I will say maybe the media is wrong and Shanahan's GM search won't essentially be "let's just call the last GM to get fired". Fingers crossed.

It is quite astounding how quickly Treliving got the job. It's like he was hired before the team even started the interview process. He practically had the job before Dubas was even let go. ;)

Like that time Campbell had 5×5 from Edmonton 😉

To state the obvious: this won't be a cakewalk.  Sounds like FLA's forecheck caved in the Bruins' D.  So we may see more of 37 and 56 and less of 3 and 2 this round.

Er, taking back the "less of 2" comment.  I didn't realize how well Schenn did statistically in the TB series.  He'll be playing each game, and should.

I would hope to see a little less of 55 or at least put him out there with a mobile partner like Brodie when they feel a need to play him. 
Sure he does block a lot of shots but wouldnt have to if he didnt keep reversing puck and turning it over.

Maybe Dubas signing 10 Dmen was actually a genius move, because in the extreme you can swap people like Gio/Schenn/Benn out for Liljegren/Gustafsson/Timmins and completely change the look & style of your team. It lets you significantly adapt to different opponents and different styles.

(I'm still not sure what to do with Holl; fire him into the sun?)

[when Knies actually plays a full game]

Matthew Knies had to go down the tunnel because he was injured after blocking a shot in G5. He missed about half a period.

Memes be damned: when Knies actually plays a full game, the Leafs are 7-0-0.

[Has anyone reached out to you to lift your spirits during the last little while?]

Has anyone reached out to you to lift your spirits during the last little while?

Bunting: All of the boys have. I have been talking to a lot of the guys.

Jake Muzzin is a big part of this team still. He has been with me through this whole thing. He has been the voice in my head with the way he has been talking me through it. I can't thank him enough.

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2023/04/26/michael-bunting-on-remaining-out-of-the-lineup-after-his-suspension/

Muzzin is the new Greg Harden

[17 scoring chances for]

The Leafs might have played their worst two games of the season but managed to come out with two wins.

Please change the lines before game 5. This isn't a situation where, 'We won the game so we aren't changing anything.'

They need to play Marner with Tavares.  Johnny plays better with Mitch and Tavares has been really quiet the last 2 games away from Marner.  Matthews and Willy works regardless.  I like the line of Knies-Tavares-Marner

5v5 scoring chances across the two games so far this series where Cooper has had last change:

• If Matthews / Marner are spread across separate lines, the Leafs as a whole are 17 scoring chances for vs. 21 against
• If Matthews + Marner are on a single line, the Leafs as a whole are 28 scoring chances for vs. 62 against

Spread the wealth!

If the Leafs look to advanced stats to help with this decision, there are two ways to view performance:

(a) ZAR is struggling slightly more than Lafferty against the TB forecheck: 5v5 xG% across 4 games so far shows the team is hemmed in most frequently when ZAR is on the ice


or, (b) maybe we say the 4th line only needs to win a faceoff, pass the puck to a defender, and then make room for a line change. Here 5v5 xG% of the next 5 seconds after a player leaves the ice shows ZAR is completely ineffective at this against TB's structures so far and Lafferty is actually doing quite well. Being able to successfully hand off the puck to a Matthews line, or ROR line, or Tavares line is critical in a series like this.


(On an unrelated positive note, it looks like Knies is very smart at choosing the right moments to leave the ice)

Another thing that's easily overlooked in all this "it was 4-1" and "Kerfoot in OT" and "Knies is 6-0" and "Playoff Rielly" becoming a thing is that Matthews put this team on his back in the third. Back-to-back gamebreaking goals.

He's never scored two goals in a playoff game that I can rememember: Not against Tampa, not against Montreal, not against Boston. And to do it entirely on-demand tonight because it became do-or-die... is that the killer instinct we've all been waiting for?

I suppose we'll find out on Thursday once and for all; it's also worth mentioning that excluding G2 (which was already well out of reach by period 2) Matthews at 5v5 has allowed only a single goal-against all series.

Say what you will about Nylander's play tonight, but he drew that penalty and ended up being in on 3 of the 4 comeback goals.

Like the team, he awoke from slumber when it counted most.

All it took was to swap the lines so Marner and Matthews aren't together. Still puzzles me why they take so long to do it and then after a while go back to it for no reason. The entire team was immediately better.

I strongly suspect that Matthews is the one demanding it. (He's always in interviews about how he "likes" certain linemates more, look at how he talked about being paired with Jarnkrok late in the season. It reads between the lines as him being picky about who he plays with. But hopefully winning specifically these types of comebacks will start to change his mind — or else maybe O'Reilly can talk him out of it for good.)

Say what you will about Nylander's play tonight, but he drew that penalty and ended up being in on 3 of the 4 comeback goals.

Love this from Keefe..

https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/1649981192597274626

Nazem Kadri has been fined $5000, the maximum allowable by the CBA, for Keefe's comments tonight.

Who are all these prospects that we have over hyped in the past?

Biggs?

Tyler Biggs is younger than Tavares, he could still make a comeback!

Nylander - 2G 0A

wait, it's only 3-0 (but his goal was so sick it counts as two, so I'll allow it)

If Knies is going to take a penalty, at least he does it while Gio can mentor him.

[immune to shambles in the brain]

Knies will make his home and playoff debut tonight.

One thing that can be said about Knies is (presumably) he loves the high-pressure games; he went back to college in order to help his team in big games rather than chasing money.

Together with ROR (Conn Smythe winner) and Acciari (well known long-playoff-run afficionado) and there's finally a truly clutch line immune to shambles in the brain that Keefe can rely on.

All good, just wanted to clarify since "emergency basis" often implies someone is hurt/possibly hurt and that's not the immediate reason for his call-up.

Hold on, hold on. The EBUG plays if either team runs out of goalies, right? So Tampa could run out of goalies tonight and then... Kallgren steps in net?  That can't be right — he would just let everything in on purpose.