We lost 2-0 to the Champs in their building, despite giving up a goal on the first shot against...again. They keep playing like this good things will happen.
- mykokes

Yeah, a softie on the first shot with possible interference, and an empty netter. It wasn't the prettiest, but it could have been much worse.

It is going to be boring hockey to watch but the goals/shots against will be cut down which is good but as I said, the make up of the forwards on this team will have trouble grinding out goals for wins, they just can't do that. I'm just cautioning everyone that the loses will pile up, for those that think losing is fine for the purpose of tanking, they will be happy with this team.
- LeafMan

to me, the only kind of exciting hockey is winning hockey. i don't find a 5-4 loss exciting. but a 2-1 win?

Yeah, a softie on the first shot with possible interference, and an empty netter. It wasn't the prettiest, but it could have been much worse.
- lumlums

when LA gets a lead on you... especially on their home ice... you're finished.

to me, the only kind of exciting hockey is winning hockey. i don't find a 5-4 loss exciting. but a 2-1 win?
- DoubleDown

Both can be exciting or really boring. What's your point Fraudam?

Both can be exciting or really boring. What's your point Fraudam?
- AdamFrench

I like cheese.

One of the twitter folks (Stats Sundin if I recall) put it best regarding Healy and Kipper ripping Kessel: "I don't care what two bricklayers say about a surgeon"
- lumlums

He wasnt that bad.... he scored 60 some goals in the OHL

I like cheese.
- Colin_Dambrauskas

Sacred Blue!

that's what i was getting at. they're probably a better team if they average half a goal less.
- DoubleDown

We'll see. It's a hole new beast to score goals when your coach won't let you 'cheat' out of the zone and in the neutral zone. I'm not confident that these guys can all score goals that way. We'll find out how 'offensively talented' they really are over the next couple of months. Hopefully I'm wrong but I'm guessing that a few of them (Bozak) see their ES offensive numbers slip into oblivion. Kessel's ES numbers will be really interesting.

It is going to be boring hockey to watch but the goals/shots against will be cut down which is good but as I said, the make up of the forwards on this team will have trouble grinding out goals for wins, they just can't do that. I'm just cautioning everyone that the loses will pile up, for those that think losing is fine for the purpose of tanking, they will be happy with this team.
- LeafMan

Better D does not instantly mean worse offense, the key is to get everybody back into the zone, engaged and committed to getting the puck back, and THEN skating out with control of the puck. Do it right and there's no reason why offense should be sacrificed. Sure this wasn't a great offensive game, but its one game against the champs. Nobody should be extrapolating from this game to the season; it will be somewhere between this and the Columbus game...

Both can be exciting or really boring. What's your point Fraudam?
- AdamFrench

my point is that as a fan with a rooting interest, i don't care what kind of style my team plays as long as it's a winning style. a 2-1 grinder where the shots are 21-18 and my team wins, i find excrement in that. watching as an impartial viewer is different but none of us are impartial when we're watching our team. ask Schvingter how boring the Devils Cup teams were.

Better D does not instantly mean worse offense, the key is to get everybody back into the zone, engaged and committed to getting the puck back, and THEN skating out with control of the puck. Do it right and there's no reason why offense should be sacrificed. Sure this wasn't a great offensive game, but its one game against the champs. Nobody should be extrapolating from this game to the season; it will be somewhere between this and the Columbus game...
- lumlums

better D generally means lower scoring games. maybe this Leafs team is the exception to the rule, like Chicago, but i don't see it, especially not with a lack of quality down the middle.

my point is that as a fan with a rooting interest, i don't care what kind of style my team plays as long as it's a winning style. a 2-1 grinder where the shots are 21-18 and my team wins, i find excrement in that. watching as an impartial viewer is different but none of us are impartial when we're watching our team. ask Schvingter how boring the Devils Cup teams were.
- DoubleDown

Do you really find excrement in that?

We'll see. It's a hole new beast to score goals when your coach won't let you 'cheat' out of the zone and in the neutral zone. I'm not confident that these guys can all score goals that way. We'll find out how 'offensively talented' they really are over the next couple of months. Hopefully I'm wrong but I'm guessing that a few of them (Bozak) see their ES offensive numbers slip into oblivion. Kessel's ES numbers will be really interesting.
- The Law

That is what I'm pointing out, manufacturing goals along the boards, cycling and crashing the net is what scores in this system, the Leafs are one of the worst in the league at that. I don't think this top six forward group can grind out wins. They will have to rely on PP but those will be cut down per game as it looks like now. They need lines 3 and 4 more than ever to chip in, Will be interesting.

Do you really find excrement in that?
- twiztedmike

how the (frank) did that happen

That is what I'm pointing out, manufacturing goals along the boards, cycling and crashing the net is what scores in this system, the Leafs are one of the worst in the league at that. I don't think this top six forward group can grind out wins. They will have to rely on PP but those will be cut down per game as it looks like now. They need lines 3 and 4 more than ever to chip in, Will be interesting.
- LeafMan

So Carlyle was a good coach, playing to the strengths of the roster he had?

how the (frank) did that happen
- DoubleDown

poop happens, I guess

when LA gets a lead on you... especially on their home ice... you're finished.
- DoubleDown

Yes indeed. To put this down to just how the Leafs played while ignoring that there was another VERY good team out there actively trying to stop them is for me a bit short sighted. Shots were fairly even and it was nice to see some commitment to defense.

That is what I'm pointing out, manufacturing goals along the boards, cycling and crashing the net is what scores in this system, the Leafs are one of the worst in the league at that. I don't think this top six forward group can grind out wins. They will have to rely on PP but those will be cut down per game as it looks like now. They need lines 3 and 4 more than ever to chip in, Will be interesting.
- LeafMan

then at least the management team has some clarity and knows who fits and who doesn't. whether Horachek is coach moving forward, what he's preaching will be along the lines of what the new coach preaches. welcome to grinding hockey fellas!

bernie
- Skalapy

Yep.....for a supposed #1 he sure give up alot of early / weak and early goals. To me he looked like he was fighting the puck all night, lots of looking around/behind him after a stop like he wasn't sure where the puck was.

I can't help but wonder / worry if Bernier is going to be like Cujo was - one of those guys who needs alot of shots to be successful. Look at Cujo in St. Louis / Toronto vs Cujo in Detroit / Phoneix.

If that's the case re: Bernier needs alot of shots to be sharp then this new system of less "pond hockey" will be problematic.

**Side Note - how in the hell was that 1st goal not called back for Goaltender Interference? The LA player was parked in the blue almost on top of Bernier well before the puck was anywhere near the net? - Brutal non-call**

Do you really find excrement in that?
- twiztedmike

That's a really weird place to find excrement but I won't judge.

So Carlyle was a good coach, playing to the strengths of the roster he had?
- twiztedmike

No his style of coaching was in the past. I always said this core was flawed as well, they can't gut out wins on a regular basis, everything was centered around scoring off the rush, you cut that head off and this team is in trouble.

So Carlyle was a good coach, playing to the strengths of the roster he had?
- twiztedmike

Good coaches win. Carlyle claimed to be teaching/preaching/motivating a better defensive game. They didn't respond …ever. So no he failed at his job.

The players are on "notice". Commit and do what the new guy is asking or get the (frank) out.

Yep.....for a supposed #1 he sure give up alot of early / weak and early goals. To me he looked like he was fighting the puck all night, lots of looking around/behind him after a stop like he wasn't sure where the puck was.

I can't help but wonder / worry if Bernier is going to be like Cujo was - one of those guys who needs alot of shots to be successful. Look at Cujo in St. Louis / Toronto vs Cujo in Detroit / Phoneix.

If that's the case re: Bernier needs alot of shots to be sharp then this new system of less "pond hockey" will be problematic.
- Cush29

yeah stupid #1 should have had a shutout..... only in toronto do we complain when the goalie only lets in 1 goal...

We'll see. It's a hole new beast to score goals when your coach won't let you 'cheat' out of the zone and in the neutral zone. I'm not confident that these guys can all score goals that way. We'll find out how 'offensively talented' they really are over the next couple of months. Hopefully I'm wrong but I'm guessing that a few of them (Bozak) see their ES offensive numbers slip into oblivion. Kessel's ES numbers will be really interesting.
- The Law

Bozak's ES numbers are already in the sewer. He's a useful PK guy and has done decently well 5v4, but ES his stick is where plays go to die.

then at least the management team has some clarity and knows who fits and who doesn't. whether Horachek is coach moving forward, what he's preaching will be along the lines of what the new coach preaches. welcome to grinding hockey fellas!
- DoubleDown

I said that in a post earlier DD, the good maybe that this necessitates a change in the core including the D.