It's the best line in hockey when Bergeron is playing, the leafs aren't the only ones that have trouble stopping them , the whole league does
Maple Leafs 2018 - 19
- Thread starter Insidious Von
- Start date
You do realize that some players have a talent to find seams in the coverage and openings provided by the goalie.
It's like saying that Mike Bossy and Brett Hull and Gretz only scored a lot of goals because of bad defence.
Pastrnak is a talented forward.
They tried to shadow Gretz at one time. Perhaps put 3 shadows. Leafs strategy will be to play more in the Boston zone. Once that line is in the Leaf zone it's pretty much wait for the good scoring chance and hope Andersen can come through.
Imagine what Leafs can do with their 3 best players Matthews Tavaras and Marner on one line. They will need to build chemistry and familiiarity though which that Boston super line certainly has. That was the advantage the Sedins had.
Imagine what Leafs can do with their 3 best players Matthews Tavaras and Marner on one line. They will need to build chemistry and familiiarity though which that Boston super line certainly has. That was the advantage the Sedins had.
Great story. I met the most of the team at a function and thought that Marner was a kid helping out. He looked just like a skinny teen in high school. Size aside, he is one of the best players in the game.
No one on the Leafs and very few in the League has Matthews catch and deadly shot skill so it's a whole different power play with him in there. The way he looks makes you wonder why Matthews was on the 2nd power play unit last year behind Bozak who played that spot. They did have a very good power play last year but this year shows with Matthews it's even better.
He loves that spot in left side playoff circle. They showed him snapping that shot to all corner for goals except to the low glove side.
I also loved when Brian Burke showed their tic tac toe passing and how the defenders never got close to anyone with the puck. The kicker was when he said it looked just like the way the Soviet Red Army team did it. And he was right.
I was just as impressed by AM's back checking as his power play skills. When the top player is willing to help the defense it crushes the opposing team's spirit.
SJ played the night before though vs Buff the best team in the League into overtime. They didn't have that zip and pressure as they usually do. They're the best PK team in the League after all. Although Leafs played them well. Forced the defender to come to them before making the pass to get them out of position. The low defender also made a bad read to cover Kadri leaving Tavaras open on his PP goal.
Interesting in the Leafs game vs SJ Craig Button highlighted the fact Leafs right after a PK sent out Tavaras, Marner with Matthews on left wing. Matthews soon after drew a penalty resulting in a PP goal. We may see this as a tactic moving forward. Putting Leafs 3 best players together on occasion to create a super line.
Matthews looked like he hadn't missed a game. Nor did the team look like some when a star player gets back from long absence. Can often take a game or two to readjust. They'll be even better when Willy returns.
Anyone miss Polak, Bozak, Komarov or JVR now?
Anyone miss Polak, Bozak, Komarov or JVR now?
I find it interesting that both Hyman and Kapanen who are on top 2 lines get no power play time whereas both Ennis and Lievo on the 4th line are on the 2nd PP unit. Ennis and Lievo don't kill penalties though and Hyman and Kapanen are key penalty killers.
Kadri also doesn't kill penalties. Don't know where all that Selke talk came from. Probably the local Toronto media. Hard to consider someone a Selke that isn't a premier penalty killer. Marner would probably be more apt for the Selke but Selke's usually go to a centerman. The last 14 Selke winners were centers. Before that a RW. Hmmm, Marner plays RW.
Gauthier also doesn't do PK for a 4th liner. No PP either. And he doesn't score. He's just big so easy decision to get him out of there.
Kadri also doesn't kill penalties. Don't know where all that Selke talk came from. Probably the local Toronto media. Hard to consider someone a Selke that isn't a premier penalty killer. Marner would probably be more apt for the Selke but Selke's usually go to a centerman. The last 14 Selke winners were centers. Before that a RW. Hmmm, Marner plays RW.
Gauthier also doesn't do PK for a 4th liner. No PP either. And he doesn't score. He's just big so easy decision to get him out of there.
Last edited:
Interesting fact about Marleau, he is the only NHL player to score a game winnig goal against 30 NHL teams. He has yet score a winner against Vegas. Took him 1601 games to do it. He has score a least a goal against all 31 NHl teams.
Looks can be decieving. Matthews said in the post game interview he felt aweful in second period. If he gets 3 points only 50-60% game shape, imagine what he'll be like in full game shape.
