Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: Battling Closeout Demons

Episode Date: April 29, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee set the stage for Game 5 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators. They share their confidence levels up 3-1, how Anthony Stolarz can bounce back from his subpar Game 4 outing, whether the Leafs' should consider subbing David Kämpf into the lineup, the 'hate factor' of the series and much more. Later, former Leaf and Stanley Cup champ Gary Roberts (32:41) shares his impressions of the series, how the Leafs' skilled players can generate more offensively, modern playoff physicality vs. physical play in his era, Chris Tanev's impact and how players battle injuries during this time of year.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.

the Toronto Maple Leaf game day on the real kipper and born show. Nick Kiprios, Justin born Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo, Jake, the snake Schultz with you for the fastest two hours in hockey. We're live on sports at five 90 the fans for set 360 sports that plus Here we go boys Fork in the road. Here we go now right work in the road When it tonight or Q buddy When tonight I like that though, that's all right. It's pretty good win tonight and the narrative continues

different team different feel different vibes lose tonight same vibes it's all months ago Nirvana or absolute hell just pure and utter despair and chaos all damage for 46 hours. In about half an hour, we're gonna welcome in Gary Roberts from our NHL'er, knows a thing or two about the Battle of Ontario, and then top of the hour on our Tuesday, Steve Valiquette, analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG, CEO Clear Sight Analytics, plenty to get into

around the National Hockey League. And it's been a fun ride so far. I got to tell you boys, I really enjoy sitting back a couple of beverages and just watching the festivities. Are you going to ask him how a goalie lets in a goal nine seconds into a hockey game from below the goal line? There'll be plenty. Start on time. Oh my God.

Wake up. Oh my God. Plenty. Plenty to get into. No question about that. But in the meantime, where do you want to start JB? Well, I think you had to start with the feel. At home? Tonight. At home. Has anything changed for you? I will say I'm reading obviously a lot about this game tonight, taking in all the content, came across one in the Ottawa Citizen today, you know, that says, Jeru is trying to help the Senators complete the reverse sweep

in the Battle of Ontario. And one of the first sentences says, the road to historic comeback started with a 4-3 overtime victory. It's, you know, they're looking big picture here. Is that my buddy Bruce Garriott? That's Bruce. Yeah. Is he searching a little bit?

I don't know. I think that's the vibe for Sens fans. This is the start. Wow. The playoff is that Drew did it once already, right? Yes, he did. Yeah, yeah. And four other teams, would they be the fifth?

Is that? They would be the fifth, yeah, yeah and for four other teams would they be the fifth is that they would be the fifth? Yeah, but like even saying they would be the fifth is insane when they've won a game. Yes We're not going into game seven No And if you'll remember that quadruped flyers team in game seven went down three nothing in game seven a game back in one So not yeah It's never over till it's over as everyone knows you got to write about something I'm not being critical of the topic I'm just

saying that is the tone that is the talking point it's is this the start of the Leafs biggest whatever I think that if you were let's say the Ottawa Senators were playing against well I don know, let's say they were playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning and they were down three nothing and they won game five. Or they were playing against the Washington Capitals, they were down three nothing, they win game five. I don't think this conversation is even,

like I don't think that article's being written today. I think the article's like, it'd be, oh how can they grow and learn about what they need to take into next year's playoffs and all these Like what all these extra games that you get to play and you learn these hard lessons But since it's the Toronto Maple Leafs that have had a bit of problems in the elimination games in this era Okay, it's a much easier article right because people really Like listen, I'd be lying to you if I said I got played golf today

Got paired up with a couple random guys both die-hard Lee fans there were some conversations boys like it's not a Hundred percent confident up three one. It is really unavoidable in this town to not go there Yeah, and it's human that says sports like you. People are just going on what they've seen recently, so it's fine to have the conversation. It's just, I'll settle down. All right, let's go to Craig Borubey for the first clip on how comfortable he feels at home.

I think starts have been really good, you know? And we're gonna need a good start tonight We need to be aggressive and do things right we need everybody, you know, it's you know, not Relying on one or two guys. We need everybody to do their job and contribute. I really like that message because people like myself and Everyone else is all Need a big game from the. Matthews and Marner need to be good. They need to pull them across the finish line. And while that may be true, there should be a reminder to everyone

else that hey, Bobby McMahon, you're allowed to score still. You can also help here. What has happened here? Is it 13 games now without a goal 14 games? I don't know. Is that right? Yeah. Yeah.

It's been a long time. Yeah. Since he shot. It's in the 15 range, let's just say that. And you know, last game, they need a goal, they put him up with Tavares and Nylander, they instantly look like a line again. It's, he's so in love with utilizing Holmberg

and helping him, like having him be like the defensive conscience on that line, that it's almost like, it's a little passive. And so I did wanna ask you coming on the show today, Kip, are you better off going all out and just trying to win this game, throwing a fastball right down the gut, McMahon with that line, your top line, play the heck out of those guys and try to get it across the line? Or do you think you just kind of you don't want to open it up against Ottawa, keep it conservative, keep it close I know it's it's just

It's the sense of urgency that you have to play within the same structure that you've had you're not changing anything you're just getting guys to to feel the moment a little bit more and There is another gear like I'm still watching the Leafs in all four games now and I do believe that there's another level that they can get to and I think when we when we watch other series there are whether it's LA whether it's Edmonton Dallas Colorado last night like there's there's stretches and windows where you go oh wow oh no no they got it going right now.

And I don't think we've really reached that yet with the Leafs. So that's what you wanna see and you can still see it and not change anything structurally at all about your systems or your mindset. Just do it faster, do it harder, do it with more intensity. Totally. There is a Matthew's quote today where he said

he expects the crowd to be loud and raucous and whatever. And I tweeted, quote tweeted it from Luke Fox and just said, I'm sure they expect the same from inside the glass, loud and raucous. And let's see that pace. Like it doesn't have to be a you know, we are now the We defend the front of our net and where we just sticks in the middle and we just let them play hockey

And we just pack it in you gotta go play and we've seen one period I think was it when they came out went up to nothing or We we've had one stretch in the first period where they came out and really put the boots to him What game was it you loved? In I mean in that clip he talked about good starts in both games at home. They were brilliant to start Okay, they went up they went up to nothing in the dude up to nothing in the free in both Right and they went it was I think two goals on four shots through in both those things like they really have had good starts so to his point point he's right and

The we need everybody like they really That's true, too. We haven't seen this split of Responsibilities throughout the lineup that we have ever seen in this air you drop the name Bobby McMahon This guy is so key that he can come back off of Matthew Nyes. It's not going to be Holmberg. It's not going to be Lawrence. It's going to be him who needs to follow up on that left side. Like I do see the speed out of him. I just see it on the outside. Yeah. And he dies the moment he needs to take it to the net. There is no drive to the net There's drives on the outside

But I don't see him Extending to now taking it to the net and that's what he's very good at Haven't seen it. You know, I think kip he dies when he plays with guys He doesn't believe in and i'm not saying that it's specifically those guys But when he's on a line where he feels important, you get more out of him. And I think you're losing him at the interest of promoting Holmberg.

And Holmberg has very good underlying numbers. Ooh, the numbers, love them in the series. But okay, whatever. Tell Bobby McMahon we want you to play a little bit of defense, and I think you could get a lot more out of his role in the roster. Now. We talked about this all year with Bobby McMahon. to play a little bit of defense and I think you could get a lot more out of his role in the roster. Yeah.

Now. We talked about this all year with Bobby McMahon. Bottom six, top six, thumbs up. Give me the thumbs up version. I agree. Yeah. Awesome Matthews didn't skate yesterday. He was on the ice today before morning skate, before the team went through their motions,

went out there on the ice for a little bit. We have a clip. Yeah. Luke Fox asked him, of course, sir. Luke always gets a good one. He asked about how he was feeling, where he was at, and this is the answer. Awesome Matthews, clip one. You kind of always hate the person across from you. I mean I think everybody's grinding right now. I mean it's that point in the season

where you know Hard physical hockey and you know, you're always to go through go through different things. So it's nothing that's abnormal I mean everybody's you know grinding and playing hard right now. So it's not really You know something that's I don't know. It's not a big deal Let's uh, let's here's coach Greg Berube. You have a quote from him on Matthews as well. What do you say? This is a fabulous clip. What's your sense of where Austin is after a day off of rest? Rested. He's good. You know, he's good. Like I said, there's a lot of minutes the other night in that game. So just a little extra rest for him. He loved that.

He did, I liked it, he liked it. That was great. He just. We heard that laugh at him all year. Never, that's the best. He's gonna pick his best game of the season, or best game of the series, I should say. This is it tonight.

Yeah. So. I mean, best game of the season would be good too. I would accept that as well. Yeah. So. You know, the narrative about these guys in closeout games, it's, you know,

you can't deny it at this point, right? And that's why we're having this conversation in closeout games. 13 games for Nylander, Marner, and Matthews. Marner has zero goals, five assists. Matthews has four goals, nine points. And Nielander has two goals, 11 points. It's, you know, none of them at a point per game. None of them at their usual levels.

I think as much as we're saying, yes, they need everyone, reasonable to expect these guys to have a better night. Absolutely. Absolutely. I would imagine that the one thing that Ottawa will have to do is make sure they don't go to the penalty box because we know once Tavares is back, that thing could bury you in a big hurry here. So I would think that the Ottawa Senators would be on their best behavior in terms of their discipline.

And I can't think of a worse penalty than the Batherson high stick 200 feet away from your goalie and overtime. He thought he lost in the series. He was sure it was over. Yeah. Four minutes. I just, it blows my mind that you've been around the game since you're like seven years old and you can't find a way to keep your stick down and make contact. It must be the nerves, it must be like there's something that happens to you that you would end up hitting a guy in the face with your hockey stick in such a critical moment. It's mind boggling. You know what's funny? It's like the Robertson high stick from a few games ago

before he was out. It made contact with the Ottawa Senators players face for so long, it was like he was slitting his throat. He like dragged it across his face. He held it there for a while. It was like, what is happening? It's very unusual, but these are guys with not as much playoff experience.

The Sens players with first career playoff goals in this series, Batherson, Gaudet, Greg, Pinto, Sanderson, Stutzla, Kichuk. They haven't been in the playoff. Alright, let's go to Travis Green. We'll get a kipper's clip out of the head coach of the Ottawa Senators on the growth of the Sens so far in this series. That's not an easy question because I think there's been a lot of it. I think comfortability playing in playoff hockey, understanding certain parts of the game, the commitment, the compete, selling outside. You saw our team step their game up

in certain areas last game, as far as being to do whatever it takes to win, and some of those are sacrificing your body, and that's part of it as well. But there's a lot. Five on five, it was pretty obvious. I have to say, yeah, like he had talked for, he was pretty low key today. He talked for two thirty, didn't have a whole lot to say, pretty short answers. Maybe he was not liking the narrative around him of a little bit of whining and talking about 5 on 5 too much and talking about the officials so he just stopped talking a lot.

Kept her shut. I think much like game one and game two still makes believers out of everybody that the Leafs will find a way to close this thing out, there is that feeling from the Ottawa Senators at least coming back is that they found a way to beat them. They found a way to beat Stolarz. They found a way to shut down the power play when they needed it most. The last thing if you're the Leafs right now, you want them to do is gain any more confidence out of the first period.

I do think that there's the opportunity to take that belief from them and get to a point in the game where you're up three nothing. They know how good the sticks have been, how tough chances are to come by and they just kind of go away. But I think if it's close, you're going to get, yeah, the longer it's close, the more belief you're going to get out of that Sens team and the harder it's going to be to put them away. All right, let's get to Craig Bruby's thoughts on closing out this series tonight. Yeah, I mean, it's, we, of course, we want to close it out as quickly as we can. We wanted to close it out in game four, but it didn't happen I'm not gonna we're not gonna sit here and focus on the closeout. We're gonna focus on what we need to do to close it out

Okay I'm just doing the math in my head of what he just said there He's playing the we're not gonna focus on closing it out. We're gonna focus on what we have to do to close it out Yeah, isn't that focusing on closing it the process, but isn't that focusing on closing it out. We're going to focus on what we have to do to close it out. Yeah. Isn't that focusing on closing it out? The process. But isn't that focusing on closing it out? No.

You're focusing on the elements of the closeout to accomplish the closeout. Just close it out. Yeah. Like really? But it is funny as a player. It's like you can't close it out in one shift. You can just, you know, be a good F2 on your particular shift or whatever it is and it's chip away at it

But yeah a couple of goals would go a long way power play being effective Anthony Stoller's looking like himself again is really key to this thing He gets the extra day off as there's two days in between Games let's go to Craig Brewery on his thoughts of his number one goalie bouncing back tonight. Well, he's solid. Like I said, he's been around a long time, veteran guy. All goalies go through losses, obviously, and things like that, like a team. And you got to turn the page and move on and just keep focusing on what you've done well

and what you do well as a goalie. And that's not gonna change he's gonna go out there and do his thing like he has in the past. Anthony Stollard's following his own loss this season is 8-2-0 with a 2-2-4 goals against average and a 9-21 save percentage with one shutout. So he's been very good after a loss. Two goals or less. Leaves win the game with two goals or less simple as that really is that yeah right stole ours keeps them to two or

less they win yeah it's um it's funny how basic it is at the end of the day have your goalie play really well we also have him on stole ours and walls and people had asked him yeah why don't we do in this game? Well, just to just or getting in some actually I included the I included the question in the in the clip One of the hallmarks of your team your process if it were as it were it was to play both goalies Like neither goalie really got too long the stretch. Yeah, I know the playoffs is kind of a different animal, but Where are you on? Playing wall or going with both goblins in the playoffs?

Well, I'm just focused on stole ours right now plan, you know, that's really where I'm at I don't think there's any reason to change right now. I Mean I like that it's so definitive with him. Nobody's gonna argue that no one's gonna question that I think What about a four, three loss tonight? Show me the three, show me the four, sir. Yeah, let's see the four, let's see the body language, let's see how quick he's getting up and down, post to post, all of that has to come in play.

I did see it Saturday night, a little bit of a drop off in his demeanor, but honestly, I think it Saturday night a little bit of a drop off in his demeanor. But honestly, I think it stemmed from a very long week of four games. Four games in seven days. Not only that, he also meets the media. There's such a demand for all of these stars, storyline guys. He's a star storyline guy for the Toronto Maple Leafs right now.

As much as Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, he's right up there with the demand on, can we get a sound bite? Can we see him post? We wanna hear from him. All of this is still fairly new to this guy as a number one goalie in the National Hockey League.

But hey, guess what? One in Toronto. So maybe that extra day yesterday was enough to rejuvenate him or at least recharge his batteries. And if you have to go to Joseph Wohl, you look around the league, Winnipeg's used their backup, Dallas has used their backup Colorado has Edmonton has Washington has Montreal has like, you know backups get in games. Yeah, I think at some point you'll probably see wool and it won't be Something that's so panic-worthy but going into tonight

I you know, I feel like the extra day off is gonna help him a lot Feel like it's hard to score on this Leafs team. I feel like they're going to have, they've got a real opportunity here tonight. Every, you know, they got their full team. Should David Kempf be in for you? Is that something that, uh, it's a natural progression to our conversation right now on the, on any tweaks, lineup changes. We mentioned Nick Robertson on yesterday's show, be a subtle change. I don't think it would be one that would jolt the lineup in any way, shape or form, but Kemp's another one that I really thought had a lock in the fourth line here. Killing penalties, face-offs, defensive responsibilities.

Yeah, I am kind of surprised he has not found any type of role right now with the Leafs. You know, you're coming off a loss, you know, which generally keeps the mind open for coaches at doing it and just like toggling to the last three years, the guys who played the most for the Leafs at forward are Nylander, Tavares, Marner, Matthews, and then Camp. Number five. He's the guy who's been the biggest part of it here outside of those four guys.

So it's surprising to see him in the press box at, what is he, 28, 29 years old. So just to go back to the trade deadline when you went and got Lawton, was the thought at the time that, by the time you hit the playoffs in the first round that Lawton and Camp would be in your top 12 on your 3C4C. That was it. That was it. Yeah. So essentially what happened is that you traded for Lawton and it's as if you threw camp in the deal you know what's a

really good point it is yeah right because he's useless to you in the first five games of the season your fourth line center he's not yeah he's out he moved him to exactly which it isn't perfect right now. It's not perfect. It's not it's not what they envisioned but To Lawton's credit he's built himself up and he's had a presence and he's Skating better. He's more involved in plays at times. He can take it to the net. He's been great He's been really really good probably been what you kind of envisioned But he's been a big part of their most responsible line outside of the Matthews lineup.

But you did it thinking he was higher in the lineup, so it wouldn't have cost Kemp a spot. Yeah. Don't be such a wild card right now, because every 10 games he does something that you're like, thank God he was in the lineup. Not many other guys on the team could have done that. And then when you don't get those moments, it's a lot leaner.

His line in this series has not been good. Almost every night outside of he has the moment, right? He shot it in the net in a big moment. So all right, let's get Craig Bruby's thoughts on. Camp out of the lineup. It's always talked about like all our extra guys,, but you know, like I've liked our game. So I don't see a reason to change it right now. What's your sense of how he's dealing with the easy guys?

He's fine. I mean, like it's hard for him for sure. But you know, he got injured at the end of the year and you know, it just that's the situation that, you know, the team was playing well and I didn't want to change the lineup and it's not a knock against him at all. It's just how things are looking and going. And that's why I've stuck with what I've stuck with. And, but you know, he's an important part of the team

for sure. And he has been all year and it's hard for those guys not to play. I get it. But they've been very good team first guys. So Borube didn't, he did change a winning lineup, going into game three, and then he didn't change a losing lineup going into game five. Like he's doing the reverse hockey man move Like this is like yeah, those are both very surprising. Yes. What if you lose tonight? There's moves

There is and camp comes in and then all probability Patch ready comes out. Yeah, and then you slide lot and up and you put camp on the fourth line It's really nuts. It is and you put camp on the fourth line. It's really nuts. It is so nuts that Scott Lawton never got any run beside Tavarez and Nylander. He does what Holmberg does, holds pucks, he's defensively responsible,

all the things you want from that spot with offensive upside compared to Holmberg, massive offensive upside, you could still have camp in the lineup and they just never tried it. Never tried never went to it once next year if they put them there and it has success I'm gonna pull my already pull my arrow but that one blows my mind yeah they didn't really give him much of a chance up the lineup now in their defense he stunk he wasn't great like five games yeah it's

it's a chicken-and-the-egg situation. Yeah for sure You're like a OEL clip. Yeah, I do Ruby. Yeah, do let's have a listen on his defenseman. Yeah, he's like Much like during the year. He's been a very good player for us. I think Like I talked before about playing the right side playing the left side different partners at times during the season, and you know, he just goes and plays. You know, he's a very calm and cool guy out there. And it's really nice to see him get a couple goals, obviously for the team, but for himself too.

He has that impact, you know impact that he can do it. This whole feeling is what gives me hope about tonight, is that they have a real decor. And the fact that Oliver Reckman Larson is now, and you talked about this earlier, remember when he was playing up near 21 minutes and we were Talking about how he's playing too much. He's slotted incorrectly then one hammer a real bottom pair It's funny you you were saying that from the jump. Yes

He just he's they use him too much and they've really dialed it back and he's playing the bottom pair minutes 17 around there You can pick his spots more. Yes Carlo and Riley But they're a real pair they have McCabe real shutdown pair that's what gives me the most help you really you start sucking oxygen out of a guy late in the game or game five game six game seven just watch the mistakes like if you if you're a coach and you don't monitor or follow a certain guideline on where a guy's most effective,

there's a chance you can sink the series, man. And right now it seems like Barube's got her going, but the quality that Benoit has given you from like minute 14 to 19, as not- Hasn't dropped. But it's been a build-up over Fairly long period of time. It's not like you've asked a guy to step up with six more minutes and

There's no real proof behind it. He's built this up. Yeah It's crazy in a series where three of the games have gone to overtime the average time on ice for William Neelander is 1857 for Tavares at 1729. Yeah. You know, McMahon's 1327. Like, John's another guy. You got to be very careful with John when you overextend him and if he's been taxed a little bit on five-on-five, you want to keep that guy as fresh as you can,

especially on those power play moments. But you can't, for, for, for, Borubi, you know, John can't go 2022 back to back nights. Yeah. But you look at both these teams decores, they're playing all their guys, right? Like, you know, in that, in the overtime game, the lowest was Montepolo and he played 1539. Like Cle played 23 or one obviously Sanderson played a little he played over 30 down money for these guys Like serious he's been really good you think about some of those other

Like you talk about exhaustion and guys like suck and win towards the end of a game The Leafs and sends have really been able to play all three pairs at pretty much You know like a normal pace as opposed like look at what the Kings were doing They play their bottom paired Eleven minutes and one guy played two minutes there Fire as I mean Edmondson. I know when was Edmondson ever a top two guy that is damning So now he's playing 36 minutes. You want to talk about lack of oxygen to the brain? Yeah That's a lot. That's a lot. Sanderson is average 27.35 per day.

All right, we got Gary Roberts after the break, but in the meantime, let's go to Max Patredi and talk about the hate level in the Battle of Ontario and where Gary Roberts will pick that conversation up. Max Patredi. I always hate the person across from you just as much no matter who they are when it's in the playoff. So I've never, you know, lately as you get older, you don't get tied up in whatever the narratives are, especially outside of the room. So if that's the case with the narrative and the outside, you know, you're not really aware of it as much as you get older, but no matter what who you're playing against, you know, you can't have an excuse to hate someone more

or less. You gotta play each night like, you know, you're willing to die on that ice. Patrick should like read audio books for a living. Just like, you know, a voice on that guy. Willing to die in the ice. Let's go, buddy. Willing to die on the ice. Hey, this guy talks it, but he's walked it.

He keeps getting hurt and keeps getting back out there. Do you remember the hit that he took off of Jara in Montreal? Yeah, rolled him into the, right into the stanchion. They changed the stanchions because of him. Remember, they curved them. The league said that was fine for for char. He didn't do it on purpose. So you didn't get it I was we want to talk about big hits that was rotten that was rotten He wrote his face right into it. All the best guys are rotten pronger was rotten too. Messier was rotten Yeah, I thought I saw a clip of mess

I thought after four games though that that hatred level would have been a little higher in this yeah to me there's You know relief fans are hoping that they close this out tonight Yeah, but even tonight and by chance of Ottawa extends it. I think there's more room Problem is it's too late in the series like you know I usually they do that for two three I know and then it comes down, but it do that for two, three games. And then it's like. And then it calms down, but it hasn't reached yet to me. Living tight is not gonna happen to guys. Well, it was greasy in game one when it got out of hand,

right, that's when Domi was punching good dad in the face. The games have been one goal games. Like, who's gonna take the stupid penalty to get into it? Yeah, right? Well, again, lack of oxygen, man. You get guys on They they're still yeah, there might be room for someone to do something stupid still Oh, but maybe yeah boy it the best chance of that happening is Ottawa wins like five nothing or something It's just tough. God. John

Don't go there JB. Oh there. Okay. We'll take a quick break Sammy yeah, yeah, we're good. Yeah, we're good, buddy. All right, Gary Roberts We'll talk a little bit hatred as well when we return to real kipper and born Hey, it's a Lush for afar and I'm Justin comfort join us as we discuss the most important sports stories of the day and tee Up the biggest games of the night. It's the fan pregame 6 p.m Weekdays on sports that sports at 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome back to the program. Leaf Hour Edition. Nick Caprios, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee floating around somewhere and soon Gary Roberts will join us Gary Roberts Gary Roberts. Did you play with Gary? Played against him against him. All right. Yeah, you guys never got into it No, I don't think so played junior hockey against him to he was the year he won the Memorial Cup. He was a Guelph plater

Oh boy One of my favorite sound became the own soundelph plater. Oh boy One of my Sound give me one sound players and the outside attack one of my favorite Gary Roberts Videos is him in an alumni game of nearly fighting. Yeah, it's true Draper Yeah, you know which is just a true testament to caring and passion that I do not internally possess And yeah, I envy that yeah, I see, I think of it about it a different way. Just stupid. No, no.

Just dumb. I know these guys both personally. I will tell them both to their face. You guys are idiots. Oh! Okay? He's listening now. He's gotta be, he might be there.

Oh no, no, is he on already? Oh no. I just thought he'd tell you guys. I don't know if he's there. All right, let's welcome a man Gary Roberts Hi team. How we doing today? Do you think catch any of my opening? Well, I was smart enough not to fight you Kipper. I know no no no no no we were just talking about The alumni game where you and I said I'm friend I'm friends with you and drapes and I tell you both to your face. You guys are idiots.

I am just idiots. How can you years later almost get into a fight in an old man's game? Well, I mean, you took me to the hospital after a skate with Ty and Eric one day. Yeah, I did. I did. Is that real? I did. What happened?

Yeah, I tried. I tried to break up a fight of big E. I tried to break up a fight of big E. I tried to break up a fight of big E. I tried to break up a fight of big E. I tried to break up a fight of big E. with Ty and Eric one day. Yeah I did. Was that real? I did. What happened? Yeah I tried to break up a fight of Big E and Ty when we were locked out. What was that Kipper 2004? Yes. Come on. You gotta hear this story. And so they get into it on the ice slashing each other up the ice. I think okay I'm gonna break it up so I get in the middle of it and Ty tries to swing his stick at Big E and hits me right in the face, knocks me out. Cold. On the ice.

Cold. Come on. So Kipper has to run in to the arena, into the washroom. I can remember the way he woke me up and Kipper was putting the, when I came to, Kipper was putting the paper towel to my face to stop me from bleeding. Oh my God. I went, imagine if there was video of that today? But yeah, like almost fighting Draper in an alumni game seems like nothing compared to what I went through.

I will, as if I was watching it in slow motion. So Ty and Big E now have a couple slashes that start around the ankles, and then it moves up to shin pads, then it's up to waist, then E hits him over the chest, Ty, and Ty comes with the over the head tomahawk. Come on.

And goes to clunk Big E over the head, and Gary is given this one And then boy Rob's down. There's me Joe new and I Thomas Caberley a couple other guys going did that just happen Well, we're glad you're with us today Well, we're glad you're with us today. Hold on. Now I got to pile them in my car and I take them to the hospital.

I call a buddy of mine who I'm like, buddy, we got no time for emergency front door, man. You got to backdoor this guy in. And I don't know, two hours later, stitched up. Yeah. And I don't know, two hours later, stitched up and... Yeah, I walked back in and next time we scrimmaged, I walked back in and I threw both of them the same color jersey. And I said, you two dorks can play on the same team today. That's exactly what happened. So I still remember it.

So you know, obviously I wasn't concussed so Rob's first first games in this Battle of Ontario not quite tied Omey or Glendro stuff or Darcy Tucker jumping into the the bench But what do you what do you see all these years later against these two clubs today? Oh I don't think I've missed a shift. Like, you know, as at game one, I felt that, you know, that atmosphere was for me, you know, I missed being in Toronto Maple Leaf

because of how I felt playing in the playoffs in Toronto. So obviously being at game one was really exciting. You know, it's just, now I always say it's a different physicality now. It's winning your 50-50 battles, it's blocking shots. Both teams have played, I think, very well, obviously. We've got a couple overtime wins by the Leafs. I think it's been tighter than maybe people would have thought it was going to be. And Ottawa responded, of course,

in game four. And you got a big game five tonight. I mean, I got to think, Toronto's thinking we got to end it tonight. We don't want to be going back to Ottawa for game six. That's for sure. Gary, what advice would you have for, you know, the Leafs elite players who are looking to create offense in the playoffs? It is a different style of game somewhat here, but I imagine you don't want them to suddenly become

different players. You don't want Mitch Marner to live in the blue paint. Well, what advice would you have for their best players to create? Well, I mean we both know or we all know that Ottawa's got a little more offense. Sorry, Toronto's got a little more offense. I would just say for the Toronto players, you just need to be patient. You just got to continue. You start

cheating on the wrong side of the puck in big games like this and you guys know there's not going to be tons of scoring chances either way. So you still got to, as we all say, play the right way. If you start taking risks, high risk, I would argue over the years, even back when we played for the Leafs, we were a high risk, high reward team. Toronto's been pretty disciplined. They've played pretty solid. They've played their whole lineup, which I really like to see what Toronto's done with their lineup. You know, Even their fourth line guys are playing 10, 12 minutes.

I just think it puts the team in a much better place late in games and tight games when you've used your whole bench. So, you know, I think Craig Broomley has done a really good job. I'm obviously a fan, but the way that he's used his lineup, you know, from the goaltending to the D and of course the addition of Chris Tanner, if you see how calm he is back there. I mean, they just to me look like a more solid, complete team and I would expect that they end it tonight. You're watching and listening to Gary Roberts, former Leaf NHL-er, knows a thing or two about this time of year. As far as the experience that the Leaf players

have gone through and as disappointing as it's been, how much of an advantage is it this time around for them going into a game and against a team that still doesn't have that much experience with maybe the likes of Claude Giroud in the lineup? How much will that factor in maybe the first five or 10 minutes, Rob? Yeah, I mean, I think Ottawa,

I mean, if Ottawa gets out of the first period even, I think they're gonna be pretty happy about it. You know the place is gonna be rocking tonight. You know the boys are gonna be coming out. I mean, I mean, I don't know what the score is gonna be. I'm not gonna get into that, but I think Ottawa's hoping they come out after the first period even, and they just try to hang in as long as they can.

And we know, and let teams sit around and stick around as games goes on. Uh, the more likely, you know, they're, they've got a chance to win. So I think for me, uh, Toronto's got to continue to play patient. Uh, we know, uh, they have more skilled in Ottawa and eventually if they're patient enough I think they'll get their opportunities and I've got the players that can bury it Do you see a big difference under? Barube but also with this decor in terms of just stylistically It feels like they spend a lot of the game or a lot more of the game in their own end

But it works. They're having a lot more overall success despite maybe, I don't want to say being on their heels, but not maybe taking as many risks. Yeah, that's what I see. I don't see the team taking as many risks. Yeah. And yeah, maybe they're spending more time in their own end a little bit, but they've done a great job blocking shots. I think both teams truly have done an amazing job. When we talk about toughness in the game today, like it isn't, you know, I know we've got the Montreal Washington going on, which is that's kind of old school with the Jack guys staring the other team down and warm up and all that stuff.

But nowadays I look at toughness. I look at guys, the guys that are blocking shots. We're talking about guys that are really shooting the puck. Guys are putting their bodies on their line, no different to Kipper maybe than when we did back then. But to me, I think that's toughness. And I think it's been, I mean, I've been really impressed with all of the playoffs games. I tried to watch as many as I can. I'm old now guys, so I fall asleep at 13. So the Edmonton series has been tough to keep up to, but I've really enjoyed round one. I think we've seen some amazing hockey,

the physicality's been there, the animosity's been there, that Kipper and I have talked about over the years. Yet you don't see when the regular season's on often enough. I've really enjoyed it. It's been a really good run so far by many teams, and it's been very exciting. Robz, yes you're right we are old but you are around these current players almost every day

in some way shape or form. You've worked with them all. When you watch this time of year, Robz, can you see things that maybe the average viewer doesn't see with their their body language, their energy, and maybe how it's parlayed from what they did in the off season? Yeah, like, I mean, I just don't think there's any way, you know, in the first round, maybe you get away with playing as physical and as hard as everybody is without preparing for playoffs.

You know, I'm the big, you prepare all season for playoffs. Why do we work out in season? Because we're preparing for playoffs. If you don't do that in the regular season, you might make it through round one, but you're not making it around through round two, three and four. So, you know, so far it's been pretty, pretty amazing to see how the energy of the game has picked up and the physicality is picked up. Let's see who can do it in round two and round three. And that'll tell you who prepared to play the best. So do you go ahead.

I just looking at the older guys, like a guy like Matt, Max Patcher ready and the way these guys take care of himself Obviously, I think it's changed since when you guys were in the NHL how most of the older players in the league take care of themselves I think that's safe to say Not much like we we we had all the knowledge of what we were doing off the ice and how it could help us I think okay, and maybe just the whole team now. Well, yeah, I would say you have the knowledge. I say that the care of the players guys has improved. Players are taking it upon themselves to get treatment outside of the team.

Not that the team's not aware of it, but you can't have one or two therapists take care of 20 players. Right. They need more than that, right? So players are taking it upon themselves to make sure that they're doing what they need to do. And players are obviously, you know, we know there's so much information

that around fitness and training and players. And not to say everybody needs to be in the gym every day. I'm sure Tavares has a certain routine that he does every day. I mean, he's a pro. You watch that guy, how he's played, how he prepares to play. I mean you can't take anything away from how he's performing. And I would say

that in general, if you want to play at this pace and the speed of the game, if you're not taking care of yourself, you get left behind. Right? Eventually you get left behind. There's no way you get left behind, right? Eventually you get left behind. There's no way you can play, you think about chasing a guy like Connor around for 15, 16 minutes in a game. If you're not doing your fitness and you're not taking care of yourself

and getting your treatment and you know, whether you're doing vitamin IVs or whether you're doing creatine or whatever that looks like for you as far as recovery, you're not keeping up over a period or two periods. That just doesn't happen. You've had a personal relationship with the Tannin Brothers, training them. You can't be overly surprised of what Chris has done throughout the season with the Maple

Leafs. No, I had a conversation with him last summer. He came to me and we had a little chat about being a Leaf. And I told him that was the best decision I ever made. So I said, being a Leaf for me, you know, I retired in Toronto. I just don't think it would have been the same if I wasn't a Leaf at some point in my career.

And when he told me he had the opportunity to sign in Toronto, I said, a guy that does what he does, guys, a guy that prepares like he does, the warrior that he is on the ice The commitment he's made to the game everywhere. He's gone the leader that he's become I mean I look at him and he's I'm not saying he's the only guy but he's the glue like he really is and he has been in a lot of teams Unfortunately, the city of Toronto never saw that because he played most of his career out west, you know, so they didn't see enough of Chris Tanniff. But him and his brother Brandon are two

of the, you know, for me, Brandon's a different person, different player, but their work ethic and their commitment to their office training and their lifestyle is second to none. And it doesn't surprise me one bit that Chris Tannis done what he has in Toronto and we couldn't be more happy for him. Yeah he's an absolute pro. I wanted to get your take on how you see now as someone with so much experience in how to be well and to care of yourself, also as a member of the alumni who sees a lot of people your guys's age getting older. How do you feel watching playoffs right now when you see, you know, I guess I see Brandon Hagel take a tough shot the other night

or some of, you know, it's a tough game out there. How do you feel about, Brady Kachuck's a good example where I wanted to start with is just guys playing through injury in playoffs. Are you okay with it? How does it look to you? Yeah, like, I mean, obviously nowadays, it's obvious. You don't get, you get marked to being 100%. Years ago, Kipper, we'd be hurt and the coach would say, hey, like you at 70% is better than my other option. So you're going to play. Like, you know, there's some injuries I think you can play with. And I think for sure a lot of players are banged up guys.

You're not playing like they are right now and not banged up. I would just say that the energy that these guys are expanding game in and game out, I just don't think I'm getting sidetracked. Sorry, I got someone waving over at me over here. I'm losing my train of thought. See what happens when you have kids in your house. They're all like, hey, dad, my daughter wants my gym. Can you imagine?

That's right. Or she wants 10 squats out of you right now. Yeah, dad, get out of the gym. I need the gym. But anyways, I would say, we were talking about the Haggles and those guys. Like it's flipping, it's hard. The game is hard.

And the Kacheks of the world, they're big men the arbor jack guys of the world They're big men So boy if you're not big you better be able to skate and those guys those guys obviously the smaller players today That's why they're in the league because of their skill and how they can move Rob's fantastic stuff, man Thanks for doing this awesome storytelling time And we're gonna have you back on again real soon. Okay. And I mean, I know you don't wait so long.

Don't listen. I mean, you do the big shows first shot. You do all the big shows first, like bunkers, but you know, I gotta beg you to come on our show. All right, pal. You didn't have to beg me just to call Gary Roberts. Everybody enjoy game five. I was awesome. Thank you guys. I was he's awesome Hey, yeah, really great and like I didn't even mention his kid got drafted by the Oshawa generals

I ran out of time. Yeah 12th overall awesome Wow I want to ask him if his kids as nuts as he is I was Inconsiderate of you. Yeah, I know, but it's jam packed. Jam packed. It's awesome to get drafted to the Generals. That's one of the premier franchises in the OASL. You hate them too? No, I love them.

They're my second team. I go to five or six games a year, I like them. All right, good. They have a separate conference, I enjoy going. I can't keep track. You hate the London Knights, but you love the Oshawa Generals. I do love the Generals, yeah. I love Oshawa.

Good to know. It really hasn't changed over the years from my perception of that there's guys that can play being hurt. I didn't ask that question. Well, but yes. And then there's guys, it hasn't changed. Guys can play hurt, they can't play injured. And there's a big difference.

It was Kachuck I'm thinking of who's clearly going through here's the second thing that hasn't changed in our game since the inception of hockey is that this time of year if you are not 100% and you can still find a way not only to play but perform you are a hero yeah okay you get hero status and then there's the practical side of an injury and then there's the emotional side and the emotional part of playing hurt overwhelms everything else. Yeah. That's it, man. You want to be so many years and so many playoff runs, opportunities, but you want to be remembered as being that guy, that guy that shouldn't have played, but did play the Bobby bond score an overtime goal with a broken leg, baby. That's what this time of year is all

about. Break your legs, break it. And then pay the price when you're my age years later. You're like, Oh, I shouldn't have done that. Okay. We're just getting started here. We go national next. Steve Allocat. It's Tuesday. Don't go away.