Choose the opponent?
- Thread starter cshea
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They match up better with the Leafs, and have held a psychological advantage for years. Still, I want them to win the division and beat TB, to help exorcize last year's demons. Can they do it? We shall see.
Tamper.
I kind of feel this is the year the Laffs get over the hump, at least in the 1st round. They had a lot of all-stars this year, but to be frank, i didn;t want much regular season. I don't think Tamper is anywhere close to its peak, but Taranna is, if that makes sense.
The psychological edge is overblown. But would be happy to be proven wrong,
I kind of feel this is the year the Laffs get over the hump, at least in the 1st round. They had a lot of all-stars this year, but to be frank, i didn;t want much regular season. I don't think Tamper is anywhere close to its peak, but Taranna is, if that makes sense.
The psychological edge is overblown. But would be happy to be proven wrong,
I voted Toronto, but not so much because I think the Bruins match up better. It has more to do with the fact that I hate watching Tampa play hockey. I hate their coach, I hate their goalies, I hate their skaters. I just hate them.
The Bruins can beat them, but fuck I am going to be miserable watching them play against them.
The Bruins can beat them, but fuck I am going to be miserable watching them play against them.
Toronto. Shorter flights and a less physical opponent. It’s not just about winning the first round, it’s about getting out reasonably healthy.
Absolutely. The problem is that Florida knows they’ll just run right over them, so I expect them to completely mail it in tonight, and we’ll get Tampa.
I went with Tampa.
Yes, the regular season record seems to suggest that the Bruins fare much better against the Leafs (4-0-0 vs TOR, as opposed to 1-1-2 against TBL). But the regular season is weird, both in terms of teams meeting each other at weird times (uneven rest, injuries, slumps, etc.) and of course the different OT rules. The Bruins had a pair of 4-1 regulation wins over Toronto but just 3 days apart, and the other two wins against the Leafs were an OT and a SO win. Meanwhile the only regulation loss to Tampa was the end of a back-to-back on the road after being the Panthers the night before. Remaining outcomes versus the Lightning are one OT loss, one SO loss, and a 7-3 win back in January.
On paper Toronto is a much better team, and I think a seven game series would bear this out. Leafs are 2nd in scoring (3.65 GF/GP) while the Bolts are 5th (3.48 GF/GP), and the Leafs are 18th in preventing goals (3.13 GA/GP) while the Lightning are 22nd (3.25 GA/GP). As for goaltenders, Vasilevskiy has been below average (-0.049 GSAE/60, 48th overall of goalies with 10+ games played) and his backups have been catastrophic. Meanwhile Woll has been good (0.264 GSAE, 16th overall) and Martin Jones even better (0.448 GSAE, 8th overall), so I really don't understand their love of Ilya Samsonov and his -0.211 GSAE/60 (ranked 60th).
The only area that Tampa has a clear advantage is on special teams (1st on PP, 5th on PK) over Toronto (7th PP, 24th PK). But playoffs tend to suppress the importance of special teams...
Yes, the regular season record seems to suggest that the Bruins fare much better against the Leafs (4-0-0 vs TOR, as opposed to 1-1-2 against TBL). But the regular season is weird, both in terms of teams meeting each other at weird times (uneven rest, injuries, slumps, etc.) and of course the different OT rules. The Bruins had a pair of 4-1 regulation wins over Toronto but just 3 days apart, and the other two wins against the Leafs were an OT and a SO win. Meanwhile the only regulation loss to Tampa was the end of a back-to-back on the road after being the Panthers the night before. Remaining outcomes versus the Lightning are one OT loss, one SO loss, and a 7-3 win back in January.
On paper Toronto is a much better team, and I think a seven game series would bear this out. Leafs are 2nd in scoring (3.65 GF/GP) while the Bolts are 5th (3.48 GF/GP), and the Leafs are 18th in preventing goals (3.13 GA/GP) while the Lightning are 22nd (3.25 GA/GP). As for goaltenders, Vasilevskiy has been below average (-0.049 GSAE/60, 48th overall of goalies with 10+ games played) and his backups have been catastrophic. Meanwhile Woll has been good (0.264 GSAE, 16th overall) and Martin Jones even better (0.448 GSAE, 8th overall), so I really don't understand their love of Ilya Samsonov and his -0.211 GSAE/60 (ranked 60th).
The only area that Tampa has a clear advantage is on special teams (1st on PP, 5th on PK) over Toronto (7th PP, 24th PK). But playoffs tend to suppress the importance of special teams...
Not sure who Toronto would prefer, but I think they play straight up tonight. They are coming off 2 losses and have a game tomorrow as well. Maurice signaled his intention to try and win, I think Toronto matches up as a tuneup. Matthews is also sitting on 69 goals so I'd imagine there's a desire to get him to 70, though that could lead to bad habits.
I said Tampa, but I don't care too much either way. To get to the conference final the B's may have to beat both anyway (Florida has some say in that).
It will likely come down to Vasilevskiy vs Swaymark - may the best man/tandem win.
It will likely come down to Vasilevskiy vs Swaymark - may the best man/tandem win.
Aren't we at close-the-thread time with this one?
I wanted Toronto which probably means Toronto will finally figure things out this year.
I wanted Toronto which probably means Toronto will finally figure things out this year.