Danny Gallivan Conf. Semifinal: (2) Montreal vs (3) Toronto

[mikey287]

In this thread, please discuss the playoff matchup between: (2) Montreal (http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB ... 4#p2791779" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and (3) Toronto (http://www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB ... 4#p2791827" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

They will face off in a seven game series that will be voted on only by the league's managers (asst GMs included) via a private message to me.

Please state your cases particular to this series regarding matchups, advantages, disadvantages, etc. - obviously, if you typed up some regular season notes about your team, they would be applicable here, but if you want to state that how your team would matchup well against your opponent, that would be encouraged.

In two days time (9/5), we'll have a vote to decide the series victor.

[Staggy]

I'll have more time to go over things tomorrow but at first glance the only matchup I'm overly concerned about is obviously that loaded first line led by Getzlaf. Emphasis will be put on giving him a healthy dose of Koivu and Zetterberg, having Callahan harass Benn, as well as getting my bottom D pair the hell away from them. I don't think my other units would be outmatched by them but that first line looks like Montreal's only consistent scoring threat so might as well suffocate them as much as possible.

I think the speed of all my defenders will cause huge problems for the size of Montreal's top 9. A lot of their offense will be based on a consistent forecheck and that plays right into my team's strength. Karlsson is the best one man breakout in the league and there's not many better skating pairs than Fowler and Faulk. Then of course there's rock solid defenders in Vlasic and Hjalmarsson to make up for Karlsson and Jones' high risk/high reward nature. Add in they'll be passing the puck up for a counter attack to at least one of Malkin, Zetterberg, Koivu, and Johansen at all times and I think Toronto has the ability to skate Montreal out of the series.

The gameplan is to roll 4 lines for the first 40-50 minutes but the scenario will dictate how they're used after that. If trailing then Nuke is hitting the bench and Zetterberg is taking his spot on Geno's left wing. A Zetts-Geno-Nash unit with EK patrolling the point is drool worthy and will have defenses petrified.
The 3rd line will remain the same and we'll bump Johansen up to 2nd line center and let him actually work with some talent.

When leading late in the 3rd by a goal, it'll be more about just making sure Zetterberg or Koivu's line is out there every time Getzlaf hits the ice. Hank is a shadowing monster who also excels at playing defense through offensive possession. Koivu's entire line is defensively responsible, led of course by him. Malkin will be tasked with possession and making it a two goal lead so I'd rather he not be taking chances with Montreal's dynamite top 3 lurking. Johansen's line will hopefully just do their thing, cycle and grind some ******** down. Last minute though, it will be Zetterberg-Koivu-Callahan out there, no questions asked.

On my side, I think my fate will be decided by 3 players; Malkin, Zetterberg, and Karlsson, who are all among the very best at their specific role. I'll expand on them a bit tomorrow, it's about time for me to go to bed.

[mikey287]

Toronto is certainly a very worthy opponent and a big rival, of course. So the games will be heated, undoubtedly. Neither team is really built for a slugfest, so it should be good, tight checking hockey.

Where I can make in-roads is on the right side of the defense with strong, ornery left wingers. Jamie Benn against Erik Karlsson on retrievals, Chris Kunitz against Karlsson or, in home games, Seth Jones...that could be a mess if we can get to them before they skate out of trouble. And even if they do skate out of trouble, we have a smart group of two-way players and five defenders that would rate very highly defensively (Barrie being the lone exception) that can help neutralize the puck-rushers like Karlsson, Fowler and Jones...

The high-level mobility of our defense should make offensive creation for a rather slow group of forwards in Toronto a little trickier. Their first line will be tough - though, how Nuke and Nash handle the playoffs will be in the eye of the voters...however, Perron, an older Zetterberg and Bryan Little are all average or worse skaters, old Elias, Koivu and Callahan are the same...Hertl, RyJo and Shaw, also, not at all fast...so we'll play tight gaps on them, play them up high, knowing that if we're beat once, we'll have the recovery speed to get them again a second time...which I believe will be the big advantage of the series for Montreal...

The Canadiens have home ice advantage, so they'll control the matchup game with Dave Tippett...we have a lot of excellent board players in our top-nine and are a beat faster at forward from top to bottom...if we can control the puck - as Getzlaf-Benn, Kunitz-Turris, Plekanec-Burns are apt to do, it will be tough for the physically weak defenders to out-man us for the puck back...the heaviest player on their side is the inexperienced Seth Jones, who is also the only real dunce on their blueline...Vlasic is a positional defender with good stick skills, Karlsson is not physically strong, Fowler isn't either, Faulk is still a kid in that regard, Hjalmarsson is Vlasic Jr. - they're a terrific group on the rush, no doubt...but in terms of breaking up the cycle, they'll need center support...and while Zetterberg and Koivu will certainly help, when you drag this group of forwards back so deep to interrupt an established cycle, it makes it very tough for them to get back up the ice with their lackluster speed (see: 2012 ECSF Devils vs. Flyers).

I think the starting goaltenders are a wash overall...both good players without a lot of track record. I have advantage in backup goaltending with Bobrovsky, but I wouldn't label him as a strength in the playoffs yet nor do I foresee four goalies being used in the series...

Should be a good one though.

[Avyran]

Ultimately voted Montreal in 7 here. Here's why...

1) Offense. I actually prefer Toronto here. Their centers are far superior, and they have offense very capable of handling playoff play - Malkin, Zetterberg, Koivu. Montreal has the stronger wingers, though. I don't trust Montreal's second line at all. I don't think Turris is as good as Mikey rates him, and I don't trust Semin in the playoffs. I also don't think Kunitz will be as effective on that line. Their fourth line is also really... easily battered, IMO, between two rookies & Hemsky. Neither Drouin or Kuznetsov will open space for him. However, Montreal's first line will take over games in a manner that Toronto doesn't have. I do think that Toronto's lines could be shuffled to provide a good shut-down line against the Benn/Getzlaf/Pavelski, though. I also don't think Montreal itself has a real shutdown line, because I don't think too highly of Burns or Soderberg.

2) Defensively, I think it's a wash. I like Trouba and Barrie, but not in the playoffs yet. Same with Jones. I like Hedman/Bouwmeester more than Vlasic/Karlsson. However, Montreal is small (in terms of defense, again, outside of the top 2) and will get worn down by Nash & Callahan; unfortunately, I don't think Toronto as a whole is physical enough to take advantage of that fact. Toronto's the same way, but Montreal has a line to take advantage of it.

3) Goaltending's a wash too. Khudobin/Bobrovsky is not anything special; neither is Bernier/Holtby. Bernier's going to be good, but I'm not sure I would trust him yet.

4) Coaching's the same. I like Tippett, but there's no place for him to put a stamp on this series: there's no big line to match up against or shut down. Conversely, I think Maclean & the assistants are adequate, but nothing special.

In the end, I think that the Benn/Getzlaf/Pavelski line would push Montreal over the edge. I could see Toronto shuffling their lines to go against it, moving their top line to be Zetterberg/Malkin/Nash, and their second line being Nichuskin/Little/Perron, giving their own top line. However, I don't think Koivu/Callahan could shut down Montreal, and that'll give them the win in 7. Neither team is particularly suited to take advantage of the other's weakness outside of Montreal's first line.

[mikey287]

A hotly contested series between two rivals. Montreal would swipe game 1 at home as Jamie Benn and Ryan Getzlaf went right to task, bullying their way to the blue. However, Evgeni Malkin showed that anything that duo could do, he could do better. It was a battle of the top lines. They exchanged goals virtually uncumbered. The Montreal defense had their hands full for most of the night, but Evgeni Malkin was a particularly big load to handle. The effective defense of the Maple Leafs was interested in continuing to attack, and occasionally was marooned by it. Ultimately, the Canadiens would prevail by a single goal from Tomas Plekanec.

Game 2 was much of the same, Joe Pavelski had two points after a quiet game 1. Cam Fowler made a fancy dash early in the third that resulted in success, as a centering pass had banked in off of Tyson Barrie, spoiling the game for the Les Glorieux. Jamie Benn would bring the game to within one, but it was not enough.

Games 3 and 4 in Toronto were mirror images of each other. Victor Hedman seemed to stick a flag in game 3 and claim it for his men, while fellow Swede Erik Karlsson would do the same in game 4. Ryan Getzlaf put on a show in game 3 that left many on-lookers elated and many Leafs bruised and battered. Evgeni Malkin could not be silenced in game 4, as he registered a four-point effort. Goaltending was secondary throughout. It was a dazzling display by each team in Toronto.

With the series reduced to a best of three back in Montreal. Line matching helped Montreal reign supreme and Jamie Benn took advantage of the inexperienced right defenders. Goaltending picked up, but the stars were still out in full force. It was Benn's goal late in the second period that was noted as the winner.

Backs to the wall, Toronto would respond in kind. Evgeni Malkin was dominant. Jay Bouwmeester had no answers for the big Russian and he made mincemeat of Kyle Turris. Chris Kunitz tried to level his former teammate with a strong charge, but instead pole-vaulted himself into his own bench. Mikko Koivu was terrific in the dot and stellar defensively for the duration. Alexander Semin sniped the crossbar from 38 feet out on Jonathan Bernier and the lack of light, dissuaded the Montreal bunch. Henrik Zetterberg would ice this cake with a puck-jacking of Jonathan Drouin in the neutral zone in the last half minute.

Game 7 started out with a bang. Brent Burns collapsed David Perron with a devastating hit, which sparked a rush that led to an early Montreal goal. Evgeni Malkin - who else - would snap one to the blocker side of Anton Khudobin that left the Kazakh goalie frustrated. Rick Nash would also cash a short time later. Jamie Benn would tie the game midway through the second, but that would be the last the home fans could celebrate. The Russian duo of Malkin and Valeri Nichushkin would complete a give-n-go that left many fans feeling faint. Patrik Elias would add another and Ryan Callahan would fill the empty net to seal a Leafs game 7 win on the road.

Game 1: Mtl 4-3
Game 2: Tor 4-3
Game 3: Mtl 5-4
Game 4: Tor 7-5
Game 5: Mtl 3-2
Game 6: Tor 5-3
Game 7: Tor 5-2

Toronto wins in 7

Three stars: Evgeni Malkin, Jamie Benn, Henrik Zetterberg

[MRandall25]

RIGGED! RIGGED!! RIIIIGGGEEEEDDDD!!!





Oh wait, mikey lost. Carry on.

[mikey287]

Haha, I'm all for that result. If I could have voted on the series, I also would have voted for Toronto. Congrats, and best of luck in the Conference Final!

[Staggy]

Thanks, awesome write ups, this series couldn't go anything but 7.

I'm going to have to put together an argument for Karlsson in the next couple days. Dude takes way too much heat for being IMO one of the top 5 dmen in the league and my second best player pretty handily.