This is hockey . Better team ? The better team in a game has more goals .. Thats all that matters. Goals . You don't recognition cause you played better. You get it from scoring more goals than the other team.
- cabin

That's some troll-bait. How many times have any of our teams been the poorer team, but they've won on a puncher's chance? It was the Leaf's entire modus operandi with Kessel on the team.

They are both very good teams. Boston has counter punched effectively this game.

I haven't seen a 2-1 played so poorly, either one of them, in a looong time. It was really quite sad. Andersen included. He should have been expecting those passes and he was caught completely off guard.
- UsernameUnknown

Can't blame the goalie on either those. Blame him for the first for sure. But going side to side like that can't blame Anderson at all. Need better support on the pinch and D has do better disrupting that pass.

What I find peculiar - or perhaps frustrating - is that in the first period the Leafs play a good possession game. I'm not talking stupid Corsi possession - I'm talking passing back, not giving the puck over when you change lines, carrying in, having someone to give the puck to for the most part . . then in the second and third, they've deviated.

You can't generate dangerous chances when you're giving away opportunities. And Babs knows this. So my guess is that some of the players are not executing his plan.
- Monkeypunk

maybe they have possession but a one chance and out to the d play isnt gonna score goals. last game they had way more actual cycling zone time. this is not as good of a game, regardless of what the shots say

I think Babs plan is to play dump and chase but the leafs style don't match that. It's tricky, and I loved the first period they played. Then as you said, they just stopped. I don't think it was a system thing. Just effort.
- UsernameUnknown

the dump and chance is a result of teams figuring out their zone entry style early in the year and trapping the (frank) out of them. it's all teams are giving them. ideally he'd have them skate it in with their speed.

Playing much worse than you did in the first two periods is a bold strategy
- markmark

Rope-a-Dope

Literally starting the game down 1 sucks ass. No one wants recognition if they lose they have themselves to blame. To say they played poorly the first two periods though just highlights a lack of hockey knowledge.
- Blazed

They played decent and showed talent. Still a young team. Boston has been together for a while now .

How dangerous is multiple 2 on 1's and a breakaway, and holding possession in the o-zone? Id say quite.
- Blazed

Not dangerous is Rask can see every shot.

I'm waiting for a ghost penalty to cherry the top of this atrocity.

But we are executing very well. Marner's breakaway was a rushed shot and not very good. The 2 on 1's were ineffective and played well by their D
- Hockey_Reverend

Low blocker towards the arm pit is a tough shot, too much pressure to dangle it was still a high quality chance.

(frank) Willie is a pu$$y
- Corn_Logg

Yup.

Just crosscheck someone in the teeth. At worst it’s 1 game lol

Not dangerous is Rask can see every shot.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

but all the shots on goal!

They played decent and showed talent. Still a young team. Boston has been together for a while now .
- cabin

You're making too much sense. There is no place for this here.

Seriously..

Is that what I said?
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Kinda

the dump and chance is a result of teams figuring out their zone entry style early in the year and trapping the (frank) out of them. it's all teams are giving them. ideally he'd have them skate it in with their speed.
- daeth

Boston is good at plugging up the neutral zone. They can't figure it out. Leafs are good at giving up two on ones. Everyone wins.


Oh wait

Mike Augello: Can Toronto tame the bear and even the series?? Game 4 - Leafs vs. Bruins
- mikeinbuffalo

it’s like i said

lou should have traded jvr for a man who can do playoff hockey. probably gardiner as well

hopefully this great group of young uns isn’t psychologically damaged by this ass throttling with no one to protect them from the boston men


Tom Wilson comes to mind
Should have at least dressed Martin

what a (frank)ing joke

edit: nice alliteration

Just crosscheck someone in the teeth. At worst it’s 1 game lol
- markmark

Who?

Missed it

They played decent and showed talent. Still a young team. Boston has been together for a while now .
- cabin

That was the best 2 periods I've seen Toronto play overall in this playoffs or last years. They didn't capitalize now they're looking at going home. No excuses that's hockey.

but all the shots on goal!
- TheMussel

Yay...

That's some troll-bait. How many times have any of our teams been the poorer team, but they've won on a puncher's chance? It was the Leaf's entire modus operandi with Kessel on the team.

They are both very good teams. Boston has counter punched effectively this game.
- Monkeypunk

Just hate that term . " they played a better game " A better game is a judged by the final score . The better game and losing is what caused everyone to get a so called participation trophy.

Boston is good at plugging up the neutral zone. They can't figure it out. Leafs are good at giving up two on ones. Everyone wins.


Oh wait
- UsernameUnknown

if they didn't dump and chase they'd just turn the puck over at the blueline over and over. remember that ~10 game stretch before the leafs figured out that they'd been figured out themselves?

This is frustrating. What happened to the fight in the Leafs in the first?

That was the best 2 periods I've seen Toronto play overall in this playoffs or last years. They didn't capitalize now they're looking at going home. No excuses that's hockey.
- Blazed

i didnt see it

What I get from this thread. Leafs need to turtle and hope the other team doesn't get any good chances with zone time shift after shift. The leafs aren't getting the bounces off the defense in the net, or a pass getting deflected 3 times and someone ending up with an empty net like Boston has.
Toronto has controlled the play, be it Boston letting them or not, playing like this won't win a series. It will catch up to them eventually.

This is frustrating. What happened to the fight in the Leafs in the first?
- Aaron_85

They need someone to take this game by the balls and will in a 2nd goal...