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Leafs @ Flyers - Oct. 2nd, 7:30pm - TSN, TSN 1050

Nik the Trik said:
mr grieves said:
Ah, so moving our goal posts, I see.

No, he's the #3 centre. He took advantage of his opportunities. That's the point in a nutshell.

Unless Lupul was demoted and Kulemin wasn't promoted in Clarkson's absence, Bolland didn't spend the last half of that game as the 3rd line center. So, for the very small sample size you're looking at, he's wasn't that. And that was the first unit power play Bolland was on for the last minute. So, the opportunity he took advantage of was a very good one.

The bigger point, in a nutshell, is that it was one game. Why would one make so much of that, or Grabovski's fans so much of his good game, unless one's just trolling people? For someone who accuses others of lacking perspective, you're making a bit much of 16 minutes of hockey.
 
Dr. Bobby Leafer said:
2-0 feels pretty good. Missing both games doesn't. Anyway, nice start.... Looking forward to watching Saturday.

I never expected a 2-0 start with back to back road games.  Pleasantly surprised.
 
Bonsixx said:
Nik the Trik said:
Bozak: 32-23 on the draw in two road games to start the season. Which, in addition to being a good percentage, seems like a lot.

FACEOFFS DON'T MATTER@!!

It's true! In fact, the Leafs shouldn't even bother to TAKE faceoffs.. just let the other team have it every time I mean if they don't matter, why bother AMIRIGHT??!?!
#Corsi
 
mr grieves said:
Unless Lupul was demoted and Kulemin wasn't promoted in Clarkson's absence, Bolland didn't spend the last half of that game as the 3rd line center. So, for the very small sample size you're looking at, he's wasn't that. And that was the first unit power play Bolland was on for the last minute. So, the opportunity he took advantage of was a very good one.

Right, or, as is the case with roughly 100% of the hockey games I've seen in my life the way a player is used throughout the game varies, typically following how well he's playing. So that Bolland was able to convert on his opportunities was a positive sign. That he ended up getting time on with Lupul and Kessel on that PP, which I'm sure you'd agree is not the standard 1st unit PP with just swapped centres, is a testament to the fact that his good play was rewarded. Every third line centre, over the course of the season, is going to get opportunities to play with offensively gifted players. Capitalizing on those chances is going to make up a big part of what separates the better ones.

So, Bolland, who did in the end rank 3rd on the time among the centres on the team in terms of ES/PP ice time earned his way into the better assignments. The "so much" you accuse me of making of it are two fairly innocuous comments that, yeah, absolutely were a little pointed at other people making a ton about one game(which, remind me, you raised the same objections about small sample sizes, right?) that you've taken such umbrage at because....I don't know the religious fervor with which you've attached yourself to any discussion concerning the 3rd line centre position has somehow taken offense to any perceived slight against your the hockey player you've devoted your time here to canonizing. It's transparent and wearing pretty thin.
 
Stronger Than All said:
Have any regular viewers of 'game in 6' on mapleleafs.com been able to watch last nights game in 6 today?  Mine never loads.

Same problem here, I thought it was just me or work blocking it.  Maybe an issue on their end?
 
Leafs are showing great depth at Centre:

#4 Centre McClement had the most ice time with 18:40; half of that short-handed. He gets it done and is a huge reason why they are better SH.

Great call by Carlyle to bump up Bolland to the 2nd line - he showed that not only is he all-around reliable but he can contribute. Loving his game.

Kadri has flash and will put up numbers in bunches, but when the game isn't wide open with plenty of space on the ice, he won't play as much like last night. Under 12 minutes, yikes.

Bozak takes almost all the important draws against the best centremen on other teams, and wins puck possession more than his fair share. That is important.  He also is somehow our greatest threat in a Shoot-out or breakaway - He is also Kessel's roommate.


I like our options moving forward at the position at any point in the game. I also believe if we had Bozak in there taking the draws against Boston for the last half of the 3rd, Toronto would've won game 7.

 
sneakyray said:
Philly is a fun place to win...love the fans booing their own teams PP in the home opener.

Fans paid big bucks to get disappointed - they played really well for half a game too. The Flyers had a rough yr, Laviolette I believe is a strong favourite to be 1st coach fired.

Great to spoil a party in Mtl as well - When I moved there the Habs were my #2 fav team but then I grew to cheer for them the least. What a game, too.
 
Game was ok. Bernier played good. IMO Reimer had the more difficult game.

The ref's were a little anti leaf this evening. A lot of soft penalties called, including the one against Orr. Lay off the muscle. There is a place for this type of player in the game. We dont want guys like lupel fighting on a nightly basis.

Ranger sucks IMO. I am guessing with Fraser hurt and the cap crunch we will finally get to see Reilly play against the SENS. (Unless he got sent to the WHL without me knowing)

Bring on the Sens. 
 
proteus2000 said:
sneakyray said:
Philly is a fun place to win...love the fans booing their own teams PP in the home opener.

Fans paid big bucks to get disappointed - they played really well for half a game too. The Flyers had a rough yr, Laviolette I believe is a strong favourite to be 1st coach fired.

Great to spoil a party in Mtl as well - When I moved there the Habs were my #2 fav team but then I grew to cheer for them the least. What a game, too.

The Flyers weren't awful but man they couldn't convert anything. It was noted many times during the broadcast that they're a terrible team 5v5.
 
Corn Flake said:
Bonsixx said:
Nik the Trik said:
Bozak: 32-23 on the draw in two road games to start the season. Which, in addition to being a good percentage, seems like a lot.

FACEOFFS DON'T MATTER@!!

It's true! In fact, the Leafs shouldn't even bother to TAKE faceoffs.. just let the other team have it every time I mean if they don't matter, why bother AMIRIGHT??!?!
#Corsi

I don't know why you react this way and act like people who advocate in favour of possession advocate for it in isolation and in ignorance of all other statistics.  Being strong on the draw is a good thing (especially in the O & D-zones) and so is directing more shot attempts at the other goal than allowing towards your goal.

These aren't either/or things.

EDIT: Meant to add to that last sentence - it's not either/or but a question of the weight you add to each factor.  It's good to be better at face-offs than not be, but over a large sample size it's not a big difference (unless we're talking someone really good versus someone REALLY bad, then there would be an appreciable difference).  Most teams have a guy or two who is 50% in the circle, so the differences over time aren't very significant.  In a one game sample?  Of course they can be.
 
Bender said:
The Flyers weren't awful but man they couldn't convert anything. It was noted many times during the broadcast that they're a terrible team 5v5.

So bad that they were the first team in 40 years to miss the playoffs while being in the top 5 in league on the PK and the PP.
 
Didn't see the game, I heard there was a lopsided advantage in PPs for Philly?  What was the final count?
 

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