Sharks @ Leafs - Dec. 3rd, 7:00pm - SN, TSN 1050

[ZBBM]

Rielly's learning curve.

Didn't really get a lot of puck support there, either. The Leaf players near him looked completely disinterested.

Yeah, when you pull your goalie and you've got a guy who you know is going to rush the puck, you should be advancing TOWARD the defending goal in some fashion, not standing there contemplating whether it's safe to pick your nose.

 

[ZBBM]

So uneven at best, eh?  Plus I heard that SJ got 40 shots.

Yup. Long stretches of poor play. One long stretch of good play. 41 shots against. Par for the course.

I don't read Canadian papers much anymore ... are any of the columnists calling out Carlyle, or is it just us poor Interfans?

 

[moon111]

So the Leafs were missing Bolland, Kadri, Lupul, Franson and most of Bozak... wow.

Believe Kessel is hurt as well.  These injuries are just too much for any club to take.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Considering who was out it's not a terrible result, but again I think coaching decisions played a significant role in how it played out.  Have to make due with what you have and I don't think the team is putting it's best possible lineup out there.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

1-4-2 in our last 7 games. We're getting dangerously close to that 1-8-1 record that got Wilson fired.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

So the Leafs were missing Bolland, Kadri, Lupul, Franson and most of Bozak... wow.

Believe Kessel is hurt as well.  These injuries are just too much for any club to take.

Last season Pittsburgh lost Crosby, Malkin, Neal and Letang at the same time.  Ottawa lost Spezza, Michalek, Karlsson and Anderson at the same time. 

Each of those players is arguably better than any one player the Leafs have missing right now.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

1-4-2 in our last 7 games. We're getting dangerously close to that 1-8-1 record that got Wilson fired.

Only two regulation/overtime (aka non-shootout) wins in last 14 games.

Also, fun fact - in that season Wilson was fired Leafs had a better record at this point.

 

[Arn]

Ah well.

All in all, after the first, actually probably one of our better efforts of the last few weeks. Play like we did in the 2nd/3rd and a win v Dallas and Ottawa is a possibility.

I didn't think they looked all that good in the 3rd. I think a lot of what made them look better than usual was that the Sharks were protecting a league while trying not to expend too much energy at the beginning of a 4 game road trip.

Yeah it wasn't perfect, but it was better than it has been and enough better than the first to make me think it was overall a level that could beat those teams if we could maintain that for longer than a period and a bit. Granted you're right about the Sharks play also.

 

[bustaheims]

1-4-2 in our last 7 games. We're getting dangerously close to that 1-8-1 record that got Wilson fired.

Carolina won tonight and Ottawa looks like they're going to, as well. That hold the Leafs have on the last playoff spot is getting more and more tenuous every day.

 

[Tigger]

So uneven at best, eh?  Plus I heard that SJ got 40 shots.

Yup. Long stretches of poor play. One long stretch of good play. 41 shots against. Par for the course.

I don't read Canadian papers much anymore ... are any of the columnists calling out Carlyle, or is it just us poor Interfans?

A quick search brought up this from yesterday, and thanks, you made me actually read Feschuk ( who doesn't blame the coach, fwiw ), you owe me...

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2013/12/02/maple_leafs_team_needs_performance_enhancements_feschuk.html

 

[gunnar36]

So the Leafs were missing Bolland, Kadri, Lupul, Franson and most of Bozak... wow.

Believe Kessel is hurt as well.  These injuries are just too much for any club to take.

Not sure what makes you think kessel is hurting? His effort level and skating look as good as it's been all year.

 

[bustaheims]

Only two regulation/overtime (aka non-shootout) wins in last 14 games.

Also, fun fact - in that season Wilson was fired Leafs had a better record at this point.

Only 11 points in that stretch, as well. That's a 64 point pace.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Not sure what makes you think kessel is hurting? His effort level and skating look as good as it's been all year.

There's a lot of speculation swirling around that his wrist is injured. He's had it taped up multiple times in the past few weeks and was pretty coy when he was asked about it.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

James M?rtle ‏@mirtle 1m
Carlyle on missing Bozak: "For half the game, we had three centres. We're taxing a lot of people right now."

Technically, the team still had 4. If Ashton was in the line-up instead of McLaren he could have bumped up to the 3rd line instead of Smithson and the team could have still rolled 4 lines with a winger double-shifting.

But hey, I'm not the one with the Cup I guess.

 

[Tigger]

James M?rtle ‏@mirtle 1m
Carlyle on missing Bozak: "For half the game, we had three centres. We're taxing a lot of people right now."

Technically, the team still had 4. If Ashton was in the line-up instead of McLaren he could have bumped up to the 3rd line instead of Smithson and the team could have still rolled 4 lines with a winger double-shifting.

But hey, I'm not the one with the Cup I guess.

Is Ashton banged up?

 

[Bonsixx]

But hey, I'm not the one with the Cup I guess.

This part is very true. Although it seems to be stated sarcastically...? It's really hard to tell.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Is Ashton banged up?

Nothing that's been reported. He did practice on a line with Smith and Clarkson in the morning so it was a little odd to see him scratched.

 

[Peter D.]

Easy to put the blame on Rielly for the three goals. But does anyone else think besides the second goal (tough playing with four stiffs though) that he should have gotten better puck support on the other two? The first one Fraser couldn't receive the pass, and although he turned it over rushing it with the net empty, there were two guys on the wing who decided for some reason to not get closer to the boards to support him.

 

[Tigger]

Is Ashton banged up?

Nothing that's been reported. He did practice on a line with Smith and Clarkson in the morning so it was a little odd to see him scratched.

Hard to say, McClaren getting the game given the situation is ok but I would have liked to see one or both of Leivo and Abbott get a reward game instead, especially if Ashton was getting a maintenance day ( or whatever 'day' ), he did get two pretty solid shots to the schnoz.

 

[Joe S.]

This season is over. Maybe I'm being over dramatic but clearly the 6-0 loss didn't wake them up. It's obvious now that last year was a mirage. It