What the Leafs did to the Habs yesterday (minus the extra-curricular activities) is what we had to suffer through 6 times last season thanks to the Big Bad Bruins. I personally don't have much hate for the Habs (absolutely despise Sens and Bruins), so I do hope they bounce back. However, this is the truest test of how strong your team is as a unit and how strong they are mentally. Last season, these embarrassing losses took apart my Leafs. We looked completely defeated in every match up vs the Bruins.
If the Habs can fight back and gain some pride in themselves, they will do just fine, BUT if they play scared and hesitant then you guys will be in for one hell of a season. Leafs were mentally ****ed last season thanks to the Boston beat-downs, and we had to see them suffer through it embarrassingly for the entire season. Now, with that said, I really enjoyed being on the opposite side of a beat-down for once. The Leafs don't play dirty, if anything we get into useless fights and play passively. I was 100% shocked and pleasantly surprised at the bully attitude my team showed yesterday. Last season, this game would've been a snooze fest by the end of the 2nd.
It's nice to see some emotion between the Leafs and Habs. At the end of the day these are professional athletes playing for pride, money and for the love of the game. I think fans have the full rights to get POed when the team plays like ****, however, keep in mind that these players get over it the next day (it's their job). Why should we consume our lives with hatred and frustrations over people and outcomes we have no control over?
Anyways, I look forward to our next match up, hopefully it will be just as nasty with a more balanced effort on both sides. Blowouts aren't that fun to watch anyways . We are the class franchises of the NHL, let's show the League why that is.
Good Luck till our next matchup! Hopefully, we'll both still be in playoff contention by that point.
Last edited by Center Ice Scrum: 02-10-2013 at 01:46 PM.
Bergevin and his minions have work to do for sure. Last year after the TDL I felt our team was bigger and outmatched other clubs physically with Gio still out, no Gallagher, add Blunden who was playing great hockey + Staubitz who wasn't too shabby at puck posession and didn't lose any fights. Pacioretty and Cole need to start throwing their bodies too which they did more of last season.
We can't go forward with a top 6/9 roster composed of players like Plekanec, Gionta, Gallagher, Desharnais. Gionta is our captain but he should be the first to go, outside of his first year here he hasn't done anything relevant on ice. I don't care how much leadership he has, it's gotten us nowhere - what's bothering me is that he IS our captain which could be complicated. Which brings me to Desharnais, his play has been inexcusable since the start of the year and for a small player he represents a pretty big anchor dragging any line he is on down... forget him becoming the next St. Louis, he will never become a player of his stature. He is definitely the odd man out right now between Eller and Plekanec for the top 6 center role.
The Leafs game plan was simple, isolate those players and hit every Hab in sight. This is going to be observed by every team that's going to face us from now on, the book is indeed out. What someone will call reactionary moves I will just call it foresight. It's not about plugging heavyweights everywhere down the roster, but replacing a couple of our midgets with big bodies who can win puck battles along the boards and not be rag dolled by the average sized NHL'er.
What the Leafs did to the Habs yesterday (minus the extra-curricular activities) is what we had to suffer through 6 times last season thanks to the Big Bad Bruins. I personally don't have much hate for the Habs (absolutely despise Sens and Bruins), so I do hope they bounce back. However, this is the truest test of how strong your team is as a unit and how strong they are mentally. Last season, these embarrassing losses took apart my Leafs. We looked completely defeated in every match up vs the Bruins.
If the Habs can fight back and gain some pride in themselves, they will do just fine, BUT if they play scared and hesitant then you guys will be in for one hell of a season. Leafs were mentally ****ed last season thanks to the Boston beat-downs, and we had to see them suffer through it embarrassingly for the entire season. Now, with that said, I really enjoyed being on the opposite side of a beat-down for once. The Leafs don't play dirty, if anything we get into useless fights and play passively. I was 100% shocked and pleasantly surprised at the bully attitude my team showed yesterday. Last season, this game would've been a snooze fest by the end of the 2nd.
It's nice to see some emotion between the Leafs and Habs. At the end of the day these are professional athletes playing for pride, money and for the love of the game. I think fans have the full rights to get POed when the team plays like ****, however, keep in mind that these players get over it the next day (it's their job). Why should we consume our lives with hatred and frustrations over people and outcomes we have no control over?
Anyways, I look forward to our next match up, hopefully it will be just as nasty with a more balanced effort on both sides. Blowouts aren't that fun to watch anyways . We are the class franchises of the NHL, let's show the League why that is.
Good Luck till our next matchup! Hopefully, we'll both still be in playoff contention by that point.
What the Leafs did to the Habs yesterday (minus the extra-curricular activities) is what we had to suffer through 6 times last season thanks to the Big Bad Bruins. I personally don't have much hate for the Habs (absolutely despise Sens and Bruins), so I do hope they bounce back. However, this is the truest test of how strong your team is as a unit and how strong they are mentally. Last season, these embarrassing losses took apart my Leafs. We looked completely defeated in every match up vs the Bruins.
If the Habs can fight back and gain some pride in themselves, they will do just fine, BUT if they play scared and hesitant then you guys will be in for one hell of a season. Leafs were mentally ****ed last season thanks to the Boston beat-downs, and we had to see them suffer through it embarrassingly for the entire season. Now, with that said, I really enjoyed being on the opposite side of a beat-down for once. The Leafs don't play dirty, if anything we get into useless fights and play passively. I was 100% shocked and pleasantly surprised at the bully attitude my team showed yesterday. Last season, this game would've been a snooze fest by the end of the 2nd.
It's nice to see some emotion between the Leafs and Habs. At the end of the day these are professional athletes playing for pride, money and for the love of the game. I think fans have the full rights to get POed when the team plays like ****, however, keep in mind that these players get over it the next day (it's their job). Why should we consume our lives with hatred and frustrations over people and outcomes we have no control over?
Anyways, I look forward to our next match up, hopefully it will be just as nasty with a more balanced effort on both sides. Blowouts aren't that fun to watch anyways . We are the class franchises of the NHL, let's show the League why that is.
Good Luck till our next matchup! Hopefully, we'll both still be in playoff contention by that point.
Well, that was a bunch of.. proper post.
Thank you.
As a Leaf fan, all we've heard about forever is bloody truculence and playing as a tough team and all this crap, but we've never actually seen it come to fruition.
Until now, obviously. It's great to revel in a win like that; where you beat your big rivals not only on the scoreboard, but all over the house as well (literally). But it's just 1 game.
In the stat column it's just 1 win, or 1 loss.
Come next game, if the Habs go into Toronto, and win an ugly 2-1, or a thrilling 5-4, then everything that happened last night is forgotten. It's all about laying down messages, and then responding. If, for example, the Flyers come into the ACC on Monday and push us around (as is expected) then Saturday is essentially for nothing.
What I can say is that February 27th couldn't come fast enough. It's nice to have a Leafs-Habs game mean something other than 60 minutes of hockey again. A bit of anger, a bit of emotion, a bit of ..hatred... never hurt anyone. Leafs/Habs should be the marquee match-up around the league. The history. The tradition. The best fans in the league. Not just another game on the sched glorified by embarrassing CBC HNIC promos and montages
I have no problem with the loss, and don't usually expect a great game vs. Toronto. Montreal always seems to play bad and Toronto play well when they meet.
One loss does not make a season thats for sure. However, I do have a problem with Orr running people in a 6-0 game and the Grabovski bite. Those are simply unacceptable moves and clear intent to injure. Just don't like it.
No sour grapes on the loss though, it's a game and these things happen. I just hope the league, or Carlyle or someone talks to these guys and tells them that this is not going to be accepted.
I have no problem with the loss, and don't usually expect a great game vs. Toronto. Montreal always seems to play bad and Toronto play well when they meet.
One loss does not make a season thats for sure. However, I do have a problem with Orr running people in a 6-0 game and the Grabovski bite. Those are simply unacceptable moves and clear intent to injure. Just don't like it.
No sour grapes on the loss though, it's a game and these things happen. I just hope the league, or Carlyle or someone talks to these guys and tells them that this is not going to be accepted.
Your tough guy went after Grabo, our tough guy went after Gionta and Plek. Neither are excusable, but at some point you have to get over it. All players made out safe and alive.
EDIT:
I'm not defending Grabo's actions in any way. I personally don't think he bit Pac, but if he did bite him, its not as big of a deal people are making it out to be. As for Orr going after Plek, I wasn't at the game, I didn't see what caused that to happen. I've seen every Leaf game for the past 8 years though and trust me, Orr does not play dirty. He honors the game just as much as the next guy. That said, I've never seen him charge at a player like he did yesterday, something probably did tick him off. All in all, none of the actions were excusable. But I'm not going to lose sleep over it.
Last edited by Center Ice Scrum: 02-10-2013 at 02:32 PM.
Your tough guy went after Grabo, our tough guy went after Gionta and Plek. Neither are excusable, but at some point you have to get over it. All players made out safe and alive.
There's a difference between grabbing someone in a scrum and taking a 20 foot run at a star player, or biting someone. But it's not about being sour, it's about just stating that these sorts of things should be deemed unacceptable by the league. If they talk to Prust about stirring it up that's fine by me as well.
You clearly do not understand team dynamics and the effect that it has on whether a team performs well or poorly.
AHH yes, he does not understand team dynamics. That must be why you are right. Forget the fact that since Subban has come back he's been our best player, surely he's the reason the team has been losing. Let's put the best player in the press box, that will solve the problems!
AHH yes, he does not understand team dynamics. That must be why you are right. Forget the fact that since Subban has come back he's been our best player, surely he's the reason the team has been losing. Let's put the best player in the press box, that will solve the problems!
Your tough guy went after Grabo, our tough guy went after Gionta and Plek. Neither are excusable, but at some point you have to get over it. All players made out safe and alive.
EDIT:
I'm not defending Grabo's actions in any way. I personally don't think he bit Pac, but if he did bite him, its not as big of a deal people are making it out to be. As for Orr going after Plek, I wasn't at the game, I didn't see what caused that to happen. I've seen every Leaf game for the past 8 years though and trust me, Orr does not play dirty. He honors the game just as much as the next guy. That said, I've never seen him charge at a player like he did yesterday, something probably did tick him off. All in all, none of the actions were excusable. But I'm not going to lose sleep over it.
There is no place for biting in hockey he should be kicked out of the nhl, if he wants to bite go try out for the wwf
. We are the class franchises of the NHL, let's show the League why that is. 
