R1G1: Leafs @ Bruins - May 1st, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[sampson]

So much negativity... relax guys! It's just one game. Let's see how things turn out on Saturday before we start screaming about the sky falling.

I still don't get why O'Byrne isn't in over Kostka. I really hope that changes for game 2.

 

[Highlander]

Just my two cents worth..... We have done a great job just getting to the playoffs this year. Does anyone think we are really going to beat Boston??? Nice pipe dream...nice to win a game or two for face.  We do have a group that can gel and be a winner in the near future, so why are we playing Kostka and Frazer whom looked like store mannequins out there, whilst we have Jake Gardner whom can dance and make magic on occasion and create offense? Why do we sit Frattin in lieu of McClaren or Orr? Is he not one of our future stars?  Why not let Colbourne with his huge size play and get the playoff experience that all of them will need in the coming years. Make no mistake we are not going to win, so let the players of the future play and gain this invaluable experience. Time to get rid of the stiffs whom constantly cough up the puck.  And if Carlyle cannot get it done with this squad lets consider Eakins next year..

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

You think Chara's going to be bothered by two 4th line fighters? Nope.  Every team in the league goes at him.

He looked very bothered by them in the first period.  Sure they don't strike fear but he was retaliating when they were running into him and stirring it up in the crease.  That's their job and guys of smaller stature are going to get crushed by Chara and his free high sticking pass he gets from refs. I'd rather he be beating on McLearen than Lupul.

We've been through this all year long.. you take away your tough guys and the ones on the other team will do their best to push your non-tough guys around.  You can't simply drop both guys from the lineup.  The B's are already intimidating the Leafs.. it would only get worse.

Beat them with speed? Absolutely, but how about the speed the ten forwards ahead of those two in the lineup already bring? One more isn't going suddenly change the entire fortune of the team.  Forget about last two spots on the 4th line - the Leafs couldn't get any speed going because of the B's defense.  If the first line can't get it, sure as hell the 4th line isn't going to even if Frattin or whoever is dressed.

But he's not going to be beating on McLaren anyways.  Chara was on the ice when McLaren was on the ice last night a total of 3 times.  They're irrelevant to how Chara plays.

I've yet to see any proof of taking out tough guys resulting in the other team pushing our non-tough guys around.  When has that happened?  When has there been a situation where you saw a team not hit one of our skilled guys because of one of our 4th liners?  Why can't Fraser serve this purpose as a d-man?

To me it's not about the 4th line bringing speed that lines 1-3 can't.  It's about being able to deploy a 4th line that can play with, and hopefully play better than, what the Bruins will match up against it.  If the other lines aren't succeeding, it's just another opportunity to score/attack/get pressure that the 4th line right now isn't providing.  They do nothing well other than fight, and it's been beaten to death but they remain in the lineup so it remains a topic of conversation.  I'd rather lose with the best lineup we can ice.

 

[PG]

Even when the Leafs scored first, I didn't have a good feeling. I wondered if this would be the only moment they would be ahead in this series.

I think there's more going on than a lack of playoff experience. The game struck me a little like boys against men. The Leafs might have more scoring skill but the Bruins play smarter and simpler, work together better as a team and seemed to dominate in the puck battles. And even then, I didn't get the feeling the Bruins were really on their game and playing well - yet they pretty much dominated.

This is pretty much how I see it. I didn't see a single thing last night that tells me the Leafs can hang with these guys. The Bruins are simply in a different class. The Leafs will, hopefully, be there one day soon.

 

[Nik]

Bad game, to be sure. If I were Carlyle I'd seriously considering using the Leafs' one playoff mulligan on last night.

They get a playoff mulligan, right?

 

[Highlander]

Ya right off the first tee box, wish the course was in T.O.

 

[Frank E]

Even when the Leafs scored first, I didn't have a good feeling. I wondered if this would be the only moment they would be ahead in this series.

I think there's more going on than a lack of playoff experience. The game struck me a little like boys against men. The Leafs might have more scoring skill but the Bruins play smarter and simpler, work together better as a team and seemed to dominate in the puck battles. And even then, I didn't get the feeling the Bruins were really on their game and playing well - yet they pretty much dominated.

This is pretty much how I see it. I didn't see a single thing last night that tells me the Leafs can hang with these guys. The Bruins are simply in a different class. The Leafs will, hopefully, be there one day soon.

It was a smoke show...completely outclassed.

 

[drummond]

Carlyle should make some changes. Kessel-Bozak-JvR is OK, however, I would put Kulemin back to Kadri and Lups, that line was pretty good month ago. Hopefully they re-connect quickly. Grabbo to center MacArthur and Frattin on the third. McClement centering Komarov and Hamilton on the fourth. The Leafs must ice the best team available. Simple as that.

On D, sitting O?Byrne in favour of Kostka is beyond any comprehension. Although Jake Gardiner has something the Leafs badly need - accurate first pass - his tendecy to carry the puck too much may speak against him in case of ferocious Bruins forecheck. With deletion of Orr and McLaren Mark Fraer is the only remaining scrapper which may justify his spot. I would give him one more game, should the Leafs lose again, in game 3 I would play Gardiner as well.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Carlyle should make some changes. Kessel-Bozak-JvR is OK, however, I would put Kulemin back to Kadri and Lups, that line was pretty good month ago. Hopefully they re-connect quickly. Grabbo to center MacArthur and Frattin on the third. McClement centering Komarov and Hamilton on the fourth. The Leafs must ice the best team available. Simple as that.

I quite like that.

 

[Highlander]

What about shifting McClement to the wing and have Colbourne center with Komarov.  That would be interesting.

 

[cw]

I don't know ...i still don't think the leafs are anywhere near as bad as they played..if they were they wouldn't have as many wins as they do this year.  ...regression sure ..but not an absolute ..we don't know how to play hockey..and that's what last night was.  as Carlyle points out, he's never seen so many people fall with nobody around them. 

this looked 100% to me like a team playing nervous.  and I think it's valid.  this is a team with very little expierence not only with the playoffs, but winning in general.  I think that's also why they had some trouble at the end of the season.  they're not used to the extra surge of adrenaline that comes with being just on the cusp of something.  That's not something Boston has to worry about. 

I think we would have seen a better Leafs team that didn't look as "nervous" if the opponent was the Habs. It's a better match up for the make up of this team.

The Bruins probably had something to do with the appearance of nerves, if that's what it was - maybe some trepidation because the Leafs know how formidable the Bruins are physically and maybe some confusion/broken plays/more turnovers because of the way the Bruins check and win puck battles.

I think you're right in that both teams can play better.

I'm still hoping they can find a way to overcome the Bruins as well.

 

[drummond]

Carlyle must stop experimenting. It is not just Kostka, but why on Earth he put Grabbo and Lups together if they did not play a single game on the same line this or last year is simply beyond me. I have to say it again and again, to beat Bruins the Leafs must ice the best players available, players who can control the puck, make a pass. Every lost puck costs too much energy to recover. I like Orr and Mclaren, they are good guys, but this not the place to play them.

 

[crazyperfectdevil]

I think we would have seen a better Leafs team that didn't look as "nervous" if the opponent was the Habs. It's a better match up for the make up of this team.

The Bruins probably had something to do with the appearance of nerves, if that's what it was - maybe some trepidation because the Leafs know how formidable the Bruins are physically and maybe some confusion/broken plays/more turnovers because of the way the Bruins check and win puck battles.

I think you're right in that both teams can play better.

I'm still hoping they can find a way to overcome the Bruins as well.

well that being said..they could have faced the habs if they'd only come out and had a half decent performance against them in the last game.  Maybe it's that other teams have figured out the leafs recently..but i guess i'm still operating under the idea that this team isn't quite there mentally yet. 

The only reason i'm any bit optimistic is because I believe unlike the last few incarnations of the team..this one does have some leadership. 

Boston might ultimately be too good for the leafs.  But I guess I just don't feel like we've seen what the leafs can do yet.  Now they'll either take that spanking as a sign that they really are awful..or it'll be used by the team..and the coach as a wake up call. 

 

[ZBBM]

Even when the Leafs scored first, I didn't have a good feeling. I wondered if this would be the only moment they would be ahead in this series.

I think there's more going on than a lack of playoff experience. The game struck me a little like boys against men. The Leafs might have more scoring skill but the Bruins play smarter and simpler, work together better as a team and seemed to dominate in the puck battles. And even then, I didn't get the feeling the Bruins were really on their game and playing well - yet they pretty much dominated.

This is pretty much how I see it. I didn't see a single thing last night that tells me the Leafs can hang with these guys. The Bruins are simply in a different class. The Leafs will, hopefully, be there one day soon.

It was a smoke show...completely outclassed.

Indeed it was.

But the way people are going on here you'd think Boston went 48-0 this year.  They are hardly superhuman.  Rask, I feel sure, can be beaten.  It would have been very interesting to see the refs actually do their job and call Ference on the elbow.  50 secs of 5/3 and who knows, at 2-0 maybe the Bruins get rattled.

Don't get me wrong.  I predicted BOS in 6 because of our inexperience.  And I said going in that it's all about learning to play in the playoffs, so whatever happens can be made into a building block if the players approach it right.

But acting like BOS is invincible simply doesn't align with the facts.

 

[cw]

I think we would have seen a better Leafs team that didn't look as "nervous" if the opponent was the Habs. It's a better match up for the make up of this team.

The Bruins probably had something to do with the appearance of nerves, if that's what it was - maybe some trepidation because the Leafs know how formidable the Bruins are physically and maybe some confusion/broken plays/more turnovers because of the way the Bruins check and win puck battles.

I think you're right in that both teams can play better.

I'm still hoping they can find a way to overcome the Bruins as well.

well that being said..they could have faced the habs if they'd only come out and had a half decent performance against them in the last game.  Maybe it's that other teams have figured out the leafs recently..but i guess i'm still operating under the idea that this team isn't quite there mentally yet. 

The only reason i'm any bit optimistic is because I believe unlike the last few incarnations of the team..this one does have some leadership. 

Boston might ultimately be too good for the leafs.  But I guess I just don't feel like we've seen what the leafs can do yet.  Now they'll either take that spanking as a sign that they really are awful..or it'll be used by the team..and the coach as a wake up call.

I had some hopes for last night because the Bruins have not been playing that well (though having watched them recently, they were starting to get it together at the end of the season even if they didn't get the win/loss results). If the Leafs could have stolen that game, it could have affected the nerves of the Bruins.

I am a little concerned that the Bruins will use this victory as a momentum booster, make some adjustments and be that much tougher.

Having said that, JVR's crossbar was identified as a turning point by some in the media - the Bruins came right back down the ice and scored. If JVR's shot had gone in, it might have been a different game. They could really use a couple of seeing eye shots or bounces that go their way in game 2. In fact, I think they'll have to have them.

 

[PG]

But acting like BOS is invincible simply doesn't align with the facts.

I don't recall anyone saying the Bruins are this super awesome team, or that they are even a Cup contender.

They are simply head and shoulders above the Leafs and there are a ton of facts that do align with that argument.

 

[Bill_Berg]

I think we would have seen a better Leafs team that didn't look as "nervous" if the opponent was the Habs. It's a better match up for the make up of this team.

The Bruins probably had something to do with the appearance of nerves, if that's what it was - maybe some trepidation because the Leafs know how formidable the Bruins are physically and maybe some confusion/broken plays/more turnovers because of the way the Bruins check and win puck battles.

I think you're right in that both teams can play better.

I'm still hoping they can find a way to overcome the Bruins as well.

well that being said..they could have faced the habs if they'd only come out and had a half decent performance against them in the last game.  Maybe it's that other teams have figured out the leafs recently..but i guess i'm still operating under the idea that this team isn't quite there mentally yet. 

The only reason i'm any bit optimistic is because I believe unlike the last few incarnations of the team..this one does have some leadership. 

Boston might ultimately be too good for the leafs.  But I guess I just don't feel like we've seen what the leafs can do yet.  Now they'll either take that spanking as a sign that they really are awful..or it'll be used by the team..and the coach as a wake up call.

I had some hopes for last night because the Bruins have not been playing that well (though having watched them recently, they were starting to get it together at the end of the season even if they didn't get the win/loss results). If the Leafs could have stolen that game, it could have affected the nerves of the Bruins.

I am a little concerned that the Bruins will use this victory as a momentum booster, make some adjustments and be that much tougher.

Having said that, JVR's crossbar was identified as a turning point by some in the media - the Bruins came right back down the ice and scored. If JVR's shot had gone in, it might have been a different game. They could really use a couple of seeing eye shots or bounces that go their way in game 2. In fact, I think they'll have to have them.

As discouraging as Game 1 was, you're right that this could have been a different game. Put JVR's crossbar shot in the net, along with one or two of the breakaways, and this game would have been a lot closer. Win or lose, it would have us all much more confident going into Game 2, despite the shot differential. 

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

But acting like BOS is invincible simply doesn't align with the facts.

I don't recall anyone saying the Bruins are this super awesome team, or that they are even a Cup contender.

They are simply head and shoulders above the Leafs and there are a ton of facts that do align with that argument.

Based on how the season series went between the two teams I don't think the difference is 'head and shoulders', and if it is I don't think 1 game proves or disproves that.  We can figure it out once the series is over.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Bad game, to be sure. If I were Carlyle I'd seriously considering using the Leafs' one playoff mulligan on last night.

They get a playoff mulligan, right?

It would sure be nice.  I'm pretty sure they get a headshot mulligan if Ference gets off, though.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Fraser & Kostka have played 14:00+ each.  Only Phaneuf (15:38) has played more.

I know that Carlyle has done some nice things with this team, but if they play like this for the rest of the series and get swept/lose in 5.  I have absolutely no hesitation in firing him and handing the keys to Dallas Eakins.

I agree 100%.