Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Phil
No he did not outside the first round. As I said in the post he never did it at the "right" time. In other words once the stakes got higher.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nalyd Psycho
Probably true if you say "after the first round"
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His losses outside of the first round were generally to teams that so overwhelmed his own it isn't even funny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ContrarianGoaltender
I don't think he significantly dropped off his play, no. Joseph's average first round matchup was a 91 point team against a 92 point opponent, whereas his average second round matchup was a 93 point team against a 101 point opponent. The 2004 Calgary series was the only time that his team lost in the second round to an opponent with fewer regular season points.
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All the times Cujo made it to the second round:
89-90: Strong in all 4 first round wins against the Leafs. Doesn't play in the second round and I forget why to be honest. I assume injury?
92-93: I'm sure Phil will pile on about game 7 again, but the fact is the Blues wouldn't have even got there without Joseph. He was sensational.
96-97:
81 point Edmonton team against
104 point Dallas first round. Think about that for a moment. Absolutely incredible in the first round in defeating a far superior team. His reward?
107 point Colorado attempting to repeat on their first Stanley Cup. I do think Roy outplayed him (in the stat line) but I don't think a chance is a chance between two teams a whopping 26 points apart in the standings.
97-98:
80 point Edmonton faces off against the team that beat them the year previous.. the
95 point Avs. Both Roy and Joseph are up and down until the last three games of the series where Joseph allows 1 goal in the final three games and shuts out the Avs in Game 6 and Game 7. His reward? Advancing to play the
109 point Dallas Stars one year before their Cup win. A 29 point difference in the standings. The only game the Oilers win in the 5 game series is a shutout by Joseph. They also lose 1-0 in OT during game 3.
The Oilers score a total of 5 goals in the 5 game series. Could any goalie, ever, win a 7 game series where his team scores 5 goals in 5 games?
98-99: Yahoo Curtis is on the financially capable Leafs! Whoops Pat Quinn is coach and they are the 21st best defensive team despite their
97 points and league best offense. First up Philly
93 point team. Joseph is very strong winning a 6 game series where the Leafs league best offense is only capable of 9 total goals, including a 2-1OT win in game 5 and a 1-0 shutout in game 6 to cap the series. Next up
90 point Pens. After being shut out the first game of the series, the Leaf offense finally comes to life, lighting up the Pens for 18 goals in the next 5 games. This is actually a pretty easy series for the Leafs. Next up, 91 point Buffalo with all time goalie Hasek. Roloson splits the first two games with Toronto and in the final 3 games Hasek keeps Toronto to 2 goals each game. By all accounts the Leafs and Joseph in particular don't play very well. They bow out meekly in 5 games.
99-00: Leafs are a 100 point team for the first time ever. They are 4th in the league in offense this time around but still an extremely mediocre 15th in defense.. this at the height of the dead puck era. First up, Ottawa
95 points. Joseph is outstanding in the series outside of game 3 and the Leafs win in 6. Round 2 is
103 point Devils, on their way to the Cup. The Leafs are hopelessly outclassed against a disciplined team with a plan, much like Buffalo the previous year. In the 6 game series the Leafs are outshot 192-117, including being outshot 26-6 in the clinching game. Yes, the Leafs managed 6 shots in a complete game. That pathetic choker Curtis Joseph should have been the difference!
00-01 The Leafs falter a bit to a
90 point team but their defense is 10th. Joseph and the Leafs in general are sensational in the first round, sweeping Ottawa. Joseph only allows 3 goals in the 4 games even though the games were close enough that two of them go to OT. Next up are the
111 Devils on their way to a repeat Finals appearance. Here Curtis is back to his 20+ point differentials.. Joseph pitches a 32 save shutout to take the series lead in a game 1 where Brodeur faces a total of 17 shots. Game 2 is a goal fest where the Leafs are outshot again and lose 6-5 in OT. Game 3 is an OT loss for the Leafs again while again being heavily outshot. Games 4-7 the Leafs continue to be outshot but the difference is not great and the teams trade wins. Toronto loses in a game 7 where the Leafs manage 16 shots. Shots on Joseph for the series: 206. Shots on Brodeur for the series: 148.
01-02: This is the one that hurts. Leafs
100 points, 3rd in offense, 13th in defense. First up 96 point Isles. Series is back and forth and chippy, both teams (and Joseph) are up and down. Leafs win in 7. Next up
94 point Ottawa. No Sundin on the Leafs. Leafs are blown out in game one. Joseph stops 54/56 for an OT win in game 2 (choker!). They seesaw games 3-6. Game 7.. 3-0 shutout where the Leafs limit Ottawa to 19 shots. Next up Carolina. Game one the Leafs win. Sundin comes back. You'd think that would help an overachieving team to get their first ballot hall of famer back but.. it is an extremely tight series. 3 games going to overtime.
The Leafs score 6 goals in the 7 games!! Again.. what goalie could ever win a 7 game series with 6 goals!
After that Joseph had two Detroit teams also forget how to score and that was basically it for his playoff career.
Outside of the third round series against Buffalo, which in hindsight really just showed how undisciplined the Leaf strategy was in comparison, Joseph's teams were either hopelessly outclassed or hopelessly outplayed or both pretty much every time he went past the first round.
I have a hard time believing even Saint Patrick could win some of those series that Joseph supposedly "lost" by not "stepping up". I mean unless he could score goals too. The fact that he was routinely beating or extending hilariously better teams than his own is quite impressive.
