Game 8 - Leafs @ Flyers - Monday Oct 24th 2011 - 19:00 EST - 4-2 Loss

[maplesyrup]

Not sure what to take from this one... I thought Gus should have had the 3rd goal but would have like to have seen him stop one of the two Jagr breakaways but whatever

3 Jagr breakaways, which he stopped one.

Oh yeah, right... was that the right pad save?

 

[hockeyfan1]

Not sure what to take from this one... I thought Gus should have had the 3rd goal but would have like to have seen him stop one of the two Jagr breakaways but whatever

3 Jagr breakaways, which he stopped one.

Oh yeah, right... was that the right pad save?

Not too hqppy seeing Jagr get those breakaways... tonight, Jagr looked speedy, which he isn't anymore nowadays compared to his more youthful playing days in the league.  To actually allow 3 breakaways tells the tale of a breakdown on the Leafs defence.  Better they shore it up, or else, there'll be more games like this one on the horizon.


C'mon Leafs, you can do better.  Improving yet room for more improvement.  Let's stay positive!

 

[cw]

It's not like this is a new problem, Bender. I'm not just pulling this out of nowhere after one loss. It's games like tonight that are the difference between making and missing the playoffs. I wrote the team off for a very specific reason, not just because they lost. It's what I believe kept them out of the playoffs last year. Nothing has changed so there's really no reason for me to expect different results.

The Leafs have improved their team. So what? So have other teams. What's going to set them apart? Special teams is a good place to start.

Lastly, this is something that i believe will keep the Leafs out of the playoffs if it's not corrected, and that frustrates me. If you don't like my opinion, that's fine, but don't assume that I'm just being reactionary and sensationalist just because you don't want to hear it.

Of the 24 players that have appeared on the current roster, only 13 of them have played one full season or more with this team. We're only 8 games into this season. I think it's premature to bury them just as I think it's premature to claim they're going to be great.

They're 17th in the league on the PP and 5th in goals per game. I doubt a single Leafs fan felt they would be top of the league on the PP.

I think it's prudent to be a little more patient on seeing how they come together as a club before making such declarations that the sky is falling.

I can't guarantee they'll make the playoffs but my sense is that this club is going to be much more interesting in terms of that contest than any other Leafs team in recent years. Time will tell.

 

[Mack674]

It's not like this is a new problem, Bender. I'm not just pulling this out of nowhere after one loss. It's games like tonight that are the difference between making and missing the playoffs. I wrote the team off for a very specific reason, not just because they lost. It's what I believe kept them out of the playoffs last year. Nothing has changed so there's really no reason for me to expect different results.

The Leafs have improved their team. So what? So have other teams. What's going to set them apart? Special teams is a good place to start.

Lastly, this is something that i believe will keep the Leafs out of the playoffs if it's not corrected, and that frustrates me. If you don't like my opinion, that's fine, but don't assume that I'm just being reactionary and sensationalist just because you don't want to hear it.

Of the 24 players that have appeared on the current roster, only 13 of them have played one full season or more with this team. We're only 8 games into this season. I think it's premature to bury them just as I think it's premature to claim they're going to be great.

They're 17th in the league on the PP and 5th in goals per game. I doubt a single Leafs fan felt they would be top of the league on the PP.

I think it's prudent to be a little more patient on seeing how they come together as a club before making such declarations that the sky is falling.

I can't guarantee they'll make the playoffs but my sense is that this club is going to be much more interesting in terms of that contest than any other Leafs team in recent years. Time will tell.

They've improved enough that I think it will be close all the way to the last game. They definitely have the potential to make the playoffs but consistency and a little luck is needed.

I dunno why everyone was getting so upset when it was like 3-1, 3-2. We lost 4-2, thats a loss and a decisive one. Thats all. They didn't lose 6-0 or get embarassed like you guys said, thats at least worth noting.

There were a few good chances in the third and if a couple bounces went the Leafs way they could have tied it. Philly is probobly one of the better teams in the league and the Leafs hung with them pretty much the whole way. Im not going to lose sleep over this one. Was really hoping they could pull out a win though, GD Jagr.

 

[Redleaf]

It's not like this is a new problem, Bender. I'm not just pulling this out of nowhere after one loss. It's games like tonight that are the difference between making and missing the playoffs. I wrote the team off for a very specific reason, not just because they lost. It's what I believe kept them out of the playoffs last year. Nothing has changed so there's really no reason for me to expect different results.

The Leafs have improved their team. So what? So have other teams. What's going to set them apart? Special teams is a good place to start.

Lastly, this is something that i believe will keep the Leafs out of the playoffs if it's not corrected, and that frustrates me. If you don't like my opinion, that's fine, but don't assume that I'm just being reactionary and sensationalist just because you don't want to hear it.

Of the 24 players that have appeared on the current roster, only 13 of them have played one full season or more with this team. We're only 8 games into this season. I think it's premature to bury them just as I think it's premature to claim they're going to be great.

They're 17th in the league on the PP and 5th in goals per game. I doubt a single Leafs fan felt they would be top of the league on the PP.

I think it's prudent to be a little more patient on seeing how they come together as a club before making such declarations that the sky is falling.

I can't guarantee they'll make the playoffs but my sense is that this club is going to be much more interesting in terms of that contest than any other Leafs team in recent years. Time will tell.

Since this is a game day thread and my predicition will get lost in the mix by the end of the season I gonna go out on a limb here.   I think the Leafs will finally get us to the post season this year. There's just a feeling in the air this year, and the team finally seems to be forming a nice nucleus.

 

[cw]

Since this is a game day thread and my predicition will get lost in the mix by the end of the season I gonna go out on a limb here.   I think the Leafs will finally get us to the post season this year. There's just a feeling in the air this year, and the team finally seems to be forming a nice nucleus.

I'm not quite as confident they'll make it but I'd readily agree they've got a good shot. With Montreal already floudering and the Rangers unable to add an offensive dman while losing Staal, I think their chances have improved since the summer coupled with their decent start.

But more to the other point you raised: when these guys get down a goal or two, they certainly don't roll over as easily as recent Leafs teams. They may not have won last night but there was a determination throughout the lineup - not a panic - and we've seen it earlier this season - that they felt they could come back. There does seem to be a better vibe among them and I think they'll reward themselves with a few more points with that collective attitude and confidence.

 

[Redleaf]

Since this is a game day thread and my predicition will get lost in the mix by the end of the season I gonna go out on a limb here.   I think the Leafs will finally get us to the post season this year. There's just a feeling in the air this year, and the team finally seems to be forming a nice nucleus.

I'm not quite as confident they'll make it but I'd readily agree they've got a good shot. With Montreal already floudering and the Rangers unable to add an offensive dman while losing Staal, I think their chances have improved since the summer coupled with their decent start.

But more to the other point you raised: when these guys get down a goal or two, they certainly don't roll over as easily as recent Leafs teams. They may not have won last night but there was a determination throughout the lineup - not a panic - and we've seen it earlier this season - that they felt they could come back. There does seem to be a better vibe among them and I think they'll reward themselves with a few more points with that collective attitude and confidence.

I hate to put it all on Reimer, but man, when this team puts on that 'never say die' show in front of him, and he holds up his end keeping them in games, its really something we haven't seen here in a long time. But, hey, we all know that can change in a heartbeat. So, while I don't put all my chips in for a playoff spot this spring, I would certainly drop a pretty decent bet that they can finally pull it off.

 

[cw]

Talking about their chances:
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL.html

Leafs lose to Philly.

From that loss, Leafs chances of making the playoffs go UP 6% to 74%, Philly's go down nearly 8% to 61% ... related to Pronger ...??....

Rightfully so if that's the case because I don't think Philly is nearly as special without Pronger.

 

[Redleaf]

Talking about their chances:
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL.html

Leafs lose to Philly.

From that loss, Leafs chances of making the playoffs go UP 6% to 74%, Philly's go down nearly 8% to 61% ... related to Pronger ...??....

Rightfully so if that's the case because I don't think Philly is nearly as special without Pronger.

Thats a pretty odd bit of mathematics there.

 

[Erndog]

Yikes... just read that in Gus' last 17 games, he had a sub .900 SV% in 15 of them.

I'm really rooting for the dude but any way you slice that, it has to change fast.

 

[Kin]

Yikes... just read that in Gus' last 17 games, he had a sub .900 SV% in 15 of them.

I'm really rooting for the dude but any way you slice that, it has to change fast.

Yeah, he's really got to do a better job on not letting Jagr have three breakaways.

 

[Erndog]

Yikes... just read that in Gus' last 17 games, he had a sub .900 SV% in 15 of them.

I'm really rooting for the dude but any way you slice that, it has to change fast.

Yeah, he's really got to do a better job on not letting Jagr have three breakaways.

Want to dissect 14 of the last 16 also?

Hartnell's second goal had a little bit of a smell to it.  Other than that, I think he played fairly well actually.

 

[Kin]

Want to dissect 14 of the last 16 also?

Nah. It's a lot easier to look at the sv% and make sweeping generalizations.

 

[Erndog]

Want to dissect 14 of the last 16 also?

Nah. It's a lot easier to look at the sv% and make sweeping generalizations.

At some point even you are going to have to realize it is what it is.

He hasn't been very good and needs to be better.  Simple as that really.

 

[Kin]

At some point even you are going to have to realize it is what it is.

I absolutely realize that it is what it is. The Leafs aren't a great team. They have defensive lapses. They've been getting poor play from their goalies plural.

He hasn't been very good and needs to be better.  Simple as that really.

He was better last night. He was good last night. He's improved in every start so far.

Hockey is still a team game. Thinking fans can still watch a game and dissect it critically.

 

[EJ]

God damnit I hate Mike Komisarek.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

This Leaf team really reminds me of the 98/99 team that rode Cujo to the final four. When Healy was is net as back up for the handful of games the team look dreadful like they do with Gus. Cujo really hid the defensive lapses and breakdowns. Hopefully Reimer can do the same.

 

[Erndog]

I absolutely realize that it is what it is. The Leafs aren't a great team. They have defensive lapses. They've been getting poor play from their goalies plural.

There is a difference between "poor play" and "average play".  Reimer has been giving them average play.  Gus has been giving them poor play.

Sure it's a small sample size for both and we're 3 weeks into the season so there is lots of time for things to go one way or another but in this small sample, Reimer has been better than Gustavsson. 

I'll agree that we need both to be better.  However, we need Gustavsson to be a lot better.

He was better last night. He was good last night. He's improved in every start so far.

Hockey is still a team game. Thinking fans can still watch a game and dissect it critically.

He was better last night.  I'm not pinning last night on his shoulders by any means. 

I'm using his play as a whole (going back to last season) to dissect him critically and it's in my opinion (and plenty of others) that he hasn't been very good. 

 

[Kin]

There is a difference between "poor play" and "average play".  Reimer has been giving them average play.  Gus has been giving them poor play.

I'd disagree. I'd say Gus has been giving them average play for a back-up. Reimer has been giving them poor play for a #1.

Sure it's a small sample size for both and we're 3 weeks into the season so there is lots of time for things to go one way or another but in this small sample, Reimer has been better than Gustavsson.

Reimer's the starter. He has to be better than his back-up. It's not an accomplishment and it doesn't vault him into "average" status. Reimer's given up a lot of goals to some bad, bad teams. Gus has given up a lot of goals to good teams. 

He was better last night.  I'm not pinning last night on his shoulders by any means.

You're saying he didn't play well last night by virtue of being under .900 as a save percentage. 

I'm using his play as a whole (going back to last season) to dissect him critically and it's in my opinion (and plenty of others) that he hasn't been very good.

You're not just going back to last year, you're going back to last season, pre-heart condition. I don't think that has much of a bearing on what we've seen the last three games.

You're not critically dissecting his play against the Capitals on december 6th of last year. You're just saying he played poorly because his save percentage was under .900.

 

[Tigger]

?Truly, I needed it,? Jagr said. ?I feel a lot better right now than I have, that?s for sure. I changed everything: The skate, gloves, I got hit in the head during warm-ups, so that helped.?

Figures someone on his team finally figured out how to wake him up...