Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins - Round 1
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Guilt Trip
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Yup Marner will have his best game!Hobbes said:
Guilt Trip
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Anyone else notice that without Kadri, DeSuck has been virtually invisible?
OldTimeHockey
Active member
Guilt Trip said:
I thought the exact same thing last night when I was guessing who they'd put on with the pulled goalie. I didn't even think of Debrusk
Guilt Trip
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Amazing isn't it? I guess that's why Babs told Kadri to shut up during game 1 when Kadri was chirping him. If the Bruins have no one to fight with, their tactics become a waste of time. Leafs have stayed away from the glove in the face and all that after whistle crap that these analyst seem to think is playoff hockey. Kypreos' comment after the game about it lacking intensity and that he loved the intensity of game 2 is really mind boggling.OldTimeHockey said:
Apparently the refs were told league wide to crack down and call more penalties after game 2. We are lucky. This has really favored the Leafs. And for once we got a bit of a questionable call going our way in terms of the Matthews goal counting when that really could have gone either way.Guilt Trip said:
OldTimeHockey
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Guilt Trip said:
Kypreos is mind boggling.
hockeyfan1
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Laugh, cry, wring your hands, pray...
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Strangelove
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hockeyfan1 said:
It's like we were saying in the game thread. The team is worse when Babcock has a greater opportunity to control the flow of the game through line match-ups.
Babcock needs to let his best players play and force the other team to make adjustments. He also needs to drastically cut down Marleau's ice-time. Shades of Komorov from last year.
5 changes I would make heading into game 7:
1) Bump Ennis to the 3rd line. I know everyone wants this to be Moore, but I don't think he would bring a much different element than Marleau or Brown already do. Ennis has the skill that someone like Nylander needs to play with. Don't care which winger gets bumped down, Babcock can alternate between the two throughout the game.
2) Have Tavares take face-offs on the PK. Whether he stays there if the Leafs clear it or he plays the Bozak role of face-off/get-off I don't care, but Hyman's getting devoured by Bergeron out there. His PK face-off percentage is 24%.
3) On the powerplay keep Matthews out for an extra 30 seconds or so after PP1 comes off. I, somewhat, understand the idea between not wanting the top unit to be gased after a powerplay (they probably want the Tavares line fresh for when the Bergeron line comes out shortly afterward), but that doesn't apply to Matthews so let him stay out there.
4) Especially if there's a long stretch of 5-on-5 time, start double shifting Matthews on the 4th line. Maybe have this coincide with Marleau's time on that unit.
5) Similar to 4, try to have Rielly take some shifts on the 3rd pairing. It's painfully obvious that Gardiner and Dermott, especially Gardiner, are playing injured. In game 6 when Hainsey was out Rielly got a bunch of extra ice-time and he was absolutely flying out there. There's really no reason he should be playing less than 25 minutes in game 7.
The prevailing theme here is that Matthews, Tavares, and Rielly need to be leaned on heavily in game 7. It's do or die now so there's no point in worrying about fatigue levels anymore.
1) Bump Ennis to the 3rd line. I know everyone wants this to be Moore, but I don't think he would bring a much different element than Marleau or Brown already do. Ennis has the skill that someone like Nylander needs to play with. Don't care which winger gets bumped down, Babcock can alternate between the two throughout the game.
2) Have Tavares take face-offs on the PK. Whether he stays there if the Leafs clear it or he plays the Bozak role of face-off/get-off I don't care, but Hyman's getting devoured by Bergeron out there. His PK face-off percentage is 24%.
3) On the powerplay keep Matthews out for an extra 30 seconds or so after PP1 comes off. I, somewhat, understand the idea between not wanting the top unit to be gased after a powerplay (they probably want the Tavares line fresh for when the Bergeron line comes out shortly afterward), but that doesn't apply to Matthews so let him stay out there.
4) Especially if there's a long stretch of 5-on-5 time, start double shifting Matthews on the 4th line. Maybe have this coincide with Marleau's time on that unit.
5) Similar to 4, try to have Rielly take some shifts on the 3rd pairing. It's painfully obvious that Gardiner and Dermott, especially Gardiner, are playing injured. In game 6 when Hainsey was out Rielly got a bunch of extra ice-time and he was absolutely flying out there. There's really no reason he should be playing less than 25 minutes in game 7.
The prevailing theme here is that Matthews, Tavares, and Rielly need to be leaned on heavily in game 7. It's do or die now so there's no point in worrying about fatigue levels anymore.
Bill_Berg
Active member
I'll watch Game 7 in the end, but I'm seriously considering watching the Raptors game and then checking the Leaf score when it's over and deciding if I want to watch the reply at that point. My brain tells me that's what I should do, but I won't. I'll suffer through the Leaf game. Not to say I think they'll lose or suck or anything, it's just that there are really only two ways the game can go. Either I'll have anxiety all game or I'll be some combination of mad/sad.
And am I the only one who's sick of playing Boston? The whole division thing is supposed to create rivalries? But even if the Leafs win, I don't think I'll feel that vindication of beating Boston, I'm actually a little bored at the thought of another Game 7 against them. Maybe it's just a defeatist mindset I'm in.
And am I the only one who's sick of playing Boston? The whole division thing is supposed to create rivalries? But even if the Leafs win, I don't think I'll feel that vindication of beating Boston, I'm actually a little bored at the thought of another Game 7 against them. Maybe it's just a defeatist mindset I'm in.
