Mike Augello: Shorthanded Leafs lethargic in loss to Flames, Andersen not practicing

Suck it Gull

So that was the first time the Leafs were shut out this season

So that was the first time the Leafs were shut out this season
- TheMussel

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?

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

#NoShow


*ducks*

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

More of the former. Rittitch did make some good saves.

More of the former. Rittitch did make some good saves.
- fifty__missions

The PP was definitely not on fire, the Flames also did a really good job on the kill.

There were definitely a lot of bounces in front of the net where the Leafs just couldn't get a break too. Rielly hits 2 posts... deflections going through the crease and out behind Rittich, Calgary doing a good job of tying Leafs up in front of the net.

Just one of those games where you felt like if the Leafs scored even a single goal before the 3rd, coulda gone different.

|W|O|L|L| time

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

#NoShow


*ducks*


- riceroni

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

#NoShow


*ducks*


- riceroni

The Leafs tried to get their slumping 2nd line going by playing them with AM/MM and it just didnt work. Even Mitch said it felt "weird" playing with JT. It just seems like anything WN/JT touches turns to poop rn.

Riitich played well. I expect the Leafs to have a better game tomorrow.

The Leafs tried to get their slumping 2nd line going by playing them with AM/MM and it just didnt work. Even Mitch said it felt "weird" playing with JT. It just seems like anything WN/JT touches turns to poop rn.

Riitich played well. I expect the Leafs to have a better game tomorrow.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

|W|O|L|L| time
- MaximusAurelius

If it’s choice between him and Hutchinson I say play Woll and make Mexico pay for it.

More of the former. Rittitch did make some good saves.
- fifty__missions

Maybe I have to rewatch parts of it - I sort of felt that Rittich was solid, but was never really forced to be spectacular. He made some great saves - snagging the tap in, stopping Mikheyev on 2 breakaways, and so on - but if there had been any real mustard on the shots, they're goals - and Mikheyev is snake bitten.

At no point did Matthews uncork a one-timer or a wrister up high . . . I was sort of thinking during the game that we made him look better by not forcing the issue more. On 7 power plays, they probably needed to move more to break Calgary's coverage, but they never found a way to get the puck to Matthews to let it go. I also truly feel that having Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander up front is like having too many guys who want to score and not working towards "the" play that Matthews and Marner with Thornton and Simmonds/Boyd do. Get a net presence. Screen the goalie. Create havoc in front. That usually opens up a lane to move the puck to Matthews, and room for him to shoot. That didn't happen last night with those guys on the PP.

anyone else feel like the leafs were trying to not have Matthews shoot on the pp? Especially on the 5 on 3, it's like they decided to try something new this game

If it’s choice between him and Hutchinson I say play Woll and make Mexico pay for it.
- Canada Cup

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).

Maybe I have to rewatch parts of it - I sort of felt that Rittich was solid, but was never really forced to be spectacular. He made some great saves - snagging the tap in, stopping Mikheyev on 2 breakaways, and so on - but if there had been any real mustard on the shots, they're goals - and Mikheyev is snake bitten.

At no point did Matthews uncork a one-timer or a wrister up high . . . I was sort of thinking during the game that we made him look better by not forcing the issue more. On 7 power plays, they probably needed to move more to break Calgary's coverage, but they never found a way to get the puck to Matthews to let it go. I also truly feel that having Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander up front is like having too many guys who want to score and not working towards "the" play that Matthews and Marner with Thornton and Simmonds/Boyd do. Get a net presence. Screen the goalie. Create havoc in front. That usually opens up a lane to move the puck to Matthews, and room for him to shoot. That didn't happen last night with those guys on the PP.
- Monkeypunk

Leafs missed Hyman very much.

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

on that first goal - I think Holl lost the race to Bennett to the front of the net.

Leafs had no puck luck last night

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'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.

The PP was definitely not on fire, the Flames also did a really good job on the kill.

There were definitely a lot of bounces in front of the net where the Leafs just couldn't get a break too. Rielly hits 2 posts... deflections going through the crease and out behind Rittich, Calgary doing a good job of tying Leafs up in front of the net.

Just one of those games where you felt like if the Leafs scored even a single goal before the 3rd, coulda gone different.
- TheMussel

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.

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

Don’t buy the excuse on the first goal. He never closed his 5 hole on the original shot. Tip or not, if he had been closed up the puck doesn’t go through. Look at the replay.

On the second goal, I have no idea how much the deflection changed direction. He seemed to moving down and the puck went over high. His hand motions were awkward but I’ll certainly give him that one.

Maybe I have to rewatch parts of it - I sort of felt that Rittich was solid, but was never really forced to be spectacular. He made some great saves - snagging the tap in, stopping Mikheyev on 2 breakaways, and so on - but if there had been any real mustard on the shots, they're goals - and Mikheyev is snake bitten.

At no point did Matthews uncork a one-timer or a wrister up high . . . I was sort of thinking during the game that we made him look better by not forcing the issue more. On 7 power plays, they probably needed to move more to break Calgary's coverage, but they never found a way to get the puck to Matthews to let it go. I also truly feel that having Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander up front is like having too many guys who want to score and not working towards "the" play that Matthews and Marner with Thornton and Simmonds/Boyd do. Get a net presence. Screen the goalie. Create havoc in front. That usually opens up a lane to move the puck to Matthews, and room for him to shoot. That didn't happen last night with those guys on the PP.
- Monkeypunk

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.

The PP was definitely not on fire, the Flames also did a really good job on the kill.

There were definitely a lot of bounces in front of the net where the Leafs just couldn't get a break too. Rielly hits 2 posts... deflections going through the crease and out behind Rittich, Calgary doing a good job of tying Leafs up in front of the net.

Just one of those games where you felt like if the Leafs scored even a single goal before the 3rd, coulda gone different.
- TheMussel

100% agree, I still thing Calgary is fragile and knows they stole one based on some
puck luck, far too many regulars out for the Leafs and their goalie making some huge stops. If the Leafs can jump on them early on Wednesday and water that seed of doubt they should be ok.

At least I hope so.

Maybe I have to rewatch parts of it - I sort of felt that Rittich was solid, but was never really forced to be spectacular. He made some great saves - snagging the tap in, stopping Mikheyev on 2 breakaways, and so on - but if there had been any real mustard on the shots, they're goals - and Mikheyev is snake bitten.

At no point did Matthews uncork a one-timer or a wrister up high . . . I was sort of thinking during the game that we made him look better by not forcing the issue more. On 7 power plays, they probably needed to move more to break Calgary's coverage, but they never found a way to get the puck to Matthews to let it go. I also truly feel that having Tavares, Matthews, Marner and Nylander up front is like having too many guys who want to score and not working towards "the" play that Matthews and Marner with Thornton and Simmonds/Boyd do. Get a net presence. Screen the goalie. Create havoc in front. That usually opens up a lane to move the puck to Matthews, and room for him to shoot. That didn't happen last night with those guys on the PP.
- Monkeypunk

I think maybe we need to call a spade a spade and start saying that Mikheyev isn't snakebitten, he's just not very good at scoring.

time to give Galchenyuk a shot with all these injuries. Has to better then Petan.

Some times you just don't have it and things don't go your way. I lost count how many times Matthews whiffed on his shots last night. Rittich made some decent saves, but also had some luck. Take the loss and move on. They can play that game with the exact same effort and win. Sometimes, things just don't bounce your way.