Yeah, even at 4-2, Leafs were the better team in the 2nd period and seemed like they were fully in it.

Bunting ruined the team's chance at a comeback.
- Scabeh

It felt like most of the Leaf fans in the building felt the exact same way - when Bunting took his penalty I could feel the hope of a comeback disappear from almost everyone in my section.

It kinda' felt this way:

Leafs make it 3-2 there was a sense of them coming back to tie it for sure

Tampa makes it 4-2, anger at the slashing call, but still a fair bit of hope for a comeback

Tamps makes it 5-2 - Zero hope, mucho anger and dismay.

Personally after the 5th goal I went and got another 710 ML can of beer to drown my sorrows.

The bank called this morning and they want to know why I asked about a 2nd mortgage on my home as the voicemail I left them last night was somewhat difficult to understand but they swear they heard something about not enough beer yet to make the hurt stop.

Sheldon Keefe tweaking top three lines this morning in anticipation of a Bunting suspension:

Järnkrok – Matthews – Marner
Kerfoot – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – O'Reilly – Acciari
Aston-Reese – Kämpf – Lafferty

McCabe – Brodie
Giordano – Holl
Rielly – Schenn

https://twitter.com/lukef...&t=xdbwDZlJpKsy8vg5wHUWXg


Don’t like kerfoot in the top 6. Other than that the forward line looks fine.

Holl should come out for liljegren
- bryant

How the (frank) is holl still in?

I guess all the qualitative accounting that supports my view is wrong.

The nerves to start were poopty. No excuses ..can't happen. Especially from vets like Holl and Gio and Brodie. Marner and ZAR with key turnovers leading to goals in the first 10 minutes. The whole barn was pissed. Tampa didn't look that good ...Leafs were once again shooting themselves in the foot. Then the tough call late in the first on Brodie and the PP goal. Leafs deserved their fate. Down 3 ..(frank) them.

But credit due ...they came out flying in the second ...dominated 5v5 ...drew two legit PP's by outworking TB ...and scored on both. The barn was full of confidence.

Then the Kampf slashing call for slashing low on the stick. I still don't understand the rule ...is that a penalty or does it have to be up in the mitts? If so, then it's a BS call that followed another BS call against Schenn for crosschecking with his glove. TB gets the 4th then Bunting puts his idiot hat on and ends the game.

After that nothing was worth measuring.
- The Law

Especially since the guy that Kampf "slashed" actually slashed the Leafs hand directly after it.

It was 3-2, and we had all the momentum. The building was rocking.

And then Bunting pulled a Bunting.
- Atomic Wedgie

The Kampf penalty was what ruined that momentum, not Bunting, or did I miss something?

Were you there? In spite of the embarrassing loss the towel made the night worth it.
- The Law

You think you have it bad?

I have Nashville Predators towels.

Look on the bright side - it wasn't a scarf.

Too bad Keefe wasn’t the coach in the first two games huh?
- Dozzer

Just goes to show that he straight up hates the Leafs.

Keefe was still in the organisation. Maybe he hates him that much?

The Kampf penalty was what ruined that momentum, not Bunting, or did I miss something?
- UsernameUnknown

We were going to kill that penalty off, and go on a tear.

Kampf line did pretty well (bad T.O. by ZAR early) head to head against Paul. The Accairi line struggled against Perry ....not sure why. If they go this route I worry about JT's line against Cirelli's. Without RoR it gets significantly weaker defensively. But RoR's new 3rd line better get the best of their match up.

I still like 34/16 to get the best of Point/Kuch at 5v5. Just need to finish better.
- The Law

ROR works well with JT.

I do think ROR and Acciari could help maximize Knies strengths. They won't be getting top comp and Knies seems to do his best work along the boards and finding teamates with surprisingly good playmaking skills.

I think this setup is what you need without Bunting. Janrkrok is the best option on line 1 as well.

I don’t know that I’d have a blanket no McCauley-Keefe games. Is there any pattern/complaints in the games he’s reffed previously? I do think the league should have exercised better judgement in having him ref the first game of this series. (He did game 7 last year lol)
- Canada Cup

To be clear - no one is saying that there is a provable thread of evidence that suggests MacCauley is doing anything. The Leafs are 0-6 with Keefe as coach when MacCauley officiates a playoff game. So what? They were 5-0-1 this season when MacCauley officiated, and I think 2-5 last year - there is nothing provable in any of that. Officiating is hard and people do make mistakes.

What everyone is saying is that there is clearly the perception of a conflict of interest and in the interest of ensuring that the perception doesn't permeate into something more - like it IS RIGHT NOW - its easier to prevent it from happening by simply not setting the table for it. It's easily avoidable and causes no one any inconvenience to do so.

In almost every other sport that I'm aware they go out of their way to avoid those cases where the perception could be there.

I don’t know that I’d have a blanket no McCauley-Keefe games. Is there any pattern/complaints in the games he’s reffed previously? I do think the league should have exercised better judgement in having him ref the first game of this series. (He did game 7 last year lol)
- Canada Cup

But why not? If they are short officials sure ...but they're not. Don't create a concern where none is necessary.

You might be the most impartial judge in all of the land but you'll never sit in front of your kiddo and hold court. There's just no need to create the questions.

I'm convinced our reaction to last night's game is why Leafs fans (and all Canadian teams' fans) can't have nice things.

They stunk. They looked far too nervous, imho.

But we lost the first game of a game of 7, and the pitchforks are out and the torches have been lit.

FFS, the crushing negativity in this town is at an all-time high.
- Atomic Wedgie

Not sure what you're supposed to expect to see when you jump onto a Leafs forum after a game like last night. Thoughtful discourse and a pragmatic critical breakdown of the loss?

Fan forums are always dumpster fires.

75 stitches is definitely so bad. Not sure what comes after so bad but it can't be good and it very much could have been that.
- joel878

So bad would be losing an eye etc.

I don’t know that I’d have a blanket no McCauley-Keefe games. Is there any pattern/complaints in the games he’s reffed previously? I do think the league should have exercised better judgement in having him ref the first game of this series. (He did game 7 last year lol)
- Canada Cup

Didn't I see a stat that said the Leafs are 0-8 when McCauley reffs a Leafs game in the playoffs. And were .500 when he didn't?

Edit: 0-6. Not much better. I don't care what that record looks like in the regular season. That is irrelevant to me.

The Kampf penalty was what ruined that momentum, not Bunting, or did I miss something?
- UsernameUnknown

I used to have NHL.com which let me watch yesterday's games, but I let it lapse. Does anyone have it? I swear on that goal - the Tampa 4th - the puck squirts free off to the right side of the zone (far side from camera angle) and Marner is about to be the first man there to clear the puck from the zone and he is hooked up / held up and doesn't reach the puck for the clear and Tampa retains possession and about 30 seconds later it's in the net. I didn't see it on the replays because they all start after that point. I wanted to know if he was interfered with or if he fell or was just too slow . . .

I'm convinced our reaction to last night's game is why Leafs fans (and all Canadian teams' fans) can't have nice things.

They stunk. They looked far too nervous, imho.

But we lost the first game of a game of 7, and the pitchforks are out and the torches have been lit.

FFS, the crushing negativity in this town is at an all-time high.
- Atomic Wedgie

I told Mrs. Lawsie that I'm taking our savings and throwing it down on a Leafs win Thursday ...I'm that certain of the victory. This things probably going 7 and the more desperate team will win the games they need to win - this is the way.


And by told I, of course, mean politely asked and plead.

It was 3-2, and we had all the momentum. The building was rocking.

And then Bunting pulled a Bunting.
- Atomic Wedgie

I agree with that, yes, the momentum had shifted.

But that also is my point. They came out flat, fell behind quick, and then had to play catch up. That's not a good template to win games, whether the refs are for/against you or not.

Leafs have a better roster and team on paper. Blaming the refs is warranted. But giving up a goal like Bellemare's less than 90 seconds into the game was not on the refs.

Samsonov in net for game 2.

Woll in net for game 3?
- Scabeh

put bunting in net if he is not suspended

We were going to kill that penalty off, and go on a tear.
- Atomic Wedgie

Fair enough.

I told Mrs. Lawsie that I'm taking our savings and throwing it down on a Leafs win Thursday ...I'm that certain of the victory. This things probably going 7 and the more desperate team will win the games they need to win - this is the way.


And by told I, of course, mean politely asked and plead.
- The Law

Leafs in 5 or 6.

If Hedman and Cernak miss significant time its in 5.

I truly think once this team gets going it'll be a tough train to stop.

I used to have NHL.com which let me watch yesterday's games, but I let it lapse. Does anyone have it? I swear on that goal - the Tampa 4th - the puck squirts free off to the right side of the zone (far side from camera angle) and Marner is about to be the first man there to clear the puck from the zone and he is hooked up / held up and doesn't reach the puck for the clear and Tampa retains possession and about 30 seconds later it's in the net. I didn't see it on the replays because they all start after that point. I wanted to know if he was interfered with or if he fell or was just too slow . . .
- Monkeypunk

It was blatant interference

I'm convinced our reaction to last night's game is why Leafs fans (and all Canadian teams' fans) can't have nice things.

They stunk. They looked far too nervous, imho.

But we lost the first game of a game of 7, and the pitchforks are out and the torches have been lit.

FFS, the crushing negativity in this town is at an all-time high.
- Atomic Wedgie

I've been back reading but trying to avoid commenting, but alas.....

1st Period: Leafs sucked, no energy, nervous...whatever, they sucked. 3-0

2nd Period: Leafs come out flying, throwing checks controlling the game and as soon as they get to 3-2 refs took over and sucked the winds out of their sails.

3rd Period: the team said (frank) it...mentally of course cuz it was too late.

Keefe coached all 3 periods and Bunting really (frank)ed up...I can even admit that and I like him, just not today. Holl and Gio were -2.

Things aren't always black and white or mutually exclusive all the time.

Leafs sucked for a part of the game. Refs sucked for the next part. Then the Leafs were lost somewhere between playing hard and staying out of the box in the 3rd and it didn't work.

poop (frank)ing game all around.

It's been one night and I thought people would have calmed down some.

You know, it can be multiple things that attributed to a loss right? Like the leafs can play bad AND have some bad calls against them.

Thing is, the refs didn't cause the first goal by Bellemere. Leafs mistakes did. They put themselves in a hole.

As I said last night, the first period was the best that Tampa has. Leafs have so much more shown in the second period.

The unfortunate major penalty was a real nail in the coffin. yeah the Kampf penalty and goal following was a bad one but 2 goals down isn't the end of the world. The squeaker goal sucked but it is what it is as well.

I don't get why people stress over it. The game was still a fun and entertaining game for 2 periods.

Positive is another 3 goals got by Vasilevsky. Powerplay performed well. PK needs a bit of work but tough to get going when your top PK'ers are in the box.

Let's stop trying to change the entire line up (especially since most people here wanted keefe to stop doing that too?) Let's stop trying to fire dubas, he didn't hit anyone.

I'm convinced our reaction to last night's game is why Leafs fans (and all Canadian teams' fans) can't have nice things.

They stunk. They looked far too nervous, imho.

But we lost the first game of a game of 7, and the pitchforks are out and the torches have been lit.

FFS, the crushing negativity in this town is at an all-time high.
- Atomic Wedgie

They didn't look nervous - they were nervous.

The negativity is born out of the fans' experiences with this team. Leafs fans were not this way all those years we made Ottawa our personal lap female dog.

Honestly - what in the blue (frank) do you expect from fans?

It may just be, Wedgie, that these 'nice things' you're always going on about - that are fun for you to watch razzle dazzle on a Tuesday in November - are not really as nice as you think they are come playoff time when being a winner is what is important.

MICHAEL DISTEFANO
@mickey_canuck
·
11h
Justin Holl (16% xGF) really struggled in his own zone tonight. He was on the ice for 6GA, outshot 19-5, and gave up 21 scoring chances-- 12 of which were high-danger. Granted, Holl did lead the team with over 7 mins of PK time... but gotta wonder if Lilly enters the chat in G2.

________________________

If Liljegren isn't in next game, Keefe needs to be (frank)ing smacked.

Not sure what you're supposed to expect to see when you jump onto a Leafs forum after a game like last night. Thoughtful discourse and a pragmatic critical breakdown of the loss?

Fan forums are always dumpster fires.
- mjones242

Specially after yet another impact game that the leafs do not show up for and completely fall apart.