Leafs @ Stars - Jan. 23rd, 8:00pm - TSN, SN 590

[nutman]

Phaneuf... was the worst of the bunch.. I think his game has been bad for a bit now. was there a goal he was not on for last night. I also am getting tired of seeing him lose the blue line. He took nine shots at the net and missed all but one and, it was no threat. I am picking because he needs to pick up his game, big time.

He seriously did not give a single crap about anything in that game.  Lots of coasting and one-handed chips and pokes.

And as our so called leader, he can not afford to take even one game off. He needs to lead this team or step down.

First, stop framing the issue as "taking a game off" as if it's some conscious decision - "oh, tonight I'm not going to try very hard just because."  Second, maybe spend some time if you can and actually watch full games of other teams, and in particular, bad games of other teams.  The shocking thing?  And I know this might ruin your worldview but elite and star players all over the league have terrible games too.  I've seen, and this is a shock to many people, Chara flail around in his own end, get walked around, look lazy.  It's not a conscious decision, it's a bad game.  It's unrealistic to expect the top minute guys to always be on for 82-games.

Yes, Phaneuf was terrible last night.  He wasn't the only one, and every time he has a poor game doesn't have to be a summit on his leadership.  "Leaders" have bad games, "leaders" have horrid games.  It doesn't have to be a narrative, just let it be the reality of the situation.

Wow.. a bit snitty aren't you. I watch all games from start to finish, and Deon has been off his game for a bit now, and I would hope last night was him bottoming out. because he did sink lower than usual.

 

[pmrules]

Unbelievable.

This team is all goaltending. If we get decent goaltending...we have a chance.  When was the last time we won despite our goaltending?

When was the last time we lost and it was a close well played game? 

It's been at least a month or so it seems.

 

[Zee]

Unbelievable.

This team is all goaltending. If we get decent goaltending...we have a chance.  When was the last time we won despite our goaltending?

When was the last time we lost and it was a close well played game? 

It's been at least a month or so it seems.

Which team can win with crappy goaltending?  Remember when the Leafs beat Chicago 7-3 cause their goalie was really bad?  If you get above average goaltending you'll have a shot to win in this league, when you don't you usually lose.

 

[nutman]

The streak ends tonight.  Sorry guys.

Hello!!!!!!  Why would you jinx us like that? Could you have not just kept that to yourself.

There is no jinx.  It's something that was inevitable with the Leafs traveling so much, on a 6 game winning streak and Dallas desperate for a win.

Ya I know. I was just messing with you. I felt the loss coming as well, I just didn't want to admit to the fact we won't be passing the Habs just yet.

 

[Zee]

Why does Colton Orr have an auto-shift after the Leafs get scored upon?  Carlyle seems to love putting Orr out there after a goal against.

 

[pmrules]

Oh and while Phaneuf was awful....he was awful when the game was getting and was out of reach.

Gardiner and franson were on the ice  for the goals against that mattered. When the game was still within reach.

This should be the end of Gardiner and reilly as a pairing.

 

[pmrules]

Unbelievable.

This team is all goaltending. If we get decent goaltending...we have a chance.  When was the last time we won despite our goaltending?

When was the last time we lost and it was a close well played game? 

It's been at least a month or so it seems.

Which team can win with crappy goaltending?  Remember when the Leafs beat Chicago 7-3 cause their goalie was really bad?  If you get above average goaltending you'll have a shot to win in this league, when you don't you usually lose.

I said it's been at least a month. 

I'm saying this team is only goaltending and a streaky first line.  That is all.  Not much else to look at here. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Interesting couple of stats: The Leafs have the 4th worst GAA but the 7th best SA%.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Phaneuf... was the worst of the bunch.. I think his game has been bad for a bit now. was there a goal he was not on for last night. I also am getting tired of seeing him lose the blue line. He took nine shots at the net and missed all but one and, it was no threat. I am picking because he needs to pick up his game, big time.

He seriously did not give a single crap about anything in that game.  Lots of coasting and one-handed chips and pokes.

And as our so called leader, he can not afford to take even one game off. He needs to lead this team or step down.

First, stop framing the issue as "taking a game off" as if it's some conscious decision - "oh, tonight I'm not going to try very hard just because."  Second, maybe spend some time if you can and actually watch full games of other teams, and in particular, bad games of other teams.  The shocking thing?  And I know this might ruin your worldview but elite and star players all over the league have terrible games too.  I've seen, and this is a shock to many people, Chara flail around in his own end, get walked around, look lazy.  It's not a conscious decision, it's a bad game.  It's unrealistic to expect the top minute guys to always be on for 82-games.

Yes, Phaneuf was terrible last night.  He wasn't the only one, and every time he has a poor game doesn't have to be a summit on his leadership.  "Leaders" have bad games, "leaders" have horrid games.  It doesn't have to be a narrative, just let it be the reality of the situation.

Wow.. a bit snitty aren't you. I watch all games from start to finish, and Deon has been off his game for a bit now, and I would hope last night was him bottoming out. because he did sink lower than usual.

Snitty? That's balderdash.

 

[Zee]

Interesting couple of stats: The Leafs have the 4th worst GAA but the 7th best SA%.

Just underlines the fact the Leafs give up a ton of shots.  You give up 4 goals on 50 shots, that's a bad GAA but your save % is .920 which is good.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Interesting couple of stats: The Leafs have the 4th worst GAA but the 7th best SA%.

And as Mirtle points out, in their last 30 games the SV% is .903.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And as Mirtle points out, in their last 30 games the SV% is .903.

Heh, I was literally just reading that article now.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/mirtle-maple-leafs-goalies-beginning-to-look-human/article16480495/

There's a graph in the middle that shows how the Leafs SA% has dropped as the season has gone on.

 

[L K]

And as Mirtle points out, in their last 30 games the SV% is .903.

Heh, I was literally just reading that article now.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/mirtle-maple-leafs-goalies-beginning-to-look-human/article16480495/

There's a graph in the middle that shows how the Leafs SA% has dropped as the season has gone on.

It's almost like "law of averages" and "fatigue" might play into the goalies having to be on their game at all times every single night. 

 

[azzurri63]

Unbelievable.

This team is all goaltending. If we get decent goaltending...we have a chance.  When was the last time we won despite our goaltending?

When was the last time we lost and it was a close well played game? 

It's been at least a month or so it seems.

Which team can win with crappy goaltending?  Remember when the Leafs beat Chicago 7-3 cause their goalie was really bad?  If you get above average goaltending you'll have a shot to win in this league, when you don't you usually lose.

Problem is the goaltending has had to be great most of the year. Both of them had their poor play earlier this month but other than last night have put it back together. Like someone stated earlier about getting beat by 3, 4 and 5 goals management needs to address it. Don't think there off nights I just think it's the team. With the amount of rubber both goalies have seen if they hadn't been stellar most nights there would be a lot more games like last night. Plain and simple, too may shots and poor defensively. They run around in their own end. How hard is it to play man on man? Even watching them on the PK last night was funny. JVR especially running around looking lost. That to me is their biggest problem. Coverage in their own end and getting the puck out. Very very weak I think.

 

[freer]

Unbelievable.

This team is all goaltending. If we get decent goaltending...we have a chance.  When was the last time we won despite our goaltending?

When was the last time we lost and it was a close well played game? 

It's been at least a month or so it seems.

Which team can win with crappy goaltending?  Remember when the Leafs beat Chicago 7-3 cause their goalie was really bad?  If you get above average goaltending you'll have a shot to win in this league, when you don't you usually lose.

Problem is the goaltending has had to be great most of the year. Both of them had their poor play earlier this month but other than last night have put it back together. Like someone stated earlier about getting beat by 3, 4 and 5 goals management needs to address it. Don't think there off nights I just think it's the team. With the amount of rubber both goalies have seen if they hadn't been stellar most nights there would be a lot more games like last night. Plain and simple, too may shots and poor defensively. They run around in their own end. How hard is it to play man on man? Even watching them on the PK last night was funny. JVR especially running around looking lost. That to me is their biggest problem. Coverage in their own end and getting the puck out. Very very weak I think.

Dion look awful, pain awful.
if they would of gotten shots, and got close to the net at the start of the night, DAL goalie was ripe for the picking. He let some huge rebounds, and was not handling the puck very well. I wont give this game anymore thought. Lets hope the team does the same thing because there is nothing they can take from it.

 

[moon111]

Unbelievable.

This team is all goaltending. If we get decent goaltending...we have a chance.  When was the last time we won despite our goaltending?

When was the last time we lost and it was a close well played game? 

It's been at least a month or so it seems.

I remember looking at Andrew Raycroft's save percentage and giving him Detroit's shots against.  You're lopping off 10%.  Look at Brodeur right now  He's 26th in goals-against... yet only has a .905.  Raycroft retired with a .900 

 

[Joe S.]

As if the loss wasn't enough, the American Airlines arena operations crew couldn't resist "rubbing it in"...


...the in-house operations staff made sure to kick Toronto while it was down ? first putting a picture of the recently-arrested Leafs fan Justin Bieber on the scoreboard and later showing disgraced mayor Rob Ford.

Very nice.  Thank you Dallas. 

Why would the Leafs players care at all about this? And Bieber isn't even from Toronto.

 

[hockeyfan1]

As if the loss wasn't enough, the American Airlines arena operations crew couldn't resist "rubbing it in"...


...the in-house operations staff made sure to kick Toronto while it was down ? first putting a picture of the recently-arrested Leafs fan Justin Bieber on the scoreboard and later showing disgraced mayor Rob Ford.

Very nice.  Thank you Dallas. 

Why would the Leafs players care at all about this? And Bieber isn't even from Toronto.

Oh, I don't think any of them paid much attention to that.  Bieber, by the way, is a Leafs fan.

 

[Bonsixx]

As if the loss wasn't enough, the American Airlines arena operations crew couldn't resist "rubbing it in"...


...the in-house operations staff made sure to kick Toronto while it was down ? first putting a picture of the recently-arrested Leafs fan Justin Bieber on the scoreboard and later showing disgraced mayor Rob Ford.

Very nice.  Thank you Dallas. 

Why would the Leafs players care at all about this? And Bieber isn't even from Toronto.

Oh, I don't think any of them paid much attention to that.  Bieber, by the way, is a Leafs fan.

I found that kinda funny, actually. Harmless trash talk. The Rob Ford thing I didn't see.

 

[Kin]

So in terms of celebrity Leafs fans it goes:

1. Neil Young
2. Will Arnett
3. Mike Myers
.
.
.
6,403,341. Me

NR Justin Bieber