Leafs @ Canadiens - Apr. 12th, 7:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[Britishbulldog]

With all the doom and gloom it is important to remember we were 9-0-1 in their let 10.  Can?t go 56-0

Losses were eventually going to happen.  Just need to come back with a better effort tomorrow

No doom and gloom here. Like you said, they can't win them all..funny though as bad as they were, they still could have won this game.

Yeah, I agree GT

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Well, I guess we'll see how these Dubas deadline moves play out tonight.

They were all invisible.

 

[azzurri63]

Good thing about Foligno is Thornton can be scratched.

Sad part I'll put money on it. It won't be Thornton.

 

[Chris]

Good thing about Foligno is Thornton can be scratched.

But will he be scratched or will it be Engvall or Mikheyev? Thornton has done nothing most of the season. He really needs some games off. Tomorrow would be a good start.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Good thing about Foligno is Thornton can be scratched.

But will he be scratched or will it be Engvall or Mikheyev? Thornton has done nothing most of the season. He really needs some games off. Tomorrow would be a good start.

Engvall will be the guy.

 

[azzurri63]

Good thing about Foligno is Thornton can be scratched.

But will he be scratched or will it be Engvall or Mikheyev? Thornton has done nothing most of the season. He really needs some games off. Tomorrow would be a good start.

I have been saying that on here and another board. Why haven't some guys been rested? Rotate some older guys give them a rest but nope.Unless they want to build a gap between them and the rest of the division.

 

[Bender]

At the end of the day that PP needs to get going. Just 1 and the game is tied. They can't outscore their PP troubles forever.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Good thing about Foligno is Thornton can be scratched.

But will he be scratched or will it be Engvall or Mikheyev? Thornton has done nothing most of the season. He really needs some games off. Tomorrow would be a good start.

I have been saying that on here and another board. Why haven't some guys been rested? Rotate some older guys give them a rest but nope.Unless they want to build a gap between them and the rest of the division.

They didn't have the space. They do now with Freddie on LTIR. I think you'll see it happen soon.

 

[Guilt Trip]

At the end of the day that PP needs to get going. Just 1 and the game is tied. They can't outscore their PP troubles forever.

They have to get Rielly and Simmonds off it for now.

 

[lamajama]

I?m really done with Rielly on the PP

Yup. Gave it away twice

I try not to get choked at Rielly but i only really seem to notice him when he?s deep in the offensive zone or screwing up at the blueline on the PP.

Not good. 

 

[ZBBM]

Another shift with Thornton on a line with Marner/Matthews late ina game we are trailing.  I?d have faith in that if Thornton had done something in the last 10 games

Not even sure why they took Gally off that line to begin with. They weren't playing their peak hockey but it seemed like that trio was the only one pushing the play very much earlier.

Some of Keefe's decisions are ... interesting.  IIRC last year in R1 against Columbus didn't he keep sending Hyman out there to take draw after draw even though he was playing hurt?

 

[ZBBM]

I?m really done with Rielly on the PP

Yup. Gave it away twice

I try not to get choked at Rielly but i only really seem to notice him when he?s deep in the offensive zone or screwing up at the blueline on the PP.

Not good.

Morgan is having a poor year.  He's played better than this most of his time here.  I hope he can ramp it up for the playoffs.  But in the meantime, put Dermott out there on Unit 1.  Nothing to lose.

 

[wnc096]

With all the doom and gloom it is important to remember we were 9-0-1 in their let 10.  Can?t go 56-0

Losses were eventually going to happen.  Just need to come back with a better effort tomorrow

The losses are inevitable the last part of your sentence is where the problem lies. Effort. That's all you can ask as a fan and it wasn't there tonight.

Detroit beat Carolina,  Ottawa beat Winnipeg.... these games happen from time to time

 

[Guilt Trip]

Another shift with Thornton on a line with Marner/Matthews late ina game we are trailing.  I?d have faith in that if Thornton had done something in the last 10 games

Not even sure why they took Gally off that line to begin with. They weren't playing their peak hockey but it seemed like that trio was the only one pushing the play very much earlier.

Some of Keefe's decisions are ... interesting.  IIRC last year in R1 against Columbus didn't he keep sending Hyman out there to take draw after draw even though he was playing hurt?

That was Babs against the Bruins..

 

[OldTimeHockey]

That was a poor effort but nothing to get too upset about.

They didn't have the legs, nor was their brain in it. Almost seemed like they were playing like they were afraid to lose their jobs(like Ferarro mentioned).

I think with the possession game this team plays, when they're off even a little, it looks really atrocious. If it's only going to happen once every 10 games or so, I'm ok with that.

 

[herman]

I?m really done with Rielly on the PP

The PP is really not a good match for his skill set. He's best when he's skating with the puck, joining the attack as a 4th forward. On the PP he basically stands around and makes the simplest/shortest pass (no imagination), doesn't really have a good enough shot to be a threat. May as well go with 5 forwards at this point.

I agree with this read. Rielly is a feet mover, not a puck mover.

His good PP seasons are his quick left shot passes to the right half wall for Marner, who just had to Plinko the puck into Kadri/JvR and profit.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Well, it's good to see Robertson back.  He's got a helluva motor but his size is a problem I fear.

He needs to play higher up the roster to be effective. If they try to fourth line groom him, I feel it may be detrimental. I think that he'd be better suited playing top line minutes in the AHL than playing 4th line minutes in the NHL.

 

[herman]

Well, it's good to see Robertson back.  He's got a helluva motor but his size is a problem I fear.

He needs to play higher up the roster to be effective. If they try to fourth line groom him, I feel it may be detrimental. I think that he'd be better suited playing top line minutes in the AHL than playing 4th line minutes in the NHL.

He looks smaller because of his skating posture, which puts his head into hip and elbow strikezone for most checks. It exposes the puck more for turnovers when he's handling too, so there's a bit to sort out to become a top-liner. The injuries this season have not helped, so hopefully some off-season work can get him in better position to use his tools. Good news is he has adjusted to playing a bit faster (decision making) than last season and still has room to grow there.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I?m really done with Rielly on the PP

The PP is really not a good match for his skill set. He's best when he's skating with the puck, joining the attack as a 4th forward. On the PP he basically stands around and makes the simplest/shortest pass (no imagination), doesn't really have a good enough shot to be a threat. May as well go with 5 forwards at this point.

I agree with this read. Rielly is a feet mover, not a puck mover.

His good PP seasons are his quick left shot passes to the right half wall for Marner, who just had to Plinko the puck into Kadri/JvR and profit.

I've always felt that a powerplay quarterback should be the one carrying the puck into the zone and setting things up. Enter with speed and then slow it down. Rielly could have that skill set, even if the entry occurs with a drop to the winger on the wall at the blue line.

In regards to the powerplay. They are overthinking it. Pucks need to be funnelled to the net. That is all. Doesn't have to be pretty. When Nylander comes back, and Foligno comes back, that should bump Simmons or Thornton off the powerplay. Maybe both.

Run it with these lines

PP1
Matthews Marner
Foligno Hyman
Rielly(or Dermott if you want to go that way)
Put Matthews and Rielly on the walls with Marner at the top running the show. Matthews and Rielly are your shooters. Foligno and Hyman are your net presence/puck retrievers.

PP2
Nylander Tavares
Spezza Simmons
Brodie(or Rielly, or Dermott)
Nylander runs this powerplay. Spezza/Tavares are your shooters. Simmons is your net presence.

 

[Chris]

There seem to be a couple of things going on with the PP.

1) Because of the stupid drop passes, when the puck carrier gets to the line everyone else seems to be mostly standing still. So at that point a dump in (if the carrier is challenged and can't break through) will almost certainly fail because the forecheckers won't get in before the defense gets control. Similarly, if the puck carrier does get in while maintaining control, he is usually forced to the boards where the play is easily pressured because there's no spacing (again because of the lack of movement). This leads to lost puck battles and clears by the defense.

2) When they do manage to get control, there is too much play along the boards. Not nearly enough movement of bodies or puck. This is the one I really don't get, there is so much skill out there in terms of puck handling (at least when they stack PP1, not when they bog it down with Thornton and Simmonds) but they move...in...slow...motion. They let defenders pressure them, then lose the puck battles and the puck is cleared. Is it a lack of confidence after so much failure? Or maybe too much confidence that they can hold the puck and eventually make a great pass?

I think the way to fix it is to put out a consistent 1st until with most of your top offensive players and have them MOVE. Move around the zone like they do when they have those great 5 on 5 shifts where everyone is involved. Become less predictable. And get pucks to the net.