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Post by CentreHice on Apr 20, 2004 21:43:59 GMT -5
It all hinges on Belfour...as usual. And on Esche not pulling a "Lalime".
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Post by jkr on Apr 20, 2004 21:53:55 GMT -5
I took Philly in 6. Esche has looked good & the Flyers are a bigger, more physical team than Ottawa. Not only do they have big players but big players with talent. And if you want history than receent play between these teams favours the Flyers big time.
Unlike the Senators, the Flyers want it, they really want it. And Hitchcock is a better coach than Martin.
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Post by Rimmer on Apr 21, 2004 1:29:55 GMT -5
Flyers in 5.
R.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 21, 2004 3:02:09 GMT -5
I hear a lot of Leaf fans saying they outplayed Ottawa.
No...Belfour outplayed Ottawa.....Ottawa outplayed Ottawa in Game 5.....and Lalime played Ottawa out of Game 7. I'll give credit to Belfour and that's about it. Leafs gave up enough chances to cost a series, easy.
All things remaining status-quo, the Flyers should take the Leafs in 5, perhaps 6. Leafs will take numerous undisciplined, frustration-like penalties in trying to hold, clutch, and grab the big Flyer forwards who will smack them around. The Leafs waterskied their way through most of the Ottawa series. Flyers should crush them.
Then again...Esche? He did more than enough facing Brodeur.
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Post by franko on Apr 21, 2004 6:03:05 GMT -5
Flyers in 5.
They're rested, they're healthy, they're hungry.
Belfour's kick at the can is over . . . as good as he has been he won't be able to hold off the Flyers because they aren't afraid to go to the net and pay the price.
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Post by Rimmer on Apr 21, 2004 6:50:56 GMT -5
They're rested, they're healthy, they're hungry. they have two key players injured: Desjardins, who has been injured since the last days of the regular season and will be out for the rest of the playoffs, and Jonsson, who has a broken bone in his hand, but could play nevertheless. although they are pretty good on D, the loss of thier best dman, Jonsson, could hurt them. what's interesting is that if Jonsson isn't ready to go, Hitchcock will move Sami Kapanen to D. still, I stand by my initial prediction. R. |
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Post by blny on Apr 21, 2004 7:31:30 GMT -5
they have two key players injured: Desjardins, who has been injured since the last days of the regular season and will be out for the rest of the playoffs, and Jonsson, who has a broken bone in his hand, but could play nevertheless. although they are pretty good on D, the loss of thier best dman, Jonsson, could hurt them. what's interesting is that if Jonsson isn't ready to go, Hitchcock will move Sami Kapanen to D. still, I stand by my initial prediction. R. There defence is so deep though, they haven't missed Desjardins. Jonsson will hurt. He's a good puck mover for them. I think Eddie will steal a game or two, but I don't see the battered Leafs being able to win a series from the Flyers. They're big, fast enough, and mean. |
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 22, 2004 22:18:12 GMT -5
Game 1: Flyers 3 Leafs 1
Saw the last two periods. Not many chances generated by Toronto. Flyers sat back and protected a 2-1 lead....and seemed able to turn it on with the forechecking whenever they wanted, which led directly to the third goal.
Kaberle got burned twice with coverage.
Flyers are right in Belfour's face...and Eddie doesn't like it. He took a slashing penalty with about 3 minutes left to pretty much thwart any chance of a comeback.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Apr 23, 2004 9:39:33 GMT -5
A renewal of a real series last year with a hate-on. Toronto is really banged up, and Philly is just going to add to that in spades. By the time Toronto gets Sundin back they will just be playing for respect and a win or two. Philly in 6.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 26, 2004 8:37:49 GMT -5
Game 2: Flyers 2 Leafs 1
Leaf fans and media saying the Flyers are beatable...that they outplayed the Flyers in Game 2.
Hmmmm.....sounds like the Sens fans in Round 1.
Hitchc0ck said, "I don't know too many teams that would be up 2-0 in Round Two without their #1 and #2 defensemen. We didn't play our game in the second period. We didn't adjust to the Leafs' play for the third, we just got back to playing our game."
The Leafs played their best game and half of the playoffs and are down 0-2.
If Esche stays hot....Flyers in 5.
Unlike, the Habs....this is the year for this edition of the Leafs. If they don't go all the way, it'll be 37 years and counting...and counting...and counting....
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Apr 26, 2004 15:40:16 GMT -5
The Leafs are leafs. They can't win until Turk, Teeder and the big "M" come back and that ain't gonna happen, ever!
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Post by jkr on Apr 26, 2004 17:22:36 GMT -5
What their fans seem to ignore is that the leafs have stopped scoring. This is their 9th playoff game and they have just 16 goals. They have broken the 2 goal barrier only once & that was game 7 against Ottawa.
Their opponents have no trouble shutting them down, no matter who is in the lineup.
They are now resorting to using the Sens excuses - it was their goalie, we outplayed them bla bla bla.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2004 21:40:42 GMT -5
I'm grumpy. The Leafs better lose, too.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2004 20:22:54 GMT -5
Leafs win tonight, but it may be their only one of this series.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2004 20:29:32 GMT -5
I don't know what's worse...the Leafs tying the series tonight or the idiots at work tomorrow rubbing my face in it.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 30, 2004 22:03:07 GMT -5
I don't know what's worse...the Leafs tying the series tonight or the idiots at work tomorrow rubbing my face in it. What's worse is the refs handing the momentum to the Leafs tonight. Flyers had a 1-0 lead and McCabe had just taken a deserved penalty. On the PP, John LeClair feather-brushed Belfour....goalie interference...probably the worst call I've seen in a long time. Refs a little too whistle happy on that call since Joseph was run last night in Calgary. Toronto dodged the bullet, got a lucky bounce off a Flyer defenceman for the first goal....got a 5-on-3....didn't score....but Philly spent a lot of time killing penalties. Flyers didn't seem to have what it took to fight back...the desire. I hear Hitchc0ck took a strip off his players after Game 3's effort. He must really be fuming tonight. The Leafs could win this....if so....what are their chances against Tampa Bay? It will come down to Khabibulin vs. Belfour and they way they're playing we could see seven 1-0 games. Ah...what consistent elite goaltending can do. |
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Post by jkr on May 1, 2004 9:40:31 GMT -5
This is a homer series hrough & through and will probably go 7. The Flyers are unbeaten in their building. Don't be so quick to give it to the leafs yet.
And I don't know if either of these teams can handle Tampa Bay. You can't hit what you can't catch. The combo of top flight goaltending and balanced scoring will be a lot to handle for either team. I was also impressed with the Lightning's discipline in the last two games.
My biggest disappointment is watching a player like Mogilny turn in to another chicken hearted goon that hits from behind & then laughs about. It's sad what desperation can do to someone that used to be a classy player.
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Post by jkr on May 2, 2004 16:53:58 GMT -5
I just turned the game on halfway through the second & the leafs are getting their butts kicked - it's 6-2 Flyers.
Esche & Malakhov have left the game & no updates yet. Is anybody else watching & know what happened?
This makes the Burke trade look very good if Esche can't go for game 6.
It's going to be scary thing for the leafs in the 3rd period - Kidd is in goal.
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Post by CentreHice on May 2, 2004 19:50:32 GMT -5
I just turned the game on halfway through the second & the leafs are getting their butts kicked - it's 6-2 Flyers. Esche & Malakhov have left the game & no updates yet. Is anybody else watching & know what happened? This makes the Burke trade look very good if Esche can't go for game 6. It's going to be scary thing for the leafs in the 3rd period - Kidd is in goal. Hitchc0ck said in his post-game comments that "we'll tell you the truth about Esche tomorrow. Right now it's an upper-body injury....but like I said, we'll tell you the truth tomorrow." Never heard it put that way before: the truth. Klee went down as well, and some are surmising it's is abdominal strain again which is good news for the Flyers. Leafs were brutal tonight from McCabe's blunders to their 11 shot effort. That's what ya look like when you hang your goalie out to dry and he hasn't got the answer. Eddie IS the Leafs. It's been that way all year. Rick Vaive said it looked as if he was a bit stiff in the second period. Perhaps the back is acting up after all...... |
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2004 21:20:49 GMT -5
It was a fantastic game.  |
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Post by LeafSuck on May 3, 2004 20:06:29 GMT -5
Klee is done for the playoffs, Nolan is also likley done and will need surgery, and I am hearing rumours Belfour has a bad back and might not be able to play in Game 6 (only a rumour).
Inless the Leafs can stop Primeau, they're golfing.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2004 20:14:03 GMT -5
Klee is done for the playoffs, Nolan is also likley done and will need surgery, and I am hearing rumours Belfour has a bad back and might not be able to play in Game 6 (only a rumour). Inless the Leafs can stop Primeau, they're golfing. Not to mention if they can stop going to the box and stop coughing up the puck. But we know that's not going to happen. Oh well. Now we have to put up with the crap that at least the Leafs lasted longer. Whatever.  |
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Post by CentreHice on May 3, 2004 21:26:50 GMT -5
Oh well. Now we have to put up with the crap that at least the Leafs lasted longer. Whatever. My son had a good retort for that argument. I heard many Leafs' fans and media say, "Whether you lose 7-2, or 3-2 in triple overtime, it doesn't matter. A loss is a loss. Bottom line...you lost the game." So, in the happy event the Leafs lose to the Flyers, we say, "Whether you lose in 6/7 games or 4, it doesn't matter. A loss is a loss. Bottom line...you lost in Round 2." |
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Post by LeafSuck on May 4, 2004 15:57:50 GMT -5
Dunno if thats accurate
If you lose in overtime of the 7th game of the cup final, you can cause to hang your head high, rather than someone who is swept in four.
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Post by patate on May 4, 2004 16:28:09 GMT -5
If the leafs loose tonight, they can wave goodbye the contender spot they hold for 5-6 years now, because many players will retire after this season. You can name Belfour, Nieuwendyk, Francis, Robert and maybe Nolan who'd probably like to be able to walk after his career. This is do or die for them tonight, I except them to be as cheap and dirty as ever. But the flyers got the man power to retaliate.
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Post by seventeen on May 5, 2004 1:08:39 GMT -5
Ahhhh, all is well with the world. Philly, Calgary and San Jose, all my picks. Only the Habs let me down. Rats.
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Post by LeafSuck on May 5, 2004 6:33:04 GMT -5
Isn't it great that the Habs are a great up-coming young team, while the Leafs are on the way down?
Belfour, Kidd BOTH UFA's. With the way Belfour's back has been this year and his play in the Flyers series, he should just give it up.
Klee, Marchment, Berehowsky, are all good as gone (all free agents). And I hear Leetch might retire.
Upfront, Francis is going to announce his retirement in the next few days. Roberts, Nieuwendyk, Fitzgerald, Reichel, Renberg are all free agents and you have to think the only guy who will be back is Roberts. Nieuwendyk has that bad back and at the beginning of the season he said this would prolly be his last year.
Not to mention, Mogilny is selling his house in Toronto and their are strong rumours he is going to retire.
Plus Quinn is as good as gone.
Looks like a long off-season for the Laffs.
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Post by jkr on May 5, 2004 17:57:05 GMT -5
Who didn't play last night was also interesting. Francis was a healthy scratch. And the other pick that Healy touted at the deadline - Johansson - didn't dress in favor of Pilar. Ferguson gets these guys, Quinn doesn't play them. What does that say to you?
Leetch had a rough go the last two games and was on the ice for two goals last night including being caught up the ice on the winner & he failed to score in the playoffs.
Looks like none of the "impact" acquisitions had an impact.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2004 19:27:57 GMT -5
Looks like none of the "impact" acquisitions had an impact. Especially Nolan. He watched the entire time, while McCauley gets to go to the Conference Finals. |
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Post by CentreHice on May 5, 2004 23:09:54 GMT -5
Driving to and from Toronto today, I got to hear a lot of comments from prominent Toronto sports radio personalities...here's the gist of what I heard.
"I do believe that was the first time in his career that Francis had been a healthy scratch. What a way to treat a first ballot Hall of Famer."
"Quinn's loyalty to Antropov by playing him huge minutes is baffling to me. He can't skate, he doesn't hit, he takes stupid penalty after stupid penalty, and he can't catch a pass. How much better could Nieuwendyk have been not being saddled with this guy?"
"Quinn hung Sundin out to dry last night. Hitchc0ck saw that Quinn was putting Antropov's line on to check Primeau. So Hitchc0ck played Primeau a lot. That left Sundin's line on the bench far more than they should have been."
"Pat Quinn is gone. He has to be. There's no way he'll be back. It has to change."
"What has Belfour done that has exceeded Curtis Joseph? Belfour has been great, but in Cujo's first two years here, he won 3 playoff rounds. Belfour has won only 1 in his two years. Last year he lost to Cechmanek, and this year he lost to Esche."
"Goaltending has been the least of Toronto's worries since Quinn arrived. Cujo and Belfour have provided outstanding netminding. The Leafs problems have always been on their defense...along with more than their share of injuries up front during the playoffs."
"Brian Leetch? A future Hall of Famer...a great player...10 years ago when he won a Cup with New York. Ron Francis? A future Hall of Famer...a great player...12 years ago when he won Cups with Pittsburgh. I think a lot of people got caught up in the "names" and lost sight of the fact that the best years of these guys were more than behind them. Even 5 years ago, these guys would have had enough in the tank."
"There's no doubt that the Leafs DID improve with the addition of Leetch. He plugged a couple of glaring holes back there. Just goes to show you how bad the Leafs defense was before that...and how good Belfour and Cujo really had to be."
"Don't give me the injury report. Sundin, Mogilny, Nolan, Tucker, Klee....the Flyers played without their #1 defenseman Desjardins....their #2 defencemen missed the first 4 games...they lost Malakhov for Game 6. Sami Kapanen played defense in 5 of the 6 games and was outstanding in that role. The fact that the Leafs couldn't capitalize on the depleted Flyer defense speaks volumes of what is wrong with this team."
"Didn't Antropov say the Flyer defense was weak because it's full of Europeans? Who's laughing now?"
"The Leafs didn't learn from their own recent history. In the first round, the Senators handed Toronto a Game 5 victory...in this series, the Leafs handed the Flyers a Game 5 victory from which they never recovered."
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