Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs

[fungchen3]

Some observations from this series ...

1. The Bruins are just a flat-out better team.

2. Matthews is clearly injured, and hasn't been himself since his 1st injury this season. He's been banged up a lot this year and I think has't been even 85% since.

3. The Leafs, as a team, have disappointed me with their effort in large chunks.

4. Andersen is letting in at least one horrific goal a game.

5. Pastrnak and Marchard are downright scary.

6. The Leafs need a ton of help on D.

7. Babcock is getting out-coached.

8. The Leafs are going to do something bold in the offseason.

9. The Bruins are going to be very good for a long time.

[2014olympicgold]

Some observations from this series ...

1. The Bruins are just a flat-out better team.

2. Matthews is clearly injured, and hasn't been himself since his 1st injury this season. He's been banged up a lot this year and I think has't been even 85% since.

3. The Leafs, as a team, have disappointed me with their effort in large chunks.

4. Andersen is letting in at least one horrific goal a game.

5. Pastrnak and Marchard are downright scary.

6. The Leafs need a ton of help on D.

7. Babcock is getting out-coached.

8. The Leafs are going to do something bold in the offseason.

9. The Bruins are going to be very good for a long time.

I don't know if Babcock is being outcoached, I just think the team he's against is that much better.

But what a difference in officiating from games 1/2 to 3/4. They aren't being officiated unfairly in any means. The refs have been fair to each team in both games. But between the first two games vs the last 2 have been quite different in my opinion. Leafs need to upgrade their D. Dermott and Rielly have shown they can be top defensemen. Zaitsev has been lost the whole series, Gardiner has been Gardiner but in the playoffs the problems get amplified. Polak is slow, just so slow.

[DusterDave]

Gardiner has been Gardiner but in the playoffs the problems get amplified.

Gardiner is horrible and needs to go in the off-season. He literally had possession of the puck in BOSTON'S ZONE and gave it a weak dump into the corner within Chara's reach. Absolutely zero hockey sense in that boy's head. We aren't going to win with a player like him. He can string together 3-4 good games and then be horrible for another 10. It has become beyond frustrating.

The Leafs lost Game 4 in the 2nd period when Boston continued to turn the puck over in their own end but we couldn't finish our scoring chances. Boston were the better team again. Blaming the refs is embarrassing.
Matthews and Nylander haven't been Matthews and Nylander all series. We can't win 4 out of 7 games when Marner is our only offensive threat. I do however believe Matthews is still carrying that shoulder injury and isn't close to 100%. I'd expect some sort of confirmation of this following the series if/when the Leafs are eliminated. This whole series and team have been disappointing. It is no one's fault but their own. It isn't over until it's over but it has become damn hard to believe in this team making a series come back.

[2014olympicgold]

Gardiner is horrible and needs to go in the off-season. He literally had possession of the puck in BOSTON'S ZONE and gave it a weak dump into the corner within Chara's reach. Absolutely zero hockey sense in that boy's head. We aren't going to win with a player like him. He can string together 3-4 good games and then be horrible for another 10. It has become beyond frustrating.

The Leafs lost Game 4 in the 2nd period when Boston continued to turn the puck over in their own end but we couldn't finish our scoring chances. Boston were the better team again. Blaming the refs is embarrassing.
Matthews and Nylander haven't been Matthews and Nylander all series. We can't win 4 out of 7 games when Marner is our only offensive threat. I do however believe Matthews is still carrying that shoulder injury and isn't close to 100%. I'd expect some sort of confirmation of this following the series if/when the Leafs are eliminated. This whole series and team have been disappointing. It is no one's fault but their own. It isn't over until it's over but it has become damn hard to believe in this team making a series come back.

Showed when Gardiner shot it about 50 times into a defenders shin pads.

I hope it didn't sound like I was blaming the refs.

Yes. He's gotta be hurt. He tried doing a "Matthews rush" in the 3rd where he went from his own end and weaved his way into the zone and loaded up the shot and a touch of the stick from behind had it roll off his stick. Ok, not bad it happens. Then he goes and tries to get it, has it on his stick and he stick handles it off his stick. That's not Matthews.

Still more games tho, but all uphill. And an uphill that's intimidating.

[DusterDave]

Sorry 2014OG, wasn't referring to you when I said blaming the refs is embarrassing. If you are on twitter you'll know what I meant. Some of the fans on their embarrasse the fan base with their comments.

[2014olympicgold]

Sorry 2014OG, wasn't referring to you when I said blaming the refs is embarrassing. If you are on twitter you'll know what I meant. Some of the fans on their embarrasse the fan base with their comments.

Those aren't hockey fans, they're Leaf fans. Same people who were saying Marner should be traded early in the season, same ones who ripped Andersen in October.

About 60% of Leaf fans are hockey fans as well, too bad the other 40% are louder than the 60%.

[Feenom]

Pretty simple, Boston's best players are playing better than Leafs best players. Matthews has been very disappointing (injured or not). Marner seems to be the only consistent Leaf doing anything offensively. Bruins are also playing the physical game and out hitting the Leafs. Other than Polak, I don't see many Leafs if any hitting the opposition with regularity. Leafs are a #1 dman and a power forward away from being true contenders. Freddy is fine, it wasn't his fault his Dmen decided to pinch and get caught up ice. Expect some changes in the off season. Maybe Doughty comes to T.O.

[2014olympicgold]

Pretty simple, Boston's best players are playing better than Leafs best players. Matthews has been very disappointing (injured or not). Marner seems to be the only consistent Leaf doing anything offensively. Bruins are also playing the physical game and out hitting the Leafs. Other than Polak, I don't see many Leafs if any hitting the opposition with regularity. Leafs are a #1 dman and a power forward away from being true contenders. Freddy is fine, it wasn't his fault his Dmen decided to pinch and get caught up ice. Expect some changes in the off season. Maybe Doughty comes to T.O.

Kapanen, JvR, Rielly, Matthews even hitting (only his right side)....Leafs are hitting, just not to the level Bruins are.

Power Forward = slow (eventually) forward. Bringing in a Power Forward via FA would cost way too much and then be too slow for the system.

The rest I agree with. Hoping for Doughty, but doubt it.

[Feenom]

Kapanen, JvR, Rielly, Matthews even hitting (only his right side)....Leafs are hitting, just not to the level Bruins are.

Power Forward = slow (eventually) forward. Bringing in a Power Forward via FA would cost way too much and then be too slow for the system.

The rest I agree with. Hoping for Doughty, but doubt it.

If JVR isn't in front of Rask then he is invisible. Kapanen is impressive and it will be nice to see him full time next season. Reilly is having a good series that I agree with. Matthews has spurts of energy then tails off into oblivion. As for a PF, I would like to see one that can bang and chip in offensively. Leafs need this, clearly identified in this series, hard to find but doable. There's a level of intimidation that the Bruins are winning. Chara skates in and snow showers Freddy and NOBODY gives him any tap/smack/slash to remind him he can't do that. Bruins keep buzzing around the Leaf net after whistles trying to put Freddy off his game. On the other end, every time a Leaf even looks at Rask they come to his aid. To me Leafs are being out hustled, out muscled and out worked, something I never thought would happen to a Babcock coached team.

[lucafen4]

I can't remember the analyst who said this, but Freddy has been playing on his toes all series, which has put him out of balance. I noticed again last night on the 3-1 goal by DeBrusk that Freddy is falling forward while crossing over the crease. Normally he slides across more butterfly style and can make that save upright with his right side/arm/shoulder. He's really feeling a bit of pressure to bail the Leafs out and it's got him too far on his toes it seems.

There's definitely an intimidation factor in play - just look at the way the Leafs stick to the outside, when was the last time a Leaf 2-2 took the puck to the net? Cannot win in the playoffs if you don't crash the net. Rask has gotten way to comfortable. Down 3-1 going back to Boston.. could this be a 2013 repeat? (minus game 7 collapse)

[PenguinHunter]

Could we go without seeing a Game 7 in the first round?

This was one of the series I thought would go 7 games... and Boston got a 3-1 lead without their #1 C last night.

San Jose Anaheim - I thought it was going 7... and it ended in a sweep.

Washington Columbus has a chance at going 7... but I think Washington has woken up and can roll out two more straight.

It would suck if there was not any game 7 hockey in the first round!

[lucafen4]

Kadri returns for game 5.... there's a guy that is going to feel the pressure to perform. He always has said he likes the pressure. he better f---ing show it

[Kofax]

I think there's a little too much over-analysis going on here.

I think it's been pretty simple:
- Rask has been better than Andersen
- Boston has a better defense

I think that Toronto's forward group has outperformed Boston's as a whole for most of the series. The holes on Toronto's defense have been exposed allowing Boston's only real offensive force (their top line, and it's a good one) to dominate by capitalizing on all its chances as Andersen has lost his form from the second half of the season and has been unable to bail the team out and carry them forward.

One thing needs to happen for next season:
- Shore up the defense

And to a lesser extent, give Andersen some more rest throughout the season instead of riding him so hard all year.

[2014olympicgold]

I think there's a little too much over-analysis going on here.

I think it's been pretty simple.
- Rask has been better than Andersen
- Boston has a better defense

I think that Toronto's forward group has outperformed Boston's as a whole for most of the series. The holes on Toronto's defense have been exposed allowing Boston's only real offensive force (their top line, and it's a good one) to dominate by capitalizing on all his chances as Andersen has lost his form from the second half of the season and has been unable to bail the team out and carry them forward.

One thing needs to happen for next season:
- Shore up the defense

And to a lesser extend, give Andersen some more rest throughout the season instead of riding him so hard all year.

Especially since McEhlliney is actually solid for a backup. No reason to not use him 20-25 times if he plays like he did this season.

[DusterDave]

Kadri returns for game 5.... there's a guy that is going to feel the pressure to perform. He always has said he likes the pressure. he better f---ing show it

I am incredibly anxious to see what Kadri brings to the table tonight. He is going to be motivated as all bloody hell.