Leafs @ Flames - Nov. 28th, 9:00pm - TSN4, TSN 1050

[disco]

https://twitter.com/AdamDeSanti/status/932089938778062848

 

[barney_rebel]

We rule btw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/935734591499001856

Babcock: Raise your game, Nylander.
Willy: Yes sir.
Babcock: But drag these two with you.
Willy: Hold my mouthguard.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/935729652815065089

THANKS A LOT BROWN

 

[rdowdall]

https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/935729652815065089

THANKS A LOT BROWN

This is the beginning of the end.

 

[PCB]

Or rather "the end of the beginning."  I think I heard that phrase somewhere before.

 

[Zee]

Or rather "the end of the beginning."  I think I heard that phrase somewhere before.

Black Sabbath?

 

[ZBBM]

Or rather "the end of the beginning."  I think I heard that phrase somewhere before.

I believe it was Churchill who so memorably said, "This is not the terminus. It is not even the instantiation of the terminus. But it is, perhaps, the terminus of the instantiation.  Kind of."

 

[Frank E]

I hate these "full team effort" games...gives us nothing to complain about the next day.

It's no fun lauding everybody.  Polak goes and scores a damn goal, effectively removing him from our gunsights for a day or so.  Borgman has a good game, so he gets a reprieve.

Martin had to be terrible last night, no? 

 

[PCB]

Yes it was Churchill that I was thinking of.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I hate these "full team effort" games...gives us nothing to complain about the next day.

It's no fun lauding everybody.  Polak goes and scores a damn goal, effectively removing him from our gunsights for a day or so.  Borgman has a good game, so he gets a reprieve.

Martin had to be terrible last night, no? 

McBackup literally did nothing last night.

 

[herman]

I hate these "full team effort" games...gives us nothing to complain about the next day.

It's no fun lauding everybody.  Polak goes and scores a damn goal, effectively removing him from our gunsights for a day or so.  Borgman has a good game, so he gets a reprieve.

Martin had to be terrible last night, no? 

McBackup literally did nothing last night.

I think he logged faceoff results.

 

[ZBBM]

I hate these "full team effort" games...gives us nothing to complain about the next day.

It's no fun lauding everybody.  Polak goes and scores a damn goal, effectively removing him from our gunsights for a day or so.  Borgman has a good game, so he gets a reprieve.

Martin had to be terrible last night, no? 

McBackup literally did nothing last night.

I think he logged faceoff results.

And got them really, really wrong no doubt.

UNLESS THE KASKIKUSKIO

 

[Frank E]

I hate these "full team effort" games...gives us nothing to complain about the next day.

It's no fun lauding everybody.  Polak goes and scores a damn goal, effectively removing him from our gunsights for a day or so.  Borgman has a good game, so he gets a reprieve.

Martin had to be terrible last night, no? 

McBackup literally did nothing last night.

I think he logged faceoff results.

And got them really, really wrong no doubt.

UNLESS THE KASKIKUSKIO

Another prospect languishing in the minor leagues, no doubt.

What a waste of an asset. 

 

[Bullfrog]

I hate these "full team effort" games...gives us nothing to complain about the next day.

It's no fun lauding everybody.  Polak goes and scores a damn goal, effectively removing him from our gunsights for a day or so.  Borgman has a good game, so he gets a reprieve.

Martin had to be terrible last night, no?

Martin was brutal. I mean, I didn't watch the game, be clearly he was bad, especially on that one play.

 

[Coco-puffs]

That was a really odd play by Rielly to cross the ice like that.

I wasn't able to check this thread in-game and finally got around to it now.  It does look odd as it isn't conventional. According to Bourne at the Athletic, its becoming much more common in the NHL though:

https://theathletic.com/169553/2017/11/29/bourne-how-todays-defencemen-try-to-kill-oncoming-rushes-before-they-even-start/

... something you see with increasing frequency around the NHL. As a team comes into possession of the puck in their D-zone and starts to transition into a rush, you'll often see the weak-side opposing D skate at the puck carrier, rather than just backing out and receiving the rush.
It looks hyper-aggressive, but the more you see it and get comfortable with it, you realize the benefits far outweigh the risks, assuming the D-man executes well.

The article is actually rather short, and he does more of his breakdown in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO94W9pec0s

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I actually noticed Polak doing this against the Flames too and was flabbergasted.

I don't think of him as someone with the footspeed to be this aggressive normally, but I guess it makes sense if it works and slows the opposition.

Thanks for the video Coco, I'll definitely be subscribing to Bourne's channel.

 

[herman]

Penguins did similar things last year with their weaker defense corps. Hyper aggressive gapping on turnover rushes to give time for their much better forwards to motor back into recovering the puck in the NZ.

 

[Coco-puffs]

I actually noticed Polak doing this against the Flames too and was flabbergasted.

I don't think of him as someone with the footspeed to be this aggressive normally, but I guess it makes sense if it works and slows the opposition.

Thanks for the video Coco, I'll definitely be subscribing to Bourne's channel.

Yeah, I think its especially effective when you recognize a 3 on 2 is potentially coming.  It gives your forwards a bit more time to catch up to the play.  If you just back off and try and "zone" a 3-on-2, they will gain the o-zone rather quickly and your forwards are still caught.

 

[rdowdall]

Penguins did similar things last year with their weaker defense corps. Hyper aggressive gapping on turnover rushes to give time for their much better forwards to motor back into recovering the puck in the NZ.

So were the Leafs trying this earlier, and it just took time for them to get it, or is this a change in tatic during the season?  They seemed to be way more effective the last couple of games in limiting odd man rushes.