Leafs - Flyers - Game Six

[Ranger68]

First off, far too much is made of "momentum" in the playoffs. Check out postings on previous threads - every time one team wins, everyone's on the bandwagon, or bailing from the other team's. It's just silly.
The Leafs were beaten badly last night, but it's only one game. Is it worse to lose a game like that, or lose in triple OT?
I think it's the same. These guys are professionals - they'll get over it.
It looks to me like a homer series.
I'll just transpose my prediction for the score in the last one to this game. Leafs 1 - Flyers 0.
Unfortunately, Game Seven, if needed, will be in Philly .......

 

[The Doctor]

The Leafs needed to win one in Philly and hold on home ice if they wanted to move on. It would have been nice to get that win before game 7 but either way they need to prove they can win in Philly. Game 6 will be another strong showing from the Leafs because they've followed their worst efforts this season with some of their best. I think we'll have another 3-1 or 4-1 game in Toronto and then it will be a defining game (win or loose) for this current edition of the Leafs. If they win, then they will be on a roll and could ride it a long way. If they loose, there will be changes, not unlike what Ottawa will experience before they're done.

 

[Ranger68]

Well, I think, to some degree, ALL teams are going to go through changes, due to the new CBA (whenever it's agreed upon, that is).
Certainly, the Leafs look to roll over some portion of their "elder" talent, but that's going to happen win or lose.

 

[Ranger68]

Burke or Esche - won't make much difference.
I hope we've heard all the whining we're going to from Hitchcock / Clarke regarding the officiating.
I'd bet on the Leafs in Six, and the Flyers in Seven.

 

[the_big_E]

Next season (provided there is one)...I think you will see: Belfour, Nieuwendyk, Marchment, Reichel, Renberg, Francis, maybe Roberts & Mogilny all gone...I know Leetch is under contract as well as Sundin. I may be mistaken about Mogilny, I know he signed a 4 year contract when he signed, but I think the 4th year was an option. I know this isnt the main topic of the thread, but there was some mention of it so I opted to expand.

 

[the_big_E]

add Berg, Johansson, Kidd, and Fitzgerald.

 

[the_big_E]

In addition...I just heard the Klee is out, and Pilar is in.

umm, can anyone remember the last time Pilar played? What about Calle?

 

[Ranger68]

Yoiks. Klee out. That hurts.
It's going to be even tougher to clear the net in front of Eddie. Klee and Nieuwendyk turned around a forgettable off-season for me - with both of those guys out, it's the same team that got destroyed in Game Seven last year in the first round - with one of the two out, my confidence drops markedly.
Klee's presence is vital to this team being able to control Philly's forwards down low.
If I were a betting man, I wouldn't get on the Leafs tonight, anymore.

 

[pistol]

Leaf D

This is the point some were making at the deadline. Johansson? A pipedream. Francis good story, but really is he a big improvement on Reichel at his stage of his career?
For years they've needed to upgrade their D. Leetch a good addition, but as is being proven in this series he and McCabe cannot play 60 minutes. Which of Leafs other D do you trust? Marchment, Pilar, Kaberle, Berehowsky, Berg? Or, C none of the above?

 

[Lumix]

I have one thing to say about tonite.........................


GO LEAFS GO !!!!!

 

[Ranger68]

I trusted the D with McCabe, Leetch, Marchment and Klee. McCabe's had some tough times, but lots of good defensemen go through times like that.
Klee's a steady guy who can soak up time and play physically every shift. Without him, they're back to being below average in terms of toughness from the D.
I wouldn't be unhappy to see Berehowsky back - he's got an edge, and was logging tons of ice time before he came over.

 

[plymaker]

Simple put i think the leafs win the cup or pat should be out of a job. i personly think he is not that all good of a coach. it seems that he can never get things gone in the play-offs. a loss in the next two games will result in a pat fireing.


GO LEAFS GO

 

[n_v]

Simple put i think the leafs win the cup or pat should be out of a job. i personly think he is not that all good of a coach. it seems that he can never get things gone in the play-offs. a loss in the next two games will result in a pat fireing.

Agreed.

 

[Ranger68]

Simple put i think the leafs win the cup or pat should be out of a job. i personly think he is not that all good of a coach. it seems that he can never get things gone in the play-offs. a loss in the next two games will result in a pat fireing.


GO LEAFS GO

How strong do you think the Leafs are, with so many bodies injured or playing hurt - Klee, Nieuwendyk, Sundin, Nolan? Never mind Roberts, Mogilny ....
Take a long look at the forward lines going into tonight's game - supposed to be their strong point - and tell me how good you think they are, relatively speaking.
Hey, I'm not the biggest Quinn fan, but to imply that this team should be the hands-down favourite to win the Cup (or has been at some point during Quinn's tenure) seems a very dubious proposition.

 

[n_v]

How strong do you think the Leafs are, with so many bodies injured or playing hurt - Klee, Nieuwendyk, Sundin, Nolan? Never mind Roberts, Mogilny ....
Take a long look at the forward lines going into tonight's game - supposed to be their strong point - and tell me how good you think they are, relatively speaking.
Hey, I'm not the biggest Quinn fan, but to imply that this team should be the hands-down favourite to win the Cup (or has been at some point during Quinn's tenure) seems a very dubious proposition.

BLAH BLAH BLAH

 

[Ranger68]

Can someone punt n_v please? I can't read it, but I'm sure it's moronic.
Thanks.

 

[pistol]

injuries

A fact of life for every NHL team.
Esche. Malakhov, Desjardins, Seidenburg are all out or questionable for Philly.
No complaints no excuses.
Everyone knew months ago injuries would be a big factor with this group.

 

[n_v]

Re: injuries

A fact of life for every NHL team.
Esche. Malakhov, Desjardins, Seidenburg are all out or questionable for Philly.
No complaints no excuses.
Everyone knew months ago injuries would be a big factor with this group.

Exactly!! This is now, what, the 3rd or 4th playoff year that injuries are surfacing, yet coaching, management and ownership is hell bent on signing up geriatrics who are prone to injuries and employ a syle that lends itself more to injuries. Can't use that as an excuse every year. When something is broke you FIX it, but not MLSE .

 

[beaver cleaner]

I miss the Douggie days, when they were underdogs playing on emotion with nothing but the desire to win. This years team has had too many lousy games, and that is why they are in this situation of having ceded home ice advantage with dispicable losses at home to teams such as Carolina, Chicago, and Florida.

They cannot score at will, they spend far too much time trying to dump and chase, or make a nice pass. If Tie Domi is your best player in the playoffs, or Nieuwendyk who has missed half the games then you got a serious problem. I'll take Calgary's heart or even Primeau's over the Leafs until they show that they have the guts.

 

[Ranger68]

"A fact of life for every NHL team."
Surely you don't mean to imply that most (any?) teams had the same injury problems - and into the playoffs - that the Leafs did. Pull the other one.

Esche hasn't missed any time - two periods of a game they were winning big time. Desjardins' the only important guy out for Philadelphia - to compare with Nolan, and now Klee added to Sundin and Nieuwendyk who've missed *some* time in the series. You're comparing Malakhov and *Seidenberg*?! Please.

Oh, BTW, the whole "excuses" thing is so juvenile. An excuse is something you use to cover for the fact that you didn't get done something you were *supposed* to do. No need to supply "excuses" - I'm supplying *reasons* why the Leafs aren't performing the way they might. Clear enough?

This is not to say that many Leafs are underperforming in the playoffs so far. Nevertheless, they are into Game Six in the second round - most other teams are already done, including some that finished ahead of the Leafs.

So, again, the question - how many people *expected* the Leafs to win the Cup this year? Not hoped for, or thought they *might* - EXPECTED them to.