Leafs @ Capitals - Jan. 3rd, 7:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[Kin]

No its not the same. Think about it. There is so much open ice in OT so if you miss a hit like Komarov did there isnt much support. Little different 5 on 5.

Komarov didn't miss the hit though. That's the point. He hit him, the problem is Carlson is a big guy who doesn't crumple at getting hit and so he was still able to make the play after Komarov put himself out of position. The physics there are as true in regulation as in overtime, hockey players aren't easy to knock down and trying to do so carries a risk with it. As a result the smarter thing to do is to play them positionally and cut off their angles for shots or passes.

 

[Zee]

I might be in the minority, but I didn't like what Komarov did after he scored.  Sure it's a small thing and doesn't really mean all that much, but it's a poor show of sportsmanship in taunting a guy like that.  I'd be pissed if another team did it to a Leafs player.

 

[Kin]

I might be in the minority, but I didn't like what Komarov did after he scored.  Sure it's a small thing and doesn't really mean all that much, but it's a poor show of sportsmanship in taunting a guy like that.  I'd be pissed if another team did it to a Leafs player.

I agree 100%.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Fourth straight game blowing a multi-goal lead. Sign of a young, inconsistent, inexperienced team.

In this particular case though it was largely the Leafs youth who kept giving them the lead and the veterans who keep giving it away.

 

[Zee]

Fourth straight game blowing a multi-goal lead. Sign of a young, inconsistent, inexperienced team.

In this particular case though it was largely the Leafs youth who kept giving them the lead and the veterans who keep giving it away.

Kadri's selke aspirations took a blow last night.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I might be in the minority, but I didn't like what Komarov did after he scored.  Sure it's a small thing and doesn't really mean all that much, but it's a poor show of sportsmanship in taunting a guy like that.  I'd be pissed if another team did it to a Leafs player.

I agree, why give them fuel for ammunition?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I might be in the minority, but I didn't like what Komarov did after he scored.  Sure it's a small thing and doesn't really mean all that much, but it's a poor show of sportsmanship in taunting a guy like that.  I'd be pissed if another team did it to a Leafs player.

It felt a lot funnier when we were winning.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I like what Mirtle's post-game article on The Athletic said, and it's a big reason why I'm not too bent out of shape about these results:

The fact is the Leafs wouldn?t even have all those leads in all those games if not for the offence generated by Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Brown, Hyman and to a lesser extent Zaitsev, Soshnikov and Gauthier. They wouldn?t be losing games in overtime or the shootout (which, to be honest, is a tie where I?m from). They would probably lose them in the second period ? because they?d already be down by two goals, unable to score, at least against a team like Washington.

https://theathletic.com/32475/2017/01/04/mirtle-the-maple-leafs-arent-losing-because-of-their-rookies/

 

[Kin]

In this particular case though it was largely the Leafs youth who kept giving them the lead and the veterans who keep giving it away.

To one extent or another though I think that's a little bit of a distinction without a difference. The Leafs are having to use their so-so vets in roles they're not really suited for because their young players aren't really options.

So Kadri, who despite some chatter earlier is not exactly Patrice Bergeron, is being forced into a defensive role a lot of the time just because nobody else can do it. Kadri might be on the ice when some of those goals are being scored but the decision to put him there didn't come out of nowhere.

 

[bustaheims]

In this particular case though it was largely the Leafs youth who kept giving them the lead and the veterans who keep giving it away.

That's true, though, their offensive production is largely masking the fact that they weren't particularly good without the puck last night, either.

 

[herman]

The Leafs play a more complicated defensive structure than some of the team is capable of currently, either because they're just 30-something games into their NHL careers or because they just physically can't. This season, despite what the record shows, is about playing through those growing pains. Aim to win, but also to learn from failure.

I think we'll see this play out at the deadline, when the chaff is definitely separated from the wheat (I don't know if there are many question marks left), regardless of our standings, and the Leafs move on from those who can't handle the system but have value as assets (Bozak, JvR).

 

[Kin]

However we may want to explain it, I think the central point here is that the Leafs' defensive issues at this point are definitely reaching the "It's not a bug, it's a feature" point. The improvement isn't going to come from Mike Babcock yelling at them or them remembering to keep their foot on the gas, it's going to come from personnel changes and the sort of player development that isn't a week to week thing.

So, in other words, if they go up by two in their next game maybe don't operate under the assumption that they'll be as good as the average team in terms of closing it out.

 

[ZBBM]

I might be in the minority, but I didn't like what Komarov did after he scored.  Sure it's a small thing and doesn't really mean all that much, but it's a poor show of sportsmanship in taunting a guy like that.  I'd be pissed if another team did it to a Leafs player.

I agree 100%.

I don't.  I gave him the MotM for that, and only wish it had been Ovechkin he pitty-patted.

 

[Frank E]

I might be in the minority, but I didn't like what Komarov did after he scored.  Sure it's a small thing and doesn't really mean all that much, but it's a poor show of sportsmanship in taunting a guy like that.  I'd be pissed if another team did it to a Leafs player.

I agree, why give them fuel for ammunition?

Oh my god...have any of you guys played organized sports?  That stuff goes on at every face-off, every skate-by an opposing bench, and after goals they're always yelling stuff between the benches.  The only reason you noticed anything was because Orpik punched him.

Give me a break.

 

[Arn]

It wasn't very sportsmanlike. He probably shouldn't have done it. But it WAS funny.

 

[Kin]

Oh my god...have any of you guys played organized sports?  That stuff goes on at every face-off, every skate-by an opposing bench, and after goals they're always yelling stuff between the benches.  The only reason you noticed anything was because Orpik punched him.
   
Give me a break.                   

Sorry but your beer league experience isn't actually all that relevant here. The main point here is that these are professionals and the game is televised and Komarov giving Orpik the "there, there" is going to make it onto highlight clips and pro athletes, as a rule, don't like getting shown up. It's why he hit Komarov. Amateurs chirping between benches isn't analogous.

I remember the Jagr salutes after his goals. I'm more of a Danny Markov guy myself.

 

[Zee]

Oh my god...have any of you guys played organized sports?  That stuff goes on at every face-off, every skate-by an opposing bench, and after goals they're always yelling stuff between the benches.  The only reason you noticed anything was because Orpik punched him.
   
Give me a break.                   

Sorry but your beer league experience isn't actually all that relevant here. The main point here is that these are professionals and the game is televised and Komarov giving Orpik the "there, there" is going to make it onto highlight clips and pro athletes, as a rule, don't like getting shown up. It's why he hit Komarov. Amateurs chirping between benches isn't analogous.

I remember the Jagr salutes after his goals. I'm more of a Danny Markov guy myself.

Exactly this.  Also, given that Komarov has been on the Leafs for years and they haven't exactly ripped up the league by any stretch, he doesn't have much of a leg to stand on in giving the "there, there" pat after scoring a goal.  I could understand if the Leafs were a juggernaut team that frequently demolished opponents and had all the swagger that came with that, but it's the freakin Leafs, they've stunk for over a decade.  Even if the Leafs were a great team, I'd hate to see players goading the opponent, it's so childish.  Be a professional and go out and win.  Leave the taunting and stupid antics to legends like Sean Avery.

 

[louisstamos]

Is it at all possible that Komarov thought it was one of his teammates?  Steve Dangle said if you read his lips, he says "good job."

I mean, it wouldn't be the first time something like that happened...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukj5j5HFFgY[/youtube]

 

[rdowdall]

Oh my god...have any of you guys played organized sports?  That stuff goes on at every face-off, every skate-by an opposing bench, and after goals they're always yelling stuff between the benches.  The only reason you noticed anything was because Orpik punched him.
   
Give me a break.                   

Sorry but your beer league experience isn't actually all that relevant here. The main point here is that these are professionals and the game is televised and Komarov giving Orpik the "there, there" is going to make it onto highlight clips and pro athletes, as a rule, don't like getting shown up. It's why he hit Komarov. Amateurs chirping between benches isn't analogous.

I remember the Jagr salutes after his goals. I'm more of a Danny Markov guy myself.

Exactly this.  Also, given that Komarov has been on the Leafs for years and they haven't exactly ripped up the league by any stretch, he doesn't have much of a leg to stand on in giving the "there, there" pat after scoring a goal.  I could understand if the Leafs were a juggernaut team that frequently demolished opponents and had all the swagger that came with that, but it's the freakin Leafs, they've stunk for over a decade.  Even if the Leafs were a great team, I'd hate to see players goading the opponent, it's so childish.  Be a professional and go out and win.  Leave the taunting and stupid antics to legends like Sean Avery.

On top of that, I hate chirping the ref all the way to the penalty box.  Gary Roberts and Tucker used to do this all the time.  Look guys, if you don't want to go to the box, then don't two hand a guy.

 

[McGarnagle]

Is it at all possible that Komarov thought it was one of his teammates?  Steve Dangle said if you read his lips, he says "good job."

Naw, I doubt it. Part of Komorov's game is to play the role of the agitator; he's not as over the top about it usually, but if he can goad a player or team into taking undisciplined penalties, that's the goal.

Here's one from the time capsule:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2013/01/16/komarov_a_compelling_prospect_for_leafs_feschuk.html

?By the time there was about seven minutes left in the first period the whole other team was chasing Leo around trying to kill him,? Eakins said. ?They didn?t care about anything else ? they were going to get him. And he wasn?t doing anything dirty."