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1st Rnd '25 Playoffs: The Battle of Ontario V - More of the Same - LFG!

Pwner

Pwner

Well-known member
The Quest for #14 starts Sunday against the finally playoff-bound Ottawa Senators after 8 years in the wilderness.

This will be the first time since 2004 that the Leafs and Sens will restart their epic playoff rivalry (which the Good Guys win!)

The Division Winning Leafs - First time since 2000 - are the betting favourites at -170 to advance to the next round, but I think this will be a closer series than you might think.

This will be a battle of Goalies: '23 Vezina Winner and the owner of the 9th best SV% (.911) Linus Ullmark against the #1 SV% Leader Anthony Stolarz (.926) and the 13th SV% (.909) Joseph Woll.

But really, this series will be decided by the Top End Talent. Can Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Nylander outduel Tkachuk the Younger, Stutzle and Sanderson? It's about time if you ask me!

LFG! GO LEAFS GO!

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Maybe there is something deep in this city's hockey DNA that the City and Team only truly resonate to a certain style of hockey. Those 60s leafs played it, those Gilmour leafs played it, those Sundin leafs played it. Maybe superskilled euro hockey just doesn't fit here. Maybe as the heartbeat of homegrown gritty canadian hockey, this is the only way this franchise can play, and maybe it's the only way it should play. Hell, the fans seem happier losing as long as they're gritty. Maybe playing super-mucker puck, but with the most elite skill we've ever had at the top of the lineup, is the ultimate solution.

Here's hoping.
 
Ottawa is a very young and inexperienced team. Tkachuk will be a handful, Stuzle and Giroux will dive all over the place. Sanderson is amazing. They have a good goalie. But this isn’t Tampa, Boston, Florida.

Meanwhile the Leafs are a vet team now, they play “playoff” hockey, they have a top PP, elite goaltending and a real tough D.

This is the first time the Leafs played a team they are clearly better than since the COVID season.

If they can’t get this done then it’s over.
 
Are most people on the side of starting Stolarz? I honestly think I’d prefer Woll as he’s been good lately himself, has been solid in the playoffs in the past and is our goalie of the future. I’d love to see him gain the experience of as many playoff games as possible. Although it’s hard to argue against going with Stolarz.

Ullmark has stunk in the playoffs up till now. 9 starts and a .887 sv%.
 
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Jeremy said:
Are most people on the side of starting Stolarz? I honestly think I’d prefer Woll as he’s been good lately himself, has been solid in the playoffs in the past and is our goalie of the future. Although it’s hard to argue with going with Stolarz.

Ullmark has stunk in the playoffs up till now. 9 starts and a .887 sv%.
Click to expand...

Honestly couldn't care less who we start in net.

And yeah that feels good.
 
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