Leafs @ Canadiens - May 25th, 7:30pm - CBC, TSN 1050
- Thread starter CarltonTheBear
- Start date
groundskeeper willie
New member
He's going to be playing in Seattle next year, isn't he? I can't see them taken Dermott over him after these playoffsL K said:
bustaheims
Active member
OldTimeHockey said:
That's definitely a big part of it. Between the Leafs not being intimidated by it (outside of Game 1, when they were already shaken up by the Tavares injury), the PP starting to be somewhat productive and the constant parade to penalty box destroying any opportunity for the Habs to gain momentum, they've backed off some. The Leafs have also forced them to play catch up for most of the last 3 games. Can't risk taking needless penalties when you're already trailing.
iwas11in67
Member
13 wins to go!
ZBBM
Active member
bustaheims said:
I still think Simmonds helped change the storyline. As reprehensible as it is to me ? perfectly enlightened person that I am ? I have to admit that not a small part of hockey is about machismo and intimidation (the euphemism is "toughness"). We didn't have anyone who could viably project/perform that stuff last year (and a lot of it is performance). Simmonds is doing it on several levels, and I think that message has been received by Montreal.
I think it's more a combination of Montreal's physicality/goonery being a massively overstated reason for them winning game 1 (we lost because of Tavares' injury, that's it) and the refs actually doing a decent job calling the games, even if it's resulted in some "weak" penalties on both sides.
I said this a few days ago, but Montreal's not a physical team. They have a few big players who have been throwing their bodies around like Chariot and Anderson, but they aren't a physical team. Watch a Tampa-Florida game if you want to see real goonery.
I said this a few days ago, but Montreal's not a physical team. They have a few big players who have been throwing their bodies around like Chariot and Anderson, but they aren't a physical team. Watch a Tampa-Florida game if you want to see real goonery.
herman
Well-known member
Generally you can sort of gauge the opponent's depth by which one of our lines is popping.
Line 1: not scoring, but getting lots of chances, controlling play, watching it occasionally get frittered away one play away from an actual opportunity (hi Marner), but still soaking up all the defensive attention
Line 2: Nylander go brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Montreal's depth just falls off the cliff here, hence the MotMs being dominated by this trio + Campbell
Line 3: pretty successful at making nothing happen and playing keep away
Line 4: scoring lol
By that measure, Montreal has about 2/3 of a line.
As we've talked about before the series started, Montreal is 'built for the playoffs' but actually built for the playoffs based on media rhetoric: depth! physical defense! goalie! and not actual performance indicators. They used to have the puck control and shot share and were just missing the needle moving scorers. They've since leaned deeper into not scoring (haha, Caufield scratches), and are left with just trying a combination of Tyson Barrie + Kasperi Kapanen tactics.
Price is playing extremely well, but keep giving the Leafs chances to set up or break through on the rush and any goalie would fare the same. The reverse is also happening in our end. Campbell is playing well, but the skaters in front of him have made it even easier against Montreal's pop-gun attack.
Line 1: not scoring, but getting lots of chances, controlling play, watching it occasionally get frittered away one play away from an actual opportunity (hi Marner), but still soaking up all the defensive attention
Line 2: Nylander go brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Montreal's depth just falls off the cliff here, hence the MotMs being dominated by this trio + Campbell
Line 3: pretty successful at making nothing happen and playing keep away
Line 4: scoring lol
By that measure, Montreal has about 2/3 of a line.
As we've talked about before the series started, Montreal is 'built for the playoffs' but actually built for the playoffs based on media rhetoric: depth! physical defense! goalie! and not actual performance indicators. They used to have the puck control and shot share and were just missing the needle moving scorers. They've since leaned deeper into not scoring (haha, Caufield scratches), and are left with just trying a combination of Tyson Barrie + Kasperi Kapanen tactics.
Price is playing extremely well, but keep giving the Leafs chances to set up or break through on the rush and any goalie would fare the same. The reverse is also happening in our end. Campbell is playing well, but the skaters in front of him have made it even easier against Montreal's pop-gun attack.
L K
Active member
Absolutely getting ahead of myself but IF the Leafs were to win tomorrow night. When do we think the second round would start? Monday/Tuesday?
Vegas/Minnesota play Game 6 tonight and Game 7 Friday if necessary
New York/Pittsburgh play Game 6 tonight and Game 7 Friday if necessary
Florida/Tampa play Game 6 tonight and Game 7 Friday if necessary
Carolina/Nashville play Game 6 tomorrow and Game 7 if necessary on Saturday
So every round could be done as early as Thursday and as late as Monday if the Leafs/Habs go to 7 games. If they can win tomorrow that should at least take away the need for a back-to-back in round 2 I would assume?
Vegas/Minnesota play Game 6 tonight and Game 7 Friday if necessary
New York/Pittsburgh play Game 6 tonight and Game 7 Friday if necessary
Florida/Tampa play Game 6 tonight and Game 7 Friday if necessary
Carolina/Nashville play Game 6 tomorrow and Game 7 if necessary on Saturday
So every round could be done as early as Thursday and as late as Monday if the Leafs/Habs go to 7 games. If they can win tomorrow that should at least take away the need for a back-to-back in round 2 I would assume?
Heroic Shrimp
New member
https://twitter.com/Zeisberger/status/1397594416764882944
ZBBM
Active member
I'm a little surprised herman hasn't lathered over this yet 
but if you watch Galchenyuk's no-look backhand pass to Nylander ? brilliant as it was ? it did require 88 to quickly change course and go to HIS backhand to snarf it and snap it. I mean, Willy's poised for a forehand tap-in before, cat-like, he reverses to his BH and in a single motion lifts it over Price.
That is some skillsy skillstuff.
And Gally finessing the blueline entry is the cherry on top of this ice hockey sundae.
but if you watch Galchenyuk's no-look backhand pass to Nylander ? brilliant as it was ? it did require 88 to quickly change course and go to HIS backhand to snarf it and snap it. I mean, Willy's poised for a forehand tap-in before, cat-like, he reverses to his BH and in a single motion lifts it over Price.That is some skillsy skillstuff.
And Gally finessing the blueline entry is the cherry on top of this ice hockey sundae.
OldTimeHockey
Active member
That was a great game. I found that in the first period, they were a little sloppy but cleaned that up quickly in the 2nd period. Even in the sloppy portion of the game, the Leafs did not seem to give up any real five alarm chances.
At no point did the Canadiens look like they were a threat to score. Sure there was a post or two but there was nothing that made me think "oh, we're in trouble here". The pulled goalie 6 on 5 play was almost laughable.
If I'm going to nitpick anything it's Marner. Not that he's playing poorly but he has to start shooting the puck on those chances. That 2 on 1 at the start of the game is a key example. It's happened a couple times as well in the first 3 games. I appreciate his playmaking abilities, but point blank chances can't end up being complete wiffs because he skates himself into the corner(or in the case of the 2 on 1, the goalie).
At no point did the Canadiens look like they were a threat to score. Sure there was a post or two but there was nothing that made me think "oh, we're in trouble here". The pulled goalie 6 on 5 play was almost laughable.
If I'm going to nitpick anything it's Marner. Not that he's playing poorly but he has to start shooting the puck on those chances. That 2 on 1 at the start of the game is a key example. It's happened a couple times as well in the first 3 games. I appreciate his playmaking abilities, but point blank chances can't end up being complete wiffs because he skates himself into the corner(or in the case of the 2 on 1, the goalie).
herman
Well-known member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:I'm a little surprised herman hasn't lathered over this yet
That is some skillsy skillstuff.
And Gally finessing the blueline entry is the cherry on top of this ice hockey sundae.
The discourse around Nylander has evolved to the point where I really don't have to stump for him on this forum anymore. People are seeing now what's been evident to some of us for a long time.
I can't quite remember who mentioned this on Twitter (one of the scoutier, player development types I follow, I assume), but Nylander is extremely good at being dynamic in his lower body while being very stable in his upper body. So powerful acceleration, agile direction change, etc. are all available to him at any given moment, while puck management remains very deft and controlled.
Marner is very dynamic in skating, but his upper body is following along quite a bit; along with playing the puck quite far from his body, it manifests as a lot of turnovers when he's wending and winding through the OZ. He's not that quick with changing the plan, but his brain is quicker than his hands at this point and usually that still leads to very cool passes. Galchenyuk arguably has similar hands to Nylander but his footwork is locked up with a lot of straight-legging for the balance he cannot achieve on flexed ankles/knees (injuries, technique), so again that manifests as a lot of turnovers. What sets Matthews at the next level, because he also has the stable upper body and dynamic wheels, is his ability to shoot for power and accuracy without ever setting his feet.
It's not even hip to like Nylander anymore.
ZBBM
Active member
CarltonTheBear said:
Well, as herman says there is a "discourse around Nylander" (sounds like a grad school offering) and I'm here to tell you it is far from concluded. For one thing, we need to determine whether Nylanderthals are part of Homo sapiens or instead are their very own species. This is going to require some forensic hockey anthropology.