OverDrive - OverDrive - May 1, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: May 1, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan for Hour 3 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joins to discuss the headlines from around the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Athletic Maple Leafs Reporter Jonas Siegel joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' series-clinching character, the aim against the Senators and lineup formation in the game and Bryan hands out his FanDuel Best Bets.

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Proudly powered by all your friends' best, June 28th and 29th. Featuring Avril Lavigne, Simple Blend and more. Final Hour Overdrive continues powered by FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score Brian Hayes, Jamie Noodles, McClennan We are just over an hour away from puck drop game six Leafs-Sens Battle of Ontario right here on TSN radio and Jonas Segal will join us from the rink in about a half an hour Pierre Lebrun is in Colorado for game six Join us from the rink in about a half an hour Pierre Lebrun is in Colorado for game six Avs stars tonight Get the Oilers game six what a night pan for games

You can't you can't beat it. You can't beat it. It's out. Lots of couch. Oh, it's amazing. That's amazing Yeah, it'll be good games. Yeah, it will be you know, I I don't know I Don't know like I'm more anxious anxious, like I always wait as a fan, you know, you're about 15 minutes out and you're going, okay, how is this going to unfold tonight? And you're anxious, you have no control, you're just sitting on your couch or wherever, consuming the game. But as a player, that was the biggest set of nerves for me, is trying to figure out how is it going to go that night. You can feel great.

There were times where I feel amazing and you get on the ice and it just doesn't go your way. Like it just, you know, bad bounces, timing, you know, bad penalty out of nowhere from a teammate. Like stuff, you know, controls the narrative and the direction of how it goes. That was the biggest source of anxiety for a player leading into it. The building's popping, all of that. You want to get through the anthems.

The anthems seem to take forever even though it's only one anthem here tonight. But it's just you want to get into the game and go, how's this going to go? And to me, that's the biggest source of anxiety. I don't know what it's like for... I know what I am as a fan now watching it. I don't have that much anxiety. But a fan of one of these teams, a diehard fan, like when does the anxiety start? Is it, or is it never stopped?

I'm not sure it ever stops, quite frankly. I think that's the beauty of the playoffs. It's such a unique experience. You know, there's, there's so there's eight fan bases in the NHL dealing with it. Four in the NBA, because you get to get sixes in that on that side of things right the nicks in the this is in the clippers in the nuggets tonight so especially when it gets to this point where it's survival mode

no game one yeah i think most people breathe easy i'm not talking about the players but i'm talking about just you know you go to the building are some of the one someone's gonna lose let's see our plays out but you can always recover it's once you've you've planted the seeds on a series and this one the lease ends one in particular is has been uh... you know it's been pretty fascinating because we've had three over times yeah we had a three nothing series lead and that feels like an eternity ago

yeah i see it feels like that just didn't happen like this is what most Leaf fans have experienced against the Bruins, against the Lightning, is series like this, where it always goes six, it always goes seven, it always goes deeper into the series, and that's when you really start to get anxious. And like from my standpoint, I am very curious to see how certain players play tonight how they look

how they perform because it's it's just a massive opportunity because you rarely you rarely get them when you you really think about it you know and you consider what we talk about all the time we're in the eye of the storm let's say you know it doesn't go well for the Leafs over the next couple of games we're going to talk about it for the next 12 months. What happens next time they get there? Well, you're here now. We've spent the last 12 months talking about what are you going to do when you get back here? How are you going to react to it? What's it going to mean come playoff time? And that I think is the beauty of it that you have the

payoff of the experience that you're in it and you want to see how they react and I think there's different layers to it. I think the goaltenders, you know, as we always acknowledge it goes without saying they're going to factor in significantly. There's no hiding if you're a goaltender. You have to play well. You have to play well. Doesn't mean you have to be perfect or great. You have to play well. If play if one of these guys plays poorly tonight their team is gonna lose Yeah, that's likely what happens, but then you push the goalies aside You know I for me the packing orders I start with Matthews I got I've been particularly focused on him the last couple of days because I think he's worthy of it He's the best player. He has the most at stake in terms of building legacies because of where he already ranks He's won a heart all these Rockets. Maybe he's gonna be the greatest American player of all time

greatest make believe of all time he's got to do it in these but he's got two months here to chip away at that right and it starts tonight so I look at Matthews first and foremost and then I would get to Nylander I'd get to more Morgan Riley I think it's got to be a big part of this been here for a long time got to have the best game of the series tonight uh... but yet the anxiety is there but that's what makes it so great you didn't care you wouldn't you would tune in to the same extent now i'd like to get a bit of a city

tonight that it's just this this last little you know the time leading up to it that's for parents it is yet it's it's and uh... again there's gonna be nerves on both sides really i don't think you can look past the difference tonight in ottawa compared to game four for a four was come on when once please now it's a you gotta win here cuz you could win the series

it is that it is rapidly changed uh... here's pierre lebron rts on hockey insider who do you think it would be more nervous tonight? Which dressing room more nervous, the Maple Leafs or the Ottawa Senators? I think you make a good point, Brian, about the Sens having nerves too.

Because the home crowd, I just got a bunch of texts from different people I know who are at the game who said, way less blue right now from what they're seeing there than compared to game four. So, you know, looks like the fans have reclaimed their building. But yeah, the fact that Ottawa's back in this series, I think will pit in their stomach too in this.

But, you know, I was no one I was going to do this hit. I've been thinking about this today. I don't know what you guys think. But, you know, part of why I think the drama is so heightened is because it was three nothing. And I know that's captain obvious, but my point is that three overtime games of the series, and if you change the sequence of events and give Ottawa an earlier win and then give the least maybe the last overtime game like

2-1 and then 3-2 and yeah at least you're a better team and three out of five. I don't think there's I don't think we're where we are right now. It's the fact that it was three nothings and the Senators are trying to pull off the reverse sweep combined with the playoff demons of the leash has led to a heightened sense of panic I think in a Leaf nation. But again, this easily could have been 2-1 after game three, based on play. I don't know what the hockey gods are doing to Leaf fans, but I think that's where we are right now in terms of all the hysteria that I could sense from a couple of time zones away.

Yeah. So Pierre, if you want to single out maybe one guy on each team that you would circle tonight that either You know would be your X Factor or you know have an opportunity to maybe you know be a legendary for your Organization for your team is it just the obvious it's Brady and it's it's Matthews or you you looking deeper than that Yeah, it is Matthews for sure, for the least. And because I think that you just the criticism again, that him and Marner have taken the last few days. You know, he's it's his first year as captain.

I think this is where you plant your flag. Remember his first NHL game, four goals in that building. I think tonight you plant your flag if you're 34 and say enough of this. So I expect a big game from him. You know, I think for the Senators, I'm gonna go away from Brady just because he's done so much here in this series, and I'm gonna give you Stu Slut because I think that

for the Senators to tie this series, I think they're gonna have to do a little more at five on five than I'm looking at him so that that'd be the guy for Ottawa for me. With Pierre LeBrun our TSN hockey insider you're in Colorado for game six tonight it's pretty incredible noodles and I were doing a little mini Jerry's last hour on how many of these series make it to Saturday because they're all scheduled to play game seven on Saturday. That would include Colorado Dallas, Leafs-Sense tonight, Minnesota Vegas and then LA and Edmonton.

Do you want to give us a prediction on how many of these series make it to game seven? I think two of them go to seven and I think my series is one of them. I have two flights booked. One to go home tomorrow and one to go to Dallas, and I think there's a 75% chance I'm going to Dallas because anything that would make my life easier never happens is my experience. I've been gone since April 18th, and I've got a couple of kids. I can't wait to see you get at home, but no, I think it's going seven. I, I, this is, this is exactly the series that I thought I would get and so I really wanted to come out here.

You know, I think the winner of this series in the West could go on to the cup final. I really do. And I just think Colorado's gonna tie this tonight and give us more of what we saw in game four here on home ice when they really destroyed Dallas and then that'll set up a game seven. But I will say this, this is an interesting last 24 hours here in Denver. I mean this is a Colorado team that was the most aggressive of any playoff team in the league in terms of remaking their roster over the last eight months. They put a lot of their chips in the middle here and there's a chance that, uh, if not tonight, maybe Saturday, that they lose out the first round,

which will put them in a position where they look, they will have won one playoffs series since winning the cup in 22. And I got to tell you, I remember leaving the building in Tampa June 22 after this core won their first cup. I remember turning to someone and saying, this is like, like, hold on to your, to your hat here, cause this team's about to go multiple on us here with this core. I just remember thinking they're the next Tampa, they're the next Chicago. This team's going to win three cups in six years.

It's just, you know, Linus, God, Grant,anton and McKinnon, McCarr, Yatushkin, just felt they were opening a door that year. And there's all kinds of reasons why it hasn't happened. I mean, we know about Lannis Gogh being gone for years and Yatushkin not finishing back-to-back playoff years and what he went through. You know, Ranton has been traded. Now there's all kinds of reasons, but if I put you back in time with you guys, I'm sure you had some more thoughts about this team here in Denver. And so if they lose tonight, especially tonight at home

where they lost in game six last year to this same Dallas team, there's gonna be some interesting questions being asked, I think, about a team that on paper, we keep looking at saying, all right. This is the year and And it hasn't happened in a while here So I'm really looking forward to seeing how they respond to that kind of pressure tonight. I agree I think you know we in the last hour the four o'clock hour story we were talking about Tampa and just running up against a

Florida team and same type of thing, you know Kuturov not scoring in his last 15 playoff games Vasilevsky not being good in his playoff last three I guess playoffs lots of question marks in Tampa and if if Colorado loses tonight the same type of questions when you're looking at it when you have such you know some of the best players on the planet to build around. It's unfortunate that you run up some of these Stanley Cup potential, you know, contenders are out in the first round. The last couple of games, Pierre, in that series have kind of been blowout wins. You know, when you look at it, it lopsided to, you know, lopsided last game where the

goalie gets pulled. The previous one lopsided where the goalie gets pulled. Do you feel, do you get a sense that maybe this is just going to be a tighter game, more of a 3-2 type of battle, maybe some overtime or something like that? Oh, don't you be saying that overtime work when you have to write a postgame column here, Noodle. Don't be doing that to me. I left the studio at 1 whatever, 1.40, what it was last last night after a late for some reason Winnipeg st. Louis game started at 9 whatever it felt like it started at

midnight whatever it was but yes I don't want to jinx it. No I do think it's gonna be back to that because that's what we had in the series until four and five when each team clobbered each other and and the two goalie polls by the way I'm sure you know this given that you're part of the fraternity but they weren't I was not performance-based and coach in each case is one of them to get a break for the next game and given the score yeah I think we're going back to a close game you know there's a couple of things here Miro Hyskonen skated again today for Dallas but Pete DeVore said he

was not a go for tonight. It's been sort of a common thought among a lot of us here covering the series that the Stars were just gonna break the you know break the glass in case of emergency so I think they were always gonna try and you know put him back in there once their season was on the line themselves and and it hasn't been yet they're up three two so I think at the start of the loose tonight and at home I think you might potentially see he's getting on on Saturday and in the meantime Jason Robertson was

Updated to go from week to week to day to day by Pete DeBoer today. And so this is the other thing That's interesting to me. It reminds me a lot of them into Dallas and Edmonton the parallels are unreal which is That's interesting to me. It reminds me a lot of them into Dallas and Emmons in the parallels are unreal, which is Give us enough time on the calendar to somehow get through this first round and then watch out it's so similar for Dallas and Emmons because In both cases and the Oilers lost win in game five and in the Stars lost win in game five He the board called it their best performance in five weeks Dallas and and we know that the Oilers felt the same way about their win in LA. Watch out.

I mean, don't give these teams too much rope with the pedigree they have. And if the Stars can somehow get to the second round without having needed to bring back Miro East Codinia, holy smokes. I mean, I got to say that the path looks pretty good for them. But again, I think we're going to seven in this series. With Pierre Lebrun, we couldn't get to six for the Montreal Canadians. They couldn't get past Washington last night. They've had a remarkable season, but I'm curious to see what the reaction to this series will

be because they would not be, if they do go down this road, would not be the first team to look at a scenario like the one we just witnessed and say, we need way more size, we need toughness, we can't allow the opponent like Washington to bully us. But that might deviate from their plan, you know, in terms of building and bringing in kids and how they draft and how they develop. I guess what I'm going to ask you or what I am asking you, Piers, do you think that five game series against Washington changes how they build starting this summer in Montreal?

I don't think it will. I think the idea that Ken Hughes and Jeff Gordon had about their next step here with this team is still what they're going to look at, Brian. And yeah, they were definitely physically intimidated in that series, but I don't think that's the reason they lost. They lost because they were the inferior team. And that's fine, eight against one. Their number one need, and it also was glaring

in that series, is they need a second line center. And they were mostly a one line team, five on five in that series, a really good top line of course led by Suzuki, but they need to go find another top six center in his mid twenties and that's going to be the priority for Kent Hughes I think in that front office. Easier said than done because by the way it's also a big need for Vancouver Canucks, same type of player, big need for the Calgary Flames. So going to find that player is going to be difficult, all of which is why it's still

perplexing to me that the Sabres found it necessary to trade Dylan Cousins at the trade deadline, not wait till the summer by the way, because I think that there could have been an unbelievable auction for Dylan Cousins if the Sabres were still intent on moving them, but good for Ottawa for jumping ahead of the train on that one. But no, I think the Habs needs will stay the same, Brian. I think one of the concerns I would have if I were the Habs is how much younger they're going to get because Yola Armia is at UFA, Christian Dvorak is at UFA, David Savard just

retired. There's a chance they were already the youngest team to make the playoffs. is that you have a Christian Dvorak's you have a David Savard just retired. There's a chance they were already the youngest team to make the playoffs. It could be even younger come opening night next fall. Yeah. And I mean, when you when you get a taste of playoffs like that and you you can look at your team and really do a ground assessment. And that's one thing that I think Montreal got a little taste of is you know some of these young guys push through I think Layton Hudson is a star in the making and you know Montembeau missing him you know I didn't think how do you pronounce that is

it Dobush? Yeah, yeah I'm not sure his name but I didn't think it's unfair for him to ask him to stand on his head like I think Montembeau is their guy and the injury really hurt them. But it's a positive in Montreal if you ask me because you can see what needs to be done now to get the team to the next level and you can address it through free agency and you've got some currency to do that. And there's some big decisions. The biggest one, I'll just put a bow on Montreal up here, Patrick Laine.

He's a really, really polarizing guy. We discussed him at length yesterday. He's got another year on his deal at 8.7, but not healthy scratch, but benched and then injury or I don't know what's going on there. But is he a guy that could get pushed out or they're gonna maybe be patient with him for another year? I mean listen, I don't think the market, the reality is I don't think there's not much of a market for him at that salary level. He only has a year left on his deal. He really became a power play player only for them. I mean he's a liability

defensively 5 on 5, great attitude, I'm told, and everything else, but it's just a skill set as a road and the interesting thing is you got a real glimpse of the immediate future with Leine out. It was Demidov that went and took his place on the first fire play and suddenly you had, you know, a Caughill one-timer on one side and then the Demidov one-timer on the other side. That was pretty interesting for Montreal to look at in the future. So I actually, I don't even know what line he does best, I don't even know if that's secure

when you look at how Demidov looked on that fireplace. So some interesting decisions there with him as well, for sure, I agree. And you mentioned the goaltending, don't forget Fowler. Yeah. Back on the road here for Montreal, I mean, there's so much to honestly to be excited about. I think if you're an Aps fan, if you can really back up and look at the big picture over the

next decade, I think they're going to be one of the teams vying for being one of the best teams in the East if they continue to get it right with each move. But I said this in my tweet last night, you know, growth is not always linear in this league. And the tough part for that market is just because you made the playoffs this year and things kind of fell into place for you, it doesn't automatically mean that you're automatically in next year. And that doesn't mean that the plan isn't going the right way if that happens. But I think Habs fans better understand the reality of just getting in this year way ahead of time, and yet nothing's given for next year, given how young this team is.

And I don't know if that marketplace would stomach that too well if they don't get back in next year. No, that is very true, man. They got a taste of it as well, and they probably would want to fast forward all the way to next October. Let's get going again if you're in Montreal. Alright Pierre, good luck with those two flight plans. We'll see where you end up landing tomorrow. I expected seven when I got into the series.

I'm Zen, don't worry. I'll be fine if Colorado wins tonight, all good. Alright man, enjoy it. Thank you. I'll be fine. That's why Colorado wins tonight all good. All right, man. Enjoy it. Thank you All right, guys, thanks. Here the runner TSN hockey insider. I had a Colorado Dallas tonight game seven Alright, well, you know in Ottawa they'll be getting on the ice in the next 10 minutes 15 minutes like like Pierre said you're seeing Seemingly a lot more sense fans like there were a lot of Lee fans more Lee fans game four I wasn't surprised by that. Yeah, because I think a lot of sense fans like screw it. I'll just take the money It's three nothing. I don't want to see this. Yeah now sense fans naturally are like no I'm going man

I'm going more like game three like this would be more the crowd would be more like game three definitely Definitely, you know, it'd be loud. It was exciting. You know, they they're pumped up for it. But but again, it would be loud, it would be exciting, they're pumped up for it, but again, it would be, I don't know if nerves would be the right, it would be excitement. I think you have to be excited to play in these scenarios. Not a lot of people get to experience this. Game six in your own building, same type of thing. Leafs fans have experienced game sevens and game sevens on the road and all of that but it just in the end like You forget as a fan experience. It's nice to hey, I was in the building. Hey, I was there or whatever

you know, like these are these are the types of memories that are made right like for sure absolutely and I have Stumbled across a picture of someone in a Jeff O'Neill Napoli picture of someone in a Jeff O'Neill maple leaf jersey walking into the arena. Into the hornet's nest. That's the toughest part. Like the old dog is going to take shrapnel tonight because he's wearing an O'Neill jersey. I know. It's just weird.

I love it. But it just, and I always, regardless of any building you go into, you should never ever be physically assaulted, anything like that. But you see sometimes where fans are like, yeah, I wouldn't go, you know, where's it the LA Raiders? Remember that used to be that that stadium and it was like, oh, yeah, crazy. Yeah, I had a buddy there like who was a fan of the opposing team.

It's like, I'm not wearing that jersey. But you will get I'll get physically assaulted like you're, you know, certain buildings have that aura about them. It's like, you don't mess with that. Isn't Philadelphia like they've got the jail underneath the underneath the stands there like it does. You just get fan bases that are loud. You know, like for the most part, Canadians, you know, Toronto, Ottawa, yes, you know,

you put your stake in your ground in the ground for your team for your city, whatever you're proud, you know, but put your stake in the ground for your team, for your city, whatever, you're proud, you know, but we don't have, generally speaking, that type of approach. The funerary. Yeah, where if you get a New York versus Boston, it's just like two hard-headed, crazy fans that are looking for it, and same thing in California.

Like LA and San Fran is as bad as it gets like Giants and Dodgers fans they they yeah like literally there's there there's killing each other yeah like it gets to the point where it's like what is happening with people out there that's but I'm not anticipating that tonight I hope not tonight just go and have a good time but yeah I enjoy it. Cheer for your team. I always wondered that. Tonight's a Thursday night. There's people that have really good jobs that put that jersey on and if they do something

stupid because they have 10 beer, it changes their life. You know what I mean? Well, look at the Pirates game yesterday at PNC. A guy fell over the no the outfield fence I didn't follow up on that. I hope that this I believe he survived what I last I read of him You know, he was not in good shape clearly and and right, you know, it reads as if maybe he had been Doing what you would think he had been doing but I don't know that definitively but scary stuff But and that's a completely different story that's self-inflicted

but I don't know that definitively, but scary stuff. But that's a completely different story. That's self-inflicted. But yeah, the O-Dog is a representative of Jeff O'Neill, Maple Leaf jersey, which again is funny, because you know Leaf fans, like Sens fans will be chirping the O-Dog because his jersey's there. But that's also a cool part of the experience

in the playoffs. You see way more jerseys. I see it at my kid's school every morning. I saw a Tucker jersey this morning. I've seen a Danny Markov throwback. Well, that's what we should be asking is what's the most random? Is an Ackie Berg jersey out there tonight? Like is there a, I don't know, I want to see an Ackie Berg. A Daniel Winnick jersey. That'd be a good one. Name the most random, but it isn't even like tied. Now Winnick played with Matthews and we should go to that first Year where they played and go through the roster and be like is there somebody with the you know

I don't know who would be the most random player. I don't even give you an example of who. Callie Rose in Jersey That would probably be an example of it Yeah, right is someone like that like a sixth or seventh defenseman Travis Dermott or something like that Well, yeah, because the famous ones seventh defenseman, Travis Dermott or something like that. Well, yeah. Because the famous ones are famous ones. Again, I saw a Tucker jersey today. There's a million of those in Toronto. There's a million Sundeans and Clarks and Gilmores.

I got one for you. Marty Marinchian. Yes. Number 52, if I can recall correctly. See, I'm looking at Matthew's first year and going through it. You know there's Bozzi and Gardner and Connor Brown and Zaitsev and Komarov and Hyman and Riley and that but Matt Hunwick.

Matt Hunwick. Yes, left shot Matt Hunwick. Babcock loved him. Yeah, here's a crazy one though and he's still having tremendous success in Russia. Do you get that? Who did you know who that would be? Who is still has not Freddie the goat is it?

He's the all time I believe the all time leading scorers. It's Joshua Levo. Josh Levo. That's right. He is the Canadian Ovechkin playing in Russia. Like he's the OV of the KHL. The guy's dominant. Remember he had no teeth.

He was missing one tooth. I don't think he ever played with a mouth guard. No he had 49 goals last year for Ufa. Wow. That's Rockstar stuff man. How old would he be now? He's 31 though. He seems like he's a lot older.

Oh on that team, Frankie Corrado. Antoine Bebo. There you go. Alright Frank, we need a Corrado jersey. There you go, a Frankie Corrado jersey. Antoine Bebo. There you go. All right, Frank. We need a Corrado jersey. There you go. Frankie Corrado jersey. Antoine Bebo. Tony Bebo. Is he a goalie? Yes. He played two games. It was the goalies were Bebo Anderson, McElhenney and Jerry Enroth. Remember Jonas Enroth? Oh, that's right. Did they pick him up at the deadline for depth? I can't remember. He only played four or five games. six games that year Bibo played two

So Bibo was their starter in the minors and I think it and Roth came in for some reason But Freddie Anderson played 66 and Curtis McElhaney played 14 Wow 66 starts yeah wild actually and Roth may have started the years the back of it Then they went to get McElhaney, I think. I think McElhaney they got at the deadline. Was it McElhaney that made that left-toe save against Sid and the Pittsburgh? It helped them make the playoffs. Yeah, 3-2 game, I believe.

You're right. Connor Brown scored the winner. I'll never forget that, man. That's when it was just like, here we go. Watch what's about to happen. Because the next night, remember they played Columbus. For the chance to, if they beat Columbus, they would have played Ottawa in that first round and they lost and they lost And Columbus wasn't playing for anything and then they ended up, you know

As the first or second wild card and playing Washington and we know what happened. Yes, they had to cross over right? Yeah, they were wild card. So they went over to the other division But if they had a won won that game they would have played auto battle of ontario back then we would have had a battle of ontario nine years ago that's right but here we are now yeah exactly game six tonight right here on tsn radio we will head to Ottawa

catch up with jonas seagull his take on max patch already playing on the left side with john to barson william neil and are tonight what is his packing order of imports who Who has to step up the most? We'll get to that next. All right, best bets powered by Fandr later in the hour. Leafs sends tonight, game six. No lineup changes in terms of players coming in or out of the lineup, but there are some line changes.

Max Patcheretti on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander. I'm surprised. I thought it was more likely likely pat ready was going to come out of the lineup and they were in a put nick robertson in uh... but not only is pat ready staying in the lineup he's getting a bigger assignment chat about it here's our main man jonah seagull from the athletic who's ready for the game tonight what do you make it that decision jonah's max patch already getting the Tavares assignment? I just would have liked to have seen it earlier in the series

I like they would have said after Eddie's been out two months You're gonna ask him to come back and play on the second line right away But to me it always felt like if you're gonna play him Just play him where he played best during the season like he spent a lot of time With Tavares and Neal under early, and I think they had like some moments. And if you look at some of the numbers early on, they're pretty good. And like, you could see that his IQ, his skill, his size,

it all kind of fit well with those guys. And it was pretty clear pretty quickly that the other options weren't working. Like Max Gomi didn't work, Pontius Holmberg, I thought they stuck with too long So I've been saying like to myself that I think he's going to have Thatcher Eddie is gonna happen some sort of moment from these playoffs and maybe tonight is the night Yeah, well, that's that's the plan. Go ahead noodles. Yeah. No, it makes sense Jonas and here my my argument with it is on the road

It makes sense, Jonas. My argument with it is on the road, sometimes you need to match up a little bit heavier body. I thought Homburg is a guy who's trying to draw penalties and he's a little bit of an agitator, but he's not a big guy, like physically. When Pacioretty was at the height of his game, now it's not there yet, but if he still has that physical mentality on the road winning loose puck battles You know the two players that he plays with you get them the puck and you go to the net That's kind of the mindset that has to be and that's what gave him success

Do you think that's where where chief was trying to go with this patch already moving up with them? Yeah, and he mentioned the size and I remember just thinking back to like those early days in the season Yeah, and he mentioned the size and I remember just thinking back to like those early days in the season We're down low especially like you could feel his physicality being a difference maker for them And like you said like he's at the net like I remember there was one goal I don't know why I remember it But I think he scored against Anaheim maybe in Toronto and he was at the net and Tavares found him and it was a It was just the kind of goal that I could see them scoring tonight and like they need another line to get going like this

whole series it could to me it felt like it's just kind of a nice Matthews martyr and they've kind of been good in pockets and not good in sustained periods and they can get that the owner to their after Eddie combo to give them something that's gonna be important because you look at the other two lines and I just don't know if they're going to get any offense from those two groups. Yeah, well that's the truth. I mean, I've liked the Lotton line, but they're not scoring. You know, they're not really in danger of scoring.

Like the Lotton and Jarncroek and Lorenz, they've played well and they've pushed play and they've been someone that's been reliable. He's starting games with them. You know, I'm curious what you think would be the best option for berube tonight you gotta put the game sheet in first are you start the matthews line would you believe that the plan is i'm glad you mentioned that because i would i didn't want like starting game

five i think he started that last game with an estimated any and then he went back to them to start the third period. I'm thinking like, man, like, this is like kind of go time. Like, it's cool. Like that line is, you're right, like they've been effective in what they do. But like, let's go. Like, if you're the least, like you need that Matthews line to come out flying.

I would start them tonight. I would start them in a second. I'd start them in a third. Like they need that group to be difference makers. And obviously we talked a lot about matthews and margaret but they need those guys to be different because the games like this this is why they're built away that they're built i just wrote those guys as much as possible and i would honestly like i think they should be playing those guys even more than they

have that's where i was going to go to on a set he would you shorten the bench or find an extra shift or find some extra minutes? Yes. And even like some situations, like you think of that third line, the way it's composed right now is Holmberg, McMahon and Domi. So maybe for like the odd offensive zone draw, maybe throw Neylander out there. Maybe there's the, just look for opportunities to get those guys extra ice. Because like you look through some of these games and it's like they're rolling

four lines and like Matthews and Marner and Nielander is constantly like he's been playing not heavy minutes in this series and it's like now is the time like they've played those guys. Remember some of the regular season games we talked about and it's like Marner's at 25 minutes and Matthews is at 26 minutes I remember there was a game against I think San Jose where some of those guys played upwards in 25 minutes and it's like now they're in the playoffs and they're playing them 21 20 19 like it it doesn't make sense to me especially if they get down they should be pushing those guys to end the series because like you just don't want this if you're the leaf to get back to seven. No you most certainly don't. Yeah most certainly you

do not want that yet you know it's it's it'd be interesting to see how Barubei handles it tonight because you've got to believe your best everyone's gonna be ready to play and you go into every game I'm sure anticipating that and hoping for that but it's not always the case. And you know, he took offense to the core four core four question. It's a team. Well, if it's a team and your best players aren't playing well, then maybe they shouldn't play that much. Like the other night after Willie dogged that back check, they had him out there late. You know, like get up like why not? Maybe maybe that was an opportunity to say if it's a team and not a core four, then if you're not going to pull your weight, why are you guaranteed ice time?

That ship may have sailed because now we're into game six and you need your best players, but there's some inconsistency there. You can't scoff at core four and then just play them together every single game all the time and never move off it. I don't think the playoffs is the time to send messages. I understand. Like, I understand. Like, and they can't generate goals.

Like you're right. It's not really been like a meritocracy throughout the year. Like certain players have not played well and played certain players have. Like Nick Robertson is seventh on the team of goals. He's not playing. And I get the rationale for not playing him. They need some of these other guys. we talked about the star players they need the odd contribution whether it's from like Bobby McMahon scored 20 goals during the year like we

talked about like they have six guys who can score he was one of them and he's had a difficult postseason so like it's a lot about the stars obviously but if they can get some contributions like they got earlier in the series you know max domey overtime winner of semole benoit overtime winner obviously that will go a long way to in the goalie i don't know much about goalies apparently but well i i i i i i i still owe you an apology but i still

that's a lesson wasn't great he was not not great and I agree, but I had this saying the other day and I was trying not to screw it up. I don't know if you heard me say it, Jonas, where I was like, Jonas wouldn't know goaltending. Something if he, when it came to his ass, if it didn't have his hat in his back pocket. And I nailed it. I was laughing about it. But then I was like, I owe Jonas an apology because I would that was too extreme But the I actually that's where I was gonna go is

Anthony Stoller's have you noticed anything different? You know is is because honestly I I haven't There's screenshots. They're seeing eye shots, but you know I didn't think Two games ago. He had his a game You know a couple pucks slid through him, that pinto breakaway where maybe he gets a bounce and it goes out the other side. But keep in mind, this is his first, you know, game six, high pressure, on the road type of thing. How has he handled it?

Just the demeanor and watching him in person? So I will just say in the dressing room this morning, it felt a little tense around him, but like, what does that mean? Does that mean anything? I'm more curious to see what you and I have talked a lot about is how is he going to continue to handle this workload because this is six starts now in 11 days. The most starts that he started during one month during the regular season was seven and this is six in 11 days.

So and you've kind of felt like as the series has gone on He hasn't been bad, but he's not been as sharp as he was in game one and it was like you look in his regular season again, it's like Every start being bad for the most part was like soon three days rest Like it was a lot of three days rest and now this is basically every other night So this is a big day for him because like if it doesn't go well for him You know what you're gonna be talking about tomorrow like if he gives up four and they lose four ones You might be talking about like should they go to Joseph ball game seven now. I think that would probably be

Not but it's not a question that we're talking about it tomorrow if it doesn't go well for stolen Yeah, and that's the, that's a part of the conversation I would say the last couple of days that really has not been brought up because they didn't lose the other night because of Stoller's. I mean the first goal was a C&I shot. You'd like to like him to have that. It's a shot from the point. You know, you'd like him to have it, but he didn't. And then the two on one by Cousins, it's a great pass and Cousins gets it off and gets it up. You know, it's a very difficult one to stop. Then two empty netters.

So they didn't score. So it wasn't Stoller's. The game before was not his best game, but it has been more about the team, the lack of intensity, I think the effort in game five, the fact that the best players again couldn't get on the game sheet. But that Stoller's story and the goaltending story is kind of hovering in the background where he can quiet that down quickly, right, Noodle?

Like he plays a great game tonight. He's a hero that maybe you could argue, maybe the MVP of the series, who knows? We'll see if and when they win this thing. But as Jonas points out, and it's 100% valid, if it gets leaky, then you're like're like oh what's happening here with a completely different component of the team we haven't been focusing on right you know over the last couple of days

uh... so i i hope he has himself a night because you're right jonas i think it would be completely unfair to joseph wall to just throw him in for game seven there there i thought i would argue right now i don't know if there's a scenario where Wall starts unless there's an injury. Like that would be, because even if Stolarce is no good and gets pulled tonight, you go back to them. You know what I mean? He's been so good and Wall hasn't been playing.

I just don't know if they're, if they lose tonight, I don't see a scenario that that wall is starting unless there's an injury. But maybe I'm wrong on this. Like there's been such crazy story lines in the playoffs. And where were we a year ago where it's like game seven and Jerry Samsonov comes out. Right, yeah. But you're right though, Samsonov wasn't right,'t right on a slick you're there was more like we gotta go

to walk is that the sad it can't keep plants and so one then remember what happened to get for game seven like uh... wall i don't like i like on a back i kinda wonder like you go back to game five and i'm sure you guys felt that like it felt this way in the building It just felt like every chance they were getting early on all mark was off And then when they didn't score with those opportunities, especially on that first power play it's like

Oh man, this could be one of those games where all mark just out tools dollars And so I wonder if it ends up being another game like that where stores kind of just have to match All mark because you look at the numbers and like you can see us in on the ice being another game like that where Stolar has kind of just had to match Omar because you look at the numbers and like you can see it on the ice. Omar is in the better goalie, wouldn't you say? For the series if you're picking who's been the better guy, like early on it was Stolar and gradually Omar is just kind of making it. Well, I mean he is, I watched Travis Green's media, I'm not sure if you were there

this morning on it, but somebody asked him, how do you feel about the elephant in the room now? It was tongue in cheek. And he said, listen, I've watched this guy all year. I know what he's capable of, and I've seen him go through these stretches where he has some bumps in the road, and then he gets into a groove and he rattles off some wins and that's Kind of what I think Ottawa is hoping is if this guy can have another really strong performance He gives them an opportunity to be in this game and he needs to honestly he had a great game last game He's got to be better tonight Which is you know, that's that's as the series gets deeper and it for more and more stakes

The goaltender is going to be under the magnifying glass no matter what. Because that's why it's interesting with Stolarz, we talk about Ottawa being very green, Stolarz in the net is very green because he's going through this process for the first time at 31 years old. Cool. Can I add one thing? Yeah. I was just going to add as you were talking, to me, with everything you're saying with Allmark, to me, like maybe the sneaky key for the Leafs tonight might be their power

play because you remember early in the series, that was basically the difference in the first three games is their power play was just like automatic. And you think back to last game and that first power play they got, they were all over it. Like I think they had five shots on six attempts in like a minute and then NICE took a penalty. It was over. And then you go to that third power play. I think it was that they had, and they just looked really tight. And you could tell that no one wanted to speak the clock. It wasn't moving friskly. It wasn't moving quickly.

And so suddenly they had an opportunity to get themselves back in the game and it was just on. And so I wonder if the power plays a change for whether it's Martyr or whether it's Matthews that can kind of get them in this game and put them over the top. Well, we're getting close, about 20 minutes from puck drop. Enjoy it there, Jonas. Thank you for doing this. Thanks, boys.

There he is, Jonas Siegel of the Athletic. Yeah, it's interesting, his kind of read on on Stolarz and you know, again, it had gone so well through three games. And it's not that it's been poor for him, but it's, you know, now you're in a different world, man. He lost a couple in a row. Let's see what you got. This is a guy who had won twelve games in a row leading that you add the three in and he ended the season on

Whatever it was eight or nine win game streak, right? And then you lose a couple and it's like, okay, you got to get it back and again, you know He's not on an island. He has to you know, the team works hand-in-hand with him It's kind of the argument I had it with with Connor Hellebuck Hellebuck You know, he works well hand-in-hand with the team and when the team's out to lunch He's got to bail them out and he wasn't in those two games You'll see in a pressure-packed situation You know Stollers has to give them an opportunity to win tonight

And and that's the the biggest you know, that's his biggest job tonight Give him an opportunity put them in a position to win. Yeah All right We'll come back with our best bets tee up the game one more time overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on the TSN app That's his biggest job tonight. Give him an opportunity. Put them in a position to win. Yeah. All right. We'll come back with our best bets. Tee up the game one more time. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app.

All right. Game six tonight. We got four of them in the NHL, two of them in the NBA. We got the Jays and the Red Sox tonight. The Jays bats are alive. Finally got a win. Finally put more than four runs on the board. Bedlam downtown tonight.

Not the best weather, but all the best. Here are the best bets powered by Fandl make your picks and assemble the same game parlay in seconds on the Fandl Sportsbook app. Here's what we're riding with as a crew here okay Leafs to win. Nylander to record three plus shots on goal. Matthews to score at least one point. Mitch Marner to score at least one point. Playing the hits.

Leafs have got to get it done. Their best players have got to be the best players on the ice tonight. Let's see that happen. Best Bet's powered by FanDuel. Live same game parlays are now available for every Stanley Cup playoff game on the FanDuel Sportsbook app. Please play responsibly. 19 plus physically located in Ontario. One way or another we're breaking down the game tomorrow one where the other it's going to be one tune or the other tune It'll be we'll see what happens here. All right. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out We appreciate it everyone for tuning in today TV radio podcast web. We appreciate that. We're out of here Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at

4 p.m. We'll chat then tomorrow at 4 p.m. we'll chat then. Asian artists. We're honoring the voices shaping our world. Listen now on the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca