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GO LEAFS!!! **Official** 2003 Toronto Maple Leafs playoff thread! **CONFIRMED**
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Af first when someone suggest that this thread can potentially generate 5000 response, I was perplexed.
But after viewing the play by play review of game 1, I have been enlightened. 😀
So for the leaf fans who do not have access to either radio or TV coverage, you can get your own Pro Leaf play by play here, free of charge.
For the Flyers fans who loves a beating, your are welcomed here too.
Game 2 on Friday will be rocking. And hopefully this time, we'll hold on to our lead and play better over all.
But after viewing the play by play review of game 1, I have been enlightened. 😀
So for the leaf fans who do not have access to either radio or TV coverage, you can get your own Pro Leaf play by play here, free of charge.
For the Flyers fans who loves a beating, your are welcomed here too.
Game 2 on Friday will be rocking. And hopefully this time, we'll hold on to our lead and play better over all.
imported_Papi
Platinum Member
Will this year be "the" year? ... hope so!
Antropov out 3-to-4 weeks
TSN.ca Staff
4/10/2003
The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost forward Nik Antropov for the remainder of the first round with a broken bone in his foot.
Antropov will miss the next three to four weeks after blocking a shot in Wednesday's playoff opener against the Philadelphia Flyers.
It's the same type of injury which sidelined defenceman Phil Housley for seven weeks this season.
Robert Reichel is expected to take Antropov's spot on the team's second line. The Maple Leafs have called up Aaron Gavey to fill the spot on the roster.
Results of an MRI on Darcy Tucker's left knee revealed no serious damage. He is listed as day-to-day.
The Leafs are already without centres Doug Gilmour (knee) and Travis Green (ribs) and defenceman Glen Wesley (ankle).
Cheers,
Aquaman
TSN.ca Staff
4/10/2003
The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost forward Nik Antropov for the remainder of the first round with a broken bone in his foot.
Antropov will miss the next three to four weeks after blocking a shot in Wednesday's playoff opener against the Philadelphia Flyers.
It's the same type of injury which sidelined defenceman Phil Housley for seven weeks this season.
Robert Reichel is expected to take Antropov's spot on the team's second line. The Maple Leafs have called up Aaron Gavey to fill the spot on the roster.
Results of an MRI on Darcy Tucker's left knee revealed no serious damage. He is listed as day-to-day.
The Leafs are already without centres Doug Gilmour (knee) and Travis Green (ribs) and defenceman Glen Wesley (ankle).
Cheers,
Aquaman
Game 3, second round two years ago we were averaging 16 posts/minute almost the entire game. 🙂
You'd be stunned at how active the Leaf threads have become in the past.... this is nothing.
BTW- Tucker is out daya to day... expected to return with Wesley for game 3.
Antropov is out for 3-4 weeks.
Wounded Leafs look for more offence
Associated Press
4/11/2003
VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers entered the playoffs worried about scoring goals. After one game, they're more concerned about preventing them.
The Toronto Maple Leafs scored five times, including an empty-net goal, on just 15 shots Wednesday in a 5-3 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals series.
The Flyers realize they can't allow the Leafs to convert so often on few chances in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Friday night.
``We gave up too many odd-man rushes, we made unnecessary errors,'' Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said after practice Thursday. ``We scored enough goals. Problem was we gave up too many easy opportunities.''
In last year's first-round loss to Ottawa, the Flyers scored a record-low two goals in five games. They got two goals 62 seconds apart in the second period against Toronto, and outshot the Leafs 31-15.
But Philadelphia lost because of loose play and shaky defence, uncharacteristic of the way the team played throughout the regular season.
The Flyers built their success this season - they finished with 107 points - around solid defence. But they committed too many defensive lapses in the opener, and goaltender Roman Cechmanek couldn't overcome the mistakes.
``Scoring goals wasn't the problem,'' forward Justin Williams said. ``We need to protect our goalie.''
While the Flyers held an intense practice session Thursday, the Leafs were just trying to figure out who they'll have available for Game 2 Friday.
Centre Nik Antropov broke a bone in his right foot in the second period of the opener, and will be out indefinitely. Forward Darcy Tucker hyperextended his left knee and is doubtful for Friday.
Centres Doug Gilmour (knee) and Travis Green (ribs) and defenceman Glen Wesley (ankle) missed Game 1.
``I've never seen injuries like this. It's unbelievable,'' Leafs forward Owen Nolan said. ``I guess when you have a team that plays the style we do, injuries are going to happen. But we're losing guys for three or four weeks. I've never seen anything like it.''
Toronto's main focus in Game 2 will be to reduce penalties. The most-penalized team in the NHL in the regular season, the Leafs allowed the Flyers six power-play opportunities.
Alexander Mogilny scored a short-handed goal on the same power play in which Eric Weinrich scored for Philadelphia. The Flyers finished 1-for-6 with the man-advantage.
``We needed to stay out of the penalty box. We didn't do a very good job of that in the early part of the game,'' Leafs coach Pat Quinn said. ``I want them to hit, but I don't want them to be so zealous that we attract attention when we don't need to.
``There's a tendency to smack someone real quick and we have to be in control of that. Be strong and be tough, but take your lumps and wait for your chance to give them back.''
Toronto, which has won four consecutive opening-round series, now has the home-ice advantage. The Leafs can head back to Toronto with a stranglehold on the series if they win Game 2.
``There's no game you can go into and say, 'It doesn't matter if you lose this one' because that'll take its toll over the series,'' Nolan said. ``You want to try and get the sweep if that's possible. You want to play hard with that intensity so you can get rested for the next series.''
The Flyers, first-round losers in four of the last five years, are desperate to advance. But they need to get one win first.
``You can talk all you want to. We need to go out and win a series,'' centre Jeremy Roenick said. ``Until we win a series or win the next game, everyone is going to take what we say and throw it out the window.''
Though most of the goals weren't his fault, Cechmanek must play better to give the Flyers a chance to win the series. He gave up four goals on the first 13 shots he faced. Cechmanek is 92-43-22 in the regular season, but just 3-8 in the playoffs.
``He felt he should've played better. He recognizes that,'' Hitchcock said.
The Flyers also need to get better production from Roenick, Tony Amonte, John LeClair, Mark Recchi and Keith Primeau. Amonte, Roenick and LeClair were minus-2, and Recchi and Primeau were minus-1 in the opener.
``This is when you need your best players to play better than the other team's best players,'' Hitchcock said.
Roenick agreed to a certain degree.
``Our best players have a lot to do with our success, but we need a full team effort,'' he said.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Associated Press
4/11/2003
VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers entered the playoffs worried about scoring goals. After one game, they're more concerned about preventing them.
The Toronto Maple Leafs scored five times, including an empty-net goal, on just 15 shots Wednesday in a 5-3 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals series.
The Flyers realize they can't allow the Leafs to convert so often on few chances in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Friday night.
``We gave up too many odd-man rushes, we made unnecessary errors,'' Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said after practice Thursday. ``We scored enough goals. Problem was we gave up too many easy opportunities.''
In last year's first-round loss to Ottawa, the Flyers scored a record-low two goals in five games. They got two goals 62 seconds apart in the second period against Toronto, and outshot the Leafs 31-15.
But Philadelphia lost because of loose play and shaky defence, uncharacteristic of the way the team played throughout the regular season.
The Flyers built their success this season - they finished with 107 points - around solid defence. But they committed too many defensive lapses in the opener, and goaltender Roman Cechmanek couldn't overcome the mistakes.
``Scoring goals wasn't the problem,'' forward Justin Williams said. ``We need to protect our goalie.''
While the Flyers held an intense practice session Thursday, the Leafs were just trying to figure out who they'll have available for Game 2 Friday.
Centre Nik Antropov broke a bone in his right foot in the second period of the opener, and will be out indefinitely. Forward Darcy Tucker hyperextended his left knee and is doubtful for Friday.
Centres Doug Gilmour (knee) and Travis Green (ribs) and defenceman Glen Wesley (ankle) missed Game 1.
``I've never seen injuries like this. It's unbelievable,'' Leafs forward Owen Nolan said. ``I guess when you have a team that plays the style we do, injuries are going to happen. But we're losing guys for three or four weeks. I've never seen anything like it.''
Toronto's main focus in Game 2 will be to reduce penalties. The most-penalized team in the NHL in the regular season, the Leafs allowed the Flyers six power-play opportunities.
Alexander Mogilny scored a short-handed goal on the same power play in which Eric Weinrich scored for Philadelphia. The Flyers finished 1-for-6 with the man-advantage.
``We needed to stay out of the penalty box. We didn't do a very good job of that in the early part of the game,'' Leafs coach Pat Quinn said. ``I want them to hit, but I don't want them to be so zealous that we attract attention when we don't need to.
``There's a tendency to smack someone real quick and we have to be in control of that. Be strong and be tough, but take your lumps and wait for your chance to give them back.''
Toronto, which has won four consecutive opening-round series, now has the home-ice advantage. The Leafs can head back to Toronto with a stranglehold on the series if they win Game 2.
``There's no game you can go into and say, 'It doesn't matter if you lose this one' because that'll take its toll over the series,'' Nolan said. ``You want to try and get the sweep if that's possible. You want to play hard with that intensity so you can get rested for the next series.''
The Flyers, first-round losers in four of the last five years, are desperate to advance. But they need to get one win first.
``You can talk all you want to. We need to go out and win a series,'' centre Jeremy Roenick said. ``Until we win a series or win the next game, everyone is going to take what we say and throw it out the window.''
Though most of the goals weren't his fault, Cechmanek must play better to give the Flyers a chance to win the series. He gave up four goals on the first 13 shots he faced. Cechmanek is 92-43-22 in the regular season, but just 3-8 in the playoffs.
``He felt he should've played better. He recognizes that,'' Hitchcock said.
The Flyers also need to get better production from Roenick, Tony Amonte, John LeClair, Mark Recchi and Keith Primeau. Amonte, Roenick and LeClair were minus-2, and Recchi and Primeau were minus-1 in the opener.
``This is when you need your best players to play better than the other team's best players,'' Hitchcock said.
Roenick agreed to a certain degree.
``Our best players have a lot to do with our success, but we need a full team effort,'' he said.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Thats too bad that Antropov went down, BUT he is not THE core of the team. He only had 16 goals, so its not like we lost our best player. Though I do admit he was one of our best passing players, and would've been extremely helpful in the series. But I wont just give up on them just yet! 🙂 Youre always worrying about the littlest thing!! 😉😀
BTW, The baby Leafs did pretty damn good considering we beat Ottawa.
Damn, they are getting out played. Flyers really want to win this one badly. I dont have much confidence in our 2nd period, but I hope they pick it up and stop taking so many god damn penalties.
Phil Housley is not doing all that well... so far he was involved in both goals against us.
Phil Housley is not doing all that well... so far he was involved in both goals against us.
Flyers dominate Leafs to even series
Canadian Press
4/11/2003
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second straight game. This time, they did it on the scoreboard, too.
Simon Gagne, John LeClair and Mark Recchi each had a goal and assist, leading the Flyers to a 4-1 victory over Toronto in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final Friday night.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Toronto.
Jeremy Roenick also scored for the Flyers.
Alexander Mogilny had Toronto's only goal. Mogilny scored three in Toronto's series-opening win.
The Leafs beat the Flyers 5-3 in the series opener, despite being outplayed and outshot 31-15. Philadelphia outshot Toronto 36-17 Friday, including 31-10 through the first two periods.
The undermanned Leafs were without forwards Nik Antropov (foot) and Darcy Tucker (knee), both injured in Game 1. Also, centre Doug Gilmour (knee) and defenceman Glen Wesley (ankle) remained sidelined.
Philadelphia controlled the game from the start, playing most of the first period in Toronto's end. After failing to convert on their first two power-play opportunities, the Flyers took a 1-0 lead on a short-handed goal by Gagne with 7:51 left in the first.
Gagne stripped the puck from Owen Nolan just beyond the blue-line, skated down the right wing, went through defencemen Phil Housley and Bryan McCabe and took a shot that was stopped by goaltender Ed Belfour. But the rebound bounced back to Gagne and he poked it in.
Roenick made it 2-0 with 2:13 left in the first, converting a crisp pass from Gagne after a turnover by Housley.
Belfour had 32 saves after stopping 28 of 31 in the opener. Roman Cechmanek, who allowed four goals on his first 13 shots in Game 1, made 16 saves.
Mogilny cut it to 2-1 early in the second period on his fourth goal of the series. Mogilny skated around Flyers defenceman Chris Therien, went around the back of the net and put a backhander under Cechmanek's pad.
But the Flyers regained their two-goal lead 1:42 later on Recchi's goal. Recchi tried to centre a pass to LeClair from the side of the net, but the puck bounced off Belfour and McCabe and into the net.
LeClair made it 4-1 midway through the second on a power-play goal _ just his second goal in his last 13 playoff games. Eric Weinrich blasted a shot from the point that was stopped, but LeClair stuffed the rebound past Belfour.
The Flyers already have seven goals in the series. They scored a record-low two goals in a five-game, first-round loss to Ottawa last season. Philadelphia has been eliminated in the first round in four of the last five years.
Toronto has won its opening-round series four consecutive years.
Notes: A sellout crowd of 19,597 turned out at the First Union Center after a rare non-sellout for the series opener. ... The Flyers are 8-5 in playoff series in which they win the second game after losing Game 1. ... Cechmanek improved to 4-8 in the playoffs. ... Leafs D Jyrki Lumme played in his 100th career playoff game. ... The last time Philadelphia scored four goals in a playoff game was May 18, 2000, in a 4-2 victory over New Jersey in Game 5 of the conference finals. ... Leafs D Wade Belak, a healthy scratch in Game 1, returned to the lineup and played some shifts at forward. ... Enforcers Tie Domi and Donald Brashear, both goal-scorers in the opener, exchanged a flurry of punches during a fight midway through the third.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Canadian Press
4/11/2003
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second straight game. This time, they did it on the scoreboard, too.
Simon Gagne, John LeClair and Mark Recchi each had a goal and assist, leading the Flyers to a 4-1 victory over Toronto in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final Friday night.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Toronto.
Jeremy Roenick also scored for the Flyers.
Alexander Mogilny had Toronto's only goal. Mogilny scored three in Toronto's series-opening win.
The Leafs beat the Flyers 5-3 in the series opener, despite being outplayed and outshot 31-15. Philadelphia outshot Toronto 36-17 Friday, including 31-10 through the first two periods.
The undermanned Leafs were without forwards Nik Antropov (foot) and Darcy Tucker (knee), both injured in Game 1. Also, centre Doug Gilmour (knee) and defenceman Glen Wesley (ankle) remained sidelined.
Philadelphia controlled the game from the start, playing most of the first period in Toronto's end. After failing to convert on their first two power-play opportunities, the Flyers took a 1-0 lead on a short-handed goal by Gagne with 7:51 left in the first.
Gagne stripped the puck from Owen Nolan just beyond the blue-line, skated down the right wing, went through defencemen Phil Housley and Bryan McCabe and took a shot that was stopped by goaltender Ed Belfour. But the rebound bounced back to Gagne and he poked it in.
Roenick made it 2-0 with 2:13 left in the first, converting a crisp pass from Gagne after a turnover by Housley.
Belfour had 32 saves after stopping 28 of 31 in the opener. Roman Cechmanek, who allowed four goals on his first 13 shots in Game 1, made 16 saves.
Mogilny cut it to 2-1 early in the second period on his fourth goal of the series. Mogilny skated around Flyers defenceman Chris Therien, went around the back of the net and put a backhander under Cechmanek's pad.
But the Flyers regained their two-goal lead 1:42 later on Recchi's goal. Recchi tried to centre a pass to LeClair from the side of the net, but the puck bounced off Belfour and McCabe and into the net.
LeClair made it 4-1 midway through the second on a power-play goal _ just his second goal in his last 13 playoff games. Eric Weinrich blasted a shot from the point that was stopped, but LeClair stuffed the rebound past Belfour.
The Flyers already have seven goals in the series. They scored a record-low two goals in a five-game, first-round loss to Ottawa last season. Philadelphia has been eliminated in the first round in four of the last five years.
Toronto has won its opening-round series four consecutive years.
Notes: A sellout crowd of 19,597 turned out at the First Union Center after a rare non-sellout for the series opener. ... The Flyers are 8-5 in playoff series in which they win the second game after losing Game 1. ... Cechmanek improved to 4-8 in the playoffs. ... Leafs D Jyrki Lumme played in his 100th career playoff game. ... The last time Philadelphia scored four goals in a playoff game was May 18, 2000, in a 4-2 victory over New Jersey in Game 5 of the conference finals. ... Leafs D Wade Belak, a healthy scratch in Game 1, returned to the lineup and played some shifts at forward. ... Enforcers Tie Domi and Donald Brashear, both goal-scorers in the opener, exchanged a flurry of punches during a fight midway through the third.
Cheers,
Aquaman
Tucker and Wesley ready to rock
The Canadian Press
4/13/2003
TORONTO (CP) - The return of Darcy Tucker and Glen Wesley and an anticipated boost from the home crowd has the Toronto Maple Leafs pumped for Game 3 of their first-round NHL playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
"The way I felt, I'll be able to get back into the lineup and play at 100 per cent," Tucker said after practice Sunday.
The fiery forward hurt his left knee when he was hip-checked by Eric Weinrich out of Game 1, won 5-3 by Toronto, and the Leafs missed his physical presence during a 4-1 loss in Game 2.
"We stopped playing after falling behind in that game," said Quinn. "That's not the way we play.
"You want to go down as a lion not as a lamb." There will be no chance of that with Tucker back in the lineup.
"We've got to have a commitment early in Game 3 to play hard and to get that home-ice mindset - that that's our rink and anybody who comes in here is going to have to pay a physical price," said Tucker.
Quinn also is expected to reinsert defenceman Glen Wesley following his rapid recuperation from a broken left foot suffered in a March 24 game.
Tie Domi was the only regular missing at practice but he'll play Monday.
"Tie has an elbow cut," explained Quinn. "Those things can get infected so the key thing is to keep it clean."
Despite the 1-1 status of the series, the Leafs have played themselves into underdog status. They've been outshot 68-32, Mats Sundin hasn't scored, Owen Nolan doesn't even have a shot on net, Phil Housley has had difficulty telling orange from blue and Ed Belfour hasn't stolen a game.
Yet, it is after adversity has dealt repeated setbacks that this team produces some of its best efforts.
"We know we played poorly on the road," said Alexander Mogilny, who has scored four of Toronto's six goals. "We have to steal one away from them.
"Hopefully there's only one way - up - for us."
To get more offensive impact, the Leafs have to "get the puck behind their D and work things down low," said Mogilny.
"We had a lot of space between our forwards and our D the other night," he said. "We've got to tighten that up."
The teams are evenly matched so little things - mucking along the boards and fast line changes - might sway the outcome of the series, said forward Shayne Corson.
"We look forward to playing in front of our fans," said Corson. "They're like an extra man for us.
"We have to come out and play hard and give them a reason to cheer, and that's what we're going to do."
Quinn, dissatisfied with the work ethic in Game 2, has let his players know he expects a more determined effort, and they are prepared to give it.
"The team that works the hardest is going to win this series," said Corson.
Quinn is toying with using seven defenceman, instead of six as in the first two games, so he can ease Wesley back into a full-time role. That would mean, pencilling Tucker back in, that at least two forwards who dressed in Philadelphia would sit out Game 3.
Notes: Sundin discarded the plastic shield that had protected his mouth and torn upper lip since a puck ripped into his face 12 days ago. . . . Line combinations in practice: Roberts-Sundin-Renberg, Nolan-Reichel-Mogilny, Hoglund-Fitzgerald-Ponikarovsky, Healey-Corson-Belak. . . . D Ric Jackman had Mike Weir in the players' Masters pool.
Cheers,
Aquaman
The Canadian Press
4/13/2003
TORONTO (CP) - The return of Darcy Tucker and Glen Wesley and an anticipated boost from the home crowd has the Toronto Maple Leafs pumped for Game 3 of their first-round NHL playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
"The way I felt, I'll be able to get back into the lineup and play at 100 per cent," Tucker said after practice Sunday.
The fiery forward hurt his left knee when he was hip-checked by Eric Weinrich out of Game 1, won 5-3 by Toronto, and the Leafs missed his physical presence during a 4-1 loss in Game 2.
"We stopped playing after falling behind in that game," said Quinn. "That's not the way we play.
"You want to go down as a lion not as a lamb." There will be no chance of that with Tucker back in the lineup.
"We've got to have a commitment early in Game 3 to play hard and to get that home-ice mindset - that that's our rink and anybody who comes in here is going to have to pay a physical price," said Tucker.
Quinn also is expected to reinsert defenceman Glen Wesley following his rapid recuperation from a broken left foot suffered in a March 24 game.
Tie Domi was the only regular missing at practice but he'll play Monday.
"Tie has an elbow cut," explained Quinn. "Those things can get infected so the key thing is to keep it clean."
Despite the 1-1 status of the series, the Leafs have played themselves into underdog status. They've been outshot 68-32, Mats Sundin hasn't scored, Owen Nolan doesn't even have a shot on net, Phil Housley has had difficulty telling orange from blue and Ed Belfour hasn't stolen a game.
Yet, it is after adversity has dealt repeated setbacks that this team produces some of its best efforts.
"We know we played poorly on the road," said Alexander Mogilny, who has scored four of Toronto's six goals. "We have to steal one away from them.
"Hopefully there's only one way - up - for us."
To get more offensive impact, the Leafs have to "get the puck behind their D and work things down low," said Mogilny.
"We had a lot of space between our forwards and our D the other night," he said. "We've got to tighten that up."
The teams are evenly matched so little things - mucking along the boards and fast line changes - might sway the outcome of the series, said forward Shayne Corson.
"We look forward to playing in front of our fans," said Corson. "They're like an extra man for us.
"We have to come out and play hard and give them a reason to cheer, and that's what we're going to do."
Quinn, dissatisfied with the work ethic in Game 2, has let his players know he expects a more determined effort, and they are prepared to give it.
"The team that works the hardest is going to win this series," said Corson.
Quinn is toying with using seven defenceman, instead of six as in the first two games, so he can ease Wesley back into a full-time role. That would mean, pencilling Tucker back in, that at least two forwards who dressed in Philadelphia would sit out Game 3.
Notes: Sundin discarded the plastic shield that had protected his mouth and torn upper lip since a puck ripped into his face 12 days ago. . . . Line combinations in practice: Roberts-Sundin-Renberg, Nolan-Reichel-Mogilny, Hoglund-Fitzgerald-Ponikarovsky, Healey-Corson-Belak. . . . D Ric Jackman had Mike Weir in the players' Masters pool.
Cheers,
Aquaman
I am a huge leaf fan, but they have been outplayed in both games of the series so far. They were downright lucky to have won game one and not to have been shutout in game two. If they have any chance of winning this series, they will need to pull their heads out of their a$$e$ and start playing hockey. They need to do more than just show up...
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