Canadiens @ Leafs - May 22nd, 7:00pm - CBC, Fan 590

[Stronger Than All]

This Habs team is dirty.

Chiarot, Anderson, Perry.  Who else?

 

[herman]

Man I am really not liking our centre depth. Part of me wonders if they should've tried Willy out at centre more or have more redundancy options.

I like Willy in the centre for the purpose of more puck touches and distributing to teammates with good shooting, but on a line with Folgino and Galchenyuk, I think the way the Leafs structure their play favours Foligno in the middle. Keefe already pointed this out, but the centre's focus these days is on being the glue between wingers and defensemen, and usually the F3 coming back first to set up the 1-1-3 NZ check. Staying on the wing frees up Willy to do what he does best and let's Foligno do what he does instinctively well.

What they do need to do is get Willy more puck touches on the PP as both distributor and shot option. Marner is great and all, but Willy is just plain better on the PP as the QB. Marner can still be the 1A guy when he is free to roam because he's got great awareness of where everyone is and can thread nice passes, but he can't make his own shot opportunities.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/1396132528663183361

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Man I am really not liking our centre depth. Part of me wonders if they should've tried Willy out at centre more or have more redundancy options.

I get what you're saying but it's not like there's many teams in the league who could replace a player like Tavares with a high level of satisfaction.

I really don't love Kerfoot in that spot, so I'm glad they're gonna try Foligno there. Who knows how that works out, but even if Nylander is on the wing it's pretty clear he's gonna be responsible for driving that lines success.

 

[L K]

I'm always amazed at how late "finishing you check" gets in the postseason.  Puck already gone...better start my attempt to hit you.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I'm always amazed at how late "finishing you check" gets in the postseason.  Puck already gone...better start my attempt to hit you.

It's honestly Bush league, the only pro sport that is a literal different game when it reaches the playoffs.

Can you imagine the Champions League deciding that you could slide studs up on any opponent once it reached the last 16 knockout?

It is farcical.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/koshtorontosun/status/1396104778992738312

https://twitter.com/kevin_mcgran/status/1396136029388775427

 

[L K]

https://twitter.com/koshtorontosun/status/1396104778992738312

https://twitter.com/kevin_mcgran/status/1396136029388775427

Sorry you got offended.

Take away their press credentials.

 

[Deebo]

The picture, while I don't like it being used, can be covered by the "It's news" angle I guess.

But the cereal-related pun as the headline?

 

[rdowdall]

This Habs team is dirty.

Chiarot, Anderson, Perry.  Who else?

Yeah but keep in mind that Sens fans really hated those Tucker, Corson, Roberts, Domi lineups back in the day.  It's not like Leaf teams haven't taken the approach the Habs are now.  The Leafs have to find a way to play through it better than those Send teams did.

 

[ZBBM]

I want to see a full-60 response game where we dictate the play.  Tonight will go a fair ways toward indicating whether we are

CONtenders or PREtenders
CHAMPions or CHUMPions
DictaTORS or DictaTEES
CONN Smythe providers or CONN artists
Master PLUMBERS or Washroom ATTENDANTS

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

https://twitter.com/koshtorontosun/status/1396104778992738312

https://twitter.com/kevin_mcgran/status/1396136029388775427

Unbelievably weak. No explanation or apology for a comical headline. "...that had already been witnessed live by millions of Canadians", literally so what? How does that make it less tasteless?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Call me crazy, but aside from the Tavares incident of course I really don't think Montreal's physicality dictated the game. They were certainly the more physical team (although the official hit counts were pretty sus) and I would like to see guys like Simmonds and Thornton and Foligno throw their body around a little more but we didn't lose game 1 because Montreal out hit us.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Sorry you got offended.

"I don't recall saying sorry."

 

[rdowdall]

Call me crazy, but aside from the Tavares incident of course I really don't think Montreal's physicality dictated the game. They were certainly the more physical team (although the official hit counts were pretty sus) and I would like to see guys like Simmonds and Thornton and Foligno throw their body around a little more but we didn't lose game 1 because Montreal out hit us.

I think the plays where Marner and Nylander threw the puck over the glass were examples where they were hurrying the play because they felt the hit coming.  I also saw Sandin make some plays in a hurried fashion.  I think this points to the physical presence the Habs were playing with.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Call me crazy, but aside from the Tavares incident of course I really don't think Montreal's physicality dictated the game. They were certainly the more physical team (although the official hit counts were pretty sus) and I would like to see guys like Simmonds and Thornton and Foligno throw their body around a little more but we didn't lose game 1 because Montreal out hit us.

I think the plays where Marner and Nylander threw the puck over the glass were examples where they were hurrying the play because they felt the hit coming.  I also saw Sandin make some plays in a hurried fashion.  I think this points to the physical presence the Habs were playing with.

Yeah I think that's fair. Nylander's over the glass penalty was likely a result of that. I'm not saying their physicality made zero impact on the game, but I don't think it was a leading reason for the team losing. Losing Tavares (which both impacted the team mentally and hurt the teams structure/flow by needing to play with 11 forwards almost the whole game), going 0-4 on the powerplay, and Price making one more save than Campbell were the biggies. If even one of those things didn't happen we likely win that game. So I'm just not that worried if they keep outhitting us all series.

 

[rdowdall]

Call me crazy, but aside from the Tavares incident of course I really don't think Montreal's physicality dictated the game. They were certainly the more physical team (although the official hit counts were pretty sus) and I would like to see guys like Simmonds and Thornton and Foligno throw their body around a little more but we didn't lose game 1 because Montreal out hit us.

I think the plays where Marner and Nylander threw the puck over the glass were examples where they were hurrying the play because they felt the hit coming.  I also saw Sandin make some plays in a hurried fashion.  I think this points to the physical presence the Habs were playing with.

Yeah I think that's fair. Nylander's over the glass penalty was likely a result of that. I'm not saying their physicality made zero impact on the game, but I don't think it was a leading reason for the team losing. Losing Tavares (which both impacted the team mentally and hurt the teams structure/flow by needing to play with 11 forwards almost the whole game), going 0-4 on the powerplay, and Price making one more save than Campbell were the biggies. If even one of those things didn't happen we likely win that game. So I'm just not that worried if they keep outhitting us all series.

Yeah I agree that the hitting isn't the problem.  The Leafs need to play to their strengths and control the puck.  If they do that and limit their mistakes, which is what they did all year, then the should be able to come out of this series. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Wanted to add I say this as I'm watching yet another Tampa-Florida game get completely out of control. Montreal's physical/dirty/cheap game looks like child's play compared to these teams. I'd be more worried about how we'd handle Tampa if it ends up coming to that. Unless of course the refs remember they're supposed to be controlling this.

 

[Chris]

Call me crazy, but aside from the Tavares incident of course I really don't think Montreal's physicality dictated the game. They were certainly the more physical team (although the official hit counts were pretty sus) and I would like to see guys like Simmonds and Thornton and Foligno throw their body around a little more but we didn't lose game 1 because Montreal out hit us.

I don't think Simmonds is capable of that. There have been numerous times where I've seen him try to hit a guy but he arrives too late or the guy is able to get out of the way. Simmonds seems too slow anymore. When he does manage to make contact it's often weak and he tends to bounce off guys. He's really rather lean (6'2" 185) to play a bruising style. Very good fighting skills though and that can be a benefit in scrums. Overall, he seems to not have much to offer at this point but it seems Keefe is going to play the 3 vets until the bitter end.

 

[Bender]

Call me crazy, but aside from the Tavares incident of course I really don't think Montreal's physicality dictated the game. They were certainly the more physical team (although the official hit counts were pretty sus) and I would like to see guys like Simmonds and Thornton and Foligno throw their body around a little more but we didn't lose game 1 because Montreal out hit us.

I think the plays where Marner and Nylander threw the puck over the glass were examples where they were hurrying the play because they felt the hit coming.  I also saw Sandin make some plays in a hurried fashion.  I think this points to the physical presence the Habs were playing with.

I honestly thought at least one of them was insanely flukey.