Photo: Marlies.ca
Yeah, veiled Avengers reference. Well, not even veiled. Actually not even one of my better Mashup headlines, but very little happened in the NHL that was Leaf-related yesterday, and now we all have to pay the price.
The Marlies begin their AHL Western Conference series against the Oklahoma City Barons tonight as the road team. Our own Anthony Petrielli has extensively commented on the Marlies’ playoff drive to this point here, and marlies.ca has a convenient release prepared summarizing all the pertinent series preview-type information. Here’s a quick, copied extracted executive summary of the things they think you should know:
(Links after the jump)
+Continue Reading
Photo: Bridget Samuels, Toronto Life
The Maple Leafs, like last summer, don’t have much in the way of unrestricted free agents to decide on (their big year in that regard comes after next season), with only Jonas Gustavsson, for whom the writing is on the wall (gonzo), and the Alaskan King Crabb himself, Joey Crabb, to consider re-upping.
Late July of last summer, the Maple Leafs re-signed Crabb to a cheap one-year, two-way deal. Whether or not you see Crabb’s season as a one off and a product of enhanced minutes toward the end, he posted career highs of 11 goals, 15 assists at 26 points in 67 games and in that regard it was a useful little one-year re-signing in the end.
It’s not unreasonable to call Joey Crabb’s rise in production expected given the hike in minutes he received following Carlyle’s arrival. A look at some advanced statistical metrics suggest Crabb’s offensive pace could also have been an outlier: +Continue Reading
Quiet day for Leafs and Marlies content, but here are a few links for your Friday morning perusal:
Barons one win away from Western Conference Final
Looking like first-placed Oklahoma City – the Oilers’ AHL affiliate – will be the Marlies’ Western Conference Final opponent as the Barons have taken a 3-1 lead in their series against the San Antonio Rampage. The two teams are pretty unfamiliar with each other. With the AHL’s division heavy schedule, OKC and Toronto played only twice this season, splitting the season series. Ben Scrivens hasn’t even gotten a look at the Barons this season as Mark Owuya and Jussi Rynnas got those starts. If OKC closes it out, the Marlies would not have home ice advantage in a match up of the one and two seeds respectively.
Lashoff overcomes injury to become off-ice leader for the Marlies
Lashoff, who played in Game 4 for the Marlies in what was his first appearance this season due to a major knee injury, had been traveling with the team throughout the playoffs.
Fan Fuel: NHL players who need new teams
Luke Schenn is named alongside Tim Thomas, Roberto Luongo, Rick Nash and Jarome Iginla. The thought is certainly more fathomable than ever but unless he’s between the Leafs and a number one center, I think we’re better off seeing what he can do in a new season under a new – more defense-oriented – head coach.
Will Ryan Suter stay in Nashville after all?
Greg Wyshynski tells us not to count out the Predators just yet.
Reconstructing Patrick Kane’s Drunken Weekend in Madison
Patrick Kane might not be the only 23-year-old professional athlete who likes to party, but he’s got to be the worst at not drawing the attention of the public eye. This time his wild ways include allegations of choking a woman and uttering anti-semitic slurs. We can laugh because it isn’t our star player.
Call it a toss-up; No clear-cut favourite in Capitals-Rangers Game 7 showdown
Most Game 7s don’t have a clear cut favourite, but anyways, New Jersey’s opponent for the Eastern Conference finals is decided tomorrow at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers are 4-0 in Game 7s at MSG.
Photo: Graig Abel
The Marlies took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Abbotsford Heat in their Western Conference Semifinal series with a 3-1 win last night. Toronto now sits one win away from the Conference Finals. The Marlies benefited from an unlikely source of offense in Greg Scott, who scored a natural hat trick including a great shot at even strength, a short handed goal, and an empty netter. Scott, who has posted a surprisingly productive 74 points in 130 games over the past two seasons, garnered Matt Mistele’s attention in Game 2 as Matt praised his understated shot and energy level. With an ’88 birthdate, he shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential 4th line energy guy for the big club.
Goaltender Ben Scrivens has allowed three goals against in his last three games despite facing 95 Abbotsford shots to the Marlies’ 72 in that span (last night the Marlies were outshot 38-17). It’s a tough situation the Leafs are in here as the pending restricted free agent, who boasted the league’s lowest goals against average in the 2011-12 regular season, is providing ample proof he’s above the competition. Ideally Scrivens stays with the Leafs, despite no guarantee of increased NHL opportunity, in order to continue to work with long-time mentor Francois Allaire throughout the season (he’s repeatedly credited Allaire for helping him get settled down into this playoff run). Scrivens is 25-years-old however, and beyond thinking about his own career and desire to take the next step, would not be waiver exempt under a new deal. His trade value to the Leafs may prove too useful to risk losing him for nothing. +Continue Reading
Photo: AbbotsfordHeat.com
The Marlies took a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinals series with a 4-1 win over Abbotsford in Game 3 last night. Like their 5-1 Game 2 victory on Thursday, scoring depth, strong play from Ben Scrivens and an unbelievably good penalty kill keyed the Marlies’ success. Scrivens has stopped 57 of his last 59 shots while the Marlies penalty kill has gone a perfect 16 for 16 in the series (and 27 for 28/96.4% in playoffs).
Nazem Kadri and Matt Frattin, playing on the top line together alongside Jerry D’Amigo, are leading the way for the Marlies offensively in the series. Frattin has his third goal in as many games against Abbotsford while Kadri has two goals of his own along with two helpers in three games. Frattin’s shot is on target at the moment, finding accuracy with his powerful release, and he’s bringing a physical game in the process; promising signs from the first-year pro. Kadri was dangerous from puck drop – literally – as on the first shift Kadri went out and caught the Abbotsford D and goaltender Leland Irving napping with a wrap around. A key goal from Kadri as Abbotsford again could not find a way to get themselves back even once they fell behind. +Continue Reading
Photo: Amy Williams, AHL.com
The Marlies look to take the 2-1 edge in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series tonight in Abbotsford. The game can be caught live on Leafs TV and will also be broadcasted on SiriusXM Satellite Radio on NHL Home Ice.
The Marlies showed off their speed and matched Abbotsford’s physicality much better on Thursday, and will look to do the same without taking as many penalties. Fortunately the Marlies PK has continued its league best form into the playoffs, even improving up to over 95%, and short handed situations seem to actually be providing the Marlies with the momentum, not the opposition. That’s not to say the Marlies would be smart to take another nine penalties tonight, it’s merely a testament to how effective their aggressive high-pressure penalty killing has been.
Abbotsford looked like a much different team once they were behind the eight ball coming out of the first. It forced the Heat to come out of their defensive shell, and the Marlies managed to pad the lead further as a result. On the road a good start is made that much more pivotal. +Continue Reading
Photo: Marlies.ca
If you haven’t been able to get to a game at Ricoh and don’t have local Toronto Rogers TV, tonight is your first chance to get a good look at Marlies playoff action. Leafs TV will be broadcasting games 3, 4 and 5 live from Abbotsford, British Columbia. The games are late—10 p.m. (EST) starts—with Game 3 going tonight, Game 4 on Tuesday and Game 5 on Wednesday. The series sits 1-1 going into tonight’s game.
Onto a few links:
