Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round One - Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning

[rdowdall]

One of the things that I do, rightly or wrongly, is compare this current implementation of the Leafs with the Ottawa Senators from the early 2000's.  When you look at that Senators team, they had a lot of talent, but they had a hard time getting through the playoffs, usually because of a grittier, more experienced, Leafs team.

The series that sticks out in my head that I am comparing this series too is the 2003 conference semi-finals.  In that series, the Senators jumped out to a series lead when they won the first game 5-0.  Then it just became a battle after that, with the Senators even taking a 3 games to 2 lead, before the Leafs won the final two games to win the series. 

I'm hoping that the Leafs have taken enough lumps over the last 5 years that they can find a way to win this series, and that they have enough team wise to overcome the Lightning, but that remains to be seen.  I think they have more than enough skill on the team, but whatever that X factor is that puts your over the top, whether it be leadership, grit, experience, drive, luck, whatever that intangible thing is that makes it so you have to play the games out because the outcome is unknown until you do, I hope they have that.

Also, Victor Hedman is a beast.  I don't know if the Leafs have an answer for him.  I'm hoping he just gets tired as the series progresses. 

 

[Deebo]

One of the things that I do, rightly or wrongly, is compare this current implementation of the Leafs with the Ottawa Senators from the early 2000's.  When you look at that Senators team, they had a lot of talent, but they had a hard time getting through the playoffs, usually because of a grittier, more experienced, Leafs team.

That Senators team beat the Flyers that Leafs couldn't beat, twice.

 

[bustaheims]

I didn't realize LTIR was still a thing during the playoffs?  Thought the cap just magically went away?

It's not a thing you can add players to. It is a thing you might need to activate players from.

 

[Bender]

A friendly reminder: 6 of 8 series thus far is tied 1-1.

 

[rdowdall]

Alright, I have a confession to make.  Everything since 2005 that has gone wrong with the Leafs is my fault. I figured it out, and I need to own up to it so that everyone here isn't questioning if it's their fault or not.  Now I can't take ownership for the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, that's on someone else, but I figure when the team I cheer for takes 2 high sticking calls in a game they are leading 3-2, with ten minutes left, in an elimination game, where the team I cheer for hasn't managed to win an elimination game in their last 8 tries since 2018 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2004, which is in part because that team only made the playoffs once in a 13-year span and on top of that, hasn't won the cup since 1967, I figure some outside force, or a presence or universal power is trying to tell me something.

So I started to rack my brain to figure out what I have done to cause the Leafs and their followers this kind of perpetual dismay.  Then I remembered. In 2003, I made a promise that if the Leafs scored a goal in overtime for one of the playoff games they were in, I would name my firstborn after that player.  The Leafs did score in overtime.  It was Gary Roberts who scored.  Unfortunately, my wife did not like the idea of naming my son Gary, so he is not named Gary, and obviously, I have broken a covenant with the hockey gods.  So you see, the last 18 years have been my fault.  I'm really sorry about that.

To try and make up for it, I have told my son, that tomorrow, his name is Gary, and that is what I will be calling him.  I'm hoping it is enough to appease the hockey gods.  I understand that it is not what we agreed upon for the aforementioned overtime goal, but I figured in lieu of time served, it should make us pretty close to even. 

If that fails, and the Leafs are unable to win tomorrow night's game, I am not really sure what my next move is.  Do I have to divorce my wife?  That seems excessive.  Do I legally change my son's name to Gary behind my family's back?  That seems underhanded.  Do I consult English Soccer fans, Cleveland Browns Fans, and Buffalo Bills fans on the latest on sports demon exorcism ideas?  Do I reach out to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans to see what tips and tricks they may have to appease those who oversee the unexplained blips and bumps that frustratingly occur at the most inopportune time of a critical game for the team that you cheer for?  I mean barring collecting all six infinity stones through the use of a quantum time tunnel, I'm not sure what other options I have here.  Again, I am really sorry that I have inflicted all this on you. I was drunk and desperate when I made that deal, and I made the deal without fully understanding the naming power dynamic of children that get born once you get married.

 

[Zee]

I'm less worried about the Leafs coming out flat in game 7 than I am about Vasilevsky finally stealing a game. He's been pedestrian in this series, and that worries me that he has a horseshoe type game on Saturday and just stones the Leafs.  Hope I'm wrong, I hope the Leafs pump 5-6 goals by him and we're watching the third period with our feet up. 

 

[Zee]

Alright, I have a confession to make.  Everything since 2005 that has gone wrong with the Leafs is my fault. I figured it out, and I need to own up to it so that everyone here isn't questioning if it's their fault or not.  Now I can't take ownership for the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, that's on someone else, but I figure when the team I cheer for takes 2 high sticking calls in a game they are leading 3-2, with ten minutes left, in an elimination game, where the team I cheer for hasn't managed to win an elimination game in their last 8 tries since 2018 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2004, which is in part because that team only made the playoffs once in a 13-year span and on top of that, hasn't won the cup since 1967, I figure some outside force, or a presence or universal power is trying to tell me something.

So I started to rack my brain to figure out what I have done to cause the Leafs and their followers this kind of perpetual dismay.  Then I remembered. In 2003, I made a promise that if the Leafs scored a goal in overtime for one of the playoff games they were in, I would name my firstborn after that player.  The Leafs did score in overtime.  It was Gary Roberts who scored.  Unfortunately, my wife did not like the idea of naming my son Gary, so he is not named Gary, and obviously, I have broken a covenant with the hockey gods.  So you see, the last 18 years have been my fault.  I'm really sorry about that.

To try and make up for it, I have told my son, that tomorrow, his name is Gary, and that is what I will be calling him.  I'm hoping it is enough to appease the hockey gods.  I understand that it is not what we agreed upon for the aforementioned overtime goal, but I figured in lieu of time served, it should make us pretty close to even. 

If that fails, and the Leafs are unable to win tomorrow night's game, I am not really sure what my next move is.  Do I have to divorce my wife?  That seems excessive.  Do I legally change my son's name to Gary behind my family's back?  That seems underhanded.  Do I consult English Soccer fans, Cleveland Browns Fans, and Buffalo Bills fans on the latest on sports demon exorcism ideas?  Do I reach out to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans to see what tips and tricks they may have to appease those who oversee the unexplained blips and bumps that frustratingly occur at the most inopportune time of a critical game for the team that you cheer for?  I mean barring collecting all six infinity stones through the use of a quantum time tunnel, I'm not sure what other options I have here.  Again, I am really sorry that I have inflicted all this on you. I was drunk and desperate when I made that deal, and I made the deal without fully understanding the naming power dynamic of children that get born once you get married.

You may have everything since 2005, but I have everything since 1967.  My sister was 11 years old when the Leafs won the Cup.  A bunch of her friends with parents were going to skip school to go and see the parade, but my sister said, and I quote, "that's ok I won't go, I'll go when they win next time"

There has never been a next time.  Thanks sis.

 

[ZBBM]

Hope I'm wrong, I hope the Leafs pump 5-6 goals by him and we're watching the third period with our feet up.

I was thinking about how nice it would be to win a blowout G7.

It isn't happening.

 

[Kaberle15]

Game 6 was a mix of bad referees (on that high stick to the shoulder call), bad luck (on the OT goal that Bunting and Holl almost got it).
But the Leafs had the effort the resiliance.

I think most of us can leave with them eliminated playing really well, however those past game 7 efforts can't be tolarated (see Colombus, Montreal, Washington, Boston (not the 4-1 game))
Hopefully they will play in a dominance, penalty free, style and hammer Tampa Bay tomorrow. Leafs are the better team in this series, now lets just win this one boys.

Go Leafs Go!!!

 

[Zee]

Hope I'm wrong, I hope the Leafs pump 5-6 goals by him and we're watching the third period with our feet up.

I was thinking about how nice it would be to win a blowout G7.

It isn't happening.

You're probably right.  Last time I remember a blowout game 7 was in 1993 when the Leafs won 6-0 over Joseph and the Blues.  That was the most relaxed I've ever been for a game 7

 

[lamajama]

Alright, I have a confession to make.  Everything since 2005 that has gone wrong with the Leafs is my fault. I figured it out, and I need to own up to it so that everyone here isn't questioning if it's their fault or not.  Now I can't take ownership for the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, that's on someone else, but I figure when the team I cheer for takes 2 high sticking calls in a game they are leading 3-2, with ten minutes left, in an elimination game, where the team I cheer for hasn't managed to win an elimination game in their last 8 tries since 2018 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2004, which is in part because that team only made the playoffs once in a 13-year span and on top of that, hasn't won the cup since 1967, I figure some outside force, or a presence or universal power is trying to tell me something.

So I started to rack my brain to figure out what I have done to cause the Leafs and their followers this kind of perpetual dismay.  Then I remembered. In 2003, I made a promise that if the Leafs scored a goal in overtime for one of the playoff games they were in, I would name my firstborn after that player.  The Leafs did score in overtime.  It was Gary Roberts who scored.  Unfortunately, my wife did not like the idea of naming my son Gary, so he is not named Gary, and obviously, I have broken a covenant with the hockey gods.  So you see, the last 18 years have been my fault.  I'm really sorry about that.

To try and make up for it, I have told my son, that tomorrow, his name is Gary, and that is what I will be calling him.  I'm hoping it is enough to appease the hockey gods.  I understand that it is not what we agreed upon for the aforementioned overtime goal, but I figured in lieu of time served, it should make us pretty close to even. 

If that fails, and the Leafs are unable to win tomorrow night's game, I am not really sure what my next move is.  Do I have to divorce my wife?  That seems excessive.  Do I legally change my son's name to Gary behind my family's back?  That seems underhanded.  Do I consult English Soccer fans, Cleveland Browns Fans, and Buffalo Bills fans on the latest on sports demon exorcism ideas?  Do I reach out to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans to see what tips and tricks they may have to appease those who oversee the unexplained blips and bumps that frustratingly occur at the most inopportune time of a critical game for the team that you cheer for?  I mean barring collecting all six infinity stones through the use of a quantum time tunnel, I'm not sure what other options I have here.  Again, I am really sorry that I have inflicted all this on you. I was drunk and desperate when I made that deal, and I made the deal without fully understanding the naming power dynamic of children that get born once you get married.

Just thinking out loud. If you were not on this mortal coil by the time the game started, would that release the deal you made?? Unfortunately you wouldn?t really be able to enjoy a victory. Unless you and Pat were watching?

 

[rdowdall]

Alright, I have a confession to make.  Everything since 2005 that has gone wrong with the Leafs is my fault. I figured it out, and I need to own up to it so that everyone here isn't questioning if it's their fault or not.  Now I can't take ownership for the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, that's on someone else, but I figure when the team I cheer for takes 2 high sticking calls in a game they are leading 3-2, with ten minutes left, in an elimination game, where the team I cheer for hasn't managed to win an elimination game in their last 8 tries since 2018 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2004, which is in part because that team only made the playoffs once in a 13-year span and on top of that, hasn't won the cup since 1967, I figure some outside force, or a presence or universal power is trying to tell me something.

So I started to rack my brain to figure out what I have done to cause the Leafs and their followers this kind of perpetual dismay.  Then I remembered. In 2003, I made a promise that if the Leafs scored a goal in overtime for one of the playoff games they were in, I would name my firstborn after that player.  The Leafs did score in overtime.  It was Gary Roberts who scored.  Unfortunately, my wife did not like the idea of naming my son Gary, so he is not named Gary, and obviously, I have broken a covenant with the hockey gods.  So you see, the last 18 years have been my fault.  I'm really sorry about that.

To try and make up for it, I have told my son, that tomorrow, his name is Gary, and that is what I will be calling him.  I'm hoping it is enough to appease the hockey gods.  I understand that it is not what we agreed upon for the aforementioned overtime goal, but I figured in lieu of time served, it should make us pretty close to even. 

If that fails, and the Leafs are unable to win tomorrow night's game, I am not really sure what my next move is.  Do I have to divorce my wife?  That seems excessive.  Do I legally change my son's name to Gary behind my family's back?  That seems underhanded.  Do I consult English Soccer fans, Cleveland Browns Fans, and Buffalo Bills fans on the latest on sports demon exorcism ideas?  Do I reach out to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans to see what tips and tricks they may have to appease those who oversee the unexplained blips and bumps that frustratingly occur at the most inopportune time of a critical game for the team that you cheer for?  I mean barring collecting all six infinity stones through the use of a quantum time tunnel, I'm not sure what other options I have here.  Again, I am really sorry that I have inflicted all this on you. I was drunk and desperate when I made that deal, and I made the deal without fully understanding the naming power dynamic of children that get born once you get married.

Just thinking out loud. If you were not on this mortal coil by the time the game started, would that release the deal you made?? Unfortunately you wouldn?t really be able to enjoy a victory. Unless you and Pat were watching?

How about we call that "Plan D"?

 

[Kaberle15]

Alright, I have a confession to make.  Everything since 2005 that has gone wrong with the Leafs is my fault. I figured it out, and I need to own up to it so that everyone here isn't questioning if it's their fault or not.  Now I can't take ownership for the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, that's on someone else, but I figure when the team I cheer for takes 2 high sticking calls in a game they are leading 3-2, with ten minutes left, in an elimination game, where the team I cheer for hasn't managed to win an elimination game in their last 8 tries since 2018 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2004, which is in part because that team only made the playoffs once in a 13-year span and on top of that, hasn't won the cup since 1967, I figure some outside force, or a presence or universal power is trying to tell me something.

So I started to rack my brain to figure out what I have done to cause the Leafs and their followers this kind of perpetual dismay.  Then I remembered. In 2003, I made a promise that if the Leafs scored a goal in overtime for one of the playoff games they were in, I would name my firstborn after that player.  The Leafs did score in overtime.  It was Gary Roberts who scored.  Unfortunately, my wife did not like the idea of naming my son Gary, so he is not named Gary, and obviously, I have broken a covenant with the hockey gods.  So you see, the last 18 years have been my fault.  I'm really sorry about that.

To try and make up for it, I have told my son, that tomorrow, his name is Gary, and that is what I will be calling him.  I'm hoping it is enough to appease the hockey gods.  I understand that it is not what we agreed upon for the aforementioned overtime goal, but I figured in lieu of time served, it should make us pretty close to even. 

If that fails, and the Leafs are unable to win tomorrow night's game, I am not really sure what my next move is.  Do I have to divorce my wife?  That seems excessive.  Do I legally change my son's name to Gary behind my family's back?  That seems underhanded.  Do I consult English Soccer fans, Cleveland Browns Fans, and Buffalo Bills fans on the latest on sports demon exorcism ideas?  Do I reach out to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans to see what tips and tricks they may have to appease those who oversee the unexplained blips and bumps that frustratingly occur at the most inopportune time of a critical game for the team that you cheer for?  I mean barring collecting all six infinity stones through the use of a quantum time tunnel, I'm not sure what other options I have here.  Again, I am really sorry that I have inflicted all this on you. I was drunk and desperate when I made that deal, and I made the deal without fully understanding the naming power dynamic of children that get born once you get married.

I laughed so hard at this... having another kid and pre-define the name Gary is out of the table ?

 

[Joe S.]

I'm less worried about the Leafs coming out flat in game 7 than I am about Vasilevsky finally stealing a game. He's been pedestrian in this series, and that worries me that he has a horseshoe type game on Saturday and just stones the Leafs.  Hope I'm wrong, I hope the Leafs pump 5-6 goals by him and we're watching the third period with our feet up.

I don?t think he?s been pedestrian. I think the leafs are just that good. Call me a homer I don?t care.

 

[Zee]

I'm less worried about the Leafs coming out flat in game 7 than I am about Vasilevsky finally stealing a game. He's been pedestrian in this series, and that worries me that he has a horseshoe type game on Saturday and just stones the Leafs.  Hope I'm wrong, I hope the Leafs pump 5-6 goals by him and we're watching the third period with our feet up.

I don?t think he?s been pedestrian. I think the leafs are just that good. Call me a homer I don?t care.

Homer.

 

[Joe S.]

Dammit.

 

[Arn]

This series should honestly be a conference final, not a first round.

 

[Bill_Berg]

Gets more viewership in the first round than the third and the NHL knows it.

 

[rdowdall]

Alright, I have a confession to make.  Everything since 2005 that has gone wrong with the Leafs is my fault. I figured it out, and I need to own up to it so that everyone here isn't questioning if it's their fault or not.  Now I can't take ownership for the '80s, '90s, or early 2000s, that's on someone else, but I figure when the team I cheer for takes 2 high sticking calls in a game they are leading 3-2, with ten minutes left, in an elimination game, where the team I cheer for hasn't managed to win an elimination game in their last 8 tries since 2018 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2004, which is in part because that team only made the playoffs once in a 13-year span and on top of that, hasn't won the cup since 1967, I figure some outside force, or a presence or universal power is trying to tell me something.

So I started to rack my brain to figure out what I have done to cause the Leafs and their followers this kind of perpetual dismay.  Then I remembered. In 2003, I made a promise that if the Leafs scored a goal in overtime for one of the playoff games they were in, I would name my firstborn after that player.  The Leafs did score in overtime.  It was Gary Roberts who scored.  Unfortunately, my wife did not like the idea of naming my son Gary, so he is not named Gary, and obviously, I have broken a covenant with the hockey gods.  So you see, the last 18 years have been my fault.  I'm really sorry about that.

To try and make up for it, I have told my son, that tomorrow, his name is Gary, and that is what I will be calling him.  I'm hoping it is enough to appease the hockey gods.  I understand that it is not what we agreed upon for the aforementioned overtime goal, but I figured in lieu of time served, it should make us pretty close to even. 

If that fails, and the Leafs are unable to win tomorrow night's game, I am not really sure what my next move is.  Do I have to divorce my wife?  That seems excessive.  Do I legally change my son's name to Gary behind my family's back?  That seems underhanded.  Do I consult English Soccer fans, Cleveland Browns Fans, and Buffalo Bills fans on the latest on sports demon exorcism ideas?  Do I reach out to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans to see what tips and tricks they may have to appease those who oversee the unexplained blips and bumps that frustratingly occur at the most inopportune time of a critical game for the team that you cheer for?  I mean barring collecting all six infinity stones through the use of a quantum time tunnel, I'm not sure what other options I have here.  Again, I am really sorry that I have inflicted all this on you. I was drunk and desperate when I made that deal, and I made the deal without fully understanding the naming power dynamic of children that get born once you get married.

I laughed so hard at this... having another kid and pre-define the name Gary is out of the table ?

Unfortunately no, that is not an option.  There was a laser involved.  We'll have to go with the day long name change and see what happens.

 

[herman]

League knows it?s better for business for this series to go 7. Just reminding them it?s even better for business if the Leafs go on a very deep run.