Game 4: Islanders at Leafs - LeafsTV 7:00 PM

[cw]

Having delivered a downer on the goaltending, in spite of their play last night, I'm generally encouraged by the skating talent. It probably is the best skating roster we're seen in some years. They got off their game last night and made some serious errors but I think Carlyle can get them back on track.

For this roster, I'm approaching the conclusion that Komisarek is steadier this season and a better dman for this group than Franson. We've got plenty of puck movers/offensive D. Komisarek can better help with the PK, physical play and being the defensive conscience of a pairing than Franson.

Kostka looks like he lacks finish. Kessel has set him up a few times on the PP and he hasn't been able to bury them. I can see why 5 on 5 or on the PK lefthanded Phaneuf might patrol the left side with right handed Kostka on the right. But on the PP, I think they should switch or let someone else play the LHS while Phaneuf can unleash his shot or finish from the RHS. I also don't understand why Kostka likes to receive pucks on his backhand when he seems to have the option to take it on the forehand.

 

[Peter D.]

I will admit, I am surprised by how many people have soured on Scrivens after last night.  Granted, there were some who were never high on him in the first place (me included).  But for those who thought he'd end up as our #1 and were singing his praises after and pointing to his first two games, it's very Leaf fan-esque to pass judgement on a game-to-game basis.  He had a stinker no doubt.  He looked brutal.  And it certainly didn't squash any goalie controversy talk.  But all goalies endure that.  What will be more telling is how he responds. 

That said, it's time to go back to Reimer and let him get into a groove.  He's still the guy who will be the one leading this team anywhere if it plans to go somewhere.  It was okay the first couple games with the whole game-shape argument, and it was passable last night because of the back-to-backer (I would have started him), but with the season so short, that excuse has already run it's course.  Time to roll with him. 

 

[riff raff]

I happened to watch the last two games with the non-Leaf broadcasting teams (Penguins & Islanders). Both talked about the Leafs' speed which, I admit, caught me by surprised as I didn't know that was going to be a strength.

Though, to be honest, I couldn't have said what our 'strength' was going to be.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

But for those who thought he'd end up as our #1 and were singing his praises after and pointing to his first two games, it's very Leaf fan-esque to pass judgement on a game-to-game basis.

I'm really not sure there were many who were viewing him this way going into last night.

 

[The Red Polar Bear]

I was at this game. I got the tickets for free.

I got what I paid for.

 

[cw]

Mark Masters ‏@markhmasters
Carlyle on starting Scrivens Thurs after Reimer won in Pitt Wed: 'It was, maybe, a call I'd like to have back, but you never know'

 

[Corn Flake]

I was at this game. I got the tickets for free.

I got what I paid for.

So was I, but I paid.

I choose to remember the 1st period and have blocked the rest of the game out of my mind.  Wait, no I haven't.  *stabs couch*

 

[L K]

Having delivered a downer on the goaltending, in spite of their play last night, I'm generally encouraged by the skating talent. It probably is the best skating roster we're seen in some years. They got off their game last night and made some serious errors but I think Carlyle can get them back on track.

For this roster, I'm approaching the conclusion that Komisarek is steadier this season and a better dman for this group than Franson. We've got plenty of puck movers/offensive D. Komisarek can better help with the PK, physical play and being the defensive conscience of a pairing than Franson.

Kostka looks like he lacks finish. Kessel has set him up a few times on the PP and he hasn't been able to bury them. I can see why 5 on 5 or on the PK lefthanded Phaneuf might patrol the left side with right handed Kostka on the right. But on the PP, I think they should switch or let someone else play the LHS while Phaneuf can unleash his shot or finish from the RHS. I also don't understand why Kostka likes to receive pucks on his backhand when he seems to have the option to take it on the forehand.

And on Reimer that glove is going to remain suspect until he fixes that problem.  Not that I blame him for the 6th goal last night, but he got beat high glove side because he keeps his glove too low and doesn't seem to have the glove reaction speed to get those top corner shots.

Between Reimer and Scrivens I would take Reimer as the starter but I think at this point that it's still the Leafs running with a 1B starter and backup goaltender at best this year and quite possibly just trying to run with two back-up calibre goaltenders and hoping that they are adequate enough on most nights for the offense to make up for it.

For Scrivens I don't think he has been awful, but he was a .903 SV% goaltender last year.  Of the 8 goals he has given up this year I think at least 5 of them have been stoppable goals.  I don't think you can blame him for not stopping them all but I think you need your goaltender to make a few of those saves.  On the flip side, I really can't think of many saves he made that were of the "game changing" variety where he stopped a sure-fire goal. 

I think at the very least you need your goaltender to be a net positive in terms of big-time saves vs. stoppable goals against.  Right now Scrivens isn't doing that, and to be honest I don't think he was doing it last year either.

 

[Arn]

So I fell asleep at the end of the second last night. Didn't expect to see the level of result I did, but not surprised by the loss.

Game seemed to turn on that hand pass off the face off penalty, which I think is a really stupid new rule. But that's the way it goes I guess.