R1, G2: Lightning @ Leafs - May 4th, 7:30pm - CBC, CityNews 680

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

Down 2 and they spent way too much time trying to be cute on the PP

They have been like that all season. So predictable and Rielly still refuse to shoot.

It was the #1 PP in the league.

It was the 15h highest PP% of all time and 4th in the last 30 years.

I was going to say that other than the McDavid Oilers it was the most successful PP any team has had in three years but yours is better.

But yeah. Bad all year.

Leafs lose a game and you'd think they were picking first overall in the draft.
[/quote
Not at all —the script remains the same, is I think what is being expressed, which is a completely justified view until they show differently.

I agree with this fundamental premise, but let's make reasonable arguments in defense of it.  The fact is that this is going to be a tough series for the Leafs (or any other team) to win, and if they don't, the question is what changes should be made.

[L K]

They are #1 because they have the best shooter in the entire league.

The Leafs PP this year was 7.2% more effective than St. Louis' was the year Brett Hull scored 86 goals. It was 3.1% more effective than Pittsburgh had the year Mario Lemieux scored 85.  It was 1.7% more effective than the Oilers the year Gretzky scored the most goals anyone has ever scored during a NHL season. It was more effective than any PP the Caps have had during Ovechkin's entire career.

I choose to take from this that you feel Matthews is a better shooter than Gretzky, Lemieux, Hull and Ovechkin combined.

[Bender]

Down 2 and they spent way too much time trying to be cute on the PP

They have been like that all season. So predictable and Rielly still refuse to shoot.

It was the #1 PP in the league.

It was the 15h highest PP% of all time and 4th in the last 30 years.

I was going to say that other than the McDavid Oilers it was the most successful PP any team has had in three years but yours is better.

But yeah. Bad all year.

Leafs lose a game and you'd think they were picking first overall in the draft.
[/quote
Not at all —the script remains the same, is I think what is being expressed, which is a completely justified view until they show differently.

I agree with this fundamental premise, but let's make reasonable arguments in defense of it.  The fact is that this is going to be a tough series for the Leafs (or any other team) to win, and if they don't, the question is what changes should be made.

Absolutely they need to prove it, but I'm cheering until the bitter end of their run, and quite frankly the talk of the narrative still being the same in a 1-1 series is so goddamn irritating, especially when they're nowhere to be found during literally the best regular season in franchise history and only come out to shit on the team after a playoff loss.

[CarltonTheBear]

Kucherov and Stamkos both didn't get a single shot attempt while up against Matthews/Marner at 5-on-5. Tavares, even though he isn't producing enough offence, also did a very good job neutralizing them at 5-on-5. Cut the dumb penalties down and this series is still in Toronto's favour.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

Kucherov and Stamkos both didn't get a single shot attempt while up against Matthews/Marner at 5-on-5. Tavares, even though he isn't producing enough offence, also did a very good job neutralizing them at 5-on-5. Cut the dumb penalties down and this series is still in Toronto's favour.

Good observations.  If Matthews were as invisible as Stamkos the first two games the Hot Takes Leafs Fanbase would be screaming so loud it would knock Earth off its tilt.

[Bullfrog]

That sucked.
Series tied. Now best of 5.

They can do this.

[L K]

Kucherov and Stamkos both didn't get a single shot attempt while up against Matthews/Marner at 5-on-5. Tavares, even though he isn't producing enough offence, also did a very good job neutralizing them at 5-on-5. Cut the dumb penalties down and this series is still in Toronto's favour.

I think we need more from Tavares though.  We need more from Nylander too but the thing about Tavares is I'm not really seeing much of anything one way or the other.  The 4th line was really bad last night but was it just me or did I see them have more than a handful of shifts against the Kucherov line.

[CarltonTheBear]

I think we need more from Tavares though.  We need more from Nylander too but the thing about Tavares is I'm not really seeing much of anything one way or the other.

Obviously Tavares is getting paid enough money to be more than just a shutdown C but if he's able to neutralize the Stamkos/Kucherov line in Tampa then even if he doesn't really provide much offence that's putting us in a very good position to win those games.

The 4th line was really bad last night but was it just me or did I see them have more than a handful of shifts against the Kucherov line.

Kucherov played about a minute against both Blackwell and Simmonds. Stamkos had about a minute against Blackwell but just 4 seconds against Simmonds. So not much there.

[L K]

I think we need more from Tavares though.  We need more from Nylander too but the thing about Tavares is I'm not really seeing much of anything one way or the other.

Obviously Tavares is getting paid enough money to be more than just a shutdown C but if he's able to neutralize the Stamkos/Kucherov line in Tampa then even if he doesn't really provide much offence that's putting us in a very good position to win those games.

The 4th line was really bad last night but was it just me or did I see them have more than a handful of shifts against the Kucherov line.

Kucherov played about a minute against both Blackwell and Simmonds. Stamkos had about a minute against Blackwell but just 4 seconds against Simmonds. So not much there.

Ok so it was just a notable shift then.  Thanks.

In defence of Nylander he is tied for 2nd on the team in shots so hopefully he can start putting them behind Vasilevskiy

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

I think we need more from Tavares though.  We need more from Nylander too but the thing about Tavares is I'm not really seeing much of anything one way or the other.

Obviously Tavares is getting paid enough money to be more than just a shutdown C but if he's able to neutralize the Stamkos/Kucherov line in Tampa then even if he doesn't really provide much offence that's putting us in a very good position to win those games.

The 4th line was really bad last night but was it just me or did I see them have more than a handful of shifts against the Kucherov line.

Kucherov played about a minute against both Blackwell and Simmonds. Stamkos had about a minute against Blackwell but just 4 seconds against Simmonds. So not much there.

Ok so it was just a notable shift then.  Thanks.

In defence of Nylander he is tied for 2nd on the team in shots so hopefully he can start putting them behind Vasilevskiy

8 have ended up there already.  He's not invincible.  The hair-trigger pessimism from some (not you) is not justified.

[bustaheims]

8 have ended up there already.  He's not invincible.  The hair-trigger pessimism from some (not you) is not justified.

He made some very timely saves last night, but, overall, he has looked beatable.

[Guilt Trip]

Kucherov and Stamkos both didn't get a single shot attempt while up against Matthews/Marner at 5-on-5. Tavares, even though he isn't producing enough offence, also did a very good job neutralizing them at 5-on-5. Cut the dumb penalties down and this series is still in Toronto's favour.

Agree. Have to stop the dumb penalties. I think JT is playing fine, just not on the offensive side yet. It's only the 2nd game. We need M&M to keep going and Willy and JT need to get it going.

[Zee]

Kucherov and Stamkos both didn't get a single shot attempt while up against Matthews/Marner at 5-on-5. Tavares, even though he isn't producing enough offence, also did a very good job neutralizing them at 5-on-5. Cut the dumb penalties down and this series is still in Toronto's favour.

Agree. Have to stop the dumb penalties. I think JT is playing fine, just not on the offensive side yet. It's only the 2nd game. We need M&M to keep going and Willy and JT need to get it going.

Playoffs are such a huge flashpoint for so many fans that everything gets magnified.  He doesn't score for 2 games, total bum.  If he manages to score a game winner in OT or something, hero for the ages.  And so it goes

[L K]

8 have ended up there already.  He's not invincible.  The hair-trigger pessimism from some (not you) is not justified.

He made some very timely saves last night, but, overall, he has looked beatable.

It's more hypothetical worry, but I guess the fear is always going to be that he suddenly becomes that unbeatable monster. 

We outscored Tampa 8-5.  Tampa had 12 power plays to our 10 (27 minutes to 20 minutes).

Our PP hasn't been successful (1/10) but has had some really good chances. 
Our PK wasn't good last night but ultimately is only at -1 in +/- which is pretty insane against a team as good as Tampa.

If there is anything to maybe be a bit more leery its that the PP also kind of scuffled down the stretch in April (17.7% vs. 27.3% on the season).  The Leafs need to find a way to capitalize on their chances.

They played a really good 19:50 of the first period.  They didn't have a very good middle 30 minutes and were fine the last 10.  So ultimately I think they have been the better team for 4.5 out of the 6 periods so far.