Real bad?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 3 points out of the playoffs, with 5 games in hand.
A year ahead of schedule.....
Toronto Maple Leafs - 2016/17 Season
- Thread starter GameBoy27
- Start date
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 3 points out of the playoffs, with 5 games in hand.
A year ahead of schedule.....
Did I speak too soon? :Eek:
While I agree that these guys are well conditioned elite athletes, the game is played at such a fast pace that if your timing is off by even the slightest amount, it can affect your game. Not all players will be affected the same way after some time off, but it can have an effect.
The same thing goes for practice. You can practice all you want but nothing gets you in game shape like actually playing.
I just wish that the opposing team, also suffered from "rust". Lost 5-1 last night and 6-3 the other night. Not good.
Because their routine was disrupted. It is not hard to grasp that concept.
You realise that they practise and play almost every day and it is because they need to, to stay sharp.
Every team goes through peaks and valleys throughout the season. Young, inexperienced teams more so and more extreme than others.
You forgot that the teams they lost 3-6 and 1-5 to also had their routine disrupted. Maybe scrap the 5 day vacation?
They have to beat Boston tomorrow or they fall further behind and games in hands are useless you win them.
The Leafs are roughly 5 points from either being 2nd in the division for playoff home ice advantage, or the bottom of the conference for a lottery pick. Goaltending will most likely be the determining factor as to which direction the team takes but if we can only get mediocre goaltending and with Gardiner playing like his old self as he did the last couple of games, a lottery pick will be more likely than a playoff spot.
Thanks, but it was a birthday present for my nieces.
Apparently you can only get tix in advance through ticketmaster or stubhub (or other ticket outlets).
You cannot get tickets at the counter like you can at Blue Jay games. At least not in advance
Teams are looking for big goalies (6'3" +) so Andesen at 6'4" is just perfect. Kelly Hrudey was saying how a lot of goalies got beat in the 5 hole because the knee pads wouldn't lay flat when the goalie went down and pucks were just bouncing off the pads and through.
Huge regulation win to stop the skid. The team didn't play particularly well but got a few lucky bounces.
Huge regulation win to stop the skid. The team didn't play particularly well but got a few lucky bounces.
The problem is that they do leave a large 5 hole. I counted at least two goals against that went through the 5 hole.
Another problem is that we keep losing faceoffs. Instead, of trying to win faceoffs we should just tie the other guy up.
It was an ugly win but any win in regulation is good. Breaks a 3 game losing streak against a team we are competing for a playoff spot.
Some commentary on Andersen's 5 hole goals against.
"the five-hole goals are surprising for a goalie with a fairly wide natural butterfly flare, which allows him to close things up with the top of his pads while covering a lot of net low. Some five-hole exposure is explained by his tendency to set his feet wide and then reach for shots, rather than shifting into them, and that creates holes. He also turns his blocker sideways when defaulting into a butterfly block. That's fairly common, but he also pulls the stick blade away from the five-hole, adding exposure if he doesn't keep his pads sealed."
https://www.nhl.com/news/goaltender-matchup-inside-hiller-vs-andersen/c-765684
And take a penalty for faceoff interference and then they give up a power play goal with the puck going through the 5-hole.
I think that covers all the bases.
Neutralize the Draw – Lift His Stick
Neutralize the Draw – Slap His Stick Away and Hold it There
http://www.hockeyplayerdeveloper.com/TIPS/DEFENCE/DEFENCE_FaceOffTechniques.pdf
We must have lost some content during the latest blip, someone asked about Birke duping the Leafs into trading William Nylander. I'll respond anyway.
Birke is an idiot, the worst GM in Leafs history. At Least Gerry McNamara and JFJ had legitimate excuses. Earlier in the season he toyed with Calgarians emotions, typical Birke Tavares style hyperbole, Michael Nylander had his best years as a Flame. Even though he's not the GM he suggested he could get Nylander for Dougie Hamilton, as if he had a chance against a master poker player like Lou. So I take every opportunity to bash him.
Birke is an idiot, the worst GM in Leafs history. At Least Gerry McNamara and JFJ had legitimate excuses. Earlier in the season he toyed with Calgarians emotions, typical Birke Tavares style hyperbole, Michael Nylander had his best years as a Flame. Even though he's not the GM he suggested he could get Nylander for Dougie Hamilton, as if he had a chance against a master poker player like Lou. So I take every opportunity to bash him.
