Leafs @ Bruins - Feb. 3rd, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[bustaheims]

True, but OTOH unless Boston has suddenly morphed into TB they are playing over their heads a bit.

They'll come back to earth some, but they're a better team than they were given credit for coming into the season. You don't have a 15-1-4 run on luck alone.

 

[freer]

Your forgetting the two or three posts, earlier. It is what it is.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

Man, JVR is slow.

 

[bustaheims]

Your forgetting the two or three posts, earlier. It is what it is.

I'm not forgetting anything. Bruins have a couple of those, too. Doesn't change the fact that Boston is dominating the play, and the puck is spending much more time in the Leafs' end than the Bruins.

 

[Zee]

If this is indeed the playoff matchup, if the Leafs don't improve their play, they're going to get smoked.

Leafs are playing 3rd game in 4 nights and Rielly and Hainsey are just back from a layoff. Not exactly comparing the teams at their best.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Watching this I feel like the Leafs are hanging around with a very good team and probably still have another gear to find.

As for the goal, Andy should do better, but if we are honest we still owe him a few of those given how amazing he has been.

 

[freer]

Soft soft call.

 

[freer]

Thats 2 on Andersen

 

[L K]

I wish we could find the secret that lets Chara sit on players while guys can fall down on Boston and still draw penalties

 

[Al14]

They score again!  3 - 1 Bruins.

It's over, except for the crying!

Go Leafs Go!

 

[bustaheims]

Watching this I feel like the Leafs are hanging around with a very good team and probably still have another gear to find.

As for the goal, Andy should do better, but if we are honest we still owe him a few of those given how amazing he has been.

THey're getting destroyed in terms of possession. They're not hanging around, they're hanging on for dear life.

 

[ZBBM]

That was a great shot.

 

[freer]

I would just run Rask Elbow him in the head, seems to work for Boston

 

[bustaheims]

Every single Leafs with negative Corsi numbers 5-on-5 tonight. Only 3 Bruins aren't in the positives.

 

[wnc096]

Drinking game:  Drink every time Hughson mentions in some way that Chara is big and tall

 

[ZBBM]

Hainsey can't keep up.

 

[L K]

Hainsey can't keep up.

I know Hainsey has done a lot of good things, but his lack of ability to move to puck is glaring.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Watching this I feel like the Leafs are hanging around with a very good team and probably still have another gear to find.

As for the goal, Andy should do better, but if we are honest we still owe him a few of those given how amazing he has been.

THey're getting destroyed in terms of possession. They're not hanging around, they're hanging on for dear life.

I know you?re right, I was mostly referencing keeping it relatively close on the scoreboard at least, given how?d they?d been getting run over a bit in a tight game. 

Also, I think a part of what hurts the Leafs when trying to play these tight dump and chase kinda games is that they aren?t mean enough, the Bruins are just nasty on the forecheck.

You need to have that type of tool in your toolbox for when teams are completely owning the neutral zone against you.

It slows defenders down and makes them slower to get up along the wall and into the NZ as quickly too, because they start cheating to be able to get back to their own zone quicker and avoid another hit from the forecheckers.

It?s a valid situational strategy that the Leafs need to be capable of.

 

[ZBBM]

Hainsey can't keep up.

I know Hainsey has done a lot of good things, but his lack of ability to move to puck is glaring.

Yeah, I think he's done a very good job overall but he's not a top pairing defenseman and the good teams expose it.  Leafs still shy on the backend.

 

[bustaheims]

I know you?re right, I was mostly referencing keeping it relatively close on the scoreboard at least, given how?d they?d been getting run over a bit in a tight game. 

Also, I think a part of what hurts the Leafs when trying to play these tight dump and chase kinda games is that they aren?t mean enough, the Bruins are just nasty on the forecheck.

You need to have that type of tool in your toolbox for when teams are completely owning the neutral zone against you.

It slows defenders down and makes them slower to get up along the wall and into the NZ as quickly too, because they start cheating to be able to get back to their own zone quicker and avoid another hit from the forecheckers.

It?s a valid situational strategy that the Leafs need to be capable of.

Maybe, but I also think they'd be able to rectify a lot of what's plaguing them tonight is gap control. THey're giving the puck away on a lot of long passes or situations where they're not giving themselves easy outs. Cut down on those, and you mitigate a lot of the lack of "meanness," so to speak. It helps the team attack with speed from their blue line, and that backs defenders up, and also forces them to make mistakes of their own.