Leafs @ Oilers - Jan. 30th, 7:00pm - SN, Fan 590

[Nik]

But Matthews is further ahead of the guy and not at the end of a shift.

 

[Guilt Trip]

But Matthews is further ahead of the guy and not at the end of a shift.

Matthews wasn't on the ice. Funny how everyone else could skate, at the end of their shift, but Willy couldn't.

 

[Nik]

Are we looking at the same picture? Matthews' feet are like six inches above the ice.

And it's not about whether or not Nylander could skate, it's that letting a fresh guy in a better position on the ice is a better play.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I'll solve this - you're both wrong (and right).

1) Matthews is stationary on the bench. Willy is already skating towards it. Just because Matthews might a couple feet closer to the play doesn't mean he could accelerate to make up the speed difference of Willy committing to a backcheck instead of the bench.

2) There was no issue with a shift change. Ultimately, I see a common theme where no matter how good or flukey a goal against, there's a witchhunt to assign blame, sometimes taken to pretty extreme levels. In this case, the best player in the world and one of the top 5 players in the world made a pass and tip out of mid air. Good for them. Leafs were lucky to get a point.

there, solved. now hug.

 

[Nik]

I'll solve this - you're both wrong (and right).

1) Matthews is stationary on the bench. Willy is already skating towards it. Just because Matthews might a couple feet closer to the play doesn't mean he could accelerate to make up the speed difference of Willy committing to a backcheck instead of the bench.

But there are two considerations for a player like Nylander in that situation. One is who is better suited to defend the ongoing play. I think that's Matthews in this case, you're free to think otherwise but I think you'd grant that at the very least it's close.

The second consideration though is who is better suited to be on the ice after whatever might happen on that one rush and the answer there is unquestionably a fresh Matthews instead of a tired Nylander.

Like you say, the goal rendered it moot and there's no real reason to assign blame but for me, in that situation, I'd want the defensive player to make the change.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I'll solve this - you're both wrong (and right).

1) Matthews is stationary on the bench. Willy is already skating towards it. Just because Matthews might a couple feet closer to the play doesn't mean he could accelerate to make up the speed difference of Willy committing to a backcheck instead of the bench.

But there are two considerations for a player like Nylander in that situation. One is who is better suited to defend the ongoing play. I think that's Matthews in this case, you're free to think otherwise but I think you'd grant that at the very least it's close.

The second consideration though is who is better suited to be on the ice after whatever might happen on that one rush and the answer there is unquestionably a fresh Matthews instead of a tired Nylander.

Like you say, the goal rendered it moot and there's no real reason to assign blame but for me, in that situation, I'd want the defensive player to make the change.

People are acting like scoring chances in 3 on 3 overtime is new. It's how it works when you're playing 3 on 3. Toronto had an odd man rush/scoring opportunity in one direction. Guess what that means, the Leafs defensively are out numbered. Hence the 2 on 1. Hence the goal by McDavid.
How that's suddenly Nylander's fault is a little confusing to me.

 

[Chris]

In real time I thought Nylander went for a bad change. After watching the replays, though, it's less clear. The bigger problem was Tavares letting McDavid blow by him at center ice creating the 2 on 1 which Barrie then turned into a 3 on 1 by outskating Matthews. Would a tired Nylander have had a better chance of keeping up with Barrie there? Maybe (if he was motivated), maybe not.

Holl probably should have laid out to block the pass, that might have disrupted things long enough to let Tavares or Matthews get back to help out.

 

[berserker]

Holy to argue stupid 3 on 3 .  It is pure pond hockey.  Bad change ???
How do you know maybe Nylander had instructions to make a quick change. The coaching
staff may have wanted a quick change.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/1356301108210245632
https://twitter.com/dalter/status/1356303906343706626