[PLAY-IN] (8) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (9) Columbus Blue Jackets

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Sunday, Aug. 2: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, 8 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Tuesday, Aug. 4: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, 4 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Thursday, Aug. 6: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets, TBD
Friday, Aug. 7: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets*, TBD
Sunday, Aug. 9: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs*, TBD

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Blue Jackets win if they work hard, grind, forecheck, and have at least one game stolen by their no-name goalies. Basically, if Tortorella out-coaches Keefe.

Also, if Frederik Andersen plays October/Game 7 hockey.

Otherwise, Leafs win as long as either of the top two lines break out. I think Keefe being willing to mix things up, unlike his predecessor, can help.

[Giltis 116]

Agree with you, I see the Blue Jackets win if they play as you say.

Take full advantage when that top 30mil line isn't on.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Giltis

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

I'm leaning towards the Leafs because I think younger legs will handle the layoff better. This and the CGY-WPG series are the two I'm really looking forward to.

[Jamarquan 201]

The Blue Jackets play so hard that I think if they can stifle the Leafs early they'll never recover. My biases against Toronto aside I really do think they're cooked if they don't come out hot.

[BenBreeg 493]

No clue, one is a .500 team and the other below .500.  I gotta think the Leafs should pull this out but who knows?

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

On 7/26/2020 at 11:09 AM, Jamarquan said:

The Blue Jackets play so hard that I think if they can stifle the Leafs early they'll never recover. My biases against Toronto aside I really do think they're cooked if they don't come out hot.

Good point. The Leafs never came off as a time that "grind it out" if any form of adversity came their way. At least from my POV...

[IPv6Freely 2096]

11 hours ago, 215BroadStBullies610 said:

Good point. The Leafs never came off as a time that "grind it out" if any form of adversity came their way. At least from my POV...

They play better when behind than with a lead, where they sit back and try to hang onto it despite having terrible defence, which means blown leads are common. There’s zero killer instinct. And they definitely fold easily.

Down by one goal, you’ll see them playing their best. Down by two goals, the game is over.

Toronto should absolutely win this series, but Columbus has proven they can stifle high flying teams (before getting pummeled by hard working teams). That’s really the only thing about them that scares me, yet it’s more than enough to win. 

[Giltis 116]

9 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Down by one goal, you’ll see them playing their best. Down by two goals, the game is over.

👌 Perfect assessment.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Humiliating loss. Team brought absolutely nothing. Tavares and Marner completely invisible. I give up on Freddy. I’ve been saying for two years that anyone who skates down the right wing side and fires a wrist shot is almost guaranteed a goal. Almost every OT loss this season was on a goal just like that. He just can’t get it done.

I revise my prediction: Columbus in 4.

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Yea, this was what I expected IF the Blue Jackets were play their game. I enjoy watching TOR but dare I say they are somewhat soft? Maybe they're just young and need to get the taste of losing first...

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Only somewhat? 

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Is this even the same team?

It was getting pretty tense there for a bit. Seriously thought Columbus was going to go up 2-0 having their goalie absolutely steal game 2.

Hope Muzzin is okay - that was one of the best games he's played for them. 

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Tale of two halves haha. TOR was much more active on the forecheck it seemed. And yes, hopefully Muzzin is okay. Never good to see anyone level the field of play on a stretcher...

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Good god. Saw that coming a mile away. The 3-2 goal goes in and the bottom lips start dragging on the ice. Zero pressure and just kept flipping the puck back to center like teams that have defensive ability do. 

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Wow. Embarrassing loss.

[Giltis 116]

They are certainly feeling the loss of Muzzin. I hope he's ok.

Even the Leafs win the series. What do you do if you're the Leafs management to strengthen the D-core in the off season? I mean it seems like that's one of their main issue. But I don't think anyone could manage a decent backend-only rebuild.

Edited August 7, 2020 by Giltis

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Yeah their feeble attempt to play shut down defense without their only shut down defenseman was bound to fail. They needed to keep pressing. We got game 2 Leafs for 40 mins and game 1 leafs for the last 20. They did play better in OT, but the momentum was gone.

They play again tonight, but knowing the way this team sulks when something doesn’t go their way, I think it’s over.

On the bright side, at least for once it’s not a lack of the stars showing up. Matthews has been a beast all series, so has Reilly. Marner and Tavares showed up in game 2. The only one who hasn’t been all that effective is Nylander. He looks so lazy out there.

To answer your question, obviously the priority should be signing Pieterangelo. Unlikely, but you have to try. Call me crazy but I’d love to see them try to find a way to pry Doughty away from the Kings. He’s still got plenty left and he’s wasted in an LA rebuild. Maybe float Nylander or Kapanen and some picks?

[chippa13 1844]

Marner is a treat to watch. My one criticism is sometimes those guys get a little too cute and make that one pass too many.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

This team is just absolute trash. Shanahan promised to make this team respectable again. I don’t expect a cup every year or anything but at least a team that isn’t the butt of jokes across the league. A team that makes fans of other teams say “I hate them, but man they’re good” instead of “LOL Leafs”.

I’ve completely lost faith in Nylander and Anderson. Tavares was going to cost a fortune to whoever got him and while I don’t think they should regret the signing by any means, he’s so often invisible.

Muzzin being out was a huge part of yesterday’s embarrassing collapse, no question. But his absence has absolutely nothing to do with the dogshit they produced tonight.

Losing this series is the ultimate embarrassment and basically sums up the season. 

[IPv6Freely 2096]

Well... that was unexpected. Everything i say still stands, though. LOL.

Now they’ll do the most Leafs thing ever and win in OT just so they can get pounded 6-0 in game 5 where Andersen will just crumble.

[Jamarquan 201]

Aw, hell. I was so ready to bury the Leafs tonight. Really hoping Columbus comes out hot in Game 5.

[IPv6Freely 2096]

I’ll admit it was kind of funny watching Foligno bitching after his dumb penalty cost his team the game. Not sure what he was complaining about... pretty much textbook dirty play sticking his stick into somebody’s feet like that.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team score three goals with the goalie out before. 

[IPv6Freely 2096]

That’s the most fucking embarrassing way to lose a playoff series EVER.

That had better be Andersen’s last game in that uniform.

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Definitely a weak goal but when your offense lays a goose egg, its tough to blame the 'tender.