OverDrive - OverDrive - May 2, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: May 2, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs' first round triumph against the Senators, the team's performance to win the series and the second round matchup against the Panthers. They also discuss the winning mentality in the close out game against the Senators, the impressive players in the series and the Oilers advancing with the victory against the Kings.

Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio. Now available on the free I Heart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. This hour of Overdrive is powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. All right, here we go, Overdrive, off and running, TSN 1050 on the TSN app your home smart speaker and up on TSN for Brian Hayes the Odog Jeff O'Neill Jamie Noodles McClennan Going on what's going on? I tried to build off the momentum of the big win last night with the maple leaves

Coming up to my place in Collingwood. I was on the 400 I saw a pickup truck with a flag on the back window, maple leafs. I said, this guy's probably really fired up. And there's a few moments in life where you think you're kind of famous and the guy's going to look over. When I give a thumbs up, he's going to see who it is and he's going to give a thumbs up back. I gave him the thumbs up and he went middle bird back. I love that attitude. I know but I was like let's keep this train rolling, let's give him the thumbs up and

leave spirit and la la la and it was a middle bird and see you later. All good. Hey listen, it's Friday into May man. You're going up to 400. Those are prison rolls. I think what he thought I was doing was being like nice driving guy, like you're going up to 400 those are prison rules. I think what he thought I was doing was being like nice driving guy like you're a loser and I was just like I gotta take Hayes advice because that's the second time in the last week that I gave a thumbs up to like a Leafs flag car person and both times they're like what do you do?'s karma karma for your behavior in costco that guy came up to you and you were like a

knock it off of the beard talker what did you say that's right uh... i was a year later why do you know yeah that's you know what that's the equivalent of the beards white this guy is like why is this guy will waving at me on the road i had to set up a happen out i'm all out i will not it's i i gotta wait for them to come to me now, but unfortunately, it's gonna be beard comments Yeah, you're not gonna get the thumbs up in in response You're gonna get where's the beard or what's up with the beard? But look at us. No beard

We didn't play major league on the way in right that that's all good now noodles We played major league after game three, but it's all good because the Leafs found a way to be victorious in the end and But it's all good because the least found a way to be victorious in the end and All of a sudden look at us, you know twice in three years. We're teeing up a second round Oh, are we ever and all the chatter today that I got in the comments that I got it was nothing Nothing of and I guess this this is just life and sports Nothing of a great series, you series, they got it done, stole our whatever, Matthews, big boys. It was like, what are the chances against Florida?

It directly shifted right to Florida. Yes, it did. What are the chances? It did quickly. Yeah, that's fandom, I guess. Well, I mean, I think it says something about the approach to this series, where I do think there's a very different feeling today from that of two years ago when they beat Tampa at that

point the belief was all right the monkeys off their back look out you know bring on Florida bring on whoever now they're gonna respond and they're gonna take off I think based on what happened in that second round is possibly pumping the brakes on on that celebration. But I also think, you know, when you really, once you get through it, it's easier to look back and analyze and, you know, players always talk about this management types that you got to stay even keel, you got to stay objective. You know, they had a three nothing lead in the series.

And at that point, you have to win. You're supposed to win. I think a lot of people believe they would win once they got up 3-0. It got dicey there after game five. Yeah, they won a division. They're playing a wild card team. Yeah, you got to win that series. You got to win that series. That's simple. They have to win. To their credit, they did that. Yeah. And to Ottawa's credit, we, as people that talk about the Leafs on a daily basis,

we got hyper-focused, and it was natural, and we're just dealing with stats. But I think during the series, all we did was like, okay, the core four, they can't score. I think it took away from how well Ottawa played a little bit. Ottawa played their asses off, man. They played hard, and they defended,

and they got a quality goaltender back there. And winning's hard. So I think during our focus on the Maple Leaf players and what they were we're not doing We never really kind of gave some props to Ottawa for how well they played That was a tight series man Although we just talked about the Leafs being the team that won the division playing against the wild-card team They played their asses off and they like couple how overtime three overtime games one goal game that's true to yeah six minutes to play it mad i i think you know what

you're right like there's lots of different ways we can look at it guys but i thought there was the games were pretty damn entertaining like they were good it was good it was good hockey yes the first game was an outlier but outside of that it was good hard-fought playoff hockey uh... you know not so much league changes as much as you know some some some unique challenges throughout it and you know in the playoffs it's rare that you just see you know a complete drubbing and that's it type of thing you are going to see a lot of different

things I said this before if if we would have said you know true serum what do you believe this is well if it's leasing six leasing seven now it didn't i think what happened is the way they arrived at it is was the most unique thing right that's what make it everyone go what the hell's going on here but you know in the end if m if ottawa wins that first overtime game that makes it 2-1 and then it looks different and how you arrive

at at least in six but there was some adversity I think you did see of you know when you're giving flowers to Ottawa you did see some growth you did see you know when you don't watch that team nightly you know I do but other people don't you're like man they got some pretty damn good players there's some guys to build and and that's a great thing. And when they go to pick up the pieces or sort of rebuild or take a look at a forensic audit this off season, they're going to see where they felt like they came up short,

guys that can have growth, all of that type of stuff. And then here, when we're doing, hey, we're heading into the second round, you can take a look at, okay, there's some growth here, or, you know, guys stepped up the patch already thing that was a really great storyline the last couple days, the last couple games him being inserted that's a that's a coach's gut feel that ended up paying off the guy gets the game winning goal in the series right time help the turnover

on Nylander school like, you know, patch already. He's been there done that veteran guy, you know, you can talk about Brad Tree Living, giving him some flowers, because this is a guy that kind of brought him in kind of under the radar. Remember there was whispers the offseason like here, Patrick, Eddie's kind of coming in and giving a workout for them. And, and I think it was a PTO, right? He was a PTO. He was not exactly like come in, let's see if you can still play. That's really what it was. So the last three years hasn't been great and you know, it doesn't start the playoffs, like there's some great storylines and if you look at it...

let me ask you two guys this if you could say, if that negotiation was going on Hayes and the player Patcheretti said to you, and you were Tree I'll give you the game-winning goal in game six in the first round of the playoffs what would you pay him for it well you got it they have no money yeah I'm just saying if you could put a number on that goal like I think you're saying is he earned everything he's made last night but I would have said hey if you were gonna if

you can guarantee me the game-winning goal Yeah, wait games. I'd give you two million bucks Fortune and I say well, we'll give you because think of the home They just got a guaranteed two home dates, right? Like that's well, that's another way of putting it But I think fans you start a go fund me Like you go up to Stephen Lawrence and say if you score a game winner in game seven against Florida Well, we'll find a hundred million cash for you you score a game winner in game seven against Florida, we'll find a hundred million cash for you, Christie Pitts. We will go fund me all the way to a point where there will be duffel bags waiting for

you. That's the next one. What's that one worth? The game clenching, the series clenching goal against the Florida Panthers. It's worth a lot, man. It is worth a lot. We will get to that throughout the afternoon. It sounds as if Monday's going to be game one, nothing guaranteed yet.

Chris Johnston indicating that that's where the league is leaning but again it's not confirmed yet in terms of what's going to happen. We know the game will be in Toronto but you're right about, you know, now that the dust settles and you can look back and the beauty of the playoffs is you just live in by every shift and every game and your your Recalibrate how you feel and where you think things are gonna go But now that it's over you can look back and you realize the Leafs checked You know a lot of boxes that everyone knew we're going to have to be checked Right like Stolas was gonna have to play well. I thought he played well

Like I didn't think he got he got overly tested, right? It wasn't like he ever faced 40 or 50 shots but I thought he played well and now he's off and running now his feet are wet in the playoffs I think the way the core four stepped up to their credit last night they needed that game like Matthews had to score Willie had to score they all put up points you know in the end I think the four of them combined for 29 points in the series so you look at that you're like check and then what else did we talk about for years? Well, if the core four is going to show up and you're going to get some goaltending, you're going to need some other guys to supply

moments. Domi in game two, Benoit in game three, Pat Ready in game six, Lawton with that block shot in game six. And then you also look at it last night, who played the most even strength minutes? Brandon Carlo. Brandon Carlo played more five on five than anybody on the ice last night for the Leafs. So like just contributions from guys that you knew were going to have to be there. And in the end, I think the Leafs again should be happy about it. They deserved it.

They earned it. Um, and now you reset and now you got the toughest test in the sport and that's what's waiting for you. Yeah. The reality is this is as tough as it gets Florida Panthers, yeah Stop yeah Vasilevsky talked about the Panthers today. He said they're the best team in hockey and What he said them the one thing that got my attention was yeah, he's like they're the most consistent They do the same thing every time and he said they're the most consistent. They do the same thing every time. And he said they're the most consistent.

And when you do that, you deserve all the luck. You earn all the luck. And that's why they're doing what they're doing. So it's like, that'll put you on notice. You'd have to be stupid not to understand that. Like, one shift, one kind of brain dead play, one stupid giveaway, one dumb icing, it can be costly against those guys. They just, they have it cooking right now, much like Tampa did when they marched

to three straight finals, and they just know how to win, man. They know what to do and they know how to get it done and they'll make you pay for any kind of laps. Absolutely. I said last night, they're like the Dodgers and the Kansas City Chiefs. You know, that's what they are They don't get the same billing, but they have the same or they've been to two straight cup finals

Yeah, they just as manly Tampa They dummied Tampa like beat them up and dummy them and they moved on so that's what you're facing here But doesn't mean like those two that team can be beat, you know, go talk to the Philadelphia Eagles They walked into the Super Bowl and smacked Kansas City around. I don't picture a scenario where the Leafs are going to smack them around, but I'm curious, you know, how they intend on elevating beyond what they just did, because I think the game plan is going to have to be very similar. You have to check, you have to block shots like crazy, right?

You're going to have to get big moments, but it's going to get nastier, because I think, you know, as you look back and do a breakdown of the battle of Ontario, it never got nasty. No, it never got crazy. It never turned into a track meet. Like you see some of the games last night, Colorado, Dallas and Edmonton, LA. That just never happened. It never happened here. It was just always kind of a chess game and methodical and afraid to take a penalty and

respectful and which is fine. And I think that's what the Leafs wanted and I think the Leafs in the end obviously they're very comfortable in that. That's the one thing that Florida does is make you uncomfortable. Right. And that's that'll be the biggest challenge for the Leafs. Can you play through discomfort because you, you know, oh, I've still laugh. I was telling somebody about your analogy where the, you know, the guys at school looking through the glass, the bullies going, who wants to come out and play? You guys want to come out and play?

Because we're out here. Like that's the Leafs that are coming out. Well, that's right. They're on their way out and they're going to go to the hill and see how things unfold. And, you know, they got to give them, listen, they're gonna have a game plan, and they're gonna have to elevate in certain areas. And so will Florida. Florida, Tampa is different because those teams, they have a hated rivalry. Like that's a hated, Brandon Hagel,

like he just, I don't know if you heard his comments this afternoon or was that this morning. But I mean, no, he's disappointed that, you know, Eklat, like that was he felt that was over the line to attempt to injure. And this is a guy who knocked Barkov off. Exactly. That would be Eklat's answer. What were you trying to do to Barkov? But that's... When you do that, when you give that to Barkov, I don't even know if you can make the comment. Yeah. But again, you know, there's a there's a heated passion rivalry there but Florida plays a certain way and

You either play you conform with it or you've got to find a way around it and get them uncomfortable or something You know in some form of that, but they're gonna make you uncomfortable and you know looking today. You've got Reinhart and Barkoff those are selkie finalists. Like those are, that's deep as far as really good two-way checkers and stuff. Like I look back at, you know, I covered that final series there for Sports Center and you know, Barkov and Reinhardt and those guys, they did a number on McDavid and Dry Settle,

you know, in that series. Like they were really, really heavy and tough. It was like skating in mud out there. So that's a good- Jamie, let me ask you this. How do you get to them? If you saw one thing where you're like, that's the one thing for the Florida Panthers, that's how you get to them.

Okay, so the one thing that I would notice, and this is where maybe the Leafs are built a little bit differently this year than previous years, is they do have some guys who will push back. Like, Patcha Reddy's not going to drop the gloves and fight. He will if he wants to, but he's a physical guy and can stand up. Like, I would think that the Panthers are going to impose their physical will. There's guys on the Leafs that can handle the physical will and give it back. But what's the counter to it? I'm talking the Leafs towards the Panthers. If the Panthers are going to try to overwhelm the Toronto Maple Leafs physically,

what's their counter-attack? Is it simply speed and skill and making them pay? Well, but they have that too. You can beat them at their own game or you can, if you play whistle to whistle and you draw penalties, like this is where special teams, this is where we just talked about the difference between the moments with Ottawa and Toronto, you know, a missed opportunity, a missed play here, a missed assignment, and the team takes advantage of it. That's what's going to be here. It might be a game of inches.

It might be, you know, the difference in, you know, it might be 2-2 deep in the third period and somebody makes a mistake and one guy on either team, a difference maker makes them pay. I see this as a hard fought deep series. That's the way I look at it. Yeah. I would think the same thing. I think even if you look back on the series from a couple years ago, it was just like

the Leafs just got smothered. They didn't get blown out. That's not really what Florida does. They don're not they don't win 7-1, you know 7-2 it's generally they just buy their time and they look for you and they lean on you and then the differences because you've got three guys for Florida here that are a three pack of Villains and Marchands at the top and he's only played like ten games for them You know, he's at the top for Leaf fans in my opinion I'd be curious to see how

people react to that may we could throw that poll up but it's marsh and could chuck in sam bennett like those are the three guys you know act blad will play a little bit i don't think he's that tough though i don't i don't think act blad scares people he's big hill you know we got his elbow operas form up or whatever uh... seth jones isn't a big scary guy. Their defense has just really sounded really good. But those three, Marshand, Kachuk and Bennett, they're going to be looking for action.

And I would counter the Leafs, like what you asked though. I guess you need Lotton, Domi and another guy, but you're not attacking them necessarily. It's if you get a lick on Verhege, you've got to bury him. You've got to bury him. And if you get a lick on Barkov, you've got to bury him because they're going to try to do that to Matthews and Marner and Nylander. You know it's coming. Like, they're going right at those guys.

And they're going to attack and attack and attack. And if you attack back at Matthew Kachuk, he loves it. He wants that. Brad Marchand wants you to come back at Matthew Kachuk he loves it. He wants that. Brad Marshan wants you to come back at him. He's waiting for that. It's easier said than done and it's been a game plan that other teams have tried to apply and it hasn't worked. But I think it's Reinhardt, Barkov, Verhagge, you know guys like that you got to go out and just say we're going to try to destroy you every time we can. Jake McCabe every chance you get. Carlo every chance you get. Carlo, every chance you get.

Ekman Larsen can play heavy. Ben Woff, you can do it, do it. Because those guys, they play kind of like Marner and Matthews. They're bigger and heavier, but they're not nasty and mean. So that's going to be the chess game. But you also can't get dragged into looking for brawls and fights.. Florida just has too many of those. They got too many of those guys. We've got Michola on the back end, he's a monster. You gotta find something though, you guys remember that series the Panthers had against Carolina? It was like Matthew Kachuk with just he just

did whatever he wanted. He was slapping people in the face and scoring goals. It's like you got to have something. I agree that in the face and scoring goals. It's like you gotta have something. I agree that punching the face scrums aren't to anybody's advantage on the Maple Leaf side, but you just gotta show that you're not gonna get run around. That's it. You gotta have a lot of pushback. Yeah, and I think you'll get that from, again, the majority of the lineup. It's the star players.

That's gonna be the question again. Oh yeah, and a guy that can lead the charge, I think is 34 you saw it last night if he wants to take a run at somebody and really inflict some pain like you get that cool look any of those defensemen like just see can destroy absolutely that guy your body biggest physical force up front for the Maple Leaf he's just not he's more wired more like Barkov that's the unfortunate part if you's the bark off in the playoffs Jamie he sometimes goes in the behind the net or in the corner and he's gonna kill you I understand it's just like you say there's certain guys like you were talking Hayes about the three pack at the top for me is Matthew

Kachuk because he's a number one player he's a flat out number like Marchand was that eight years ago like Marchand was their eight years ago. Like Marchand was their best player against Tampa in game five. I will say he was flying and he looked great. But Marchand was brought there in a support role. He's brought there as a supporting cast guy not to be the main factor. Matthew Kachuck is the main factor. Hey, or oh, you said it yesterday that the fortunes that organization might have changed with that acquisition because that team looks different with him there and you know what's crazy about it not hardly anybody wanted it i'd bet you

that put up their hands who wants to do this deal not a lot of people said yeah and billy zito pull the trigger on it well well i mean it's a brilliant deal and listen you're not gonna match kichuck we just went through a pretty sick different player like br like Brady's Brady's more of an honest Guy that he'll run through you and he'll bury you and if you want to fight you're in trouble But Kachuk Matthew is looking to agitate He's gonna punch Marner in the face the first second he can The the best way to counter is is you got to play your game

You got to play the four best games you've ever played I mean that's ultimately what it comes down to. If you're Matthews and Marner, you've got to score, you've got to contribute, you've got to be wizards on the power play, you've got to kill penalties. They did all that during the Ottawa series. You've got to do it plus, plus, plus because this is as tough as it gets, but ultimately this is what you knew was coming. If you're going to make it to the second round round you're going to play a team like this.

It was either Florida or Tampa. It is Florida and it's a great opportunity for them that they've earned because they won the division and they just won a series to shut a lot of people up. Like you didn't shut everyone up against Ottawa. You shut almost everyone up and I'm not building this up to be a cup final, it's not. But if you can beat this team that is a real feather in your cap man like it's a real statement this is the statement this series right here. We're pumping them up I mean they're a really good hockey team but if the Toronto Maple

Leafs who also have some real quality players if they dig down and find something that they haven't found before they'll have a chance to win. Yes, like there's no question. Of course, but they got to do it Every single shift every night they play against this team because of what we just talked about Vasilevsky talking about consistency in the neutral zone. They have this defensive type checkings They will pinch you off squeeze you off every time. And if you think it's a stupid little play into the middle, that's where they're going to prey on you. It's just, you got to dig. I was just talking down the street when I had some lunch. I'm like, they got to dig down and find something they've never found

before. And if the series is over and they say, well, you know, like shame on them if they don't know that. Like that's, that's what's's at stake find your best hockey for the two weeks and that's your only option to beat these guys I think they do and they better there's the other thing too okay so there's only what one series left to be sucked you know sorted out correct too I'm sorry yeah we're waiting for the central division yes you're right so yeah Winnipeg it takes a louis dallas colorado if you if will all go around the table

in my opinion one cup contender is now gone that's the tampa bay lightning is there anybody else you know i didn't think i like to get to the six-year-old winds so it's not i thought l a was a contender but after watching them play in that series i don't know if they really were i don't know what the hell happened well credit and i did not get out by field place like just ripped their solos

well i was i mean they keep referencing it in the end like it's a goalie challenge but you know what evanton's allowed to to wake up and get going and they did and they did but here's so it in tampa's off the board yes that's it it in my opinion

i thought there was about nine teams out of the sixteen that were legit the tampa's off the board one of dallas of colorado's gonna be off the board and i don't know if saint louis was in that conversation i don't think so personal winnipeg is now when they're going to find a way to do it but they're putting st. Louis in okay But okay, so the point being is now regardless of who you're gonna play in the second round or third round or fourth round

Those are all like deeper cup contending teams. Yes, so that's that's the that's ultimately the my focus is like Yes, the first round there were some great matchups there was some great hockey you know we got one game seven potentially a second if if winnipeg doesn't get the job done tonight right but not as deep of series like i would have thought again i was wrong but i thought that that temple florida was going to be a seven game blood bath

it was still a blood bath but it was just five if that's the right it orders through through and Vegas took care of business and Edmonton took care of business last night and the Leafs obviously. So yeah, you're right. You've got Toronto, Florida, Washington, Carolina, all serious teams. You know the one and two seed or I guess Florida was a three seed but you know no wild cards. Yeah, you don't like they get the benefit of the doubt. Absolutely. Like they are who they are. They're the favorites. you know, and that's they'd be the favorites against any team they were going to play.

I truly believe that neutral site. I don't care who they play Vegas, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Dallas. It doesn't matter. Florida is supposed is going to be the favorite. They deserve that. And then Vegas, Edmonton is going to be an outstanding series. Unbelievable. And you could have any combination of Winnipeg.

I think Winnipeg in particular, but Winnipeg i think we're taking a particular but when a peg or saint louis up against allison colorado you're right i mean you're you're looking at eighteen let's say it's when a peg dallas you get a teams for you could spin it any which may argument for all a any combination that's that's my dad's this is not so it should be you laid it out as the toughest test it is going to be regardless of who you're placing this is going to as the toughest test it is going to be regardless of who you're facing this is going to be the toughest test and you know I'm excited to get it going I'm glad that it's I hope it's Monday or whatever like let's get this

sounds like also I'm glad it's not tomorrow well that's what I was thinking too like what you can't have the first round still going in the second round playing like I think the league does it right here it is let's get this all finished first this first round get them seating and then you get you get going and well we got one game seven tomorrow Colorado Dallas if st. Louis wins tonight we'll have st. Louis Winnipeg Sunday that's a great weekend like game seven standalone Saturday game seven standalone Sunday into the second round right on Monday I'm all for that all right we've got Mike Johnson coming up today Bill Lindsay will join us we'll

start again turning the page. It happens quick. Looking ahead to the Florida Panthers of what is in front of the Maple Leafs here. I've got a list as well of five people within the Leaf organization that would benefit the most from beating the Florida Panthers. I've got a little five pack for you today. Okay? We're going to get to that.

We're going to get out in front of it. Right? We're getting out in front of this immediately and continue to look back on the Battle of Ontario or for leaf fans They worked out again. That's five and oh, you know in the last 25 years and keep looking ahead to where Ottawa takes it from Here as well overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN for all right on Twitter at overdrive 1050 We have a poll up very early asking which Panther players the biggest biggest villain for the maple is matthew kichuck in the lead right now brad marshan is right behind him there's not another one is there a thought

sam bennett's or be another guy that could definitely he'll get his nose dirty you can't i mean there's not another kid like you know how many could trucks there's not another one in the metro is there like that's enough Go through one you get to another one and then if you go through imagine there was a third one Yeah, it's honestly like the kumat and you just keep running in yeah Chuck Brothers The third one's a defenseman six six and nasty and crossed. It would just be the worst Kachak of all. We have to create a third Kachak.

What would he be like? I'm telling you, he would be a D-man. He would be Chris Pronger, but meaner and nastier than Pronger. Jacob Middleton's mustache from Minnesota. Definitely. Well, that's like the Stahl brothers, right? You've got the two centers and then the big Defenseman mark the third one's got to be a defenseman. Yeah for sure

So yeah, we'll track that poll throughout the day and you know, you look at it do you just sent stats? You know, we've talked a lot about the core four and deservedly so as as we should I mean I don't think anyone expects any more to their best players in Toronto than any other fan base does of their best players Like no one in Florida is like man that fourth line better be great You know, it's the best players you got to step up into their credit I thought they played well game five notwithstanding But they thought they played really well throughout the series and in 2024 against the Bruins in the first round They collectively had 12 points now a little bit misleading because Willie missed the first few games and then Matthews missed

a couple of games but 12 points total through seven against Boston this year 29 points total through six games against Ottawa. That's what has to continue. You got to keep going. You got to keep racking up points and playing well and defending well and killing penalties and winning at the faceoff dot all those little details and to their credit they did that Hayes I think you're talking about the Florida Panthers and the way they play and the way they defend and their goaltending

like we're going to be talking about if I can predict this thing appropriately every night we're going to be talking about a couple of moments Like the if I were to guess right this is these are gonna be two one three two hockey games So like we're not talking about guys going nuts and having three goals and to assist if they do that's great But it's highly unlikely like we're talking about you get an opportunity to score

You got to make it count like that because they're just not going to be available Yeah, like we've done the maple leaves have done a great job And I give I give perubia a lot of credit I think obviously the way they defend and there's been stretches in the games where you're looking at the shot clock I don't know if many people pay attention to that but long stretches and you're like god these sends haven't got a shot in ten minutes like stretches and you're like, god, these Sens haven't got a shot in 10 minutes. So they've done a really good job at that.

But we're going to be talking about a few key moments and who's going to be the team that capitalizes on it. I agree. And I think what the Leafs did very well, and I would assume this is driven home by Craig Borubey and we keep talking about his composure and his general attitude towards things is They bounced back from moments that I think in the past could have been very Backbreaking for them like you mentioned they committed to really pushing Ottawa on the outside remember game two I think it was got dead the first shot on net

He tips in in the third and it goes in all of a sudden you're going to overtime But they found a way to win that game game three three the same thing. I believe David Piranha, the first registered shot of the third period, goes in. Look at last night. That Piranha goal, that's a story you're talking about. Can you believe that guy to score behind the goal line? How does that happen? Only the Leafs. Only they could find... And they didn't allow that to be a story. Now you can laugh about it. It's not a story because two minutes later max pat already scores in the games over uh... and the guy who could really laugh about it is still arson

why we play this audio after the after the game where anthony stores was asked about like what happened there how did how to prong final way to score from below the goal line that is goes and happens you know uh... it's uh... one of those things you know score from below the goal line. Yeah, it goes in and it happens. It's one of those things, you got a little horny on the poke check. You live and you learn. That's the life of a goaltender.

You kind of just flush it out of your mind. Like I said, you got the next shots coming and that's a more important one than the last one that just went in. That might be the first time I've ever heard a goaltender describing being a little anxious as horny on the poke check. Well you can see what he was trying to do. Yeah, we love that one. You can see what he was trying to do. He's going paddle down because there is a body in front. He's trying to take that pass away and goes off the back of his mask. He was right. He was trying to get a little horny But he was just all you know, he's anticipating a pass. I gotta tell you though when that one went in I was like Yeah, I'm not a good headspace right now. No, that was not comfortable. I was like, okay

It was just the same it kind of felt like the Flyers in Boston The Flyers were down three Cobb in the series and then they were down three Cobb in the series, and then they were down three Cobb in game seven, and they came back and won. And it had that vibe to it where it's like, okay, you guys got up two nothing, and now it's really gotta be two two, like does it really have to be that way? For a split second, our boy Donnie Nichols and myself,

we went to a dark place, and we came back after the passion. Oh, the spinning of back and forth over the course of this series you know after game three everyone's like it's they're so comfortable never been more confident then prawn scores in game six and people are thinking here we go sober done don't even is that crazy some of the message you got from lake out to establish like grown people yeah

for a city of reading it i don't think that's's where you see the game six it's like after game three I love this team a lot different love the composure love the code yeah trade everyone same guys hate them all I can't do this same you knew it was gonna happen yeah that's the came back last night so they came back I have the same conversations but they're in my house Oh, yeah here because it's you get people that are fans and they're just the roller coasters are just all over that They're gonna lose now. They're gonna I'm like it's tied. What are you talking about? This is new series coming up Jamie will bring new highs and lows. I'll tell you yeah, I want it so important man

You cannot overstate take taking advantage of home ice and get on the board. Dude, do you think the Sens want that game one back where there was just a toss away? Absolutely. Or it's like take six two. Can't do it, can't have it. No, you can't have it.

You can't wait into anything, you gotta show up, you gotta be on your toes, you gotta be ready. You gotta be ready to play. All right, Mike Johnson coming up in about a half an hour. I've got a five pack, the five members of the Leaf organization that would benefit the most from beating the Florida Panthers if they can get past the Panthers in the next round. We'll get to that. We'll recap again the game last night. Edmonton winning last night. Game six in St. Louis tonight. Big, big game tonight. Jays, they won two in a row. Vladdy's red hot. Everything's

all good in Toronto, man. The support scene here. You can't beat it. Everything's positive on a Friday Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on the TSN out. All right, Mike Johnson coming up a little bit later this afternoon We'll start looking at a game six tonight as well. Of course, we got st. Louis Looking to survive against Winnipeg and now that we know there's gonna be at least a couple more home games for the Leafs Don't forget TSN 1050 is giving away take us to every Leaf playoff home game And all you have to do is listen to us on the iHeart radio app for your chance to win them To enter download the iHeart radio app create an account listen to TSN 1050 for at least 15 minutes straight You can enter twice per day so listen to first up and overdrive and the more you listen the more chance you have of winning

All right, so I've got a five-packing I'll get to momentarily. I will say I thought you know there's a there's a lot of positives that come out of it I think for both teams if you're Ottawa listen you wanted to make the playoffs you accomplished that you won a couple of games. I thought Stutsela was unreal last night I thought he looked great. You know K chart that the city clearly they love him i mean the though they were jerry his name before they were to the rest of the team last night after they lost it was bad a lot of fair with that guy that's few and far between with any

player area and in the whole league and yet very very unique clearly him first and then you know everyone else is fighting for second as it probably should be is Considering how he plays and what he's done and he's the captain and he says the right things He shows emotion and you know that that's stuff that people are looking for But I thought you know from a lead perspective

Brad tree-living you know can put his feet up after that round and jobs not done, but Stollers was good, but Rubé was good Scottotton took some heat the way he played down the stretch But man did he show up and play well? I thought Ekman Larson was great. You know there a lot of the lot of the new players Really factored in greatly to what happened over the last two weeks You know who I thought was kind of an unsung hero haze for the series was a guy that I was questioning even going into into the series was Simone Benoit. Like he was trusted in some pretty I think he was out there with a minute left on the

ice. Yeah. Like on the clock like he was one of the guys out there with Carlo. Yeah. The two of them like again I said Carlo played more even strength minutes than anybody last night. Yeah. Like he played a lot last night brandon carlo

uh... more so that that of more so than the cape yeah it was you know those are all ten it was very good i mean go on and on and on but those role does these are all turnover players yes you know they're all guys that that have arrived in the last twelve months and uh... clearly played a role in what just happened and will have to continue moving forward it chipped in, like you said, everybody that was brought in played a role. It might have not been the most sexy of roles,

but it was effective. And that's what you need to do outside of just going, hey, we need four guys to do whatever. Like you needed supporting cast. And the thing is, if you're the Leafs, there's guys that still have more put it that way you you know i don't play with the you need other players to maintain

and you know not going would like they made it through for the most part again i'm not in the room but for those ice bags but looks like they're a full roster that's a big matter is very big like you see the list of of injuries coming out of tampa yeah i i don't have other teams that are It's very big. Like you see the list of injuries coming out of Tampa, you know, out of other teams that are, you know, still in it and battling and guys aren't available and all

that type. I mean, look at the Winnipeg Jets, Mark Scheifele, number one centerman, not available to them tonight, right? Like that type of stuff. You do need health and that way it's not asking players to punch above their weight for extended lengths of time. And I think there's, we could have this positive show, but you could have a five or six pack of guys that go, that guy's got more, that guy's got more, that guy's got more. So, and it's not a negative thing, it's just going, this is a positive thing where you've got an opportunity still to contribute in a meaningful way. Right, you got through the first round, with that being considered.

And there's other guys where it's like, you're going to be challenged way more in the next round. Like you get a good series, good for you, you played well, you battled the next one, it's going to be that much more difficult. Oilers just did it, they bought each other time. McDavid and Dreisaitl bought Nugent Hopkins time to chip in. You know what I mean? Like they took control and yeah. You guys, we bought you some time. Next game, you show up. It's all about buying

each other time. I thought it was fantastic by the Oilers. That was very, I mean, they won four in a row, like to their credit when they came home after. Reverse sweeper, you kidding me? And it wasn't a game of perfect. I don't know if you guys stayed up to watch I was a craziest It's it was insane to two four minutes into the game and egregious errors not like you know I know a great way there's giveaways breakways. You're like what the hell is going on? But you know in looking at it Vasilevsky Vezna finalist gone Kemper

Vezna finalist like they got to Darcy Kemper. Kemper didn't allow he allowed five goals I think there was a stat once all season long brought three games in a row against Edmonton Like it was Edmonton like really poured it to him But it was not a game of really poured it to him but it was not a game of perfect that and even McDavid even said like they they won the last two games it wasn't the dry saddle McDavid show it was Connor Brown and you know guys like farther down in the lineup that they were hoping for R&H guys like that that that chipped in. Darnel Nurse big goal last night. Well but

Nurse was you want to talk about case studies, like this guy was giving away goals and then scoring them. I said earlier, I said after game two or three, I said they should be studied. That pairing should be allowed somewhere. I was happy for Darnell. You know him, he's a great guy, they're a great family, all of that type of stuff. But this Matias Janmark scored two goals this season. Big time last night. Yeah, you're right. You're right. And that's, like all of that type of stuff, but it you know this Matthias Janmark scored two goals this big time last night Yeah, you're right. You're right. That's like all of a sudden Edmonton's got some mojo and you look at Vegas Yeah, and you're like you know okay?

You got you survived through Minnesota even though they beat him in six Yeah, but you know Aiden Hill's been a bit shaky that hasn't been great either I don't know what the goaltending is gonna look it could be a similar kind of crazy wild series i think it will be i i this is a bad comparison just because stole ours had a great season but if you look at calvin pickard journeyman guy kind of give get an opportunity it it kind of mirrors a little bit against all ours

way better numbers goal saved above expectation you know getting out of a steady start stream where Pickard came down the stretch and was forced to play with an injury to Skinner and the Inconsistency in that but Pickard's a journeyman. He's got you know, a guy who's got a grinds away and you know Where's Skinner like what's your mini Jerry's on Skinner showing up in the Vegas series? I think he shows up I'd have any percent. Yeah, really I agree agree oh i think i think that there is a game away from potentially turning into a pumpkin this is the right track that it is that that's a good that's a goofy way to put it but

he might just get to a certain point where you look around and be like that's enough for me guys i did that that's right on the second round exactly i would get lost the other thing to know is though you look at the way that they the team plays differently in front of Pickard that's the other thing that I pointed that out the other day like I'll give you this it's an unmade bet in there he's aggressive and he but you know I told you that Mike Kelly had that stat of side to side saves he made another

unbelievable left pad save from side to side yesterday. Warren Fogle gets a breakaway early in the second period. Like he gives them that save. Whereas Skinner hasn't been giving them that timely save where it's needed, where it's not back breaking, where you're not chasing the game by two goals. That's the difference between Pickard and Skinner because the numbers aren't glowing like save percentage goals against they're not glowing but he is 4-0 and he's giving them the saves that they need and the guys like I told you the other day they score an overtime McDavid skates away from dry saddle right to Pickard like there's something there I just don't know what it is I agree with you and I listen he's not alone like Jake Ottenger faced a lot of pucks last night but gave up a lot of goals in the end and so did Blackwood and you know look at all these goalies like Kemper

Like you mentioned Vasilevsky. Yeah There there's really a lot of these series are kind of getting crazy Aiden Hill again His numbers are not very good, right? You know based on on conventional numbers goal saved above all that kind of stuff, but got the job done. Now, generally as the series go on and on and on, they tighten up, generally speaking. The first round always is so crazy and then people settle down or slow down or run out of steam. I'm curious how that factors into what the Panthers are going to do here, where you saw

Tampa, in their third run to the Cup, they going to do here, where you saw Tampa, like in their third run to the cup, they got to the cup final to their credit. They got challenged a couple of times on the way there, got through in seven or whatever, and then got to the cup final. It was like, we're done. Like, we just, we don't have anything left. We can't do it anymore after three straight years of going. I don't, I'm not anticipating that happens this series, but you got to think the Leafs, like you just Leafs like you just mentioned noodles like they got out of this unscathed

They're fully healthy like they're fully healthy. They have home ice Florida's played a lot of hockey the last few years Yeah, but they're the one thing I will say that they've they've hidden well like to truck all of a sudden misses You know like they've rested these guys down the stretch I remember having that conversation with Paul Maurice when they weren't playing well down the stretch and he was like he kind of cryptically was like we're we're all right we're fine we know where we're we're gonna be and that's it was interesting because I thought they had some interesting roster I guess

decisions down the stretch where it was like almost we're resting them because we know management They were down exactly like unique You know management of the players right in front of our eyes and well you could argue I didn't did that It was like we're fine. We'll start in LA. We're totally comfortable Yeah, that like we're they did that like there were a bunch of by all accounts Dry Sato could have come back and McDavid a week early and like Don't worry about it. We'll start on the road. We got no problem against this team Yeah, and to their credit they found a way to do it and like it's just if you're the Kings

You're just thinking really like for you four times in a row. You just can't beat these guys It's crushing considering they had it really had that opportunity LA was a hell of a team this year. Really good team. Minnesota, same thing. Minnesota now the first team in big four pro sports history to make the playoffs eight of a possible 10 years and go out in the first round every single year. Dude, that's crazy, man.

Crazy. Again, you talk about the Leafs and you talk about these other stories and other situations and the Blue Jays and all that. Minnesota gets to the dance It's basically a formality every single year dude and they lose in the first round every single year think about hard and how proud you are to make the playoffs and then How much we talk crap about Detroit and Buffalo they get ten extra days more than Buffalo and Detroit, right? It's like are you that cool that you stick around for 10 more days than those teams?

How pissed off have we been on this show seven out of nine years? Definitely. Like that's the question. You're pissed if you're in Minnesota. You get there. Now, I will say it's different because Billy Garan has had some real, I mean, some real big challenges like through their own doing it the buyouts and stuff i gave i don't think i think minutes minnesota over achieved in a couple years where is like i didn't see that as a playoff team and all the

sender and he's going to be loyd christmas getting out of the lamborghini this summer because those guys are off the box and he is going to have a from my suitcase full of cash he will uh... by mike johnson coming up in the next hour. I'll get to my five pack looking ahead to the Leafs Panthers series. Jay's in action tonight as well. Cleveland in town. We got NBA playoffs, Golden State looking to end Houston, the Knicks with a massive one last night. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. You've been listening to Overdrive powered by FanDuel. FanDuel, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. ascent for. through till Election Day and beyond. I'll have your weekly highlights and my unvarnished analysis of the campaign of a lifetime, the candidates, the quotes, the polls, and the

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