Maple Leafs vs. Lightning LIVE Post Game Reaction | Leafs Talk

Maple Leafs vs. Lightning LIVE Post Game Reaction | Leafs Talk

No more deal. Leafs talk. JD Buckus and Sam McKe. The Leafs get a tidy victory against the Atlantic leading Tampa Bay Lightning. Only two points back. um didn’t really like the first and then from that point forward I thought the Maple Leafs just went full identity mode and dare I say that had a little bit of uh playoff feel to it. Big time playoff feel. That was going to be my first thought from the game. I would say that this is a Craig Barube wet dream hockey game. Oh yeah, he loved it. Oh my god. Like the things he’s going to do with that tape later. He loves the tape of this game. But he’s cuddling up with that tape. Oh yeah, he’s cuddling up. Smooching it. Oh, he’s such a beautiful little cape. Uh, but yeah, great intensity I thought throughout. I thought the Leafs were a little sleepy for the first 15 minutes of the game, but something we’ve rarely seen throughout this season is them flip the script in a game. Usually when it it goes bad to start, it stays bad. And I thought a fantastic response from the Leafs in the second period where they were the much better team in the second period, a period that’s killed them all season long and they kind of flipped the script tonight. So that for me was probably the most encouraging thing to hang on for dear life at the end. Cali Yarn Croc looks at a wide open net and decides to just, you know, maybe not shoot it in there for some reason that’s been known. I don’t know why, but I do. Because he snake bits it. I I don’t tell me why he’s he’s got to come back out because they’re gaming it. So Robertson’s back on scratch and score. Like if he scores a goal, he can’t come out of the lineup. It doesn’t matter how he gets it. But yeah, I I’m with you on the second period, man. So I I think that the Leafs woke up after they got that bounce. Like we we’re not going to be talking about a lot of goals tonight because yeah, there were two and the first one. Nice play by Benois getting it up. Yep. But yeah, they get two insanely fortuitous bounces in a row. Pingball machine or pinball machine that ends up with Morgan Riley chucking one into the back of the net. Leafs get on the board and I thought kind of from that moment forward like you can see the shot total there. It was 15 to seven. But Tampa was getting good looks. Like that was their best offense of the entire game. That was the only time that they were finding the middle of the ice that they were kind of holding on to possession, being patient. Toronto opened up a few times and Hillbe had to make some big stops. But man, you’re right. That second period was just pack the house, take away the middle of the ice. And the way that I looked at it was that had to be an incredibly frustrating period for Tampa to play. Like you’re you’re chasing the game and you go out there in the second period after kind of feeling yourself in the first and you could just get absolutely nothing going to the middle of the ice. Everything’s from the outside. Everything’s one and done. Toronto was winning puck battles. Toronto’s chipping pucks out, playing the way they want to play, and then some good opportunistic offense that was dangerous at times, especially from the first line and Austin Matthews. So, yeah, I’m I’m with you, man. That second period tonight was awesome, and that’s that’s what Craig Brew will watch over and over again when he tucks in with the tape. So, I I think that Saturday kind of scared us a lot in terms of feeling like the Leafs made a lot of progress on that road trip where it felt like their game was turning around. it was more recognizable from last season. And one of the theories that I didn’t bring up on Saturday night, and it’s not like a theory that I’ve invented, but it’s one that’s been long known in hockey is that the first game back from a long road trip often a dud and it’s come up with that. No, I know. I buddy buddy, I know you I know I’m a puck knower, but even I couldn’t think of that brilliant theory, but no, but like we didn’t talk about that and that’s something I got a bunch of DMs about after and I’m like, I probably should have brought that up. And I thought tonight was a bit of a test for me. Like I’m not gonna say if they lose this game handily that we’re back to square one with this team, but like it was close. I I thought that it was a big game for me just to feel like if they’ve actually turned a corner or that and make that game on Saturday night a bit of a one-off. Like the compete level and the attention to detail and all the different stuff that you want was 10 times better tonight than it was on Saturday night. Like there was no comp there’s no comparison between the two teams in terms of like Saturday night Leafs and tonight Leafs are the two teams I’m talking about in terms of just the defensive attention to detail hard on pucks digging battles and just I don’t know maybe the Leafs just kind of own the bolts a little bit so they get up for them a bit a little bit but I I just thought it was I was going to say is that if you’re Brad you don’t want to change the DNA of when you play Tampa. Yeah. They own the they own Tampa. Yeah. They just which is crazy to say. It’s just one of those matchups that work. It’s like the Charlotte Hornets against the Toronto Raptors. Just there’s something about the matchup. Everyone against the Rabbies lately, but Yeah, I know. But it just they they seem to get up for that game and they play them well and Yeah. I don’t know, man. I kind of Tampa’s like the one team that like when they play in Toronto, you don’t feel like their guys are getting the best shot. Maybe it’s because they’ve played them so much that a little bit of the allure is gone and they’ve got important players who aren’t Canadian and who aren’t from the GTA. Like they got Cuts and Headmonds and I don’t know what it is, but just Toronto plays Tampa very well. I kind of I I sort of expected them to have a good one tonight against Tampa. It was like the Bolts were getting a bunch of guys back. It was gonna It was a good opportunity for Toronto. I’m with you though. I kind of feel that way though. Basically, it’s gonna be a while now, man. It’s it’s gonna be a while before I feel like like, have they turned a corner, if that’s the way you want to put it? Absolutely. Definitely. But but in terms of the trust level, not there. No. No. It’s it’s going to take a while, man. Like, it just it just is. Like I I don’t I don’t view that as a negative. I don’t think that that’s unfair. You can’t play poorly for two months and then get on a hot streak and have me go like, “Oh, yeah. Everything that I watched for those two months doesn’t matter anymore.” What I will say, like, okay, can I ask you, what were you more encouraged by tonight? Hy or Matthews? It’s a great question. Uh, I thought I don’t know actually. I probably would say Habby because Matthews ends up only scoring one. It’s the empty header. He doesn’t shoot a couple in the net that he has a chance. He gets literally shafted on one of them by uh by Johansson. But I just I think what Hildabbe is kind of looking like here is a completely unexpected revelation for the Toronto Maple Leafs that has he has been thrust into into duty as your number one goalie. And to have him respond the way he’s responded through these, you know, starts that he’s had since he’s come up, I would say is one of the more unexpected things of the season. So, I think I would say Hildabbe because I just like I’m no goalie expert, you know that very well. But he just looks confident, making saves through traffic, flying around a little bit where sometimes he feels like he’s out of position, but he ends up making the save. He’s not the most technically sound goalie. Like the difference between him and Wall. Wall is just like a a goalie robot. This guy’s definitely got a little bit more flare. Flies around a little bit more. But I mean, what can you say? I mean, this is for me is if the to answer your question, it’s it’s definitely Hill to be. I I’m blown away by this. I didn’t see it coming. I’m goalie guy, so obviously I’m going to I’ll take the other side of it. Yeah. Just for fun. That’s That’s the best I’ve seen Austin Matthews play all season. Mhm. And he always plays well against Tampa. He But just I need that version of Austin Matthews where he feels dangerous. And at this point, based on the the the fancy numbers that we have with his shot velocity and how little we see the wrist shot, like even there, like it just it doesn’t have the same snap to it anymore, man. No, I I I don’t I don’t know how you can bank on that coming back at this point because he doesn’t he’s been reluctant to take those shots, but it looked like he kind of diversified his offense tonight and he was just around it. And like listen, he’s been playing great defensively and that’s become very much a staple of his game. Probably. It’s funny. I thought that it was getting overrated last year in the playoffs just from the standpoint of, hey man, the Leafs need a goal from their big horse and he’s not giving it to them. And now it’s kind of gone to the point where I think it’s a little underrated. But just every shift I kind of thought he was going to bury one that he was going to get one tonight. And normally you and I kind of roll the eyes at the cookies, but he deserved it. like he he deserved a goal tonight the way that he played and the one that goes off the stick like the shaft of the goalender that’s a goal like nine times out of 10 tough break. Uh but yeah, I I just thought really really really encouraging Matthews night because as much as this team has been deeper and as much as you like the way that those guys have played, another solid night for Lton, another solid night for Lorent, a third line, you know, not as great but still really good. Uh especially considering one of the guys tried to chop somebody Bobby McMahon went full 1968 on on uh I don’t even know who that Oh Borkstrand. Yeah, it was Borkstrand. I I just I love I just I got to say like we we haven’t been overly positive about Matthews like all season long and I think the fan base is pretty down on him and tonight it just made he made me feel something. I’ll come back to Hill to be though. Yeah, I I I was Yeah, I think the reason that Matthews loves playing with Doy is because he just fe force feeds him the puck. Like he just will not stop feeding him the puck. And I do think there’s a little bit of chemistry there and there’s a reason that Doi is playing on the top line and it’s probably because 34 has maybe requested that. Can I say a quick DOI thing? Yeah, I think that he had to feel the pressure tonight cuz if he stunk and Robertson’s now sitting in the press box and they’ve tried him on the fourth line and brought Yung Crook back. Yeah, maybe. Yeah, it felt a little bit more, hey, you better do something with Matthews because now this guy’s championing at the bit to take your spot there. That’s interesting. I didn’t think of that, but that’s a good point. I I I don’t know if they would just insert Robertson back onto the top line in favor of Dolomi. I don’t know. Like, it just feels like Doy got his little peepwack and now it’s back to back to being on the top line, top six. I don’t know. But I thought they had some good chemistry tonight. And I thought Doy set up Matthews a bunch of times. And N was just doing his bull in a china shop thing. He had a couple opportunities where it felt like he could have shot it in the net. felt like all three of them were kind of frustrated, but frustrated in a good way that made them hungrier, hungrier on pucks, just, you know, in offensive zone time, cycling, felt dangerous. And I I think that’s just kind of where you want this top line to be. You know, I don’t think they’re ever going to light it up like you want them to. I don’t think Matthews is ever going to be the same in terms of, you know, the the 60 70 goal pace guy, but you just need him to be a threat so it kind of relieves the pressure on other guys. And tonight he was a threat and he gets his cookie at the end, which he deserved. worked his bag off the whole night. Impressive night from the captain. Yeah, really nice game for him. But okay, back to Hillbe who is the true answer in my heart. Of course, I don’t know how he couldn’t be. Yeah. Uh so there’s a few things. One, is it surprising? Sure. But like he was drafted in the third round, which is high for a goalender. Fourth, I think. Fourth or maybe fourth. Okay. Yeah, fourth. I think you’re right. I think it is fourth. I think it is fourth round. Um there were there were expectations with him last year and we got some flashes and it was yeah it’s fourth round in 22. So Sammy’s right on that one. But I would say like this didn’t come out of completely nowhere. They the the talent level’s there and some people that I’ve talked to said hey like there’s there’s definitely an NHL goalender in here. And if you recall when Stlars and Wool were playing so terrifically as a tandem last season, there was a pretty big conversation deadline wise of, hey, do you move Hill to be? What’s the value? But that there was value when you were putting together the list of the least best prospects. It’s not exactly the deepest pool, but he’s on it. And when he when he first arrived like here this season, yeah, he didn’t he didn’t look like an NHL goalie to me. He looked like he was swimming too much. There was a couple of leaky goals and now he’s just playing with a tremendous amount of confidence. And there’s there’s a couple things. One is I think he’s good enough and he’s proving that he’s good enough. And I tweeted this as the game was ending that you don’t have to worry about overplaying Wool if Stallars is gone for an extended period of time. This kid is more than capable of taking a little bit of the workload. And if he keeps playing like this, I actually do wonder if you treat him like Stallars. Like I mean he just keeps earning more and more starts and I we don’t know when I mean I’m not we’re not talking about where when Stallard is going to come back. The coach is even sick about talking about that going to be back before Christmas. So and apparently Wool is going to be back soon. So I I I don’t know. I I like that idea and I think this is just something you kind of play it as it goes. If he keeps playing this well you keep sticking him in there and if he has I think that it’s like he’s he’s certainly like Wool played eight of nine games. I know. I I think that Hill to be has proven already that you will not see that happen again this season, barring another injury. Agreed. And I thought that Wall playing eight of nine in the first place was stupid. So I think that this guy they they underrusted him and watching him I mean I don’t know if that’s a word or a term, but they didn’t trust him enough and they’re probably feeling a little bit stupid or they they’re probably feeling as stupid as me for saying underrusted. Uh they just they like how how can the coach be watching this and be like, “Boy, I probably should have given him Carolina.” You know, probably should have probably should have considered giving him Carolina now the way that you’ve seen him. Hindsight’s 2020, but it’s just I I I you have pedigree, drafted decently high. You know, he’s come up through the system, been good for the Marlies at times. You’re right. Maybe shouldn’t be that surprised, but I it’s obviously going to come down from this. He’s been I’m surprised. I’m I’m surprised. I’m just I would say that I’m not shocked that he looks good. Yeah. And I just hope he’s dependable. That’s it. Because the Leafs have had issues in the past few years with goalies disappearing and injuries or whatever. And I mean he if he can be available and he keeps playing somewhat as good as he’s been playing, then he’s a huge asset for the lease because they just need somebody that’s going to play net. That’s good because their other two guys disappear a lot. Yeah. So that’s absolutely critical. Yeah, but tonight was a game where again he was brilliant in the first period especially and he did come up with some big saves. Uh he made a huge one in the third. Uh it was like right after the Leafs had a scoring opportunity and Tampa got one of their best chances and he made a big big stop. I think it was on Gensel. So again, he’s had some good ones. I don’t want to take anything away from him, but if the Leafs are playing like that, I’ve spoken with Kevin Woodley about this many times. Even though they are conceding a lot of shots, it’s a very goalie friendly environment, you’re letting them feel the puck. A lot of it’s from the outside, there’s not a lot of traffic that’s in front of the net tipping pucks right now the way that they’re packing it. And it’s not a ton of slot chances. And so I think that he’s been able to kind of yeah, feel it, get confident. Looks good. And I like, man, he’s so big and and it’s just he’s massive, but he moves the lower like he moves his lower body extremely well for a huge guy. Yeah. How many times do teams try to shoot athletic? They try to shoot low on him and all of a sudden he just takes it away with those monster pads. And this is a little blasphemous, but there was like Mr. goalie guy here just horned up for a new lease goalie. No, I’m just saying like he kind of he kind of reminds me a little bit of Mike Smith. Mike Smith? Yeah, let me go into my goalie Rolodex. Yeah, I the thing I think of Mike Smith is him fighting and him diving a lot, but yeah, Mike Smith, big goalie, good lower pad movement. Obviously, he’s not going to play the puck like Mike Smith. Yeah. But there’s just there’s a couple of times in this game where I went, “Oh, it’s a big goalie that has got some athleticism and might have a might have a real career. So, I like him. I I like the kid a lot. Obviously, he’s a goalie and he plays for the Toronto Maple.” Yeah. Know, I could tell you like him. He’s good. I’m just like, just put a board in there with four uh with four holes in it. That makes a better game. Uh no, he’s good. I I really I do. I do. I do like him. And he’s on a cheap ass contract. Yeah. What’s he sign? He’s like 850k basically for So, congrats to him on the first career shutout. And for you to be able to say you got your first career shut out against Tampa Bay Lightning, who were first in the division at home. Awesome. Really awesome thing for him. All right. You want to talk about Bobby? Uh I want Choppy Bobby. Choppy Bobby. Well, do I guess that’s a big point of the game for sure. I was just gonna say that I thought once again the ster McCabe combo are just unbelievable. Like I I thought McCabe tonight was the meanest son of a gun to play against. Like even Hickey on the on the broadcast is like God Musk suck going into the corners with that guy. There’s not too many guys left in the league, man. No, man. He’s mean and he was playing mean tonight. He was clearing the front of the net. He was hammering it like he bodied Celli who’s a strong guy. Just sent them packing in the corner. Thought he was great in front of the net. And like yeah, we talked about Stetch and Troy’s boys or whatever, but like the best part about what Troy Stetcher has done is he’s turned McCabe into the least, you know, best defensive defenseman again. He’s been so good. I love how good the pairing is. Yeah. It’s like I want them on the ice. Like I mean, I’m sure I’m sure they were like right at the top again for ice time. They’re out there the whole game. Also, Troy Ster 2515. Okay. The coach is seeing what I was seeing. Keep putting them out there. Of course, buddy. It’s it it’s been a revelation for this team. If you’re if you’re talking about Okay, with the team turning the corner, what has been the most important things? I would have said, no, I would say Wool. Wool was one because that’s the best Wool has ever played and he settled their team down and bought them time. But that pairing like from a what is most sustainable, what could you actually have? I don’t know man. It just it looks very very very real to me and it works. And Ster again tonight the play in the first period. Mhm. Clear getting the puck off the goal. Like that’s the game. It’s a one- nothing game there if that goes in. Maybe Toronto doesn’t like alternate timelinewise. Troy. Troy plus one more. And he made it. Yeah. And he also made such a sick play on the twoon-one for Matthews where he karate chopped the puck out to center ice where he makes a great read on it. So yeah, I mean this is you’ve now reached the point of the show where we we praise Troy St. I’m going to do one more Troy good again tonight. One more Troy praise. So every once in a while because he is human. Yeah, dude. Such a good play. Two saves tonight for Troy Ster. Yeah, like two incredible saves. Every once in a while, Troy will make a mistake. But I panic because I’m like, I don’t want to talk about this. I leave stock. No, he works his bag off. Oh, yeah. To try to correct it. And that’s what kind of that’s what happened on that save. He’s the one that turned the puck over that created that opportunity, but he’s also the one that picks it off the goal line. And there were just there was a couple of times in this game where he was in a battle. Tampa turned it over and he’s not like coasting at all. He’s got that seventh team desperation on everything where he goes, “Oh god, I’ve made the mistake. I’ve got to make it. I got to get it back. I got to work it out.” And then he does it. Urgy. Urg. They needed that, man. Like his urgency has totally rubbed off on this team. I just refuse to believe anything else. Anyways, this concludes Troy’s boys. Uh, quickly before we move to the to the chopping. Yeah. Uh, Gensel, I wrote down multiple times tonight notes. I think he might be one of the most underrated guys in the league. And I am not looking forward to the Olympics with him against Canada. He’s a gamer. Dirty gamer, nasty guy. Goes to the front of the net. Not afraid of anybody. And he was really good tonight. He’s a dream He’s a dream haunter. I I just that guy I don’t want this clip to come back at me, but scares me. Scares me. Anyways, so there’s that commercial the USA put out. Oh my god, that’s amazing. You want to make fun of them or honestly I like it. I I care about the states. Yeah, but like I care more about gold. Sure, but gold goes through them just like Sure. I get Okay, fine. Just saying. I’m going full Cooper here. He’s like there’s one they’re one of 11 teams we may play. Yeah. All right. That’s going full coup. I I care. I’ll tell you this. When I was watching Four Nations and they were playing Sweden and then when they played the United States, but it was a different time. It’s different time. I felt a little different in terms of the level of import of those victories. Adrien Kempe and Sam Bennett weren’t trading bombs. Right. So So them doing it, I I don’t mind it at all. In fact, I love it because if Canada made the same commercial, it would actually feel weirdly a little beneath us to do it. But yeah, we never would. But I but I feel the same. But when they my biggest takeaway from that commercial was just when they’re showing the faces that are around that USA room, I was like, they got a good team. So much better than they used to be. They got a team, boy. And we didn’t have to play Quinn Hughes at the Four Nations. So yeah, when he maybe he’ll cry his way to Vancouver so he can go play with his brother soon. Oh, me and Fitzy. Me and Fitzy. Anyways, but back to Leaf stock. Back to Leto. Yeah. I honest to God though, I keep thinking like if Matthews has a moment against Canada. It’s never for Got to trade him immediately. Totally agree. Off the team. Can’t watch a guy Can’t watch a guy for the rest of my life who kills Bington saved us from that in overtime. I know in the slot the goal I’ve seen him score a hundred times with the blocker just when they showed him in the corner I was like what are you doing there oh yeah crap he’s the captain get out of there uh okay so what’s going to be worse cheering against Matthews or cheering for Marner it’s hell okay all right let’s move on yeah I don’t want to talk about that chop the chop so we both agreed we didn’t think that knee was aboarding or sorry we thought sorry we didn’t think it was a major I thought for sure penalty two for kneeing I was surprised they upheld it. I guess they saw enough to make it but like I guess their rationalization is if you’re going to make that if you’re going to call it an E and you’re going to call it a major there’s not you can’t you can’t there’s not enough there to overturn it. So it’s a major and I think this is a dirty rotten play and he knows what he’s doing. He’s kind of pretending to not look at him, but there’s enough time there to get out of the way. Leaves a knee in on Mermis, which sucks because I thought that bottom pair looked immediately better without Mermis on the Well, and also he has a chance to finish up high, I think, is the is the actual like the real greasy part of it is why aren’t you just finishing your check normal? Why are you doing the like weird coast in part? So, it was borderline for me, but I just when I kept seeing it over and over again, I went I don’t know if that’s going to be a major. I I’m fine with it being a major. Thought they could have got it down to a two. I think it was a borderline play. Think it’s greasy. Don’t like that in the game. So, I’m happy they left it as a major. And then things go to center ice and it was really popping off and I was wondering what the hell was going on. I I didn’t really understand what was going on. I was kind of asking for an angle and yeah, Bobby here went full full Gordy how from 1958 with the stick and I I don’t know. I So I sent his aim stinks. I sent out a tweet about this and I I was stunned by the response. What? People being like, “Oh, was it just a glancing blow? Like, oh, kick him out of the G.” I’m like, “I am the biggest homer on planet Earth. I can’t squint and even find a way to not kick a man out. He came from above his head and came down towards another guy’s throat. It’s the most obvious match penalty of all time. I don’t think he’ll get a game, but he could.” Oh, I think he’s going to get a game. I like I mean the intent is bad. Yeah, he looked a guy in his eyes and tried to slash him on the top of the head. It was a bad play. Angal got a game for something like that was way less malicious than this. Remember that? Slash jersey on the top of the head. This is shocking to me because I would say that we are in the top tier category of hockey fans who want more violence. Love violence. Love violence. Adore it. Yes. My first thought was I’m so glad. And they stuck up for each other around Hill to be early, too. When Tampa was crashing the net, they got a couple of scrums. I thought JT was going to drop the gloves for a second. He was like pawing away at somebody. I was like, “Let’s go, man.” So, I loved that. I liked the fact that they were responding for one another and I thought it was purely for the knee. And clearly, that’s what started the frackus. Yeah. And like immediately writing down in the notes, love seeing this, watching it all transpire. Dakota Joshua fights and I say finally good because again I am pro- fighting. I do not apologize. Hey like maybe a couple more fights in your future. Dakota, you look like you’ve done that before. Yeah, definitely. That guy was up quite a few. No, but he looked like a fighter like he pulled his he pulled his sleeves up. He was holding his hands up. He was throwing punches like he’s thrown punches before. Would love to see more of it from him. Yes. Uh no doubt about it. But that’s my point. We love violence. I I like greasy plays in hockey. I think it’s a greasy sport. I don’t want to see guys get injured. And I certainly don’t like knee. I think that’s I think that’s ratty. That’s not dirty in the way that like I like it. Um that’s a no-brainer. You your stick is over a guy’s head and you chop down. If you asked the NHL, hey, what’s the number one thing we don’t want? They would say that we don’t ever want to see a guy use a stick to hit a guy in the head. Didn’t we just see the kid in junior hockey? Like, I know it was one, it was a real ugly one. That was a bad one. That kid got kicked out for life. Yes. As he Well, maybe not life, but like 45 games. But what I’m saying is though is when you start to do stick to head area. Yeah. That’s how you get the worst PR possible for hockey. So yeah, I’m sorry. I don’t care if we’re getting killed in the chat. You guys are bozos if you think that that’s not I was stunned by my replies. I was stunned by my replies. Aggressively dumb play by Bobby McMahon. Like totally inexcusable play. Yeah, I think he’s I think he definitely will maybe I think they’ll they’ll have a call. Maybe a fine. Maybe a fine because he’s never done anything dirty in his whole career. So maybe he gets a fine away with it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a game. The intent is there. And I think what uh I guess what’s his name? Gonzalez or whatever 93. I guess he maybe won’t get a game or whatever cuz you know he got the five on the ice and they probably won’t give him a game. But I think it’s a little bit more I don’t know. They’re both greasy plays. I just wrote down both very greasy plays. That’s what I wrote down. And I loved it. Like I love the response. I love these two teams hate each other. I thought it was kind of nasty the whole night. And yeah, 50-50 split’s crazy. Yeah, that’s insane. I Well, we least talk, so I guess there’s people that are crazy homers, but like I’m a crazy homer. I’ll I’ll tell you right now though, that if like Yeah, if you think that that’s okay. I just I I I would never I don’t want to play beer league with you if you think that’s like I just Yeah, I was going to say like Yeah, just I just don’t respect wear a cage around 50% of the chat. That’s all I’ll say. That’s wild stuff. That is That is wild and wacky stuff. All right, what’s next? Uh I don’t know how much else I got. I’m just see looking at my notes. Oh, I loved uh at the end of the game JT gets nailed by Darren Radish, but gets the puck out and that that ended the game. And listen, he knew he was going to get hit. He looked up. He started to close his eyes like he knew it was going to happen and he just he took the hit and this effectively ended the game. But, uh, I love that from JT and I thought JT looked energized pretty much this whole night to start the game specifically, but I thought, you know, he always works hard, but I thought he looked a little less tired than he has in nights before where they, you know, ran him into the ground for those games when Matthews was out and played him 25 minutes a night. But, uh, nice nice little tip of the hat to Johnny T for taking a hit to make the play. And yeah, I uh they should have probably not played him 25 minutes a night, but so I I really like Tavvar and I wrote down that I think he was auditioning for Cooper tonight. Oh yeah, he’s like his Yeah, I love that. I love that. Cooper, by the way, just gets to Toronto and he’s like, “It’s time.” Yeah. 10 minutes wants to talk to me. 10 minutes this morning. All the media eating out of the palm of his hand. any topic. Just Oh, he’ll he’ll give you a take. He’ll give you a take. King. All right. Two rapid fire things for me to close the show. One is yet again just loved Lton and Lorent. And they Lorent looked fast tonight. Yeah. But Lton in the first period, the best moment before the Riley goal and then the four minutes of play after that was they take a DZone draw, get it all the way down the offensive end and actually create a scoring chance. And yeah, just listen man, there was a lot of talk with Lton of how much of an upgrade is this on camp if he is going to be playing down the fourth line and I would like to say officially the upgrade is very clear and obvious. Um, two is time to play power play two more. They actually snapped it around and I like I’m not gonna I already we’ve we’ve done enough on power play and actually I had Versiggon. So, if you’re a fan of uh any kind of actual analysis from a guy who’s like been on them and knows what he’s talking about in coaches and prestige broke it down perfectly, but what he said is he’s just like, man, enough of just the 131 and there’s no seam passes and they don’t really snap it. He’s like, doesn’t matter who they change on the power play one. It’s the way that they have to play that needs to change. And that was again apparent tonight where they go, “All right, we’re back to Morgan Riley and Nice.” Okay. And it looked the exact same. But the second unit comes out and what are they doing? They’re making passes. Guys are moving around. It doesn’t feel stagnant and they created a couple of opportunities and I was actually surprised after the way that they played that they didn’t come out first the next time around and instead what you got was two more power plays the rest of the game. And what happened? Power play one went out there and essentially did squat. Um horrible again. Yeah. It’s just it’s it’s such a I didn’t want to do it because it was such a great performance for the team. I didn’t want to do it tonight. I was just I’m trying but I’m trying to think this a positive of like yeah the second unit actually made seam passes and like moved the puck around and was dangerous. Here’s the thing that drives me crazy is you obviously love or Max Diy obviously loves playing with Matthews. Matthews obviously loves playing with you’re trusting him enough to playing him on the top line. Yeah. Play him on the top power play unit. Like there’s obviously chemistry there. The Vstig did you talk to him about that? No. No, because we tried to get into like the personnel, but I I wrote down my power play unit suggestions. Let me have it. Yeah, I would go 53 34 11123 95. Say that again. Okay. 53 34 1123 95. Okay. 8 8 91 55 81 44. Okay. Don’t hate that. Yeah. At all. I specifically I really do like both of these seem to have a little bit more of an identity to me. But the first one with Matthews Cowan and Doy with N is the netfront guy and Oel at the point. That’s that’s the one. The rest is sort of a more of a mishmash group, but and I think like you’re still going to want the two centermen for the draw. Yeah. So Roy gets out there with Javvarz, but Yeah. Yeah. And then if Robertson draws back in the lineup, then maybe he spots in for somebody. But that that’s what I would that would be my uh Okay. That would be my suggestion for the two units at the 50/50 split. I like it. Um the uh I like it a lot. The only thing is is that you’re going to hurt feelings and it may be time to do that. So who cares, man? I I know. But like there’s it’s a dressing room dynamic, you know? Who makes the most like there’s all this different stuff that goes into it. I gotta tell you, the only thing that I I don’t even think it’s the dress room redic. I thought the only problem you have with doing that is if the Matthews one is first that doesn’t have Knander. Mhm. I don’t think Knander would take that very well. Correct. Uh and then it’s like you might lose them more than you’ve lost him these last four games. So, uh quickly, yeah, shout out uh was watching the Amazon broadcast. Trapped in Amazon as usual. So, I had it on the whole night. uh which is probably what exactly what they want. Second intermission trying to tell you like you want to this on your phone, you want to buy this now. Hey, you want to buy this thing? Just press this button. Shout out my boy Johnny Galant. Uh Billy Talent. They were on great dude. Johnny was like buddy Johnny’s got some personality. He’s my boy who play hockey every Thursday morning. And he was talking about like they’re like they as like do you play hockey? Oh, I still play. I still play. He’s like some of my guys are here tonight. Right in the middle is this guy named Dave and he’s just there with this big smile on his face. So, shout out 101 Hockey. Thursday mornings I play with him. Beauty Billy Talent. One of the best Canadian bands ever. Uh that their their self-titled album changed my life. So, I I love Billy Talent and I love Johnny Glant. So, good job. Good job tonight on the panel. John John’s a real beauty. But I was just shocked at how comfortable he was on the panel. Oh, yeah. Natural. Natural. Like I mean he’s performing for like thousands of people for a very long time. It’s still different, man. It’s a different tag having to like openly talk about hockey and what’s going I just thought he was just he was real cozy out there. I was surprised. I got to send him a message about it. And also the uh the Ken Dryden thing with Al Michaels was unable that was really good. Yeah. Two good Amazon things tonight on the broadcast. Really liked it. Yeah. I texted this to you, but I’ll say it to Leaf Talk. But uh so I love sports books. Um most of the books that are behind me in the shot actually the game is there. That book top right under that disc is the game by Ken Dryden two down and like I keep it there because I keep all my favorite books there in the shot. And I would say my two favorite hockey books ever are Searching for Bobby or by Steven Brunt and The Game by Ken Dryden. and they’re very different, but The Game by Ken Dryden if you’re a hockey fan is like, yeah, it’s the number one must readad. There’s just no doubt about and I I don’t even think anybody would disagree with me. So, if you haven’t read that book, I would You’re sending that to me so that I can would read it on my Christmas break and not spend five hours a day on TikTok. So, that’s my goal. I can’t wait to text you over the break and be like, “You read the book.” And you’re going to be like, “You here’s some here’s some talks.” Or when I send you Instagram reels and you go, I already saw this. I saw that six months ago, Boomer. Yeah, just boomer. Anyway, uh, all right. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple or on Spotify. Leave five stars. Uh, it really helps the show. Same with comments and thumbs up on YouTube if that’s where you’re watching. Share with a friend. Reach out anytime at JD Bunkas Sam McKe on Twitter and Instagram and uh I will see you Thursday night for Leaf Talk. Sammy’s going to the game. Talk to you

JD Bunkis and Sam McKee will react to tonight’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning immediately following the final horn!

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