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Leafs @ Predators - Mar. 19th, 8:00pm - TSN4, Fan 590

CarltonTheBear

CarltonTheBear

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toronto_maple_leafs.svg
@
nashville_predators.svg

43-24-5, 91 points | 41-27-5, 87 points

Projected Lines


Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen
Moore-Petan-Brown

Rielly-Hainsey
Muzzin-Zaitsev
Marincin-Ozhiganov

Andersen
​
             
Forsberg-Johansen-Arvidsson
Granlund-Bonino-Simmonds
Jarnkrok-Sissons-Smith
Boyle-Turris-Grimaldi

Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Subban
Irwin-Weber

Rinne​

Scratches

          Tyler Ennis
Justin Holl
​
Code: 
     
Frederick Gaudreau
Cody McLeod
Austin Watson
Matt Donovon
​

Game Notes

TOR
?Andersen (34-14-4, 2.75 GAA, .918 Sv%) will likely start for the Leafs
?After giving up 23 goals in their last 4 games, the Leafs will look to tighten up defensively. The Preds have scored just 51 goals in their last 20, which puts them 27th in scoring during that time
?Freddy the Goat will miss at least the next two games with a foot injury, while Kapanen appears ready to return to the line-up after missing the last 4 games with a concussion

NSH
?Rinne (25-18-3, 2.51 GAA, .913 Sv%) will likely start for the Predators
?Nashville has struggled with consistently lately. They're 10-9-1 in their last 20 games, with 3 of those wins coming via shootout. They haven't won more than 2 in row in that entire stretch
?Kyle Turris at 4C? It'd be an upgrade over a healthy scratch, which is what he was for the past two Preds games. The forward has just 2 goals and 6 points in 25 games since November 21st (he missed all of January with an injury)
?Let's check in on Wayne Simmonds! 0 goals and 1 assist in 8 games. Oh

Injuries

?Jake Gardiner - Back - Injured Reserve
?Travis Dermott - Shoulder - Injured Reserve
?Frederik Gauthier - Foot - Day to day
?Kasperi Kapanen - Concussion - Probable Tuesday​
Code: 
     
?Dan Hamhuis - Leg - Injured Reserve
?Zac Rinaldo - Shoulder - Injured Reserve
?Miikka Salomaki - Upper Body - Injured Reserve    ​
Stream Options

https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLstreams
​
 
WAYNEINIONA said:
We're looking pretty good up front but that 3rd pairing on the D scares me.
Click to expand...

Second pair isn't that fun either. Losing Gardiner and Dermott and sitting Holl means the Leafs only have Rielly helping to transition the puck up the ice. Everyone else is primarily a stopper.

The Leafs forwards will need to support the breakout more consistently (swing the centres lower) and leverage the puck carriers they have on the wings in Marner, Nylander, Kapanen, and Moore.
 
herman said:
WAYNEINIONA said:
We're looking pretty good up front but that 3rd pairing on the D scares me.
Click to expand...

Second pair isn't that fun either. Losing Gardiner and Dermott and sitting Holl means the Leafs only have Rielly helping to transition the puck up the ice. Everyone else is primarily a stopper.

The Leafs forwards will need to support the breakout more consistently (swing the centres lower) and leverage the puck carriers they have on the wings in Marner, Nylander, Kapanen, and Moore.
Click to expand...

Your bottom paragraph is the nub of it all.  When your D isn't that wonderful to begin with and is now down a couple, the forwards number 1 priority is to help them get the puck out of harm's way.  It won't be FunHockey but it's necessary.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
When your D isn't that wonderful to begin with and is now down a couple, the forwards number 1 priority is to help them get the puck out of harm's way.  It won't be FunHockey but it's necessary.
Click to expand...

Muzzin and Marincin are quite good with the short outlets and if they can catch one of those 4 coming through the NZ with speed, it's as good as a stretch pass (that connects). This is where Gardiner and Dermott are missed the most: they pick up pucks and turn it into offense, and generally don't care if it's a short or long pass requirement because they can handle the puck and they can skate. It'll be really fun when Sandin comes up, because he is exactly like that with zero panic.

The reason our stretch passes often don't work, even when it gets to our high winger's stick is that the puck is zipped to a stationary target. The winger blowing the zone needs to identify that his d-man is corralling the puck with control and has identified which corner to spring, and then like a QB leading his receiver, the two need to meet in motion. What ends up happening more often than not is the winger blows the zone too early and the D are forced to just dump it out or stretch a pass on hope alone and Zaitsev/Hainsey or whoever gets blamed on the thread for icing the puck when all they have to look at are opposing forecheckers and Leaf nameplates.

If a stationary target is what you have, and the D aren't gapped up on him enough, I'd like to see a lateral/reverse touch pass off the stretch to the middle where the centre or other winger can zip through the lane and carry in with speed.

Overall, I think Babcock's message is generally correct: stay on top of the play, stretch their defensive structure, win puck battles with numbers, and play fast; while the on-ice lineup is in motion they're pretty formidable. The issues stem from over-reliance on the consistently-not-capable and general failure of execution snowballing into frustration. Andersen papered over this for most of his tenure here (last week and his first month notwithstanding). While the on-ice lineup is static-ish, even in structure (see DZ face-off losses), they get exposed because they don't consistently win the puck races when trying to outnumber the puck carrier, or they get caught not handing off coverage properly (especially in transition), as their system necessitates leaving an area of the ice open.
 
herman said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
When your D isn't that wonderful to begin with and is now down a couple, the forwards number 1 priority is to help them get the puck out of harm's way.  It won't be FunHockey but it's necessary.
Click to expand...



If a stationary target is what you have, and the D aren't gapped up on him enough, I'd like to see a lateral/reverse touch pass off the stretch to the middle where the centre or other winger can zip through the lane and carry in with speed.
Click to expand...

As usual this is trenchant analysis but the above?  All you've done for me is conjure up nightmare images of our D laying pucks out there on a big old juicy central-ice plate where they will be gobbled up by the other team and then rapidly transferred to the far side of Frederik Matthias Andersen.
 
Guilt Trip said:
herman said:
HOLL?! :)
Click to expand...
Maybe Oz is still sick? I'm not disappointed if he plays. He needs a chance to show if he can cut it or not. Only one way to find out.
Click to expand...
Babs knows the kid is in it for the long Holl.  Seriously I would love to see one big change to reflect the new reality of Patty Marleau, love the guy as a mentor, father, but he needs to be on the 4th line and Moore needs to be on the left wing with Kadri and Kappi.  Man I want to see that line play
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
herman said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
When your D isn't that wonderful to begin with and is now down a couple, the forwards number 1 priority is to help them get the puck out of harm's way.  It won't be FunHockey but it's necessary.
Click to expand...



If a stationary target is what you have, and the D aren't gapped up on him enough, I'd like to see a lateral/reverse touch pass off the stretch to the middle where the centre or other winger can zip through the lane and carry in with speed.
Click to expand...

As usual this is trenchant analysis but the above?  All you've done for me is conjure up nightmare images of our D laying pucks out there on a big old juicy central-ice plate where they will be gobbled up by the other team and then rapidly transferred to the far side of Frederik Matthias Andersen.
Click to expand...

I meant D to W bump to middle for C/W at the OZ blueline. It?s the exact same play as a zone exit up the boards but further up ice.
 
https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/1108150610988331009

LOL

Time for Rielly-Holl in the third!
 
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