Month: May 2023

Game five, could anybody predict what the outcome would be ? 

The Florida Panthers started early off the power play.  A series of fine stops from rookie goalie Joseph Woll off some wicked scrambles kept it tied.  But a 3:32, on that same PP, Aaron Ekblad put Florida ahead.  Woll was the first Leaf goalie since Felix Potvin (1993) to win his rookie debut.  His 24 saves in game four were assisted by 21 blocked shots by his comrades.  The Leafs had a couple of first period PP attempts themselves but could not convert.  Long ago Leaf reject Carter Verhage scored his third on the short side to make it 2-0 after one.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got back into this thing, just as most were writing their OBIT.  A cheap ass Morgan Reilly deflection bounced in at 12:50 to keep the SCOTIABANK faithful engaged.  Pretty even after that, but you could tell Leafs Nation was bringing it.  The Leafs apparent 2-2 goal was called off after several inconclusive angles at the 2:49 mark.

A very tough third period began with lots of “payback” hits and general nastiness.  William Nylander scored at 4:26 to make things interesting.  Woll was great as was his counterpart Bobrovsky to finish off regulation at twos.  Afterall the shots were 50-40.

In Overtime, the Leafs dominated to start bur Florida were right back in their face.  A painful TJ Brodie penalty generated 3 shots but the Leafs stood tall.  My former student Nick Cousins, put away the series with a scramble shot that counted.

Another Leafs season lost to inconsistent, inept play.  Who will the fingers be pointed at first ?

HOPPER NOTES:  Must be spring, the Leafs are out – etc etc.  It has been my pleasure to report on these Leafs games this past season.  This is my boyhood team.   I did my best to remain impartial.  This series has allowed me to connect with old pals and new ones.  I really thought Kyle Dubas had built his best version this year – but it was not to be.  I told my old pal Glennie that I was going to take the summer to think about returning as hopperonhocky.ca

It’s just SO heart-breaking !  I hope you all will now get back to your gardens and your golf swings and all the wonderful things that summer brings – CHEERS !

Well – Well – Well, Leafs Nation – you’ve been up all night wondering how this could have possibly gone so wrong !?!  Core Four – Core Snore !  Too much on attack hockey and not enough on substance.  Are you as sick as I regarding warn out cliches, “Backs against the wall”, “One game at a time”, “No tomorrow” and on and on ?

If you think you’re stressed, how about the 100 point + Toronto Maple Leafs ?  After Monday’s horrific showing, do any of the “ankle broken” fans even care that Coach Keefe has stuck with the 11-7 format, or that Jarnkrok moved back up with Mathews/Marner.  Effort and results will rule the day.

After a rather pedestrian first period in which neither team had a serious chance, the Florida crowd seemed to settle.  Both clubs went a total of 11:12  between SOG throughout the middle of the period.  The Panthers came on a bit at the end thanks to a Holl penalty, but Woll stood Toll.  (see what I did there ?)

William (c4) Nylander scored his 3^rd playoff goal on a power play set up by Bunting and (c4) Marner at 3:25 to get things rolling for a suddenly rejuvenated TML squad.  Joseph Woll continued his solid play with saves that seemed to just “stick” to him.  Overall chances were 39-31 Florida, but the Leafs heir apparent held tough.  The Leafs then got a PP opportunity and after 6 quality SOG, BOB held his squad in there.  The Panthers remained tenacious and were awarded a somewhat controversial power play of their own, after TJ Brodie held a stick and yet Radim Gudas took a flying charge at Kampf (no call).  Leafs Nation had to be encouraged, but the lead was only one.

The third started with trepidation.  Mitchell Marner scored on a long, point shot after tremendous pressure from his mates, a sweet pass from McCabe and a great screen by O’Reilly.  Just to piss Leafs Nation off, the Panthers converted a PPG from Reinhart to break Woll’s shutout at 8:44.  This got the FLA crowd back in the game and the ensuing 10 minutes were WILD. 

Not to worry see y’all for game 5 in TRANNA !   

HOPPER NOTES:  as you all know, I try to remain impartial in reporting these games… I’ll always remember my Dad carrying me into bed after the Leaf’s CUP wins (62, 63,  64) to the closing theme of HNIC (always the favorite part of that Masterpiece) and that shit just stays with you…I generally dislike the trend in sports reporting where the line (sponsored by Fanduel, Joe’s Garage, whomever) takes over the true meaning of who is the better team in any given situation…is TJ Brodie OK ?…did Mathew Tkachuk play tonight, except for his cowardly grab from behind of Marner in the final scrum…you think Leafs Nation doesn’t care ?  WRONG – CHEERS !

Leafs Nation – here are my concerns:

The Floridians are up 2-0, they have home ice advantage, their goalie is better, their top 6 D is better, their top 6 forwards are at least as good and so are their bottom 6.  And, I think the Panthers are little tougher.

Sheldon Keefe went back to his 11 forward, 7 defenseman strategy for this one.  Liligen and Ashton Reese were out, Gustafson and Holl were back in.  The Leafs started as you might expect – with their hair on fire.  AM34 hit a crossbar in the first minute and the so-called extra forwards, Kampf and Lafferty came up big at the 17:34 mark.  Keefe employed a stretch pass strategy to negate the strong Florida forecheck and that seemed to work for the first half.  But, The Panthers came back strong, penetrating deep in to Leafs zone.  1 zip Tranna after one – that will NOT be enough !

An early rush by the Panthers may have sealed the deal.  A goalmouth pile-up forced Sami back against his own post effecting his left knee.  He was done.  In came the competent Joseph Woll.  Not long after, Anthony Duclair scored on a nice breakaway goal to tie things up.  Erik Gustafen proved his worth with a goal to put the Leafs back up 2 to 1.  But, Leafs Nation couldn’t help but wonder, “how are you going to win such a big game with just 8 SOG ?!?”  Carter Verhage tied things up again later.  The second question to the above is “if your ‘Core Four’ aren’t clicking, how could you possibly expect a victory !”

As has been the case throughout these playoffs in Florida, The Toronto Maple Leafs have hung on to take things to overtime.  They held the majority of the play early, evened up the shots on goal (7-1 SOG) and Joseph Woll stood tall when he needed to with 17 saves on 19 shots.

Sam Reinhart – OT Winner !

HOPPER NOTES:  I may regret saying this:  but maybe the LEAFS just aren’t good enough – top to bottom….I just realized, this may be my second LAST hopperonhockey.ca EVER !

Testing, Testing…is this thing on ?  The Toronto Maple Leafs had to win tonight’s game two VS the Florida Panthers.  Their game one effort did not pass the smell test.  Take your pick on who to blame for that:  the D-pair of McCabe/Brodie (a combined – 5),  Nylander (who hasn’t scored in five games) or their lack of secondary scoring.

Coach Keefe did his usual juggling thing – moving Bunting back up with Mathews and Marner, dropping Jarnkrok back with Tavares/Nylander, adding Knies to the O’Reilly/Accurai combo and moving Lafferty in and Ashton-Reese out on the 4^th line.

You have got to think that the majority of Leafs Nation have sighed a little relief.  Two goals I the first 5:10 got the crowd riled to where they need to be.  Clever puck movement on the first shift of the newly re-united Mathews-Marner- Bunting line got things stirring early.  Another re-vamped line (Kerfoot/Lafferty /Kampf) pitched in with the first goal of the game at 2:20 off a strong forecheck.  Two strong follow-up shifts got the crowd revved up even more.  That lead to a TML PP in which wheel man Mitch Marner and AM34 fed it to Ryan O’Reilly to make the score the 2 to 0.  The crowd was near ballistic by now.  As the period wore on, Florida seemed to get back on their toes and Lindell made it 2-1 on a nice counter pass from Sam Reinhart.

This Panther team is not going to just go away.  Witness their goal :19 seconds in to the second to tie things up.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, D-man Forsling stepped up :47 seconds later to score of a nice, cross ice feed from Tkachuk.  3-2 FLA.  IMO, Sami could have stopped at least on of those 2 goals.  On top of all this, Mathew Knies did not return to play after taking a hit behind his own net. The Leafs regained their composure in the back half of the period.  Lots of chances, but Goalie BOB stood tall.  Bunting withstood a rather brutal cross checking barrage in front of the Panthers net, which helped draw a penalty.  To no avail.

The Leafs had to start the third period short handed, but they fought that off.  They turned the tide with a powerful onslaught of chances from all over the rink – Cross-bars, posts, FABULOUS goaltending from the BOB.  The Scotiabank crowd couldn’t have been much more supportive.  The Panthers are good hockey team.

HOPPER NOTES:  Great games from Nylander and Bunting…8 consecutive games for AM34 with a point…hard fought game…sorry for missing a posting last game – technical glitch – thankfully my Ace Reporter was able to come in and save the day !!…maybe this is Florida’s way of revenge for their 122 point, President’s Trophy season that they went out 4 games straight Tampa…HEY, whatta ya gonna do ?   CHEERS !