Real Kyper & Bourne - Deep Breaths, Buds

Episode Date: April 27, 2023

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee get right into tonight's closeout game for the Leafs, the first round curse's history, the increase in pressure, keys to the game and how hard Tampa can push with their season on the line. They are joined by Luke Fox (22:36), who discusses the energy in Toronto ahead of the game, the problems with Vasilevskiy and why the Bunting decision is the correct decision. Next, radio voice of the Leafs Joe Bowen shares his thoughts on why the team feels different from previous years, Leafs fans starting to believe, what the Toronto should expect out of the Lightning tonight and the unique impact of Matthew Knies (44:31). Later, Ed Jovanovski discusses the Bruins' overtime loss against Florida, Sergei Bobrovsky making the most of his opportunity at redemption, the Panthers' season-turnaround moment and where the Bruins are most vulnerable (1:05:30).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

This is Real Kipper and Born on Sportsnet 590 The Van. The last time the Toronto Maple Leafs advanced in a playoff series was 2004. Wow. Do they tonight pull the demons from underneath the bed and become the first team in 2023 to advance to the next round. Nick Kipris, Justin Barnes, Sammy McKee,

David Sissboomba, Derek Brandale pushing all the right buttons for the next two hours. Yeah. We're going to tell you whether or not they do it we have the answer or we'll spend the next two hours telling you we haven't got a clue i will tell you that uh sid six zero tweeted out that since the last time the leafs won clinched a playoff series on home ice it was called their

canada center bob cole and harry neal were on the. Gas was 76 cents a liter. And the number one song was Usher's Yeah. And the top movie was Kill Bill, Volume 2. The prime minister was Paul Martin. Kevin Garnett won the MVP in the NBA. He also played in the NHL, didn't he, Paul Martin? Yeah, what a life he's had. He's Forrest Gump, basically. That's a career guy.

The Red Sox got seven strong innings from Pedro Martinez as the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 4-2 to send them to a 3-10 record. Look at you. You had all this stuff. And what was Sammy McKee doing back then? I don't know. 0-4. Boys, my body is ready.

I am ready for this. I woke up today feeling incredibly positive. I have to say. Do you think you could play the first shift if they started you in the first shift could you like do something useful for the leafs tonight no i'm taking a hook immediately but i take i take a hook in beer league like three times a game so drop the the letter f and shift and that's all sammy's got yeah fair enough so hey listen you're walking a tight line lately okay

after calling dry saddle a bucking mule yeah i just listen where were you where were you in 2004 uh alaska i was up there as a freshman at the university of anchorage alaska go seawolves how My daughter was born In 04 And she's moved out since That's great context That's all you need to know About what Leaf fans are feeling Tonight

I want to talk to Leaf fans Oh yes Talk to them Don't go all sappy On me Everybody's walking on god damn eggshells Stop it Talk to them. No, don't do this. Talk to them. Don't go all sappy on me. No, everybody's walking on goddamn eggshells. Stop it. Just believe in this group.

Who is? Oh, my God. The people I talk to in my WhatsApp groups and my texts, everyone's hesitant. They're guarding against heartbreak. Yeah. You have a three-one. Did you feel that? Yes.

Oh, God, yes. I said today, I think I'm saying to my wife, if you wear a Blue Jays hat or jersey in this town, everyone with you, support it, whatever. You wear Raptors stuff, they won a championship for sure. Leafs stuff, it's always like, ah, well. Just stop walking on eggshells. It's okay to have the hope now.

You have a better team. This isn't the same team. It's a different group of guys around the core the bottom six you didn't have ryan o'reilly last year con smith winner didn't have luke shen the team grandpa you didn't have elia samsonov who's been good you didn't have like it's a completely different situation you're up three this isn't the show kipper wanted to have the pro leaf show they've blown a three one series series lead. Yeah, sure. A fake series. No, I know you're pro, but you didn't want to be a fan show.

You want really what's going to happen here. They blew a 3-1 series lead. Oh, yeah, against Montreal, and there was no fans and a fake. I don't get the eggshells. I don't. They're up 3-1. There's so many eggshells, Kipper. The guys that were supposed to come in here and settle them down have they

they don't feel the disappointment of six years ryan o'reilly wasn't around in any of that luke shen wasn't around for any of that so that's what i'm saying it's different yeah they're fine they're good they're good uh even if they lost tonight. Even if they lost tonight. Oh, can you kid me? They lose tonight. There's eggs everywhere. No, they're not losing. They'll be fine.

This is my nightmare. They can still be fine here. Well, yeah. Hear me, my voice. They are not losing. Do I sound nervous? I am recommending that they put it away. I get that. Yeah.

For you and your buds. And, you know, like I was mentioning before. Please win. Everyone's like oh they blew the 3-1 series yeah they blew the 3-1 series lead in a series that didn't count there was no fans they lost their captain too that didn't count it was fake this is the best our show has ever started i'm ready boys just think that there is really good energy really good vibe going into game five tonight the ticket is hot right now.

Hot. Really hot. I'd like to actually get in the building. I would hate down one nothing and the building gets, the life gets sucked right out of it. That can't happen. They did so much for themselves by coming back in two hockey games and not going away because I think it gives the fans a little belief

when that happens, if that happens again in a series. The Bucks are back! Yes! You have a massive opportunity in front of you tonight. Pressure is a goddamn privilege. You have the pressure on you tonight. Eminem's lose yourself starts playing? You have so much pressure on. Embrace it.

Win one hockey game. And that's all. Every Leaf fan, you've made fun of me for how low the bar is. Just win this game and you're looked upon like you're Stanley Cup champions. Okay. Let's go to Sheldon Keefe and see if he feels the same way as our Sammy on tonight. Well, I really just think the biggest thing for us is to just focus on going out and playing a good hockey game. You know, we're a good hockey team.

We've won lots of games. We found ways to win games in this series. I think any time we get outside of focusing on that is where all these other things start to creep in that don't help us here today. We have to be prepared to play our best game of the series. That's really it. So is the best way to beat the demons to never look at them? Never address it? Never think about it?

Well, he did leave a little bit by mentioning creep in yeah you know he did draw a little bit from it he's not completely ignoring it but i i i think he's saying that the tone of hey let's just go out and play is is perfect for me okay yeah i'm good i'm good on sheldon you know i know all the clips that we're going to today, and it's Cooper who gets to my heart and gives me fear. But Keefe, I thought, did a pretty good job keeping things level. You know, so why don't we just keep on the Keefe theme? Why don't we go to how they do that? How do they keep the noise?

We know where Sammy is on the noise today. Where's Sheldon? Of course it is, yeah. You know, it is a challenge, something that you talk about. You recognize that it's a natural thing, certainly when they leave here especially. But when they are here and I'm addressing them or they're talking amongst themselves, we have to keep things really tight and really focused on what we need to do. And that's really all that we can do in terms of controlling it ourselves.

There's always outside things, whether it's, you know, you're out in the community or whether it's your own family or friends or whatever it might be. But, you know, our job as an organization is to keep things really tight and focus on the things that truly matter, which is our own preparation. Keep it tight. You know what?

It's all good. It's all good. When you think of the days that are fun, when you think of the days that are fun as a sports fan, you don't get a lot like you get today with the chance to win a playoff series at home, right? A lot of years your team misses playoffs, get in the first round,

get eliminated, or it's game seven and you're uncomfortable that it could be over. Like tonight is, should be a good feeling for people. And I think for the players too, right? Like this is their chance to take it to Tampa Bay and take a game rather than just cross your fingers and sit back.

The show's ready to play. No, no. I just would hope that again there's enough experience right now and it it should be it should and i know it is led by ryan o'reilly that even after the game which hopefully comes for them on a win that it's just the start of a process there's no kind of finish line there's no listen who knows what's going to happen after the game with in this city on the reaction of beating Tampa Bay and what potentially Yonge Street could be but as far as the players are concerned I hope they don't get too caught up in that because to really have the

mindset that you're in it to win it for four rounds this is just getting started for sure for sure and that's you know that is a healthy way to look at the larger goal that i think a lot of fans are content to just have some success in the playoffs. Not content, but would be satisfied. I think for the players, that is important. You'll hear stuff, I hope, in theory, that would be like, we'll enjoy it tonight, then we'll move on. I think that would be the theme of any sort of success you may have.

God forbid you talk about success. Are you going to have a little mini parade tonight if they win? When they win? For you? Yeah you yeah leaf nation i am going to be extremely happy listen is there going to be a listen this is not a regular situation this is the most storied franchise with the most passionate fans who have had nothing but heartbreak in the first round for seven years it does it is different for the fans to get past the first round everyone's bar has been lowered because of this very team's failures and the way that the last two games went are completely against script that anyone has ever seen from this team so that's

what makes me feel so confident going into tonight yes i will celebrate very much if they win tonight i may even have a little parade aka i'll hop on my bicicletta and ride my bike to a local bar and see what's going on down there that will be my that will be my parade i just i i think we fans shouldn't be embarrassed about being really damn excited if they beat tampa in five games and move on to the second round to take on either Boston or Florida. For sure. You're allowed to be excited.

It's not the fan's job to worry about the next series. So what are the Leafs going to do to complete a 60-minute game here? Something that we have not seen in a couple of games here. JB, you go first. You know, they've had a lot of the success so far being in front of vasilevsky playing in that part of the rink you know i just i think it's getting out of their own end they just spent so much time in their own zone the last couple games in tampa bay chasing matchups chasing the puck dumping it in i'd like to see a little bit more a little bit more hockey puck in the leaf side hang on to it and look for those opportunities so you went first with play in front of the net sheldon keith has some thoughts on that i'll get to uh in a moment

but certainly uh that's derrick lelon that opened up the floodgates on vasilevsky and traffic in front of the net and that is a huge focus let's go to sheldon keith on on owning that part of the rink obviously it's a theme at this time of the year in particular. You need to be able to get people in there. Tampa's made it really challenging for us to get to the net. They haven't given us very much. Really on both sides of the game, both teams haven't given up much on the rush. It's been a lot of those types of plays and goals and stuff around the net.

You know, our guys have done a nice job of getting to those spots. the rush. It's been a lot of those types of plays and goals and stuff around the net. You know, our guys have done a nice job of getting to those spots. Obviously, we want that to continue. We're going to need it to continue. It's not an easy thing to do, but our guys have been very committed to it. You think

the refs will come into play in front of the net a little bit more because everybody's watching it so closely it just you know i i shared a thing from like a study camcheron did on uh penalties when they get called in the series they kind of die down now like the refs feel like they've done their tone setting they've done their 12 penalty games you're seeing more uncalled things in other series i don't know it it doesn't feel like the time where they ramp up the penalties to me you know you think it might be an issue the one thing that i think the leafs need to clean up is is taking penalties for sure yeah huge concern and just some bad penalties i mean the one that was

really highlighted uh was willie neilanders 200 feet the other night mccabe's done it lafferty's done it post whistle stuff exactly so yeah if they can clean that up um and maintain a heavy four check game then you know their their odds improve i think for me you think you get a big push from tampa bay like you think these guys have been through it you think it's a first period charge yeah i i think did you say close game bet the under the other day uh yes i did um i'm leaning towards that a little bit yeah i think the day's off to coaches tighten it up look at systems how do you shut everyone down a little bit more time to prepare so you're samson off vasilevsky low scoring game all right so let's uh i nothing intimidates you today no they shot they shoot five past of every game like why why would

i like what's there to be scared of all right let's go to uh the man that messes with sammy best john cooper on his thoughts about pushing this thing to a sixth game you can sit here morning of the game and and throw all these cliches out saying well they've never done it again different team different circumstances uh they're playing not the exact same opponent they played last year i i think when it comes into play is actually in the moment so when you are in the moment or you're down a goal or up a goal do you start thinking the back of your head here we go again those type of things like that's when it's it can uh i think that's when it has effect but you know see you know it's springtime for a game i don't i don't know if it matters then he's still going i can barely look The balloon's running out of air. It's just...

Seven hours for a game. I don't know if it matters then. Someone poke Coop. Is he done? It's like when we have Adam Oates on and I interrupt him 11 times because I can't tell when he's done. A little subdued.

Yeah, but there's also little needles, right? Oh, no, no, no. I was going to say, you know it's springtime because he is planting seeds. Yeah, well, here we go again. He wants the here we go again thought. He just wants you to just kind of just remember this, that just when we get the first goal, they start thinking, and that's when things kind of unravel.

I love that he said that you can say all these sort of cliches, like, well, they've never done it before, but I don't want to say that. It's like, you just said it. You're the guy saying it, Coop. Love it. So has been there, done that clip similar to the last one we just heard? No.

Okay, let's go to Coop one more time. If you look at the way the series is, we talked about this at the beginning, most people pick the Leafs to beat us, so they're up 3-1, so people are sitting there saying, well, we told you so. I look at it and sit here and say,

we've had some tough lapses in games, and I think for the most part, we've done a lot of what we wanted to do. I think we've scored enough goals. We've just given up too many. But if I was to look at the big picture of this and say, if we keep doing what we're doing, we just do it 2% better, it's 2% better,

I think some of these quote-unquote breaks that maybe have not gone our way, we can push to go our way. He thinks they've been unlucky. You know what you hate about him the most is that when he's not wrong. Sure, he's a lawyer. He's good at finding the things that technically are true.

But did he say anything in that last clip that was wrong or just no all right no we think we've been right there and just you know a few of those quote-unquote breaks yeah they've been unlucky they've been there and they've blown it yeah two straight games oh no which has a lot to do with coaching there johnny now listen every blame goes around for sure when you blow 10 minutes. You're down. You're up 4-1. What's the win probability for Tampa in that, 98%? Yeah, it's high.

That sounds about right. That has something to do with coaching too. Like, he's not perfect in this. They have taken advantage of a depleted blue line. And no Chernak again tonight, which will come in big time one way or another here when this series is over. Bogosian-Hattrick tonight?

With a good conversation on what happened. Do you want to do the last Coop clip? Yeah, let's do it. Let's do it. The fine line is sitting here saying, we've done it before it's just naturally going to happen again where you have to get inside the guys is just remember the feeling and how hard it was to actually accomplish and because you know the enemy's got to vote that's the leafs they're going to have some say in what goes on here too. So you have to make sure that it's not a given.

There's actually a process to get to that final result. I just don't know how much more Tampa can push. They've pushed so hard. They pushed hard the last two games with zero results i yeah that's a good point it's not like they haven't had the hammer down in some of these games they have had their foot on the pedal yeah and they haven't found a way the the line i really like there and i actually wrote about this which is on sportsnet right now is the idea that the enemy has a vote he says you know like part of the Leafs' success

has been Tampa not playing as well. In the third period of game four, Tampa's backing off a little bit more. They didn't play as well. And the Leafs have a vote tonight. Like Tampa can come out and play great. They can play great. But if the Leafs can play great too,

they have some say in how this goes. It's not just about what Tampa does and vice versa. And he's saying they've done it before. They've never done this before. They've never come back from 3-1 down. No, this is a different. The last time they lost three in a row was when they got swept by Columbus after they set the point record in the history of the NHL.

They haven't come back down from 3-1 before. Sammy wants to put it in their head. Hey, don't forget. Oh, he's saying like, oh, we've done this before. No, you haven't. That's a lie. They have not done this. But neither have the Leafs.

Of course not. In closing out a series. For sure. But he's not saying that. So we got a lot of never done before things. A couple of experienced virgins here. Something's got to give. Something's got to give.

And boy, considering the way I'm talking today, I sure hope it's the F-Balls. Do we have a number on... Six. No. On Ofer on closing out a series yes would you like some number sammy give us the atrocious numbers that will make leafs fans feel terrible these are the demons that will be exercised tonight at scotia bank arena the maple leafs in potential playoff series clinching games since 2013. Their record.

They have zero wins and ten losses. Goals for. 21 goals for. Goals against. 40. Power play. 9.9. .09%. 2 for 22. And their penalty kill is

63.2. 12 for 19. it's not good 63 pk in elimination games atrocious numbers oh atrocious but that's what you have a chance people you just forget that you start a new streak tonight go from 0 and 10 to 1 and 0 like it. I'm not even sure that there's been as many penalties called this year than there were last year. But there has been a ton of power play goals right across the board in the first round. The Leafs power play percentage in the first round right now,

I think it's 35.9%, like almost 36%. They're fourth in the NHl yeah in playoff percent that tells you how you know that that number is improving yeah you cannot take even if they lose the next three games the leafs yeah those that numbers those numbers are improving it's just yeah not getting any it's impossible. Absolutely nuts. Yeah, the Oilers power play, guess what the Oilers power play percentage is through five games? Like 40 something.

It's almost 60%. Oh my God. It's 57%. Oh my God. 57% success rate for the Oilers power play in the postseason. I've never seen anything like it I mean that's no one's ever seen anything remotely like that that is staggering like you should not go to the box you just go back to the bench and watch the number go up yeah on the scoreboard you

should take a penalty go to your bench okay let's welcome in Luke Fox leaf writer for sportsnet.ca friend of the show Luke is is going to set the mood. Do you need any background music on this, Luke? Hall and Oates? Oh, my God. That would work. They win tonight. That song is never going away.

You're right. It's going to be playing all up and down Yonge Street. People are excited. There's grown men in hockey sweaters walking around downtown today. Sure. Does Ryan Whitney know that? Yeah. Good one. I was at

my son's hockey last night and a couple of the dads were saying they're going to the game and they're like, I better take the i better not drive i might not get out of there it might be a party like people are are getting ahead of themselves a little bit but it'll be a scene if they can actually do it on home ice like i think the city is gonna erupt a little bit so it feels like the ultimate test for this group who've talked about killer instinct and getting over the hump and, you know, this core group,

particularly Matthews and Marner, those, you know, they're two stars in finding a way to sort of rise up and make it happen. You know, do you feel like tonight is the ultimate test for that? Do you,

is it just, if it happens, they need to get through whether it's five, six or seven games, or is tonight sort of get there before the pressure mounts sort of a situation yeah i mean i think it's in their best interest to get it done right away but i i think it doesn't really matter just as long as it happens yeah win a round even if it takes seven if they do it it'll be the same reaction, and then years go by, and people won't really remember all the details.

They'll just remember that they won it. But, yeah, would it be nice not to give Tampa Bay some belief and give them a little bit of spark and have to hop on a plane and go all the way back there, And you look over at the other series, and that series is dragging on a little bit longer than most people expected. And the Maple Leafs actually have a chance to be the first team to punch their ticket to round two and can rest up. The advantage in that is huge.

Is there any sense, I mean, you covered this team the last few years. You covered Tampa Bay last year. Any sense at all that it is kind of slipping from them? Or are they totally coming in as business as usual? The laning? Yes. I think I see some slipping. Absolutely.

For one, Andre Vasilevsky. I've never seen him like this. The fact that he's letting in more goals than any other goalie in the playoffs right now, except for the ones that have been pulled and replaced already, is just flooring to me. Because if you had pulled all the players and said, if you could have one goalie one active goalie uh for a big game or a big series you know he'd probably win that poll and here he is proving to be human and the leafs are getting to the net uh and when vasilevsky spoke to tampa reporters

yesterday he was kind of saying that the leafs used to play a skill game and basically the Leafs have driven to the net more they've got more bodies in front they figured it out uh and it's working it's a plan that's working and part of the reason why it's working is Tampa doesn't have the horses on the back end that they used to have Brian McDonough was a huge influence on that team and now you take out Eric Chernak, thanks to Michael Bunting's illegal hit, and they just don't have the experience and the toughness back there to clear people out in front of the net

and tie up sticks. And that's a big point of emphasis in their room is we can't let the Leafs get to the net and get these sticks on pucks from the point shots because they know what they're trying to do. They just haven't been able to prevent it. It certainly is a different world where you hear a team being like, how do we keep the Leafs from the blue paint?

Because they do. It wasn't a team that used to live there so much. You know, part of their additions that did go to the blue paint was Michael Bunting, right? He was kind of one of the offensive guys that went to that paint a little bit. We know we've talked quite a bit about him not being in the lineup tonight what are your thoughts on how the Leafs players may be feeling about the lineup decision and just your own take on the thought to keep Lafferty, Camp, Yarncroft and all them in the lineup?

Yeah well Zach Aston Reese is pretty excited I'll'll tell you that much. Yeah. Like the guys on the bubble. I think it's the smart play because if they lose tonight, you can always go back and put them in and say, well, we got to take someone out because it didn't work. You know, I think it was a very difficult conversation that Sheldon Keefe had to have with Michael Bunting. Remember, this is one of the few guys that played every single game, all 82, for them this season. And they had a terrific regular season.

And he had a terrific regular season. He got 23 goals again, even though he was up and down the lineup a little bit. He produces points. He plays well with good players. But I think also part of the reason, not just we don't want to mess with a winning lineup, but I also feel like there's a little bit of element of the Tampa Bay Lightning despise this guy right now. You know, publicly, it's we're move on. You know, yeah, we didn't like the hit, but whatever.

They're not making a big deal of it. But the fact that he took out one of their top three most important defensemen for, you know, the series so far, you know, I think it's going to be the full series no matter how long it goes because chernak isn't even skating yet uh if bunting's there he becomes a target or they say something to him and then he might react and he might take a dumb penalty it could be a bit of a sideshow and i think the leafs don't want to wake a sleeping giant here a little bit and get into the extracurriculars. I think they think they have a better chance if they just stick to hockey. And, hey, they've won three in a row.

None of the guys in the lineup necessarily deserves to come out. Luke, have a great time tonight, man. Can't wait. Go get them. There we go. Luke Fox covering the Leafs from scotia bank arena does a terrific job on sportsnet.ca we got uh joe bowen in about 10 minutes he's joe bowen called a lot of games for the toronto maple leafs unfortunately not many in the second round on the show

not many in the second round we'll see what happens after tonight uh in the next hour ed jovanovsky as uh you just mentioned we'll we'll tee up uh the florida panthers and the boston brunes the other question i wanted to ask you was even on an off night watching now Boston having to pack their bags and go back to Florida. And just another reminder to the Leafs how important it is to put them away now. Well, and you think about all the things that come with an early finish is just taking your players out of harm's way. You watch players in these games blocking shots and you know throwing hits and it's obviously there's lots of injuries so the less hockey you can play the better it's a

it's a big and no doubt about it i yeah i really really enjoyed that hockey game last night thought you enjoyed all mark puking on his shoes and yeah ot there i can't have anything like that from ilia samson off tonight. That was bad. It's funny. It's not like a very big story because Allmark's the Vezina guy this year. But that, you know, he's a couple of... Wasn't great last night. Well, and it wasn't great in their other loss.

No. No, he was not. I wouldn't say he was stellar. And the Panthers, say what you will about them, they got game breakers. Like they got, for the most part, filled in in that game. What were the double the shots 47 shots for boston but 28 when the puck landed on the good panthers players sticks in the sweet spot they were converting like they've got guys that can put the puck in the net are really really lethal around it like that that could

chuck goal in ot for him not just to immediately panic it on net for him to you know drag that into the middle take it the back and put it upstairs like i'm i love that they sent it to another game yeah boston gotta be careful really uh i mean all mark never really had that moment all year long no i mean you think of the season he had scored a goal for crying out loud. He shot one in the other net, let alone damn near put it in his own net in a playoff game. So, you know, and just to swing things back to Vasilevsky, the one thing that, again, is new to Tampa is that this feeling of Vasilevsky being so vulnerable now. Like, think about that. Yes, they have a depleted blue line yes they ryan mcdonough isn't there anymore but they always had him the three of us could have

dressed in the last three years for tampa and played defense for them with 10 minutes to go with a 4-1 lead yeah then you're not beating Vasilevsky. We'd have packed it in pretty tight. I gotta tell you, boys, I'm pretty soft in front of my own net. He was locking it down. And now, think about another

two-goal lead going into the third period for them. That seed of doubt will not go away tonight here's what vasilevsky had to say to chris cranny said they've been executing their game plan really well getting in front of me and creating all kinds of screens and deflections i'll give them credit they've been pretty good at it we have to work harder take a deep breath play one game and then we'll see where that takes us you know like this screen and tip thing has really become a theme

cooper talks about it vasilevsky's talking about it i'm sure the leasers just can be i mean i don't know now do you try to do something different because they're thinking that's where you want to live i don't know why that's where you're going to be under a microscope now if if you do right yeah a hook uh lifting of the stick a slash yeah ref size on the net front now lots of conversation there tons tons who knows what vasilevsky's saying you know the best was when i played against dominic koshik all you would hear on the ice is can't see can't see yeah must see so you know you're doing something right at that point. If you can turn on the cat seat, can't see complaints. So

if a concerned Leaf fan about this game was here and I am certainly not that but if I was a concerned Leaf fan looking at this game. Hypothetically. Hypothetically, of course. I think Vasilevsky would

be the number one thing that I would be afraid of. Because there's been an extra day here of full-on discourse about the goaltending and about the screens and about, you know, Derek Lalonde telling him he can't stop a beach ball from the point. There's been a lot of conversation about vasileski and this guy is a incredibly competitive prideful guy who has you know been the most clutch goalie in the last seven six or seven years the one thing that's what would scare me the most if i was i know but but i'm not so it probably should have been a conversation that more people would have had in end of February or March. Yeah.

But you didn't because he's been so great the last three years. So you've kind of always left it to the next game where it's like, he'll figure it out, figure it out. And now you're, you're at the end, you're at the end now. Yeah. And he still hasn't figured figured it out he's been this way since january it's a really good point like so like if he's the same guy he's been you know you look at them go what are the odds

since january that this trend has been a lack of effort that he's suddenly going to turn on right yeah like think about those odds now yeah so that's there's no doubt that's why i i don't i don't think i've seen anything necessarily changing you know you never count out the greats you know to me like whether it's tiger woods in a golf tournament you know in 2019 or you know jack nicholas in 86 or whatever it was you know but even in other sports the greats often have kind of like they're able to have these flare-ups and so you do worry about vasilevsky just because he's done it for so long so well but there's no reason nothing visually to show you that he's going to be that he's going to suddenly find it so yeah i guess this is a pretty

big test for him i think about know, your dad's Islander team and then when Gretzky and Messier finally took over and it was just, it was just, they were champions, right? Yeah. They were the ultimate competitors in NHL history. Yeah. And you just knew it was over. Can't do it forever.

You just knew it was over. The time it you just knew it was over the time was up uh the wear and tear was there my dad didn't play the finals of the fifth year the first cup of the oilers so that cup doesn't count um and but it was it was a symptom of all the wear and tear you're talking about of doing it over and over and over his knee just couldn't hold up for another one and guys are falling apart you know after that much hockey and maybe there's some element of that on the other side um just looking at a very helpful tool if you're interested in the reffing side of it for tonight scouting the refs for tonight we don't do that i'm just saying you were talking about officiating what would leaf fans do if it was wes mccauley right melt the hell down it would

be bad that would have been great kyle raymond and jean hibert are the refs tonight the leafs are a combined nine oh and one in games that those two guys have reffed the leafs went all the time yeah it's hard it's regular season well there's super fans like you well that's what you're telling us jean hibert well they were five oh and one with wes mccauley in the regular season two so yeah i oh go ahead you really believe it would have been a huge huge story if wes mccauley was huge it would have been the lead our show big oh my gosh really yeah kip were you a part of the backlash i know i know we literally talked about i just really think it would have been some great radio wow yeah maybe with you yeah but listen i wasn't that upset

about it was i uh yes you were very upset about it i was like a week ago now i can't remember that so i don't know i just i really hope that we come in tomorrow and if the least when we're not i mean at least when there's guaranteed no chance we're talking about officiating unless there's a brutal call. But I don't want the Tampa Bay Lightning to win on the backs of something that gives the masses the hates the Leafs narrative. So, Matt Murray skating on his own now on a different pad. He's back. He's taking shots. I'm sure everyone's encouraged to hear that. I saw a clip of Antrop own now on a different pad. He's back. He's taking shots. I'm sure everyone's encouraged to hear that. I saw a clip of Antropov shooting on him and beating him clean from the top of the circle

road blocker. Sick, sick, sick. Cool. You stayed on that long enough to see shots? There's one shot. Luke Fox tweeted a video with one shot, and it's Nick Antropov cutting into the middle, toe drag snapper, beats him clean. Mikey Isamont left the lightnings optional skate. This is from Luke Fox's article. Ichabod cutting into the middle, Toe Drag Snapper, beats him clean. Mikey,

Mikey Isamont left the lightning's optional skate. This is from Luke Fox's article earlier than Tanner, you know, Tanner, maybe putting a little extra work seems unlikely to me personally that they would have to know out given what they paid for them. And, but Isamont's been out and they haven't been successful since.

Interesting. You expect it. You expect Tampa to drag them drag them in the alleys a little bit tonight like they have in the past just it's who they are now like that's their identity and if you want to be true to your identity yeah they'll play it through yeah they'll go down fighting for sure i don't think you can win without having that i don't think you can win without having that. I don't think... If this game somehow gets lopsided in the Toronto Maple Leafs' favor, keep those knees tucked and keep those heads up. Run and hide.

Because I really... No, I disagree with you. Yeah, they got to play their score at that point. If it gets really out of hand, I can't see them trying to... There's no tone setting for next year. Are you crazy? I can't see them uh trying to there's no tone setting for next year i can't see them trying to hurt anybody oh my god maroon definitely mr mr congeniality not gonna try to bury somebody you can do it without crossing a line put it that way i bet you there'll be some and if if luke needs to on a six two or six three uh take someone off the ice, he'll do it.

He'll beat the crap out of somebody again. He'll do it. But, you know, there's no sense having to open up and throw haymakers. All you got to do is just tackle a guy down and pull him off the ice. You know what that sounds like? Champagne problems. I would like to cross that bridge very much. 100%.

We have to worry about that potentially. What are you saying? Champagne problems? As in, you know champagne problems as in you know not like you know local I would like to I would like to least be winning so much and champagne and it's like it's not even not even in the second round no they're definitely not bring up the word champagne until uh you're in a final champagne problems is a very normal set that has nothing to do with popping bottles or anything but yeah okay what do you got for us excuse me uh it's time for playoff picks presented by bet365

visit the app for the latest odds now this time of year when the toronto may police are in the playoffs for their short periods of time that they are bor Borny's favorite saying, and one that I've lived by forever, is called the happiness hedge. And I will say, looking at Bet365's odds today, there are very few opportunities as perfect as this one for the happiness hedge. You're getting the Tampa Bay Lightning backs against the wall, you know, as a pretty big dog, plus 140, which is a pretty sizable underdog.

Yeah. So if you can, you know, bet however much you feel comfortable betting on or how much you would pay for the Leafs to win tonight, if you put it on that, you might be able to make some money if they end up losing. And the ultimate full happiness hedge

is the Lightning, like I said, plus 140 tonight. They're plus 900, so 9-1 to win the full series. So if you are terrified of them blowing it and you want to be compensated for it, which I am not. This is how you protect yourself. This is not how I am. You guys are pathetic.

Super pathetic. This is the most money I got paid in the Montreal series. Kipper, I made a lot of money. Well, you're not spending it on clothes. What's the implication there? I was wearing a golfing today, boys. What do you want? I got to call it.

It's the first time in multiple weeks I have a call-in. You make a few bucks. You are okay with the Leafs losing? No, absolutely not. That's why I'm willing to do it. You got to be confident. Take the sting out somehow, some way, some little bit. This is the live tour, baby.

This is blood money. I got to watch the Leafs blow a series lead. What's wrong with you guys? Listen, I can... Plus 900 for Tampa Bay to win this series. You could make a worse bet. You could make a way worse bet than that. Yeah.

And not that we think it's going to happen, but it ensures yourself against the max pain. Betting on the team that you're already invested in, it doesn't make sense to me. You're already invested. You don't need that encouragement. Are you generally superstitious? Were you that guy in your career?

No. I'm a routine guy, but, I mean, you can't really be a hockey player without having a routine. So, no. You? No, but at times I'd say, why take any chances? Walk around the ladder, then walk under it on the way to the rink. It only makes sense.

And a couple, last couple things tonight for the Toronto Maple Leafs, if you're looking to put some of your hard-earned dollars on it. Austin Matthews' first goal of the game plays plus 550. You can see him having a big moment in the first period, shoots one in the net. And I like a Ryan O'Reilly anytime goal in a big game. They brought him in for this type of thing, plus 250, anytime goal for Ryan O'Reilly. So those are a couple other ones. So there you go.

All right. Those are good numbers, Sammy. This has been Playoff Picks presented by Bet365. Visit the app for the latest odds. All right. Those are good numbers, Sammy. This has been Playoff Picks presented by Bet365. Visit the app for the latest odds. See, I think Seattle's gotten the first goal every game against Colorado. Did you see that? Are we going to do the McKinnon thing here now?

We'll wait. Let's go to break. We got Joe Bowen after the break. And Ed Jovanovsky is going to join us in the second hour as well. So, Joe's a wily veteran, man. I wonder what he's feeling coming into this game. I'm excited to have him on our show. Holy mackinac!

Alright. Maybe one or two of those tonight. Oh my goodness! Joe Bowen, radio voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. After the break, you're watching and listening to Real Kipper and Born. Smart takes on the biggest stories in sports. The Fan Drive Time with Ben Ennis.

Subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Real Kipper and Born on Sportsnet 590 The Van. All right, as promised, Joe Bowen, radio voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is joining us now. Joe, thanks for doing this. I got to ask you right out of the gate here. You've called the last 10 playoff clinchers for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Is there a different feel in this one tonight?

Well, first off, thanks, guys. Thanks for having me on. I sincerely hope so, Nicky. And I think, and you guys have talked about it, about the makeup, the difference in this team. And I think over the last five or six years, I think a lot of people have thought, do they have the physicality and the toughness and the ability to go to the dirty areas to score the dirty goals and I don't think anybody felt that that had been fully addressed and I think that Kyle Dubas did a marvelous job at the trade deadline and prior to it in making those adjustments and I think that we're seeing

that and then you add the addition of Matthew Nyes, who has been a bit of a revelation too. So it is a different group. Yes, it's the core is there. Yes, they're the ones that have to stir the drink. But I think there's a couple of guys behind the bar with the mixology course too, that know how to stir up a few things as well. Joe, before we had you on, I was talking with our producer sammy mckee just about you know you've been doing this for a while now and we're just saying i think it's been almost 40 years you've been calling games joe i i wanted to get your sense for what makes this team unique or different to call you've seen this core go at it for you know seven years now or whatever the number is exactly.

But what about this group is different than other teams that you've called over the years? Well, they can score very in a lot of different ways. A lot of other teams really couldn't. I think that at this point, you can see that it has spread throughout the lineup. Ryan O'Reilly's made an enormous difference. And it was interesting when he arrived before he was hurt, the tinkering. Was it better for him to play on the wing with Tavares?

Should he play in the middle with Tavares on the wing? Would it be better to have the three-headed monster down the middle? And I think we've seen that after Sheldon Keefe went through all of these little variations, I think that he has kind of fell into the fact that the three-headed monster is something that makes other teams have a difficult chore, especially on home ice when you get the last change. So I think that's probably, Barney, something that i would say is a lot different with this group but again it's the physicality it's it's the luke shens and the jake mccabe's and and people like

that who are uh not only going to accept being pushed but they're going to push back and they're going to instigate a lot of pushing so i think that's the biggest change. Joe, if we go back in recent Leaf history, the three eras that Leaf fans knew they had some respect amongst the hockey world would have been the run that Dougie Gilmore had and gave right through that overtime goal behind the net. There's the Mets era with the Roberts and the Neuendijks against Ottawa. And then there's a potential for this one as well.

And so many things in life has changed. But, you know, for the Leaf fan, it's amazing. They've never wavered. They're still there. They're still in droves. And tonight, we'll feel it again. You know, Nick, it's one of the most unique sports franchises in the world. Never mind hockey or whatever.

It's a lot like, and I use the analogy of European football and club football. The Liverpool, Manchester United. It circumvents the globe. It never wavers. It gets pissed, and it gets pissed off. But it's not going to leave, right? And I think that's what we see, and they deserve it. They really do.

And they have been loyal. I mean, when you're down 4-1 and all of a sudden Matthew scores, no one's left Maple Leaf Square. No one's left. And you know what? I thought, you know, that speaks volumes of this fan group, and they deserve to have a bit bit of a fun with it and everything else and you know the other thing i said to a lot of people this year is that

this group needs a nikki boriszewski or a cory cross something that's going to happen that is from the hockey gods nikki just touching the puck from bob rouse and they score cory cross who hadn't scored a goal and god knows how long has a seeing eye shot well morgan riley had a seeing eye shot and maybe our nikki boriszewski all of a sudden turns out to be uh alex kerfoot so there have been a lot of breaks that have gone the wrong way for this team and for this group itself. And maybe, maybe, just maybe, something is starting to turn in the other cheek. So let's keep our fingers crossed in that department.

I think they deserve it. Joe, what changes in the energy of the city away from the rink when the Leafs go on a playoff run? I've lived in Toronto for for just 10-11 years now and I've yet to see what happens when when it gets close and when people start to believe they've got a potential a team that could win a cup what changes in the city well it's mind-blowing uh having gone through it a couple of times um I remember after the the Gilmore situation outside Maple Leaf Gardens, you could not move.

It was bizarre. And I suggest tonight, if the Leafs are able to pull it out, open your window, you're probably going to hear a lot of horn honking and a lot of other things going on. And this city needs that. Any city that has a professional sports

franchise lives and breathes with it, and it becomes a part of it. And to have it happen, to have it work out, it will energize everybody in this city for sure. And then all of a sudden you're going to find people who have not been fans, who may not even be hockey fans. They get caught up in the euphoria of it as well you know joe uh the one guy that you missed out it was gary valk and we had him on the uh on the

air the other day and i urge anyone that's a perfect example yes perfect yes and um you know i urge anyone that's listening or watching right now go go find that podcast and and go listen to gary valk because he does a masterful job of creating the picture that you just mentioned uh after he scored the goal and what was what it was like having people chase them in cars to get autograph and pictures after uh eliminating pittsburgh and i'm just wondering too joe i mean you've been around a long time. I wonder what life for Joe Bowen would be with a real good run here. A few signs in the

neighborhood, perhaps? I know I might get a free drink at the Union Dorm from some of my friends. Did I point out that I go there fairly frequently? A little bit. You know what?

And I think that we're going to see that, obviously. And everybody is sitting back saying, okay, show me. We've got lots of confidence. We want you to do it, but you've got to show me. And once they get past this round, I think that you're going to see the car flags out. You're going to see the flags everywhere. This city will certainly be running on blue and white, and it'll be an exciting thing. But there's a real, real good opponent at the other end of this,

and they're not going to go away quietly, and it'll be a great series. Stephen Stamkos is a dear dear friend of mine as parents i've known well before stephen arrived on the scene um and uh it well they're they're a wonderful wonderful group that have had a wonderful run and hopefully the maple leafs will see somewhere here to be able to get it by what are you expecting to see from the other side of things from that tamp Tampa Bay Lightning team? They've obviously got some championship pedigree and have played pretty good hockey for a few games

without getting a win. You know, what does this team look like when they're going and what can the Leafs anticipate tonight? I think right now they're the Maple Leafs looking in the mirror. They're going, wait a minute, this isn't how we've gotten this far on a number of occasions. This is what happens to the guys on the other side. So they have some work to do in mental preparation. I think their goaltender does as well. I mean, having played the position,

when you get going like this sometimes, instead of the thing looking the size of a beach ball or a watermelon, it all of a sudden is an aspirin coming at you. And you wonder, no matter how good the goaltender is and what his pedigree is as well, guys, when that starts to slip a little bit, all of a sudden you're getting stiff and you're saying I hope it hits me and that's not the way Veseleski has played over his career for sure Joe not to age you but you've been around a very long time have you ever you got me in you got me

with a shovel and they're digging a hole for me here Nick Joe have you ever seen a kid like Matthew Nyes really come out of nowhere and have such an impact to the point where you are scratching a legitimate 20 goal score, 50 point guy? Not at this point in the season, I don't think. I mean, we've had a lot of collegiate guys that were signed at the end of the year and came over and played and were not impactful. Now, he's played well. Has he been impactful yet? Well, he's got one assist. So that isn't there yet.

But you can certainly see that he's going to be a real good player. And you hope that that impactfulness will come now. But, you know, I mean, you go back, Wendell Clark's first arrival in Toronto at training camp and his thoughts, well, who's the toughest guy here? So he fought Bob McGill five times at training camp. I mean, that was impactful. And he turned out to be a pretty decent hockey player as well.

But this is a kid that they have seen play. They're very confident that he can handle the pressure, that this has been ramped up from the NCAA tournament, and also that he can contribute, and that he is very functional in both ends of the rink. You know, a lot of kids come out of there and they're real good offensively and have some great offensive skills, but he has shown that he is not going to be a liability. And that's one of the reasons why this lineup wasn't tinkered with,

despite the fact that Michael Bunting was coming back. All right, Joe, we're going to let you go and rest up, okay? Did we hit 3,000 viewers on YouTube? I'm going to show you how popular Joe Bowen is because you're going to push them to hit the like button close to 1,000. That's what I'm calling right now for YouTube. If you can find somebody on Queens Key to get this construction done,

I would really appreciate it because when this city is actually finished, it's really going to be something. When's that? Just roll down the window and scream, Holy Mackinac, and they will let you go right through.

I'll get somebody throw a tire iron at me or something i don't know all right joe bowen have a great call tonight enjoy it joe thanks buddy thanks joe that's joe bowen radio voice of the toronto maple leafs bonesy bonesy that guy if they ever win that guy would be like the first guy you feel for right give him the cup second he he's in the hall of fame disappointments he's he had and watched and witnessed man many i i love that fired me up what do you win the elmer ferguson no the ferguson elmer foster foster hewitt foster hewitt sorry close i didn't mean to be disrespectful to foster Hewitt, Steve Johnson. Foster Hewitt, sorry. Close.

I didn't mean to be disrespectful to Foster Hewitt. I legitimately just forgot. But he won a massive award. He's in the Hall of Fame. Yeah. That's the point. You guys want to know what it costs to get in the building tonight? I'm going to guess you can't get a $50 ticket for old.

It's not like the Jays games. You can't buy a $20 one and walk around. So what are you quoting us here in the lower bowl? So this is from Luke Fox. He put out the cheapest and the least cheapest in his words. The cheapest. What do you think? Well, I mean, what is the highest?

Section 317, row 12 is what he put out. I would think that one would run about 325 wrong 645 is the cheapest up top oh my god 645 a seat so they want uh a thousand for the lower bowl 1200 section 104 row 104, row 12, 2,400, boys. Can you imagine, like... That's on resale, obviously, on verified resale from Ticketmaster. Yeah, so they have three home gates this round. If they were to have three home gates for four rounds, how much money would that be to MLSC? I mean, I don't actually want you to do the math on it,

but I just can't even fathom what it means. Five mil a night? A night, you think? Yeah. Put a couple towards Kyle Dubas' new contract. Six million? Seven million? You could probably afford your general manager.

I don't even know what the cost, like I, yeah, the costs alone. Each game is massive. Face value would probably be about $ be about 1200 in the lower bowl just face value is it really that much wow yeah i don't quote me but listen pal i know i know what the rangers invoice for your seasons i know the rangers uh the year they went to the final i think 2015 yeah yeah i went to go see if uh i could buy two in the lower bowl from msg and it's like yeah 1200 i think was the price face value for a final yeah that's not bad 1200 final for stanley cup 1200 us for one ticket yeah yeah that's fine if they were in the final here, it'd be five grand a ticket.

Listen, they go to a Stanley Cup final. That thing's a $15,000 ticket. Yeah. So I got a friend who's got a pair at Madison Square Garden, a few rows up from the glass, whatever. And I think he got 10 grand for two tickets to a Stanley Cup final game. Oh, gosh. Ours in 94 were 10 grand. Yeah.

So what are you talking about? $1,200 a seat. I think it's a lot of money. Not that much. Hey, you got to remember though. For you, maybe. You're Nick Kipris. He's like, I'm rich.

Exactly. You want to come there. Okay. That's the context that's needed. Yeah. All right, let's not get ahead of ourselves. He skated around on the ice. Just came five in the first round.

Settle down. With the big silver thing. He was on the ice holding it over his head. Settle down. I'm talking about the Rangers, not the Leafs. Rangers might still win the cup. Big one for them tonight. So I just wanted to make sure we mentioned it since we had Bonesy on. You can hear the action tonight.

Game five on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. Pre-game coverage started at 630 with our beloved Brent Gunning and our beloved Gord Stelic on the pre-game. Bonesy and Ralphie with the call. And if you want Joe to sync up the game to the radio call, he can arrange that for you too. And, yeah, he could do that. And we'll plug you guys after the game.

But it's a big night. And I used to do this. I used to go to the games. I used to do the Leafs Nation postgame. I did it all last year. I did it three years before I did this. And when the Leafs went, I think it was Easter Sunday, the Leafs had a chance to eliminate Boston.

And I went to the game with the fan. It was a 3 o'clock afternoon game. I wore my suit like i always did but i took my jersey in my backpack just so you had it with you and they lost and it stayed and i just feel it yeah so i'm just i'm just hoping my for my boy gunner tonight who runs hot when it comes to leafs we're just hoping for we're hoping for a dub for him tonight at the game. And the Leafs are 2-0 when they play on the fan. Do we have no, Bonesy's call for the

Kerfidogi winner. We played that the other day, didn't we? Excellent call. I don't think we did, did we? I don't remember. I don't know. Did we, uh, I don't know. Sorry to put you on the spot. No, he's got it. Oh, okay. What a guy. John Cooper. Listen. No, it's definitely below the crossbar.

He deflects the puck down. And Alex Kerfoot scores in overtime. And the Maple Leafs are going to come home. Kerfoot into the corner. Played it back to the blue line. Over it goes to Willie. Back it comes to Giordano. Giordano shot. Scores!

Scores! Mark Giordano scoring the pass off the wing. And the shot from the blue line was deflected right at the goal. But the Leafs win it in overtime. That's pretty cool. Kerfoot standing at the side of the net do you ever go through your like like instagram when uh they somehow some way are people videotaping themselves watching overtime so when they score and then they react or is that all staged life is just content now

no like everything's content you would actually sit there and i would never know your phone record and i'm sitting on the couch watching? People record their parents or their friends. I think it's more appropriate if you're having a big party. To have it? Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure. Well, there's the one. It was 4-1 against Boston.

You've seen the room fall apart slowly in that one. You can also see if people are stealing stuff from your house. Handy, too. I've never made it through one of those videos, the 4-1 video. But there was one guy who sent me a video. I don't even know what his name is on Twitter. But it was a hilarious video and he sent it to me. But he had it like he's got like a doggy cam for like his house.

So like when he's away, he can see what his dog's doing or whatever, which I always thought was hilarious. He's either pooping on the floor or he's lying on the couch. Like what the hell else is he doing? But he sent me the video of his reaction and it was a great reaction and it wasn't filming himself it was the doggy cam and i got a big kick out of it i could watch those kind of videos all day like the reactions if they go your way when they score an overtime winner i love that stuff people love reactions steve dangles built a career off instant reactions to after uh argentina won the world cup

my whole every algorithm of all my social medias was just reactions to them and it was wonderful it was wonderful like there's nothing better than that human emotion yes sir hopefully we get a moment like that tonight okay we're going to take a quick break we got ed jovanovsky former nhl defenseman does a great job as a panther analyst he'll give us his thoughts on dragging the Bruins back to South Beach. Ed Jovanovsky, Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, all back after these words. Breaking down the biggest trends in hockey,

the Hockey PDO cast with Dimitri Filipovich. Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Real Tipper and Born on Sportsnet 590 The Van. Florida Panthers rained on a parade of sorts for the Boston Bruins by dragging them back to Florida. Let's bring in Ed Jovanovsky, former NHL defenseman.

Does a terrific job as an analyst for Panthers TV. Jovo, how are you, pal? Thanks for joining us. Hey, guys. Doing well. How are you guys doing? Well, I think Leaf fans are certainly happy that the Boston Bruins have another game to add some wear and tear if in fact they get past Tampa tonight. But what

were your thoughts about the effort out of Florida and extending this series? Well, it was good to see. We all know kind of what was at stake there. And I thought the guys really came out at an excellent, you know, first period in that game. And, you know, kind of second and third seemed like, you know, they had us back on our heels.

They were pushing strong. It was just almost line after line with that wave once they get rolling. Just kind of coming downhill at the Panthers. But, you know, some timely goals, right? It was almost like the same scenario as, you know, game two where, you know, we'd go up, Boston would score. It was kind of back and forth and just kind of had that feeling, you know. It was kind of their night as far as getting a break and certainly did there in overtime.

And so what's the confidence level for this Panthers team that it's not just a one-off here? In this case, they've won a couple. But is there any feeling that now going back to Florida that this suddenly got a lot more interesting as a series? For sure, for sure. And I think, you know, the great story of it all, and you can see Coach talk about it, was, you know, this was a pressure game, and he felt that Bobrovsky,

this was his game to go out there, pressure goaltending situation. He definitely responded. You've got to feed off that confidence, I think, heading into your building. Obviously, we know what Boss has done in this building here in Sunrise. They grabbed two out of here. But the place will be rocking. Pretty much the only show in town here in South Florida come tomorrow night with the heat wrapping it up

last night. So the barn should be rocking and the guys should be feeling good about what they've done in Boston. And hopefully that will translate into a good game six to live to see another day. Bobrovsky finds a way to not only come in but be a difference maker, a big save at the end of regulation.

Where is he sitting now on an opportunity, at a little redemption after all these years down there? I think so, Kipper. I mean, you look at him, you look out through his regular seasons. I mean, he's had good numbers. And I think for him, it's, you know, they brought him in for this reason, right? It felt like this team was heading trajectory-wise in the right direction. And last year, kind of putting all the chips in there to make a run.

And he would obviously be a big part of that. So when you look at the game prior to, you know, game five yesterday, you know, you look at he's played in one game. So you lose that game, right? And you play Lyon in that game. And you look at him, you have a 10 million dollar goaltender that's played you know one game in a series so i think having kind of that script flipped and and having the decision to go with bobrovsky was obviously looking monday morning quarterback was the right

decision i think he handled it well i think he was calm in there um it was a big stage that you know the rink was was nuts so for him coming in there. It was a big stage. Their rink was nuts. So for him coming in there, calming, making some nice saves, and like you said at the start of your goaltending comment, was the save at the end of the period. It's almost like what the heck happened in that scenario there with the 2D kind of flat-footed, even giving the opportunity to come in. But what a pad save he made there just to have the ability to go into overtime.

Do you feel like this Florida team here is better than people give it credit for? Like, you know, just such a slow start to the season, the adjustment to Paul Maurice, some injuries along the way. I feel like healthy Barkov and Bennett, you know, kind of went on a little run at the end of the year. Are they, you know, better than an eight seed? I think they are. I mean, sometimes when things don't go your way,

you kind of have that stuck in mud, you know, where you're just doing a lot of right things. And you can look at the analytics at the start of the year and they weren't getting results. They were shooting teams you know crazy they were just weren't getting the results and it kind of puts you behind that eight ball chasing throat here right but you know when they all put it together um you know they played really good hockey and one thing that uh that mo said coming into this situation is want's wanting to teach the guys more style conducive to playoff hockey. And they've done that since January.

If you really look at it, they've gone up against it, kind of counted out a few times in that situation, but always seem to kind of battle and play the right way and get results from it. So I think going into that game last night, they were a little freer at times making plays, especially showed in overtime. The second and third period can get a little hairy,

but in overtime, it was a brief time, but they were actually passing the puck over the zone, making plays, something that has been tough sledding for this team you know in the playoffs this is the job and you got to give boston credit for the job they do on the forecheck hey jovo mid-season nobody gave much of a chance for florida to to be where they are right now especially me and i'm the first one to admit that um but you know without kind of closing out Boston and just the mere fact that it is going to game six here and they've been able to kind of push them,

is this going to be looked upon as a decent finish for Paul Maurice and these players? And can we go back and maybe even suggest that dad Keith maybe helped save the season or turn

the energy around when he called them soft I go on to your first part do I think it's like a savior of the season i don't think so i think you know kipper you've been in that situation you feel like you've given yourself another opportunity um first one getting into the playoffs and you know anything happened and then um you know facing boston's the toughs the slay the dragon mentality. And they put themselves behind the eight ball. They got, you know, a new life.

And they're heading into game six at this building. So I think what the guys want, and I think what probably the hockey world wants, maybe not the NHL, but have a game seven in this situation where I think the Florida Panthers can look at it as, you know, obviously the pressure's on Boston. You're going in on the road, and anything can happen in that situation. So I think that's kind of where, you know, the team's beliefs are right now. That's about your second part. Sorry, Kipper.

Just Keith Kachuk and that whole thing about soft. Yeah. Game day, I play golf with him in the morning. He's in town obviously supporting Matthew, hoping to see a game six. But we walk into the clubhouse and one of the guys goes, you want to get on another radio show this morning? You know, so I think you, you know, at times you look at that whole team

and it's not like, I don't think he had any malicious intent in that situation. But that unfolded, you know, with him calling the team soft. And then there was a game in Toronto when the coach went nuclear on the guys just because they weren't playing well. Oh, we remember him well. Right. You get that culmination of kind of those post things. I don't know if it was – I didn't ask the guys if it was brought up in the room or not, but they obviously heard it, and I think you take it to heart

and you want to just prove that you're not a soft team and you know in the battle back here in the quest to get back in the series does it give the florida panthers any hope that lenis allmark hasn't looked like the vesna trophy version of himself from the regular season yeah i think anytime you you get an opportunity to get bodies traffic in front of the net and um and try to do your best to take your eyes away um i i think you have an opportunity and you look at a couple of you know the goals there's a great shot by bennett there in the slot and and don't look any further you know from goal. It is a little inexperienced in this situation, something that favors the Florida Panthers,

because it was kind of a nothing play. It was a nice pursuit by Verhage in that area, but the puck was just blatantly given away, and the rest is history. But I think that that can be an area where it can be beneficial toward the Florida Panthers. Jovo, not to get Leaf fans ahead of themselves,

I'm only asking this because I've got you right now and you've watched Boston in the last five games and they didn't give us much to look at and scrutinize during the regular season. But what have you seen in these five games that makes Boston maybe a little

vulnerable now opposed to the 82 games? Well, where the Florida Panthers have had success in this series is when they do maintain that down low, that cycle game where where they can kind of control that area if there's nothing there, move it low to high, get pucks to the net, and they can have sustained offensive zone pressure. And I feel like at times they really kind of struggle with that pace down low. Now let's face it, they're a bigger group, and they're going to hit and pin you,

and when things are going their way, they're a very tough team to penetrate. One of the areas of concern, which we covered a lot on, was a lot of perimeter stuff that you're just not going to be able to beat the goaltender with. Boston does a great job insulating the middle of the ice, making it a very tough time to get to that blue paint area. But it seemed like every time the Panthers have had success,

you look at the first goal yesterday, traffic to the net, giveaway by Bertuzzi, which was nice, but you still, you see the crashing of the net. Duclair, who hasn't been, you know, obviously very noticeable this series, it was good for him to get on the board. But that's one of the areas, too. And obviously the neutral zone speed. Very tough to get through the neutral zone with this team. But when the Panthers do get an opportunity to basically gain the line rather than dump the puck,

it seems like they'll have a little bit more possession time. But they're not weak in a lot of areas, guys. They're very tough. their their depth is is solid um they're they're and they're well coached jovo the lease and tampa have been playing on the off night of the boston florida series i wonder if you've had a chance to watch much and if so what are your impressions from the toronto maple leafs team with a couple of comebacks finding themselves up 3-1 on the tampa bay lightning yeah it's good to see you know i'm cheering for the leafs i think it's um i think they're in a situation obviously to to take care of business here tonight but it shows the character you know of this group the never die

mentality um you know of them and it's great to see your horses leading the way. And I just, every time these guys are on the ice, you enjoy watching them. They do special things, and their grit, determination came to the forefront last game. So it was good to see. I think the speed is evident. I feel that the Leafs are skating really well and giving Tampa some tough time, you know,

with the boys on the back end for Tampa. I feel like they're having their way at times. But, yeah, it's nice to see. Listen, we all, you know, being honest, I just, you know, I like the Leafs. I think the TV's always better. The game's always better with the Leafs hanging around. Be cheering for them tonight. We see enough of Tampa.

They've had their runs and good on them. But I think the fourth one, as Matthew says, always the toughest one to win. So I hope they approach tonight as a game where they've got to do all the little things and hopefully it pays off at the end of the night. We're looking forward Jovo to a great conclusions in,

in both these series. Thanks for doing this, man. All right, guys. Anytime. Good luck tonight. Thanks. Appreciate it. Enjoy game six. Listen, this is, it's a crazy game game it's a crazy time of year uh did florida plant a seed here see the doubts so i think so for sure i mean to me it's it's the goaltender for boston not like he's been terrible but you know a couple of games where come down to earth yeah and if he's just he looks human yeah and if he

plays average instead of like the best goalie in the nhl that significantly changes your team you know you go from being seemingly unbeatable to a very good team like a lot of teams in the playoffs yeah i yeah kip i can't believe you don't live in florida like someone like jovo and just like play golf. What are you doing here? You should go be the lightning analyst. Just go down there and just be playing golf every day. Who am I going to make fun of down there?

Slinging little Buddhas, which you own. You know, just crushing it. Sammy. Yes? You want to come with me? Yeah, absolutely. Problem is to get any attention down there, we got to do a big college football show.

My cousin lives in Florida. And miss all this excitement right now with you guys. Not quite ready for that just yet. Okay, it's Thursday. I wrote an article today for the Toronto Star. If you want to catch it on my Twitter handle, at Real Kipper, take a look. It was based on the fact that we knew a lot of things could change tonight in game five,

including maybe the future of Kyle Dubas. And that's where my focus was in the article. Did you have a chance to read it? I did. It is. It's excellent. It's excellent. It's really, it makes sense.

It makes a lot of our previous discussions puts them into a place where you go okay well now i can see why they haven't come to an agreement kipper uh do you want to summarize just in a nutshell i the focus has always been hey kyle went around and and you get a new contract And, you know, maybe that's where maybe too much focus was on. And more so now, I think it's less about that, maybe more on if there is a contract, what's the number? And, you know, how much money is out there for him? Right.

And because he didn't get an extension, you you know and we've touched about this all year long when we have discussed it it's the okay leverage and who has it and now kyle's one win away from really planting that seed that he can open up the floodgates on what that number could be with every win moving forward yeah for sure and like if they came to him after several first round exits and very successful regular seasons you can imagine any sort of extension would look comparable to what he was earning nothing had been worth a raise you know you you mentioned a little bit of bet on yourself for dubas and you know let's see how this season goes and yeah you went around all of a sudden with another 111-point team

or whatever they were this year. It's tough to make the case that you don't have value on the open market to a place like you mentioned Pittsburgh as sort of the leverage provider the way that Buffalo was Babcock's leverage provider in his deal here. The old penguinos are going to make Kyle Dubas a lot of money. Helps. here the old penguinos are gonna make kyle dubas a lot of money helps i just think having that very natural spot is just such beautiful leverage and we talk about the bar for leaf fans right like i think a lot of people absolutely adored the uncles and the and the dads from all over Whitby and Etobicoke and Maple

absolutely loved what Kyle Dubas did at the deadline this year. I think it's a big-time recency-biased thing and that he finally figured something out and he added the grit. He added what Bonesy was talking about, how great a job he did. Are you sure they were his moves and not Brendan Shanahan's? No, but I am not sure about that at all. The GM and the moves happened. like that's sure there they were his moves and not brendan shanahan's but the person i am not sure about that and the moves happened so that's what i mean the perception i think of kyle dubas amongst the hardcore more maybe let's say right leaning on the spectrum side here of leaf fans are way more willing to accept that kyle dubas has done a good job and then that

perception helps his pocketbook. I also think that if they lose in the first round, nobody wants him back and he may not want to be back. If they blow this now, it's like, good riddance. I know it's on a knife's edge here, but like, bye-bye. Well, there's just, yeah, you can't sell that to the fans. But you may, with again, one win in advancing, you may not be able to sell getting rid of him either.

Oh yeah, no, you're right. It's crazy. It's remarkable. We're talking about a few. Think about like anytime you've placed a bet that's a little bit higher than your comfort level. Think of the money and life swing for Dubas these next three matches.

Oh my God. It's unbelievable. He's still going to get rich as hell from pittsburgh if they blow it yeah i'm not worried about his pocketbook really yeah not i don't think it's an absolute given that he'd walk to pittsburgh i mean that's not an easy job he's also got two kids who are i don't know five and three or whatever they are in toronto and you know that he's from here roughly you know we know the sue but like he's from here, roughly. We know the Sioux. But he wants to be here in the end.

Yeah, but he won't be undersold. You said it best because you've worked with him and you know him probably better than most. But you've always talked about that fire. It's competitive. Well, just what happened last time he was in Tampa with the fans. Yeah. He legitimately MF. Didn't you say he smashed frames in the dressing room?

Yes. He's not, he's going to get his market price, whatever he thinks he's worth. Yeah. And there's going to be a lot of pressure on MLSC to give it. And, you know, there's that premium out there of MLSC, and we've seen it with basketball with Messiah and Nick Nurse. Yeah. And we saw it with Brendan Shanahan,

who's the highest paid president in the NHL. If you run Loblaws or if you run, that's a bad example, but a big corporation or you run the convenience store by my house, you get paid differently. The Leafs are a big corporation or you run the convenience store by my house, you get paid differently. The Leafs are a much bigger machine to run. You need to be paid more to run a much bigger machine with much higher stakes than the Blue Jackets. So let me ask you this, Kipper, because this just came to mind because you mentioned the press box antics where he's MFing the fans, which I loved. And you had Spetsa sitting beside him there and you mentioned the the influence that shanna had hand had on him would there be

any influence from spetsa in terms of the types of guys to bring in like do you think he's in those kind of conversations jason spetsa yes yes yeah i listen, there's no question that Kyle has a ton of respect for Jason Spezza. If he's not in on those conversations, then what the hell is he doing? No, you're right. Stupid question. Right? So, listen, it just seems like a lot of things are coming together. I don't believe for one second that uh you know kyle's going anywhere

when it's all said and done but i do think he's i think he's gonna he's gonna really force them to to come up with a very nice number for him i do think that how around let's say they win this series i think how the next round goes is relevant because you look at the florida panthers last year they you know whoever they beat and then they go they play tampa bay and they just get mopped just for nothing you're not in the league with the real teams if toronto were to make the second round play boston and just get mopped for for nothing i don't know that you would sit here and go it was that much better different different than previous years? I don't even want to talk about this. About a potential Boston series?

But for Dubas' sake, this team has to show well in the playoffs. You know what? You are 100%. This isn't a team that is supposed to just win a round. It's supposed to compete for a stanley cup after this long so yeah you're right you're right i i don't necessarily think they're gonna open up the vault for him just because they beat tampa here yeah like you know five wins the playoffs pretty good six okay the people feel a little better about that that means you get another you know three games home gates next round i think that changes things too so yeah a lot at stake

there for the you know let's not forget who owns the team is that us bell and rogers right oh yeah last time we all have part of it last time i i looked at various reports in the newspaper. They're doing okay, but they also run a very tight ship. Right? See the first quarter results? They just don't throw away money. Sometimes I think there might be

a few executives going, these salaries for the basketball and the executives and the hockey they're getting up there you know they do flirt with being paid more than the players yeah certainly in some cases i do think that their influence on the success of the team is probably greater than most individual players and i would say that like a ceo yeah and the ability to create revenue with wins is monumental monumental and so going into you know for the toronto maple Leafs to have a stanley cup run you know what is the

value of someone who does that one percent better than the next guy it's got to be huge i will admit that i'm not the biggest fan of kyle dubas and i have quibbled with a lot of stuff that he's had to do i've quibbled with his philosophy on building a team over a lot of his tenure here i am i am absolutely terrified of life without him because it's stability yeah they have been a good regular season team that's made good free agent signings for the most part. But he's made some bad ones too. Everybody's the same boat. Most general managers, you can sit there and say,

six good, four bad, seven good, three bad. Everybody's got some bad ones. He's got some bad ones. No question. No question. So it is. Yeah. He's got some bad ones. No question. No question. So it is. But, I don't know. I mean, listen, this is just us spitballing here,

but, you know, Brad Tree Living's out there, you know. They'll find somebody, Sammy, if he decides to leave or they don't want to bring him back. Will he sped up? Sped up? Sorry? Sped up? Sorry? Sped up? No.

Yeah. No. All right. I volunteer. He's not ready. I volunteer. I got some ideas, Christy. They're going through it, and Craig Conroy's been there in Calgary for how long?

And they're questioning whether or not, you know. Yeah, that'd be a big time leap. Well, at the learning curve let's face it how valuable would it have been for dubas to be the guy he is now rather than the guy who took some years learning what what worked in playoffs you know like the you don't want to be there for developing a guy now he seems like someone who gets it well you don't you don't want to be the team that develops guys as a gm you want to have the guy who knows what's what's going on been through it a bit and so and the leafs wherever they finish this year like knowing where the cap is not going up that the guys that you're going to lose to ufa and we've documented them it's camp and

uh achari or yeah bunting bunting curvefoot hall all flex seal right like where's this team next year that's right different looking squad no doubt and then even if even if kyle or whoever goes into pittsburgh like good luck with that yeah try to go now and find undervalued players to help sid and malkin and win next year yeah the cup has to happen quick right like no one's getting excited next year if pittsburgh makes the first round and then loses in the second right like a lot of people are here yeah well it'd be an improvement for pittsburgh choking dogs all they got all right they'll have uh michael bunting top line left winger and Justin Hall paired with LeTang. Hall would definitely be a Pittsburgh Penguin.

No question. Once again, a lot at stake tonight. Somebody just mentioned Ottawa to me for Kyle. Yeah. Why not? They got a new owner in there.

Welcome to Rexham moment. They call, he loves soccer. Ryan Reynolds smiles at him. Sault Ste. Marie close to Ottawa? I don't think so. I don't know my geography. No, it's far. It's like the opposite side of the province. Yeah, it's far.

All right. As promised, a Nathan McKinnon conversation because we all saw last night. or no penalty no no no penalty for me you not at that point no so what happened if you didn't see it he has the puck in the corner he does a cut back and kind of beats his guy feet get tangled up and he goes down puck is still at his feet to play and he yells at the ref and slams his stick and has a big pout. Play goes the other way. Seattle scores.

They win by one. Seattle wins by one. And what a story. The kid that scored. Yeah. Ty Cartier. Ty Seattle. I think it's Cartier, actually.

Cartier. Cartier. Because I thought it was like Gautier. Cartier? That you need to know. Nice shot. Beauty. One tee off of jordan

everly pass yeah his parents uh were i forget where they were in the world but they traveled nine and a half hours got there three minutes into the game were able to see their son's first nhl game that is so cool oh that is isn't that unreal they got there three minutes into the game oh my god the panic and the uber yeah oh my. As a man who hates being late, I would have been melting down. They landed in Denver at like 630 or something like that. Oh, my God. That's a nightmare. That reaction is something that we've seen in the past.

He is. McKinnon. Yes. He's got a short fuse. He can be a hothead. Yeah. It's you old live by the sword, die by the sword, right? That fire has got him somewhere great probably more to the thought that

his season's unraveling it's the injuries it has to be more than just that play with the smashing of the stick looking around no landis cog um the kushkin we still haven't heard guys yeah i am i'm shocked that there has not been any official uh word out of the colorado avalanche on this situation wasn't there their second line last year wasn't it landis cog the kushkin cadre sounds pretty good those guys play together i don't know if that's right but they were three valuable players to those guys played together a little bit it's like they're just gone yeah they're just not on the team anymore i will say about the mckinnon play as someone who loves mckinnon i have voted for him to win the heart trophy a couple of times when he hasn't won it love him i i thought it looked pathetic yeah it's embarrassing it's uh

yeah it's a the temper tantrum it is it's a tantrum from a little kid it's immature it's a temper tantrum. It is. It's a tantrum from a little kid. It's immature. It's immature. It's like, you know, he's a great player, and that fire has brought him there. It's part of the reason he's as good as he is. You can't say you don't want him to be the person he is, but you're right, Kipper. That seems like a culmination of frustrations. He's not at this point of his career. It's 2-2 in a 1-1 game.

With your cup already under your, you know. Yeah. I agree. He's always been a grump. I'm a huge fan too. When he won the cup, I remember saying like, this would be great. Like I think we'll get a milder Nathan McKinnon now. But like the truly great athletes have some sort of possessed.

They don't have that. He's just all summer crushing, you know, gluten-free pasta and kale just watching highlights. I don't think you're going to see him go sign a seven-year deal in Columbus and just go away quietly at the end of his career. You're going to see him in playoff games for a long time. I don't see Seattle losing this year. You don't see them losing this year in Seattle. I actually think Seattle wins this year too, and I don't want them to.

Why? I like greatness. Yeah, me too. Like I love watching the great players be great. Instead of 20 players. 20 squids. And you know, I can see the case. I can see the

case for rooting for the underdogs who are trying really hard and are all pretty good players pulling together. Nah, I'd just rather watch the great guys. I'd rather watch McCardew's thing. I'd rather watch Ranton and score 50 and McKinnon. It's laundry too. Like the Kraken's jersey. It's not your time yet, Seattle. Oh my god! Is it bad? No, it's not.

The colors are good, but the logo stinks. Vegas is vile. Seattle's is great. The logo's too big. It looks like the Seagram's rum or Seagram's uh, is it rum or whiskey that Seagram's is looks like that s i'm just rum their colors are beautiful but the logo is way too big okay that's just it's just jersey talk here it's enough to cheer against them i guess yeah but i it grew better is good story

he's yeah a former avalanche standing on his head against them gotta like that someone who listens to our show who's an abs fan was very resentful towards the three of us for talking about you know grubauer leaving colorado letting him go you know and not hanging on to him now he's there to you know back to beat them it's like the point was seattle offered grubauer 6.5 million dollars or something which was mental. And so, you know, Colorado is smart to let him go at that point. It's not like they pushed him out. And now he's earning his money.

Yes. Like, this Colorado team, boys, is thin. Like, they got Matt Nieto and Comfer on their second line. It's not happening. The feel is like the Tampa feel, where you're like they're pushing they're pushing it's just not happening didn't Manson go out of the game last night too he's at 50 or 60 percent

he's been I'm told he needs some sort of surgery that he's putting off because it would have ended his season a while ago so you try to manage something that is barely manageable. This is why the Tampa Bay Lightning deserve the credit they do for their consistency in going to the finals.

Three years in a row, being a part of it, even going back to when they first went, I don't know, early in Stamkos' career. But usually these teams go to the finals a few years in a row and they just can't hang on. Guys get hurt with salaries. They have to move on. You know, Breezebois has done such a good job at finding guys like Paul

and Hagel and guys that are cheap that can keep them competitive because it's hard. Colorado, 10 months after their cup looks like a shadow of themselves. Winnipeg and Vegas tonight, is this over? I believe it is. I i you know i've been negative nelly on the jets all year long not gonna turn now uh morrissey still out do we know

he's not playing the whole series he's done that's the jets minus morrissey is that's like leafs losing riley it's just like it's he plays the whole game for him you can't overcome yeah he'll be on the norris ballot eel Ehlers. What's the word on him? Has he played? Yeah. May play tonight? I don't know. I don't know the word on him.

Do you know? May play tonight. May play. Okay. I think it's more fascinating, like, what happens to this team after. They are a fascinating team to watch. And, you know, they've put off the shovel day off sort of decision you know there was this semi-scandal you know chicago and halfway success

and now are they gonna have him be the guy who makes five massive decisions on players because what is it dubois shifley oh yeah it's a lot of hellabuck in a year or so yeah even wheelers like getting close like what are you what's the plan now for the jets if they don't win right okay can someone win a home game any rangers and devils i think home teams in the playoffs are below 500 generally um but yes i like the rangers tonight can they can they beat them playing like Lou Lamarillo hockey? That's what they turned into. What's so strange? The Devils were the absolute high-flying offensive team.

Now all of a sudden they're going to be the 0-3 Devils. It's hilarious that they're like, time to go back to our boring-ass root. Rangers, like, no room in the neutral zone. Lindy Ruff, completely shut that down in New York. Fans were booing. Really? Oh, yeah. That's great. Yeah, it's,

I think they're happy to get out of there. Yeah. Go back and go to a place that you've won before. That's going to be half Rangers fans there, too. Right? Like, that's like, that's like, not quite Ottawa or Buffalo, And it's going to be half Rangers fans there too. Right? Like that's like, that's like not quite Ottawa or Buffalo, but it's close.

I think there's a 30 minute difference in start time. So post Leafs, you could actually toggle over and catch the end of that one. I haven't got to watch. I haven't watched a second. Yeah. I've watched highlights. That's a lot.

I watched a little bit of it, but when they, I can't watch during the Leafs, but when they start before Leafs at seven, I'll watch the first little bit. Yeah. Huge tonight they, I can't watch during the Leafs, but when they start before Leafs at seven, I'll watch the first little bit. Yeah. Huge tonight, seven o'clock puck drop. Leafs are seven?

Yes. Okay. Not 730. Okay. That extra 30 minutes is like. Torture. Torture. You're ready, eh?

My body is ready. All right. What does that mean exactly? Pressure is a privilege skate fast shoot hard pucks in deep jump on them early make them quit kip when you would start a hockey game for the anthem you know the anthem's playing what was your thought process i i first of all i'm i was never a guy that could sit still me in the same way rocking back and forth to the point where like you know i'm getting punched into the shoulder knock it off oh yeah by

the guys beside me yeah but you just want to get out there and and get a hit in yeah yeah or be hit but get into it yeah you know i was not that was generally my thought process too just as a winger start of the game you know kind of go through the system play okay you know that's our forecheck whatever but yeah you're looking to put put someone through the glass to start the game or to your point get put through the glass wakes you up a little bit give me a score sammy shout out my boy jake believes five two leafs just handles that business passion passion closer three two i could see another overtime game for sure and yeah three two seems like the obvious number i guess if we're gonna if i'm gonna pick an ot game so all right let's give it to the leafs in overtime. For me, I'm going to give the game winner to a defenseman.

Let's give it to Luke Shen. Geo. Geo made a nice play on the tip in. Yeah. That was vintage Geo dropping that shoulder. Hard risk. Two days off for Geo. Look out.

Game of the series coming from Mark Giordano. All right. Let's go. It's been 19 years. Tonight's the night! Since we've seen your team in the second round. Does it happen tonight? To quote the top song from April 20th,

2004, yeah! And if they lose, we'll see you on Monday. We're not coming in tomorrow. Yeah, I'm not coming in. Enjoy this one. We're back coming in. Yeah, I'm not coming in. Enjoy this one. We're back tomorrow. Despite what these guys say. Nick Kiprios, Justin Bourne, Real Kipper and Bourne. Stay safe, everyone.

We'll be right back.