[ADSF] Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A3) | Maple Leafs win series 4-2

[Ballisticsports.]

53 minutes ago, 24K PureCool said:

Oh my God, I'm gonna have to cheer for Boston aren’t I. 

I myself will never cheer for Boston

That town has won titles in all sports and I hate the Bruins (and what they get away with)

I will just hope for entertaining hockey without stupid  calls swinging momentum

I want to see hard hitting action hockey (with only blatant calls that could have prevented a goal being scored ) and not love taps behind the play not affecting the game

 

If I "pull" for any team, it would be Winnipeg, after losing their team and fighting to get one back

Other than that, it seems odd cheering for another team to me

[McBackup]

4 minutes ago, Ballisticsports. said:

I myself will never cheer for Boston

That town has won titles in all sports and I hate the Bruins (and what they get away with)

I will just hope for entertaining hockey without stupid  calls swinging momentum

I want to see hard hitting action hockey (with only blatant calls that could have prevented a goal being scored ) and not love taps behind the play not affecting the game

 

If I "pull" for any team, it would be Winnipeg, after losing their team and fighting to get one back

Other than that, it seems odd cheering for another team to me

I don't think anyone is actually cheering for Boston. Just cheering against Toronto. Which you can count me one of. I don't like Boston and I don't want to see them win, but I dislike Toronto much, much more. I've moved on from 2011. We have no real rivalry with the Bruins beyond the one time they come into Vancouver a year and Marchand does his little antics for the crowd. Meanwhile Toronto is that obnoxious brat in school who would stick his finger an inch from your eyeball and yell "I'M NOT TOUCHING YOU!", and its super satisfying to see him get his ass-kicked. 

[burrowsalex14]

So is Bunting returning? Will they play him knowing they are 3-0 without him? If I was coach I’d bench Bunting 

[CanucksFan8353]

19 minutes ago, McBackup said:

I don't think anyone is actually cheering for Boston. Just cheering against Toronto. Which you can count me one of. I don't like Boston and I don't want to see them win, but I dislike Toronto much, much more. I've moved on from 2011. We have no real rivalry with the Bruins beyond the one time they come into Vancouver a year and Marchand does his little antics for the crowd. Meanwhile Toronto is that obnoxious brat in school who would stick his finger an inch from your eyeball and yell "I'M NOT TOUCHING YOU!", and its super satisfying to see him get his ass-kicked. 

Wow, I could never forgive the Bruins for the heartbreak of 2011.  That cup was ours and they and Colin Campbell stole it from us. 
 

I am mainly all in on the Leafs since the boards here have hammered into me that our owner is a thug, management is incompetent, Horvat was the GOAT and we did him ‘dirty’, our core is a disgrace and we will never get more than 2 home playoff games.  Definitely time to find a back-up team given all that!

 

I’ve been to Toronto.  It’s a lot like Vancouver,  a fantastic city in a beautiful area.  Could never cheer for dive cities like Edmonton or Winnipeg.

Edited April 25, 2023 by CanucksFan8353

[canuckwings]

1 hour ago, D-Money said:

Even after being weaker on D and losing Cernak, I'd give Tampa the edge in the last 2 games. Tonight Toronto was just very lucky in connecting with deflections.

 

But a big difference has been Vasilevskiy. He's simply not as sharp as he has been in the past. Not that I'm blaming him, but he usually goes beyond the call of duty to save a couple of those difficult ones. One more save in each of the last 2 games, and Toronto would be down 3-1 instead.

 

It's going to be tough for Tampa to come back of course. But if they can win game 5, they have a decent shot to get through. You just know that Toronto is going to start getting worried the longer this goes on.

Yep I agree Vasilevskiy has been a big factor. I was paying attention to his stats this entire regular reason because i have him in my hockey pools (first pick too). He had more than a handful of poor outings giving up 5+ goals and getting pulled than I could remember. Many are looking for him to return to form in playoffs (which he kind of did last year), but this year he really has looked average. TB needs more from him as Leafs has too much fire power, especially if you allow them to go on PP.

 

When your goalie is shaky the team has gotta play tighter defense. I'm not sure if TB has been coached that way because Vasi has been so good for them. If leafs can avoid going in meltdown mode they should be able win one more game (prove me wrong please TB).

 

 

 

[McBackup]

3 minutes ago, CanucksFan8353 said:

Wow, I could never forgive the Bruins for the heartbreak of 2011.  That cup was ours and they and Colin Campbell stole it from us. 

Who said anything about "forgiveness"? I just said I've moved on. That's not the same thing as "forgiveness".

 

Quote

I am mainly all in on the Leafs since the boards here have hammered into me that our owner is a thug, management is incompetent, Horvat was the GOAT and we did him ‘dirty’, our core is a disgrace and we will never get more than 2 home playoff games.  

Nothing's been "hammered" here. People argue about that stuff incessantly. I don't know why people act like CDC is some hivemind.

 

Quote

Definitely time to find a back-up team given all that!

How about you save yourself and us the trouble of the "backup team" nonsense and just cheer for the Milkbags instead of the Canucks?

 

Quote

 

I’ve been to Toronto.  It’s a fantastic city in a beautiful area.  Could never cheer for dive cities like Edmonton or Winnipeg.

 

Well that's why they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Luckily I'm under no obligation to cheer for Edmonton or Winnipeg eiher.

[Ghostsof1915]

4 minutes ago, canuckwings said:

Yep I agree Vasilevskiy has been a big factor. I was paying attention to his stats this entire regular reason because i have him in my hockey pools (first pick too). He had more than a handful of poor outings giving up 5+ goals and getting pulled than I could remember. Many are looking for him to return to form in playoffs (which he kind of did last year), but this year he really has looked average. TB needs more from him as Leafs has too much fire power, especially if you allow them to go on PP.

 

When your goalie is shaky the team has gotta play tighter defense. I'm not sure if TB has been coached that way because Vasi has been so good for them. If leafs can avoid going in meltdown mode they should be able win one more game (prove me wrong please TB).

 

 

 

Worse. Vasi is on a long term contract paying him $9.5 million a year.

[canuckwings]

15 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

Worse. Vasi is on a long term contract paying him $9.5 million a year.

With two Stanley cups and a Conns Symthe trophy that contract is worth every penny in my opinion. And it's up till 2027 so it's not that bad with the cap expected to go up significantly. Heck I would trade having OEL's contract stay on the book until 2040 for Canucks to finally hoist the cup. 

 

TB should stay relevant with their core in tact for a few more years, probably just not as dominant. They might just need to stop giving up 5 draft picks for a bottom 6 forward at TDL. I still can't believe they made the Jeannot trade. Sure he might get re-signed but he hasn't done anything to justify the cost paid to get him...

 

 

[Rocket-68]

2 hours ago, 24K PureCool said:

Oh my God, I'm gonna have to cheer for Boston aren’t I. 

Do what I will be doing, cheering Schenn on in ragdolling Marchand

[Twilight Sparkle]

i don't like this. history is not on the leafs side but they have an opportunity to get RID of the lightning early! GO LEAFS GO

[DSVII]

1 hour ago, Cromeslab said:

Leafs could win this, are they legitimate?

If samsonov can hold this up. But if Rangers advance I don't think they can match em

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

1 hour ago, burrowsalex14 said:

So is Bunting returning? Will they play him knowing they are 3-0 without him? If I was coach I’d bench Bunting 

If we were 3-0 without Miller or Petey would you bench them?  Bunting isn't a goaltender.  He hasn't been good this year but he can totally improve the bottom six.  The Leafs haven't been winning because Bunting's out.  The Leafs have been winning... despite some rough games on the road.  They gutted those two wins in OT and they would gladly have some energy brought back in.

[McBackup]

6 minutes ago, Bob.Loblaw said:

If we were 3-0 without Miller or Petey would you bench them?  Bunting isn't a goaltender.  He hasn't been good this year but he can totally improve the bottom six.  The Leafs haven't been winning because Bunting's out.  The Leafs have been winning... despite some rough games on the road.  They gutted those two wins in OT and they would gladly have some energy brought back in.

There's a difference between winning without your star, first line players and winning without your middle 6 rat. Could he help them? Maybe. He might hurt them too if he takes more stupid, unecessary penalties. Your Miller and Petey analogy is closer to if Matthews or Nylander were coming back into the lineup. Bunting is closer to Garland in comparables.

[Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw]

5 minutes ago, McBackup said:

There's a difference between winning without your star, first line players and winning without your middle 6 rat. Could he help them? Maybe. He might hurt them too if he takes more stupid, unecessary penalties. Your Miller and Petey analogy is closer to if Matthews or Nylander were coming back into the lineup. Bunting is closer to Garland in comparables.

I think Garland and Bunting have the skill and work ethic to always earn a spot.  The only way Bunting gets benched is if he's stupid enough to go back into the box again.  But he would still dress up.

[DownUndaCanuck]

Vasy has been bad but Tampa just crumbling under pressure, they're done, this is the beginning of the end. If they can't hold on to a 4-1 lead they're not coming back in this series. A Boston-Toronto series will obviously be a great watch and only end in a Boston sweep but I hope Tampa wear down the Leafs a bit.

[sims]

This is perfect! Leafs lucky to win last 2 games in OT. In typical Leafs fashion they will blow this lead and lose in 7 games on Home Ice!! 

[-DLC-]

Tampa better get their act together. Fast.

[D-Money]

11 hours ago, Alflives said:

It’s hard to deny the prognostications of Alf’s Empties. 

Leafs v Oilers Final and Leafs Cup. 

The only positive of that will be Bettman's heart attack.

[D-Money]

Tampa trading all of those picks for Jeannot looked  questionable then, and looks downright stupid now. He hasn't been much of a factor at all.

 

Meanwhile, they could really use another quality defenseman. Perbix is in over his head playing that many minutes, and has been a minus player each game.

[DSVII]

9 minutes ago, D-Money said:

Tampa trading all of those picks for Jeannot looked  questionable then, and looks downright stupid now. He hasn't been much of a factor at all.

 

Meanwhile, they could really use another quality defenseman. Perbix is in over his head playing that many minutes, and has been a minus player each game.

Should have saved one of those 2nds in that trade for Schenner.