Really needed to win this one and basically put the noose around their necks. Matty needs to remember how to score again. He doesn’t even want to shoot on the pp. it’s unbelievable.
Problem with the PP is the Leafs don’t shoot. They pass around waiting for some golden opportunity instead of just putting the puck on net and creating something.
I think the team is calmer and seem more confident and collected for a few reasons.
For one, they all suddenly got older in a blink - Willy just turned 29, Marner 28, Matthews right behind them. They seem to have gotten serious about their window, and credit to Berube, who I'm shocked about...
I don't care what the deserve o meter says, or that they doubled us in shot attempts.
It felt like we had the game under control as soon as we first tied it. We got just enough goaltending and just enough Matthews to get by, but imagine if we got both Woll and Matty at full capacity. I...
That's the most glaring. But I see it in his puck hounding abilities and twisting and turning away from checks. He's also slower and less explosive.
Every time I convince myself it's a wrist thing, I see him just not looking as strong or mobile and wonder if it's a leg thing, or, worst case...
It depresses me we don't have full Matthews at our disposal. It's been so long since seeing the real Matthews at work, that I'm starting to forget how amazing he always was. We need that power.