team. As for the Avalanche, many hockey pundits are surprised they're starting out with a 5-1 record this early in the season.
Also, perhaps some people have expressed an uneasiness in the Leafs having Kessel scoring the bulwark of the goals for the team. It may seem as though the rest of the team is lagging a bit in the offensve category, and appears inconsistent in their inability to not have a sluggish period of play in each of the games so far. Hopefully, in time, everything will spread itself out more evenly.
GO LEAFS GO!!
On the other end of the spectrum, one could say that it was Giguere's nght to shine (chosen as the game's first star) in an Avalanche uniform against his former team. As for the Avalanche, many hockey pundits are surprised they're starting out with a 5-1 record this early in the season.
Also, perhaps some people have expressed an uneasiness in the Leafs having Kessel scoring the bulwark of the goals for the team. It may seem as though the rest of the team is lagging a bit in the offensve category, and appears inconsistent in their inability to not have a sluggish period of play in each of the games so far. Hopefully, in time, everything will spread itself out more evenly.
GO LEAFS GO!!