I'll blame him a bit on the first one because it's just a level of puck awareness that he doesn't really have. This is one of those things that's going to set a 3rd stringer apart from a day-to-day NHL goalie, I think. That said, it was a pretty sweet tip by Tavares - and indicative of his game, that even with that sweet tip, me couldn't even score on Hutchinson.
- Monkeypunk

The game moves too fast for him and he makes mistakes. I saw through enough goalie lessons to know you should use your leg away from the attack to get up. He seems often to not know where the puck has gone and use the wrong leg leaving holes.

Good Freddie tracks the play and can anticipate. Less good Freddie gets behind and scrambles. Hutchinson relies in athleticism to overcome bad technique.

Leafs treated that game like it was a playoff game...

#NoShow


*ducks*


- riceroni

Isn't that NoShow hashtag already copyrighted by the Sens franchise for the attendance at games (except when Montreal or Toronto is in town)?

The team looked out of synch, which really shouldn't be a surprise, considering the forward lines and D pairings were scrambled.

One hard conclusion last night: Tavares-Matthews- Marner does not work as a regular line.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yeah, at the risk of repeating what someone (maybe you) already said, if they wanna kickstart some scoring I think it makes more sense to spread the scorers around than to load them up.

The PP was great at holding the puck in the O-zone, but they didn't generate any actual shots. It was horrifically static - just 5 guys (and 6 at the end) standing around, playing keep-away. Calgary was thrilled to let them play catch on the perimeter.
- Atomic Wedgie

That's sort of where the net front mucker comes in to play in my mind. You put that Simmonds / Hyman / Boyd / old-time-JVR guy in front, and it should draw the attention of the defenders, which creates more room and chaos to get the cross-seam pass through, or a seeing-eye shot through. Add into that plays where you throw the puck low to the side of the net, and if the guy standing to the side returns it to the player closing in to the slot area, you've created a golden one-timer chance or rebound opportunity - instead too often they tried jam plays. And while I liked his game yesterday, by "they", I mean Nylander. I thought he made a number of poor decisions on the power play.

That's sort of where the net front mucker comes in to play in my mind. You put that Simmonds / Hyman / Boyd / old-time-JVR guy in front, and it should draw the attention of the defenders, which creates more room and chaos to get the cross-seam pass through, or a seeing-eye shot through. Add into that plays where you throw the puck low to the side of the net, and if the guy standing to the side returns it to the player closing in to the slot area, you've created a golden one-timer chance or rebound opportunity - instead too often they tried jam plays. And while I liked his game yesterday, by "they", I mean Nylander. I thought he made a number of poor decisions on the power play.
- Monkeypunk

Thornton has been mucking as well

That's sort of where the net front mucker comes in to play in my mind. You put that Simmonds / Hyman / Boyd / old-time-JVR guy in front, and it should draw the attention of the defenders, which creates more room and chaos to get the cross-seam pass through, or a seeing-eye shot through. Add into that plays where you throw the puck low to the side of the net, and if the guy standing to the side returns it to the player closing in to the slot area, you've created a golden one-timer chance or rebound opportunity - instead too often they tried jam plays. And while I liked his game yesterday, by "they", I mean Nylander. I thought he made a number of poor decisions on the power play.
- Monkeypunk

On the PP, Nylander looks exactly like I used to when I was playing with no confidence (and to be clear, we are talking poop-level beer league) - he wasn't trying to do anything creative, he wasn't trying to take any chances.

As soon as he got the puck, he just made safe passes to Matthews or Marner. He never created a scoring chance.

The game moves too fast for him and he makes mistakes. I saw through enough goalie lessons to know you should use your leg away from the attack to get up. He seems often to not know where the puck has gone and use the wrong leg leaving holes.

Good Freddie tracks the play and can anticipate. Less good Freddie gets behind and scrambles. Hutchinson relies in athleticism to overcome bad technique.
- Canada Cup

interesting observation (the getting up on the wrong leg) and one I'm going to watch for now. Personally I do that in beer league occasionally and generally end up fishing the puck out from behind me when I do. That being said I'm fishing the puck out from behind me on the regular anyways so.....

I really like your description of Andersen's play when he is playing well vs not well as well as Hutchinson's play / technique.

You should probably be a goalie dad.

Movie based on David Ayres in the works at Disney

oh good, I was hoping we would never hear the end of that story.

It’s time to unleash the beast. Martin (frank)ing Marinsanity, baby. Let’s go!

It’s time to unleash the beast. Martin (frank)ing Marinsanity, baby. Let’s go!
- Steven_Seagull

PK would improve for sure

Reading various tweets, it doesn't sound like Galchenyuk will get into the Leafs' lineup in the immediate future.

Keefe was basically saying he needs time to get back to where he should be.

Oh, oh St. Louis. Gunnerson out for season

In defense of Hutchinson's play yesterday -- first goal was a bad tip by Tavares, and on the two other goals, Brodie but in particular Holl looked really bad on that PK. (2nd goal, Holl left Tkachuk just by himself in front of the goal, that's a recipe for a goal against on the PP).
- MaximusAurelius

I've had to go back an watch that goal. It don't see the puck move much if at all after it passes Tavares. I'm not saying it wasn't tipped, but I don't think it moved enough that it should have passed him. I think even an average backup makes that save the majority of the time. The puck was never really off the ice to begin with, his 5 hole should have been closed.

I don't think it was terrible and inexcusable goal. Better goalies have also let ones in like that. But at the same time, I don't think the team has much faith in him to begin with, and it's deflating. If Andersen lets one in like that, I think the team knows he can recover, I don't think they have the same faith in Hutch.

Oh, oh St. Louis. Gunnerson out for season
- Canada Cup

is he any good still?

I missed the game but it looks like they had a fair share of PP opportunities. Did the team just look out of sorts last night or was Rittich standing on his head?
- mjones242

Both.. Leafs couldn't string together consecutive passes and Rittich was fantastic

The stars have lost 6 games in a row
and they have only played 13 games.

that seems bad

I've had to go back an watch that goal. It don't see the puck move much if at all after it passes Tavares. I'm not saying it wasn't tipped, but I don't think it moved enough that it should have passed him. I think even an average backup makes that save the majority of the time. The puck was never really off the ice to begin with, his 5 hole should have been closed.

I don't think it was terrible and inexcusable goal. Better goalies have also let ones in like that. But at the same time, I don't think the team has much faith in him to begin with, and it's deflating. If Andersen lets one in like that, I think the team knows he can recover, I don't think they have the same faith in Hutch.
- r8edr

Hutchinson didn't react quickly to the deflection by Tavares, which allowed the puck to slide through to Bennett

I missed the game but it looks like they had a fair share of PP opportunities. Did the team just look out of sorts last night or was Rittich standing on his head?
- mjones242

Rittich was outstanding, the leafs had their chances, just couldnt finish.

The stars have lost 6 games in a row
and they have only played 13 games.

that seems bad
- senstroll

Pavelsi is still solid though

interesting observation (the getting up on the wrong leg) and one I'm going to watch for now. Personally I do that in beer league occasionally and generally end up fishing the puck out from behind me when I do. That being said I'm fishing the puck out from behind me on the regular anyways so.....

I really like your description of Andersen's play when he is playing well vs not well as well as Hutchinson's play / technique.

You should probably be a goalie dad.
- Cush29

Trying not to do an April Reimer every game - Jesus. Started smoking at the start of each season.

Kid decided he wanted to play hockey and wanted to be a goalie. We rented pads an enrolled him in a 3-on-3 league on small ice. Wife took him to first practice and to get someone to show how to put on pads. First game, game first slow shot at him. He swung at puck, whiffed and it and it dribbled in. They scored 23.

Didn’t quit, still plays (never at a very high level) and told me yesterday how frustrated he is not playing.

I've had to go back an watch that goal. It don't see the puck move much if at all after it passes Tavares. I'm not saying it wasn't tipped, but I don't think it moved enough that it should have passed him. I think even an average backup makes that save the majority of the time. The puck was never really off the ice to begin with, his 5 hole should have been closed.

I don't think it was terrible and inexcusable goal. Better goalies have also let ones in like that. But at the same time, I don't think the team has much faith in him to begin with, and it's deflating. If Andersen lets one in like that, I think the team knows he can recover, I don't think they have the same faith in Hutch.
- r8edr

Dude, the goal made it 1-0, with 54 minutes left in the game.

The Leafs are one of the highest scoring teams in the league.

If you're going to troll, at least put some effort into it.

Thanks

It’s time to unleash the beast. Martin (frank)ing Marinsanity, baby. Let’s go!
- Steven_Seagull

I hear he has good analytics.
Some people like that.

Trying not to do an April Reimer every game - Jesus. Started smoking at the start of each season.

Kid decided he wanted to play hockey and wanted to be a goalie. We rented pads an enrolled him in a 3-on-3 league on small ice. Wife took him to first practice and to get someone to show how to put on pads. First game, game first slow shot at him. He swung at puck, whiffed and it and it dribbled in. They scored 23.

Didn’t quit, still plays (never at a very high level) and told me yesterday how frustrated he is not playing.
- Canada Cup

A few years ago, it was my daughter's turn to go in net (in house league, everyone takes a turn). The game was at 6 am or 7 am.

So of course we are a little late. We get her dressed and at the doors to the ice 5 seconds after the puck drops. So the coaches and I are banging on the glass, telling the kids to get a whistle so we can get the goalie in.

Play goes on for about 3 minutes, with our team finally scoring a goal.

Our team ends up winning the game - by one goal.

To this day, I kid her that her team was better without her in net than with her in it.

She doesn't disagree.

A few years ago, it was my daughter's turn to go in net (in house league, everyone takes a turn). The game was at 6 am or 7 am.

So of course we are a little late. We get her dressed and at the doors to the ice 5 seconds after the puck drops. So the coaches and I are banging on the glass, telling the kids to get a whistle so we can get the goalie in.

Play goes on for about 3 minutes, with our team finally scoring a goal.

Our team ends up winning the game - by one goal.

To this day, I kid her that her team was better without her in net than with her in it.

She doesn't disagree.
- Atomic Wedgie

You know she will make you pay for those jokes, don’t you?

Both.. Leafs couldn't string together consecutive passes and Rittich was fantastic
- PatC80

That goal smelled worse than a post by Spatso, but no excuses here. Leafs played substandard as a team. Not generating anything resembling an strong effort or even a scoring chance during a long 2 man advantage was frustrating.