dappleganger
Well-known member
Woll took a flying elbow from Ekblad as well.
R2, G4: Panthers vs. Maple Leafs - May 11th, 7:30pm - SN, Fan 590
- Thread starter CarltonTheBear
- Start date
Woll took a flying elbow from Ekblad as well.
L K
Well-known member
Have Matthews shots looked all that dangerous? I can't think of many shots where I was shocked the goalie made a save.
Dangerous to the glass and boards for sure.
For the ones that actually are on net, he seems to be taking longer to get them off, and they're not placed like they used to be. Thinking of that one glove save in the last game, he had to settle the puck, look up, then shot it right into the glove.
I know he is still doing a lot of things well, faceoffs being one and defensive play. But overall, on offense he just looks a step (or more) slow. Slow to get the shots off, slow to get in on the forecheck...if it's something physical it will be very interesting to find out exactly what it is (or maybe we will never know).
Injured... doubt it, its just how he plays in the playoffs. I still think that that off-speed goal was a total fluke.
L K
Well-known member
I mean he's been off the whole year. I posted something earlier in the year but every year of his career Matthews fairly significantly outperforms his expected goal totals because of his shot deception. This year he was below it. It's a massive outlier on his career. His skating speed is down. His shot velocity is down. He's clearly hurt.
He's also a guy who has historically not scored enough in the postseason though so it's not just injury. What I haven't really seen from Matthews is adaptation in trying to find a way to put the puck in the net. He tries a wrap around every once in a while but he's still playing in the same spot on the PP. When Matthews is on, he can hit the net from that tight angle and find holes in the goalie. I don't think that's a good setup spot for him right now. I'd like to see them shift him more toward the centre of the ice or higher up on the half boards to circle more into the slot instead of down low at the circle.
Guru Tugginmypuddah
Well-known member
Great regular season team. They're like the Harlem Globetrotters. Come playoffs they're more Washington Generals.
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Ozzie
Well-known member
That's EXACTLY what I was thinking in early April as we were heading into the playoffs. Rogers sure built a team that can entertain like the Harlem Globetrotters. Marner has beautiful trick shots like Meadowlark Lemon. And Matthews is a Cookie Monster like Buckets Barrera.
But none of its real. Because when sh$t gets real on the ice....... like you said...they become the Washington Generals: The designated loser.
But the rest of the squad aside from 16 and 34 has wholeheartedly IMPRESSED me this run. From Domi all the way up to Willy RizzLander.
GLG!!!!!!!!
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azzurri63
Well-known member
Sorry ZBBM I'm going to have disagree with you. We have some of the highest paid players in the league who year after year seem to go missing when you need them most. Maybe they are playing good 2 way hockey but they aren't paid handsomely for their defensive prowess. Matthews a question mark because no one seems to know what's wrong with him but we've seen this same scenario in the playoffs too many times. Has he been hurt every year? Marner no shots the last 2 games sorry complete trash. I've read where all that can be dismissed and they have the chance to change that by leading the next few games and maybe take this series. They have to do more plain and simple.
herman
Well-known member
Also explains Marner’s relatively abysmal shot totals (he’s deliberately shooting something that the scoresheet does not record)
Largely agree but at the same time, they've got 2 (maybe 3) games to change the narrative. Probably the most important games for this core group. Find a way or it's over and someone isn't coming back.