Game 12 - Leafs @ Devils - Wednesday Nov 2nd, 2011 - 19:30 EST - 5-3 Win

[Stebro]

Well so what you are saying is that the players are just too stupid to understand the instructions from the coaching staff, and this has been going on game after game for a very long time?

Seems about as reasonable as saying that the coaching staff has deployed the same failing penalty killing strategy for the past 5 years without trying to improve it.

I'm sure they've tried, they've just not been very succesful

 

[Strangelove]

Passive is a bloody understatement.  Just standing around.  That's a coaching decision.

Exactly, that must be a coaching decision. I doubt that the players are just so lame that they forgot how to skate. And if things don't work, things must change. And we've seen these lame goals in several games.

Do you guys even read what you write?

Yes, and believe it or not, but some coaches actually believe in that kind of a system.

What kind of system, the 'Lay back and think of England' play or just the one you're making up?

Having that kind of a box and moving as little as possible.

You really believe that Wilson endorses that? C'mon.

Wilson endorses a system which emphasizes "getting in the shooting lanes" by dominating the so-called important area just in front of the net.  A by-product of this system is passiveness.  You can't stay in the all-important zone if you're committed to pressuring the puck outside of it.  This, anyway, is as much sense of what I see on the PK game in and game out.

Personally, I think giving opposing players as much time as they want is almost always a bad idea.

Edit: That's all I'll say about this.

 

[maplesyrup]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

I don't mean to be a pain but I do want to see more. I'm not comfortable - yet.  :-\

 

[Tigger]

Well so what you are saying is that the players are just too stupid to understand the instructions from the coaching staff, and this has been going on game after game for a very long time?

I'm saying it's been an issue for some pretty decent coaches in Toronto, you want to see it fall at Wilson's doorstep, I don't see it quite the same way. It's kind of tough to argue man, the Leafs have sucked on the pk since way before Wilson got here and he came in during the extreme down swing of player talent imho, they are pretty a pretty sweet team 5 on 5 and I take that to heart far more substantially than one special team stat or the other.

There's no doubt they need work in that dep't however it's tough for me to jump on the chicken little-ism of what I'm reading, the Leafs had a top PP when they missed the playoffs as well, Boston had dismal stats that way last year too, it isn't as clean and easy as what you're saying.

 

[TheMightyOdin]

2 goal lead with a period to go. Don't sit back. 

 

[Bonsixx]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

I don't mean to be a pain but I do want to see more. I'm not comfortable - yet.  :-\

I think "capable" is fair. Seems like he has a three-goal minimum though.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Komisarek's failed backhand clearing attempts have directly cost us two PP goals against in the past two games, infuriating.

Oh and Schenn's birthday today should get him a conditioning stint to the AHL in the morning, maybe that brutal road trip the Marlies are on will wake him the puck up.

 

[bustaheims]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

I don't mean to be a pain but I do want to see more. I'm not comfortable - yet.  :-\

Neither am I. I'm still not convinced he's consistent enough to be able to play like this over a full season, and there have still been too many weaker goals scored on him than I'd want from a starting goalie. He has, however, allayed my fears about him as the back up goalie.

 

[Tigger]

Please take the PK discussion out of this thread.

Why?

 

[maplesyrup]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

I don't mean to be a pain but I do want to see more. I'm not comfortable - yet.  :-\

I think "capable" is fair. Seems like he has a three-goal minimum though.

I think he's shown he can be (but I've never doubted that.) Is? Like I said, I want to see more.

 

[leafplasma]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

Definitely one of the best at making the desperation save, too many softies lately though and for whatever reason the  Leafs D looks porous in front of him.  Just don't get it.

 

[TheMightyOdin]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

I don't mean to be a pain but I do want to see more. I'm not comfortable - yet.  :-\

I think "capable" is fair. Seems like he has a three-goal minimum though.

3 is too high. 2 should be the goal.

 

[maplesyrup]

I hope the debate over whether Gustavsson is a capable NHL goalie is over.  He's got the skills to be a starter, and has shown it these last few games.

I don't mean to be a pain but I do want to see more. I'm not comfortable - yet.  :-\

Neither am I. I'm still not convinced he's consistent enough to be able to play like this over a full season, and there have still been too many weaker goals scored on him than I'd want from a starting goalie. He has, however, allayed my fears about him as the back up goalie.

Absolutely!... He's certainly done a nice job holding the fort.

 

[Deebo]

Please take the PK discussion out of this thread.

Why?

Because I said so!

No, because its the thread to discuss tonights game not debate who is at fault for the PK being bad this season.

 

[bustaheims]

With the hat trick so far tonight, Lupul is now tied for 3rd in the league in goals for and tied for 5th in points.

 

[TheMightyOdin]

With the hat trick so far tonight, Lupul is now tied for 3rd in the league in goals for and tied for 5th in points.

Love it.

 

[crazyperfectdevil]

the monster is hard to watch ..if simply for the fact that he has to give up 3 goals ... the guy comes up with some of the more spectacular saves i've ever seen ..yet somehow he almost always gives up 3 or more goals a game ...

anyway...why are the devils so awful?  i figured after the last half of last season they'd be back on track ...i know marty has been injured to start the season..but that shouldn't affect goalscoring ..this team has some top end talent ..but most of the time they look completely disorganized

 

[bustaheims]

Also, Liles has very quietly recorded 8 assists so far this season, to put him in the top 10 among blueliners in that statistic and top 15 in scoring by defencemen.

 

[Kaberle15]

With the hat trick so far tonight, Lupul is now tied for 3rd in the league in goals for and tied for 5th in points.

and besides Lupul, they still have Gardiner.. whatta deal!

 

[Tigger]

Please take the PK discussion out of this thread.

Why?

Because I said so!

No, because its the thread to discuss tonights game not debate who is at fault for the PK being bad this season.

I have to question what you're asking for here, the Leafs have been brutal on the pk tonight, you honestly believe the discussion is outside of tonights situation?

I'll go along with what you want if you admit I'm not allowed to criticize the current state of the team.