Jump to content

Game 6 - Leafs vs Habs 7:30PM ET


JoeLassister

Recommended Posts

4 hours ago, johnnyhasbeen said:

WOW! go read the thread for game 7 on the laughs HFBoards. They are in pain. Blow up the team, fire Dumbass. Sounds like a bunch of posters I know. LOL

 

 

Thanks, that was entertaining! 

 

TBH, a quick scan suggested a fairly sensible gaggle of fans. A couple points of note:

 

1. They describe the Leafs as rushing plays to avoid a hit - suggesting that the Habs’ physical play is indeed making a mark; and

 

2. Almost no one on that board gives the Habs the least amount of credit. They rightly see the Habs as a bubble team and their Leafs as a team that *should* be sailing past them. 

 

The big whipping boy is Marner (“0 goals in 17 playoff games!!”) and for some reason Reilly, who I always liked and wish the Habs had. Most of their fans seem to think the Leafs need to shake the core. Several are calling for a “proper rebuild” (LOL!!!). My favourite was the guy who said, “it’s been 54 years, what’s another 5 year rebuild?” 

 

What is remarkable to me is that I didn’t read a single post identifying Carey Price’s sublime play as the principal reason we’re going to Game 7. Seems obvious to me (and the Habs own players are saying the same thing). Because the Leafs *should* be winning, and because this core has such a disastrous playoff history, Leafs’ fans are unable to look beyond the team’s failings for possible explanations of these results.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

Kotkaniemi didn't get much ice time ... specifically, he had been on the bench for about five minutes before hjs final shift in OT. He, Byron and Anderson were all relatively fresh when they jumped on the ice.

 

Was this just the result of Ducharme not playing them much? Or was Ducharme actually waiting for the right moment to throw them on the ice, to try to make something happen? Yeah, I know, it's just speculation.

 

20202021-30176-shiftchart.png

 

Awesome! The site I used to get shift charts from disappeared and I'd never found another one.

 

2 hours ago, Meller93 said:

Get this, Kotkaniemi scored at 15:15 into OT. It was the 15th shot in overtime, in Kotkaniemi’s 15th playoff game. He played exactly 15 minutes, and he wears #15

 

:o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

I was really impressed with Evans last night.  To jump back in after missing four games without missing a beat was nice to see.  To do so playing higher in the lineup than he ever had in his NHL career, setting a new career high in ice time, while playing a position I'm not sure he ever has played in his career, is quite something.

I agree, it was a really good showing, and an inspired move by Ducharme.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

that is what I am saying: Leafs and Habs earned their Playoff entry this year and last based on the same rules and playing similar opponents. They are both as legitimate as there can be

Agree about this season ... we will never agree that finishing 24th in the league is a "legitimate playoff appearance" based on a Covid Tournament ... but that is OK ... we are both entitled to be wrong in the view of the other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dlbalr said:

I was really impressed with Evans last night.  To jump back in after missing four games without missing a beat was nice to see.  To do so playing higher in the lineup than he ever had in his NHL career, setting a new career high in ice time, while playing a position I'm not sure he ever has played in his career, is quite something.


Great post

 

Evans elevated the entire line , a vast improvement over Tatar 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

Thanks, that was entertaining! 

 

TBH, a quick scan suggested a fairly sensible gaggle of fans. A couple points of note:

 

1. They describe the Leafs as rushing plays to avoid a hit - suggesting that the Habs’ physical play is indeed making a mark; and

 

2. Almost no one on that board gives the Habs the least amount of credit. They rightly see the Habs as a bubble team and their Leafs as a team that *should* be sailing past them. 

 

The big whipping boy is Marner (“0 goals in 17 playoff games!!”) and for some reason Reilly, who I always liked and wish the Habs had. Most of their fans seem to think the Leafs need to shake the core. Several are calling for a “proper rebuild” (LOL!!!). My favourite was the guy who said, “it’s been 54 years, what’s another 5 year rebuild?” 

 

What is remarkable to me is that I didn’t read a single post identifying Carey Price’s sublime play as the principal reason we’re going to Game 7. Seems obvious to me (and the Habs own players are saying the same thing). Because the Leafs *should* be winning, and because this core has such a disastrous playoff history, Leafs’ fans are unable to look beyond the team’s failings for possible explanations of these results.

I've seen a couple saying that they wouldn't be there without Price. Well ya. He's Montreal's best player. And he's playing like it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, dlbalr said:

I was really impressed with Evans last night.  To jump back in after missing four games without missing a beat was nice to see.  To do so playing higher in the lineup than he ever had in his NHL career, setting a new career high in ice time, while playing a position I'm not sure he ever has played in his career, is quite something.

 

56 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

... Evans elevated the entire line , a vast improvement over Tatar 

 

Think is showing potential to be a solid 3C ... just don't know whether he has the offence to play higher ... of course KK looked like he could be a legit 2C this season after last year's post-season ... but Evan's and KK's (again) performances are encouraging.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, dlbalr said:

I was really impressed with Evans last night.  To jump back in after missing four games without missing a beat was nice to see.  To do so playing higher in the lineup than he ever had in his NHL career, setting a new career high in ice time, while playing a position I'm not sure he ever has played in his career, is quite something.

 

Agreed, he had an excellent game. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, DON said:

Carey's trade value increasing and Seattle might be seeing something they like?

Ever the optimist?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree with how a lot of people here are bashing Dom.  I certainly noticed numerous really good things that they were doing.  A lot of the good things that the Habs are doing have been very subtle and hard to notice.  

 

This is unrelated to Dom, but a great example of very subtle is the Caufield Suzuki break away.  Did anybody happen to notice when Caufield 1st passed Suzuki the puck?  It was right at the blue line.  Did anyone realize why he passed Suzuki the puck right at that exact moment?  i.e. Suzuki could have screwed up the play by going off side.  Well, Caulfield's pass made that an impossibility.  

 

Dom is getting them to do similar subtle things that are easily unnoticed.  ex:  numerous times when the Leafs would carry the puck over the Habs blue line, there were 3 Habs right there.  1 would be checking the Leafs, and 2nd was further down ice along the boards, and the 3rd was along the blue line.  i.e. the Leafs player with he puck had absolutely nowhere to go, and the 2nd or 3rd Habs would end up recovering the Leafs turnover.  Thats huge and it kept the Leafs off the scoreboard for the majority of the game.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Sir_Boagalott said:

 

I always figured Caufield would be effective at the NHL level, but I thought he'd have way more goals by now. 

Whaaaa?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, GHT120 said:

 

 

Think is showing potential to be a solid 3C ... just don't know whether he has the offence to play higher ... of course KK looked like he could be a legit 2C this season after last year's post-season ... but Evan's and KK's (again) performances are encouraging.

 

I really like Evans but he hasn't showing anything to indicate that he can be anything above a 3C which is fine. You need competent players on the 3rd and 4th lines provided you don't pay them too much (see Vancouver).  He is almost 25 so if he had the potential to play higher we likely would have seen it by now.  

 

KK on the other hand is 4 years younger and has 7 goals in 15 playoff games which is pretty impressive as it shows he is willing to fight through the tougher checking in the playoffs to score. We will have a much better idea in a couple years what his ceiling is. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, DON said:

Whaaaa?


He has done really well, and he did get 1 more G in the reg season than I remembered.  I thought he got 3 but he did get 4.  However, that was in 10 games, so times that by 8 and he's on pace for 32g/yr. 

 

So far his reg seasons #'s are slightly better than Gally but less than Paccioretty's.  It would have been a lot cooler had he scored on his 1st shit, and/or hattrick 1st game, or any game, of even 1+ multi goal game. 

 

He's still young so anything can still happen.  Caufield has no doubt shown flashes of brilliance, but so does Drouin, Armia, etc.  I certainly don't want Caufield to turn out to be that type of player. 

 

Therefore, there is still a lot of suspense as to how good he will turn out to be.  The sooner he proves it the better.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, johnnyhasbeen said:

One of my sons girlfriends sent him a selfie in tears at one point of the game, so much fun.

My girlfiends cried a lot too. Oh..you mean the game...sorry...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read the Leafs story on the Athletic. The writer can write, but he spent the article moaning about how the team might actually lose despite the brilliant talent. What I found the most annoying is that they just talked about how a fabulous leaf team could risk losing to a crappy one such as the Habs.

 

No respect for the opponent at all, or recognition of what the opponent is doing to win games. They only see the Leafs, nothing else exists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

I read the Leafs story on the Athletic. The writer can write, but he spent the article moaning about how the team might actually lose despite the brilliant talent. What I found the most annoying is that they just talked about how a fabulous leaf team could risk losing to a crappy one such as the Habs.

 

No respect for the opponent at all, or recognition of what the opponent is doing to win games. They only see the Leafs, nothing else exists.

Leafs have a better offensive team. Much like elite players, but losing Tavares hurts. But like the rest of the North, they don’t really have a strong D. So don’t know how they can be considered a fabulous team. They aren’t the 70’s habs, or the 80’s Oilers, or islanders.  
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Leafs have a better offensive team. Much like elite players, but losing Tavares hurts. But like the rest of the North, they don’t really have a strong D. So don’t know how they can be considered a fabulous team. They aren’t the 70’s habs, or the 80’s Oilers, or islanders.  
 

 

By today’s standards, they are - if not “fabulous” - an excellent, extremely talented team. They really should be doing better than they have done hitherto. Game 7 will be existential for them.

 

Notwithstanding some great moments, tremendous physicality, and of course superb goaltending, the Habs have done nothing to earn anyone’s respect, really. They were mediocre all season and have been substantially outplayed for large chunks of this series. So I am not surprised that the overwhelming focus is on “what’s with the Leafs??” And that’s really just fine by me - it adds to the immense pressure the Leafs must be feeling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

By today’s standards, they are - if not “fabulous” - an excellent, extremely talented team. They really should be doing better than they have done hitherto. Game 7 will be existential for them.

 

Notwithstanding some great moments, tremendous physicality, and of course superb goaltending, the Habs have done nothing to earn anyone’s respect, really. They were mediocre all season and have been substantially outplayed for large chunks of this series. So I am not surprised that the overwhelming focus is on “what’s with the Leafs??” And that’s really just fine by me - it adds to the immense pressure the Leafs must be feeling.

Oh, I agree they should be a much better team (with Tavares they’d have two dominant lines that would be harder to shut down). If not for Price we’d be done - that’s why I still think gunk we need a change in management regardless of whether we win (doubt it happens now). Our D is crap. But it’s been fun seeing the kids come through and show hope for the the future, and It’s almost as much fun hearing the Toronto media whining. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m not as high on the Leafs as most. I predicted then to win the division but also knew they would falter in the playoffs.

 

I think the Habs have a solid playoff team. It’s sickening to hear the Price this Price that, because we need him and have missed him for years on end. Heck, when he plays well, people bring up 2014-2015 as to a comparison to how he’s playing, which should indicate that Price hasn’t sustained this level at all for years.

 

We should be happy that he has the ability to find that level, and we should hope that he steals game 7. As for the team only relying on Price, you can suggest that but as had been seen, he can only do so much, and if he were on the Sabres, he would not have made the playoffs.  There is afterall something meaningful when it comes to being the players in front of him.
 

I think Habs29 has correctly pointed out that the Leafs have sustained a couple of key injuries, and this levels the playing field. If you ask me, I am not specifically overly confident heading into game 7, but in this very moment, injuries and past history included, I would take our team over theirs for this game 7. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

I think Habs29 has correctly pointed out that the Leafs have sustained a couple of key injuries, and this levels the playing field.

They are missing Tavares (2C) and Muzzin (2D). Anyone else?

 

Habs are missing Drouin (2LW), Lehkonen (3LW) and Merrill (3D). It's not a massive difference in terms of roster gaps -- even if Tavares is better than Drouin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...