Leafs @ Bruins - Feb. 3rd, 7:00pm - CBC, TSN 1050

[x.jr.benchwarmer]

Hainsey can't keep up.

I know Hainsey has done a lot of good things, but his lack of ability to move to puck is glaring.
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I miss those glory days of the Holl and Dermott pairing.  We might not ever see it again for the next year or two assuming there is any defenceman with more than a year in the NHL ahead of them in the. insightful Babcock depth chart.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Absolutely, but when you can?t get that game firing, you need to have other ways of backing the opposition d off when they can?t execute on what you?re saying, more strings to their bow so to speak. 

 

[Frank E]

Boston looks good...like the Leafs are likely going to have to make a move or 2 to put themselves in a position to be better than them. 

I'm just not sure that whatever they do is going to be enough to beat Tampa.

 

[bustaheims]

Absolutely, but when you can?t get that game firing, you need to have other ways of backing the opposition d off when they can?t execute on what you?re saying, more strings to their bow so to speak.

Fair. Having that in their game would help, but so would playing more to maximize their strengths. They're killing their own speed with these low percentage passes.

 

[barney_rebel]

We still btw


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[herman]

Please be okay, Dermott

Charlie horse I think.

 

[Chris]

Matthews is really off tonight.

 

[ZBBM]

Matthews is really off tonight.

Like most of the team, he's gotten his ass kicked.

 

[azzurri63]

NHL refereeing at its finest. Call the crap let the actual penalties go.

 

[lamajama]

So we know Babcock will use this to get Polak back in but the question is who he will sit. I say #23 just because....

 

[bustaheims]

Matthews is really off tonight.

He has had one of the best defensive centres on him all night, but, yeah, his passes haven't been as crisp or accurate, and he doesn't seem to be able to find that extra gear he so often has.

 

[ZBBM]

This has been a complete beating, but I wouldn't read too much into it.  Bruins are red-hot, this is our 3rd game in 4 nights, and Andersen has been off.  It should be a wake-up call to Auston tho.

 

[ZBBM]

Give Babcock credit, he tried a bunch of combos in the 3rd, including 16/34/29 briefly.

 

[bustaheims]

63% 5-on-5 possession for Boston tonight - and that's with them basically going into a defensive shell for most of the 3rd. Leafs need to look at how the Bruins' forwards provide puck support on break outs, and start trying to emulate that some.

 

[Chris]

Matthews is really off tonight.

He has had one of the best defensive centres on him all night, but, yeah, his passes haven't been as crisp or accurate, and he doesn't seem to be able to find that extra gear he so often has.

Sure, that's part of it, but he handled the puck like a hot potato all night. Not his usual calm self. I thought he didn't look particularly "on" against the Rangers either. Hopefully not another nagging injury issue, he looked like this a while back when he missed a bunch of games.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

A necessary reality check after running over some average teams.

 

[skrackle]

A necessary reality check after running over some average teams.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The Leafs look good when they play teams that allow them to skate and use their skill without much pushback. It will most likely be a different story in the playoffs.

 

[wnc096]

A necessary reality check after running over some average teams.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The Leafs look good when they play teams that allow them to skate and use their skill without much pushback. It will most likely be a different story in the playoffs.

Time to bring back polak and martin me thinks.  soft lineup against big boys

 

[Frank E]

They had trouble with Chara for sure...he played 24 minutes, and you saw guys adjusting their game to avoid contact with him altogether.

There?s also the problem that Marchand wasn?t even in the lineup.

 

[Bullfrog]

They had trouble with Chara for sure...he played 24 minutes, and you saw guys adjusting their game to avoid contact with him altogether.

I noticed that, except for Kadri. That's why he's one of my favourites; not afraid to hit even Chara.