Real Kyper & Bourne - Leafs Hour: The Perfect Playoff Start?

Episode Date: April 21, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on the Leafs' 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators to kick off their first-round series. They get into the game's officiating, Ridly Greig's cross-check on John Tavares, Anthony Stolarz's shut-down outing, Linus Ullmark's postseason ghosts resurfacing, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner's defensive zone play and much more. Then, they get more into Greig's early-series villainy, Brady Tkachuk's quiet night, Max Domi's demotion and potential line changes going into Game 2.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.

All right, Leaf Nation, we're off and running during your 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. Ronald Maple Leafs with a 6-2 victory. Mitch Marner three points, two of those points coming off a red hot power play. And this is your leaf edition of the real Kipper and born show. We are live on sports. That five 90, the fans sports that three 60 and sports that plus Nick Kipriose Justin born Sammy McKee, a very laid back, relaxed Sammy McKee, Derek Brandale, Jake, the snake Shultz with you for the next two hours As we sprint towards a Stanley Cup final

All right, boys, Sammy a Stanley Cup final. I think our show Leaves our for the show Right, I thought you were playing in the parade all of a sudden. Did I mention that the Leafs are going to the Stanley Cup Final or do I say it's a sprint towards the Stanley Cup Final? Gotcha. Just we're in the Leafs hour and it's just... How do you go from like this confident to mere 20 minutes before puck drop texting us that you're really nervous. Weren't you guys nervous? Yeah, really nervous is not how I would describe myself,

but I was just anxious to see what it was gonna look like. That's exactly right. I would say that I felt more confident this year than in years past, definitely. It's clearly a cautious optimism when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs. But yeah, I think 30 minutes before any puck drop for any big playoffs, it's always so like if a team goes on a long run and the first game seems

so consequential it's like just such a huge thing and then if they go on a run you think backwards like who'd they play in the first round like it's like it's so inconsequential at the end of it but the lead-up feels so. So I loved it. But it did feel differently because this wasn't Toronto Tampa, it wasn't Toronto Florida. It was not Toronto, Boston. It was a division winner versus a wild card team. It last night played out the way it was supposed to play out.

And that's the most shocking thing of all, right? Craig Barube hockey. No, no, not shocking. It's the way it should work. It's the way it should work, but I would say if you followed this team for the last eight years and you have, when they're supposed to do things easily, they don't. I don't know how much, how easily it should have been in the past though.

Because Columbus better than them, was Montreal better than them, up 3-1. Yeah, pandemic crap Ola. Okay, I'm glad we can strike those from the record. Didn't count. I think there have been other times where we've looked at the Leafs and said, they should have this here. They should be able to handle their business and they haven't. So you don't want to call it shocking. I'm fine with calling it.

It's pleasantly surprising. Yeah. Is that okay for you? Sure. Just everything. When you were thinking of this as a Leafs fan and you constructed the worst case scenarios and the best case scenarios,

we did that with Luke Fox, scenarios and the best case scenarios. We did that with Luke Fox That was the best case scenario everything you hoped it could be the Ottawa looks and experience and their goaltending Struggles the power play for the Leafs is hot. The core four is good. The goaltending is good. It went exactly best case scenario for the Leafs I Was amazing. I definitely went into that game Thinking thinking there was a potential for that to happen. I believe we had multiple lawfare conversations Just being like could they just win six two and just beat them and not have to really sweat this thing out for the first Game and going into two days of talking about oh my god

They lose game what they did what they were supposed to do in the first game Like you said as a division winner versus a wild card. But you could also understand if they went the other way, how that would have been expected. So it was a great mental health win for Leafs Nation. So it started off. If by chance Ottawa, what you're telling me is if Ottawa would have found a way to win last night,

it would have been like. Panic mode. Panic mode. No questions. And I want to sit want to say that I wouldn't be but I think all of Leafs Nation would have been full panic if if it's a split it's still a better split than if you lose game one win game two for you I think that's a good question actually I don't I think or is it the same I think it's philosophical no because if you I mean this is a weird conversation we having today but hmm if you lose the first one and then are facing the potential of going down oh to

going to another building versus winning the first one and losing the second one I think it's a completely different feeling but okay we talked about this a bit the way it'll feel really different is if they follow up last night with another big one on Tuesday going into auto up to zip So eight playoff Runs for this core for era They've lost the first game game one six times. They've won it twice both times. They won it They went out and lost the next game seven of eight of those years. They've been one and one after two All right, they got the chance to make it different all right

before we dive into game two let's get Craig Ruby's thought and overview of what he saw opening up the Stanley Cup playoffs for his hockey club yeah physical we were physical in the first period I thought they were too I mean it's physical and it's gonna be physical and I thought that we did a good job of you know controlling our emotions and playing through it you have to and Yeah, so I like I said it's gonna be a battle and it was All right, let's talk about that start because it was physical there's no question the Leafs answered the bell I thought Tremendously it just felt from from the opening start because it was physical. There's no question the Leafs answered the bell I thought tremendously.

It just felt from the opening puck drop right through to that five, seven minute mark. The guys were trying to get nice licks right against each other. You watched them home last night? Yeah. A couple times maybe I saw a little head hunting as well. Just some from the Leafs. Both both sides. I thought they were taking healthy runs at each other. Sure. And I think it may have played into a few calls later on. I really thought that that the officials try to kind of that the officials try to kind of keep them in check and reel them in a little bit. And I wasn't too thrilled with some of the calls for Ottawa's side. And no question that some of the decisions that they made, particularly Ridley Gregg's,

was just dumb. Just a dumb decision to get your stick that high. But outside of that, some of those calls were a little questionable for me. And I think, I don't know if the Leafs will ever get six power plays, no matter if they end up playing for another month and a half or two months. I just think it was the officials way of pulling a few things in. Yeah, you know, I, I liked, I thought the calls were the calls and the refs by and large got it right.

The one thing to me is like, that's not that close a hockey game for me. Like, you know, I understand that it is a talking point around this game, but you know, they win by four, no empty netter. To me, you take away a understand that it is a talking point around this game, but you know, they win by four, no empty netter. To me, you take away a penalty here or a penalty there. That to me is not- Well, three power plays are a difference maker in the game. For sure, for sure they are.

I mean, like I said, if you wanna take a goal or two off the board, cause you wanna take two penalties away from them, that's okay. I still think you have a four to game. Well, it has a lot to do with momentum and a carry-on as well like The stutzel on

Tann of hmm. The best way I can describe it is if I saw that penalty call in the Four Nations I would have had a problem with it Mm-hmm. Okay, maybe early in a series you want it But we see this every year You know the officiator no no for sure every first round the refs are is it as? Just as horned up as the players are to go for and then they and then it but we see this every single year and I know that the refs are a talking point But the Ottawa Senators were not prepared for the playoff officiating they were not prepared they were taking stupid penalties they were

undisciplined and they took penalties they did them and they got called sure he's got a good whistle I won't hit sit here and disagree but they did a bunch of dumb stuff that got penalized as advertised young and inexperienced and it completely showed and I would say you know how nice for the Leafs that when you, when someone opens the door for you, they stepped through. You know, this was not a Boston series last year where they go one for 21. They go three for six.

So, you know, triple their playoff output last year in a single game. And I think that's a good sign for them going forward that if Ottawa becomes wary of this power play and says hey They can burn us we got to be a little bit more careful Maybe that creates a little bit of room at five on five and and that's to the credit of the the success leaves had last All right, let's get Craig Brewery's thoughts on the officiating Good five penalties or penalties

Like I said, we're disciplined. We're gonna keep being disciplined. We're gonna play hard between the whistles the right way and keep being physical, but we're not gonna get involved in all the antics after the whistles or whatever. Listen, that's, you know, refs call games, they call penalties for whatever reasons.

I mean, I thought we checked well with our feet and our sticks tonight. We're hard at our net doing things right to stay out of the box, you know. You put yourself in the penalty box when you, you know, get on the wrong side of things and have to make desperate situations. And like I said, we're pretty clean overall with our physicality part of the game. And we gotta keep doing that. Yeah. And that is experience talking right there.

I mentioned this last night at Leafs Talk, I'll say it to you. It looked like the Sens were a team playing what they thought playoff hockey was versus the Leafs playing actual playoff hockey where Stutzla's running around like you know he's yeah I said pointed out last night he had nine hits last night it's like that's he's looking like what we need out of you you're not Mike Pekka buddy like you don't need to run around like your chicken with your head cut off out

there I just but I just it felt like there was guys in the Sends that were playing out of character because they were playing what they thought Playoff hockey was and they were just undisciplined as outside of the students the one which sure You can quibble with it. You caught him in the numbers pushed him towards the glass I can understand why they called it was there more of them that you didn't like like I thought they were all Yeah, five on three was a little suspect the shove on ons. To go five on three, yeah. To go five on three, I'm sorry. You're looking to zag here.

Like that's a cross check in the back into the glass. This is Stanley Cup playoffs, bud, okay? Yeah. I'm sorry, but like, not for me. Not for me this time of year to go five on three, four on three, yes, but five on three. So. Not enough, but that's okay if that's the way if that's the way you're you want to start out early maybe

send a message I'm okay game one game two game three you want to get into game five six and seven throughout the playoffs for me yeah yeah I got to see something a little bit more vicious than that to go five on three you know as a team you can control what you can control. And I thought that that Matthews is actually a great example of a guy who is trying to hang on to the puck and maintains possession, and he's coming up with the puck. You know, it's not like a lay it out, trying to draw a call sort of thing.

So if they call that great. And then they go ahead and bury one right away. Like in terms of controlling their end of it, I mean, full marks for the Leafs on that. Oh, listen, and they're world class. We know it. And if Ottawa wants to even, it's the putting yourself in a position to do it that often is your biggest culprit,

not whether or not the official actually calls it or not or lets it slip. That's a 50-50 sometimes, but Ottawa put themselves in positions where they just... For sure. You leave it up to the discretion of the ref. You just didn't have to maybe go that extra mile, and they did, and that's in many ways inexperienced.

What I like about a lot of this is the way this sets up Ottawa to be like, okay, we need to be aggressive, but we can't be too aggressive. Like, it's all, you know, we talk about an inexperienced team and now it's like they're getting lectured for that was too much. Like they're really going into game two now, like trying to feel things out a little bit.

And I like that that there's a lot of reasons I think Ottawa would have challenges with the way that game went. Are we sure we can trust our goal tonning? Are we sure that we're able to be physical? How much pressure can we put? Like, they're in a weirder spot now. While we're still on a roll on this, you want to just get the cross-check out of the way?

What? Oh, wow. Get it out of the way. Everybody wants to get it out of the way. It doesn't get mentioned. It's like a ghost in the night. Like, one of the dirtiest guys in the league hammers a Prish like a one of the least best players with a targeted cross check to the throat Doesn't get mentioned on the broadcast doesn't get mentioned by the league doesn't get mentioned It's like a ghost if the situation was reversed and John Tavares cross check Ridley Greg

The first thing we would come how many games is it gonna be for John Tavares? How many gave like that's all anyone would talk about. It's a cross check of the mouth. It's the exact same thing Matthews did to Dallin. Exactly the same play. Worse. It's he banged downhill in the mouth. Little Morgan Reilly.

Yeah. How many games did he get for that? Let me check. One, two, three, five? Five? And we didn't even mention it. I would say... That was a piss poor call on Morgan Reilly. That was too much. Oh my god I can watch it. It's no reason good here in all five all hundred percent he to

To severe so either way I thought Greg last night He cross checks the guy in the head trying to cross check him in the head. I'd be fine with that being a game I didn't like it at least a major. Okay, but anyway or Mentioned by someone the next day like oh, he's got a get a fine $5,000 concern sure can somebody from the league acknowledged that one of the dirtiest guys the league cross check someone in the mouth Or we don't we don't get to do that. All right let's get Craig Brewery's thought. Clip six on the cross-check. How surprised are you to see the cross-check on Tavares get reduced down to a minor? That's not my call. It's not my call. That's not my call. I mean The referees

And the league will look at things and make the calls they make We're not gonna focus on that. We got to focus on what we need to do the next game Okay, you know, it's the same as like, you know I thought they made some attempts at our goalie and sliding into them and things like that But that's not for us to worry about we got to focus on playing and we've got to focus on ourselves And what we need to do the league will look after that stuff. God. That's good coaching. It's great. That's so good. It's great I'm okay with a two-minute minor. I am because I'll tell you why Because we can stay in the game and run the goalie and score a goal

Is that why between now and you what you hope might be six or eight weeks for the Toronto Maple Leafs, someone's gonna do something in that family and you want the same standard. And I would be the first one to tuck that episode in my back pocket when I need it. Because there will be a Maple Leaf. Someone, Max. I need it because there will be a Maple Leaf.

Someone, Max, nice. Max, end of list. Somebody will be flirting in that regard and I just want the same standard. Yeah, you're gonna have a phone call and you're gonna go, I'm sorry, if he's not getting one, we're not getting one. Let's go, we're fine, let the guys play, Sandy.

All right, put it in the pocket. We're fine. Let the guys Paint me into Johnny a total Let him play It's game one of the playoffs and I'm already in full remote but like I would love to believe that's the case But the history of the suspensions with the Toronto Maple Leafs that was not be the case Let's let's get Travis green on the penalties. You want to hear what? Okay, let's talk clip to greener. We definitely have a box. I'll say that You know at the end of the game sometimes things gonna get a little

Little out of hand once while I thought I Thought there was a couple calls that they did a good job selling but it's tough stuff on the raft but we can't take that many penalties for sure yeah yeah he knows well yeah it's um and should we also do his overview while we're on green or do you want to stick with the family? Yeah, for sure. He's got some good ones. I thought maybe the first five minutes, ten minutes, we're a little nervous,

which is probably to be expected. I've got a lot of guys that haven't played in the playoffs. But five on five, I, uh, I like their game. I think there's a lot of people. You think he's overselling five on five? I think if you're a Leafs fan, it's delightful to hear. I think you love hearing what used to be you

on the other side going, we controlled the deserve to win-o-meter. We could, the Leafs lead that game by two plus goals for 40 plus minutes. They're not pushing. So whatever the numbers say lead that game by two plus goals for 40 plus minutes. They're not pushing. So whatever the numbers say at that point to me is, and that's something a good analytics person would dip through and go, okay, well, we can't trust this score effects.

We played a different sort of game. So yes, I thought they controlled more of the play than the Leafs after the first period, but the Leafs were playing for something different, protecting the lead. So go ahead and have your five on five. Which they have been very good at. Right? Yeah the other team having the puck. They're built for protecting leads especially in the third. They've been real solid in that capacity and

it's led by Stolarz. Yeah it is funny. I recognize that the Ottawa Senators fans on my Twitter like I recognize pulling up the charts and pulling up the referee Stuff that's used to be me. I did that. I've done that for eight years You're like, oh well the deserved to win. Oh, they have the better they have the puck more. They have more shots it's like doesn't always translate and it just it feels like They're gonna be doing a lot of that. Yeah where Leaves have played like this all year. Where they've had the puck less, they've played like this.

It looked a lot like a lot of regular season games. The end of the day, the Leafs have more guys who can score. Who can shoot it into the net than Ottawa does, and so they're going to get less or need less opportunities. And so for Ottawa, that's the big ask. Is can you sneak a few by a goaltender who didn't give them any freebies last and that was maybe one the case last night on Anthony Stolar's let's get Craig Ruby's thought on his number one goalie

Well, he had to make some huge saves I thought in the second period after we had the five on three they had some Three really good opportunities after that when it became five on five. He made big saves Thought he was solid very solid tonight Hey one guy scores on a breakaway and the other guy doesn't that's two two yeah, Brady Kachuk and That's that's Dave. I Who knows what it would have felt like I had-2 at that point. Right after the breakaway, I think Pinto gets one on the back door that he hangs on to.

Clear in the slot all day long. And then Stutzla gets another one in the period where he gets the butt end of it. There were some real saves to keep it from becoming a much closer, scarier game. And then Leafs go down, handle their business, shoot another one in, and then it kind of... It's been a similar look for multiple games all season long. And it's just a reality now that we're expecting those saves now out of Stolarz.

And if I only had one knock against him it outside of the first goal with the rebound there was a couple other rebounds that he needs to tighten up on but it didn't really matter last night because he made those saves that frustrate the crap out of an opposition. Clutch, clutch saves. And that starts to wear on shooters, you know, and guys when they can't break through and they feel like you need the perfect shot, you know,

and there's some times you can see his size come into it. I think Batherson hit his shoulder, came down to his shoulder, posted out, and it's like, he's not six-seven, if he's six-five, it's a goal, but goal but he is six seven and he uses that body extremely well on that the pinto one he just literally was shooting at a brick wall there was no like he just came out aggressive and he's huge there's no space there was just nothing he shoots it right into his no holes it late in his bread basket because there's

just nothing to shoot at so he was excellent but I agree there's a couple greasy rebounds here and there that he has to clean at so he was excellent, but I agree. There's a couple Greasy rebounds here and there that he has to clean up, but for the most part. I thought he was pretty good Yeah, and then on the other side. Oh boy. We've seen a Couple of stretches during the regular season where all mark was all World yep, right. I think there was one at Christmas where I think he went 7 and 0 with like a 963 save percentage. It was like scary. Late year, in the year there's another.

And then there was another one in March. And then he was not very good to finish the season. And last night, like, they're done. They're done in four games if this guy does not step up. Oh, but he was horrible. Like, they're down two nothing on four shots. Yeah. They're chasing. And that probably doesn't count the yarn croc off the post that spun on the goal line.

You're going nowhere if this guy doesn't step up. For sure. But like four games would never say that but they'll police if he plays like that though The least should win the series but he was a big reason why they lost I actually would go as far to say with all mark last night He didn't let any like muffins in but he just didn't give him the save like this kind of it doesn't that's the The Oliver Ekman Larson you got to get a piece of that Yeah, you got you can that cannot beat you clean.

But it is one of those ones, Kip, where it's a shot uncontested from between the hash marks. Like it's a good scoring spot, but I agree. It's, it doesn't get a piece of it. The other one is? This one, he had no chance on Matthew Nye's. Marner's move will beat 99% of any goalie on the planet not on the hook that one that one Willie Willie off the face off You might want him to get a piece of that piece. Just not clean need a safe. Just get a piece of it

He he's coming out, you know, he's a shooter Be big. Yeah, just be big. I think that one Matthew's being cocked probably has him like, am I pushing or? He was looking for that one. He was tickling the rafters. Yeah, he was. That's decoy city. He was. Do you have any All Marks sound?

We have two clips on the goaltending. We have one from the coach, which is a hilarious exchange with the reporter. I'm not sure who it was. Let's play the Travis Green clip, clip three, on All Marks. Is it a little disheartening to have to work as hard as you did to generate the chances that you generated and then sort of see it be a little leaky on the other side? What are you saying? Oh, cut in your room.

In the room is your goaltending, I think. I like her goaltending. I like her goalie a lot. He's a good goalie. It's one of as nice, pretty good. There's no elephant in the room, in our room. That's great by Green, right? He's gotta go out there and throw himself on that grenade.

And then, Oh, this is uncomfortable. And then play the All-Mark clip in there, Derek. How did you feel about your game today? It's all right. There's some things, there's a high skill theme on the other side. And like I said, we're just gonna have to refocus

on the next one. It's just one game. That's the beauty of it. Doesn't matter how you play one game and you lose it. You can lose one nothing, it's still gonna be a loss. So let's just have a mind of a goldfish, go out there and play a game two and a little bit of a chip on your shoulder, know what's gonna happen, how it's gonna be, and how intense let's just have a mind of a goldfish and go out there and play a game too and a little bit of a chip on your shoulder know what's gonna happen how

it's gonna be and how intense it's gonna be and then try to do same thing again. Light and fluffy. I really don't want the sense fans be printing the mind of a goldfish t-shirt where he turns it around after that game. He would kind of drive me crazy if I had him as a teammate. Yeah a little bit you like didn't like that Yeah, okay. It's just Okay, the goldfish part, you know, it's fine as long as you're not my goldfish curled up at the top of the Surface and I gotta flush it down the toilet. Okay first. Let's start there Yeah, just don't end up being curled up at the end of the series. That's all

All right. Yeah, and number two I'm not saying that you got to be hard on yourself and I'm not saying and we experienced that, you know through our covering the Leafs over the years with Jack Campbell and Samson off where it's like buddy Don't be so hard on yourself. Yeah, but It's it's okay to say five simple words, I need to be better. It's okay to treat it like you just finished a walk

in the park and it doesn't really matter. And it's like, I don't wanna hear that. Yeah. From the Ottawa Senator players, I don't want to hear it There's definitely something between what we just listened to and Jack Campbell that you could maybe find the happy medium a little bit on Right like his tone there is something a little too bubbly after the way Yes, take a little bit more ownership, but you gave up two goals on four shots Yeah, come on. Mm-hmm and the building was rocking give him credit that first one goes in and I don't know the least tweeted out a video from One of the I don't know what angle they have their social media is just out of control

I'll get their angles and all the camera stuff But there's one that's just like in the crowd sort of on the the normal shot and when that Oliver Eichmann Larsen goal goes in Boy, that is a real Montreal ask crowd pop so hopefully that crowd keeps going like that cuz I was a really good one last night Congrats to leave fans for actually should be in there. Yeah, it wasn't a lot of suits. No, it's great You know, I think a lot of the Leafs offense last night, you know One guy's probably not getting enough credit Matthew Nye's I thought was chaotic around the net and that first that OEL goal If you watch that one

It's it's actually a lot sorry, Lawton makes the play, but it's Lorenz who drags Dee with him and creates room. There's the, Nyes creates some room on a couple of their goals. Just they had someone at the net to create space on the tomorrow's goal. Nyes needs to be a handful in front of the net. We saw his power play goal.

Knives needs to be a handful in front of the net. We saw his power play goal. I didn't think it was a standout game for Matthew Knives at any stretch, but then you look at Matthews and Marner and Marner ends up with three points, but two of them are on the power play. And where are you on their five on five play overall the one thing and I've stressed this with with Marner but you know and I'll include Auston Matthews in it as well is that there are many face-offs there's they're

starting in their own zone they're not getting as many offensive zone draws as Tavares. And that's explainable. You don't want Tavares to skate 200 feet to get to the net. They're way better defensively. And they are very good defensively. They get leaned on. Yes, and sometimes people are all over him because the offense isn't there or that the change they've got a skate 200 feet like and Uh nate nate mckinnon doesn't do Uh defensive zone face-offs. Oh, it's it's heavy lift for sure. Uh,

Winnipeg's mark schieffle probably very dominant in the offensive zone face-offs He's got lary to take those big draws but Matthews and Marner are leaned on heavily in the defensive zone and it matters on the offense. Of course and this is a good example you know wonderful play here. But that does come off a D zone face-off actually they're in the D zone. This is actually a really interesting play because Marner went low and covered for Matthews played D on this shift And he calls for a switch Matthews is actually in the midst of switching back to playing center

When he catches that puck and makes that pass so he knows exactly Where Marner's going in the in the line he's on that's why he's able to make that play so quick and Marner is able to Pull away the way it was great communication great D zone play last night on least brilliant in their don't they were really good there's one with like 10 minutes up clip Marner goes bit down puts a body on someone wins a puck they get out Matthews poke Stutzel in the slot like I understand it's a big lift they're good at it and let's make no mistake about it it was Matthews shutting down Stutzel it wasn't the other way around last night in game one they're doing it on purpose,

like they're actually using those guys like they would a Barkov or a... And I don't mind it at all. And is it gonna cost Matthews maybe goals and chances and ultimately points? Yes, but I've been on this for a lot of years. Sure. To me, he's always looked like a winger.

Now he's, to me, now he's always looked like a winger now He's to me now he's now he's starting to look like a real Centerman for the Toronto Maple Leafs and has a custom offense yes, but he's acting now like a number one centerman in my opinion and Lo and behold he can pass a puck I know people are trotting out the shot attempts when their line was on the ace at five on five I think either six four and 22 against or say it was really lopsided. But again, yeah, but in the first period when they're playing 5 on 5, it's pretty darn good. They go up 2-0 seven minutes into the period or something like that. It just changes. They're playing a top line,

they're packing it in, they're not taking chances. Yes, it can be better. Yes, it should be better. But I'm not that stressed out about that. I'm not either. In many ways, I like Matthew's game better than I have in a long, long time. And it's funny too, because I feel it's funny because we're on the opposite sides where I feel better about Marner's game, where I felt like he was active and pushing the pace. And you know, I just- Starting to take, how many times have we seen him on breakaways lately?

Before it was never. It was always Nylander kind of sniffing. And now they got a little unpredictability. Yeah, Nice helps him in a lot of ways. I agree that Nice wasn't fantastic, but he was good enough. So, but to your defensive zone draw thing You know, there's not you hope that this Lawton Lorentz. Yeah, you're in croat line that can look

like it did last night for a stretch of games where you can start to trust them a little bit more in the defensive zone because There was a couple times like I don't know what point of the game was in the third where The third Lord Robertson and had to end up taking a defensive zone draw because they had Domi Robertson and oh it was Holmberg they had out there But it's like that's a third period defensive zone draw line in the playoffs like you're worried about that a little bit So if Lawton can continue to grow it just there's not a ton of options for them, Kip. If you're the coach, who the hell are you going to send out there? It's probably going to be the two elite forwards that can win a draw and get the puck out for you. It used to be Kemp.

Yeah. And that's at the end of the day, he's not going to trust Lawton out there against Kacuk Stutsel and Claude Giroux or Batherson, I don't think anyways, he's gonna want his best, his best out there. It is interesting though, so Scott Lawton joined March 8th and he never played 15 minutes in a game until April 13th and then he played 15 minutes again, April 20th and then last night he plays 15 and a half or almost 16.

He was sixth, there was the top five forwards that you know who they are and then it was and then last night he plays 15 and a half or almost 16 he was sixth there was the top five forwards that you know who they are and then it was Lawton last night. A big thing for them too last night it wasn't overly taxing they never chased Otto on the scoreboard they they went up 4-1 you could roll lines your no D played 20 your your your munching minutes at that point That's a 27. It's it's a perfect It's a perfect night for for Toronto not leaning heavily on anybody in particular But that's what a four one lead does for you for sure

There's a lot of being on the other side of this where you look at that side and Cleven and Matz and Paulo both played 11 and change, you know and Shabbat and Sanderson played 26 and change and it's like It's not how you want it to look. No, anyway, we should okay Let's take a quick break plenty more to dissect out of this game one as well. Sammy. Why are you looking at me with puppy? Dog eyes. Oh, just Okay. All right. We're good. We're good. This is how I look buddy. I Know that smile anywhere. All right, plenty more when we return on the Leafs Ottawa, game one.

The best Blue Jays show out there, period. Blair and Barker, be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the Real Kipper and Born Show Leaf Hour edition of our program. Our very own Elliot Friedman is reporting that the Seattle Kraken are making a coaching change. We'll get more into that in our national hour. Do we have to?

Hot Kraken info. Do we have to? Hot cracking info. But do we have to? Yeah, okay. NHL national show. I know, there's lots. I mean, there's so many. Love affair for the Leafs. Well, we could do a great show in our national hour on stuff that's happening down in the

playoffs. Truly. Like the Red Wings captain buried Steve Idgerman in the press. Jim Rutherford's tampering. Like, we could have done a whole hour on stuff. Let's go Seriously, yeah, it's good to play on the news day. It's huge. It's absolute huge Newsday But it's leave time yeah, but it's leave time Where do you want to go on the Ottawa Senators? It's you you know, every playoff series has a few key characters,

and we're really shaping up for Ridley Gregg to be a real factor here. I enjoyed his whoopsie fall into Stolarz, which looked like it hurt the goalie. If I enjoyed, I mean, like that's, he knows what he's doing, smart. What were the Leafs up? Were they up five-two at that point? Put the shoulder down on Marner and tried to soon ride to cut in as soon as he dropped the shoulder if I'm Marner

I'm like pull the shoe get out of the way. Let him cut across the net have one I the first thing I said is I don't know if he's gonna get up. It was a bad one Yeah, it was really it was really sneaky Dirty, I don't think it was sneaky at all. Like he's a good skater. There was no he was no well Yeah, you can disguise you can disguise it well cutting into the goalie. He did that on Who is disguising that he did that on purpose he did he did no he didn't he did that on purpose he obviously We know that I'm telling you we know that we're telling you one

You sure you can you can lose an edge and go hard into a goalie for sure it's a hockey play I agree your point that Marner could have been like red carpet And have the shot might have been the only thing to do cuz otherwise you want him suspended for that, too No, but I wouldn't mind us cross-checking the jibs to be a No, but I wouldn't mind us cross checking the jibs to be a suspension The and these scores a goal in this game and hit he's made it to least practice all the least reporters are asking You know, they asked nice about him. They asked brew bay about him. We could play the clip. Let's play Clip 8. Yeah brew bay on on Ridley on Ridley It's it's annoying seeing Greg, you know

The cross check to Tavares, the slide into Stolarz. What's the key to dealing with this guy? Because the guys are going to want to retaliate as this goes on. Are they? Human nature. Maybe they won't. Maybe they won't. Well, no. And you're right. You know, like, listen, that's part of playoff hockey. I mean, that stuff's going to happen and you got to be disciplined as best you can. And we're going gonna keep reaching it. The league, the referees, they'll take care of that stuff. That's your job.

And let's carry it on to a player. Let's get Matthew Nye's thoughts there. Nye's clip one. I think Greg then slides into Anthony at the end, maybe accidentally on purpose. What's the key to doing with this guy? Because it's gonna be,, you're going to want to retaliate, of course. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely annoying. You know, I think we're going to play hard on him and not make it easy for him, you know, the rest of the way. I hate this guy. And this is a good answer, isn't it?

Yeah, he's annoying. That's this is all off of Craig Barube and what he's preached all year and It's If you think about if you're the league right now who has to handle all the crap right on any given night of a series and these guys get calls from General managers to owners after every game. All the time. Really?

All the time, okay? And now you're the league and you're listening to Craig Bruby and some of the players and let the league look up, like that's what you want to hear from a league and you can't tell me that, it's like getting good behavior points. Yeah. Right.

It's like you should help you stock up enough and you hope that it comes back to you one day. You know, what's funny is like you can see what Ridley Gregg is trying to do and what he is and he's an effective player, but he's not Matthew Kachuk, right? Matthew Kachuk's like the Top tier of what Ridley Gregg wants to be. Yeah, and Gregg's not quite there. It doesn't quite have the juice They're going to need more From Brady Kachuk who I don't think he'll go all series like this

But I thought he had a quiet night Everyone was telling us how he was going to decapitate someone and you know, the whole series that he's the best player in the series. I heard people say you did. Yeah, I did mental thing to say, but like even if you think he's he was going to be the difference maker for Ottawa quiet night for him.

I thought very much so. Yeah, I don't know if he's like, he cannot carry himself like a true game breaking kind of guy with ultimate skill. Like he's going to run over you, man. He's going to get to the net. He's going to hurt you. But I don't know in terms of, and the breakaway too, like the breakaway, like think about Mitch Marner's move

and think about Brady Kachuk's move and how kind of that skillset just can't get to that same spot. And that essentially is the point I made in the first half of the show, but what separates these teams? So how much of a factor can he be in ultimately changing the course of a game

other than like going through you? Yeah, and look, he threw some hits, he didn't say he played bad, he just wasn't. He was great at Four Nations, but like a lot of things have to go right for him to shine with his skill Yeah, and it wasn't the case last night. He's gonna score like the pucks gonna fall on a stick. He's gonna be around the blue pain He's gonna knock guys over but it doesn't feel like the series is obsessing over him the way

I thought that maybe it would after it's just been one game, but that's an early early returns on that I Thought Oliver Ekman Larson was really good last night I don't know where he was in terms of overall D but he's got that grease you know that he's John at guys they're annoyed at him I think his experience last year in Florida yeah really helped him understand this time of year what Stollars Lorenz and OEL were all great last night yeah three Stanley Cup champs, and he played I think he played just under or just over 17 minutes Which if you're drawing up how much Oliver Reckman Larsen is gonna play in a playoff game

You wanted right around there because I think you go back to when they won last year I think he was around 15 16 in a night during that playoff run. That's for me a sweet spot for him Yeah, and he shoots it in the net. It's a big goal. You want probably want it from all mark a little bit but he's not afraid to mix it up you know he trips Stutzla on the cut to the net flies through the net the eye flies through the air like a trapeze artist I don't know if that's a thing but looks like he was right we dove through the air but he was good he just he had that right amount of grease only couple guys on the Leafs, I didn't think had great nights.

The other D, Riley, I didn't think was, I know everyone. Well, the giveaway was a tough one. That would have been really tough on Morgan if Brady would have scored. Yeah, that makes it 2-2. I just thought he was okay. Some tough gaps for me where he's too deep. Even the first goal there, I mean, he's got to play tighter, harder, just a little too

soft in front on a loose rebound. I was actually thinking if that's almost any other of the Leafs D, I don't think it's a goal. Whether Benoit, you know, Tanev, Carlo, whoever, they're just harder in front of the net. So at least he got one, hopefully gets feeling good about himself. And then Holmberg went up and played with Tavares and Nylander once the lead was more comfortable. I stayed there at practice today.

He did. Yeah. Okay. I was gonna say, I think that's going to be a thing he goes to more. You're not expecting any changes for game two, are you? Well there is the just that the line change that Holmberg's up Domi's back with the no. No, I'm talking about personnel How long do you want to keep camp out who? You know pretty effective guy

But that fourth line who you're not taking out Lawton Lorenzer. You're oncroc. Yarncroc. Yeah, it's... This is... I'm looking at Ottawa's fourth line and I'm like, they can't do what Leaf's fourth line is doing right now. Yeah, they had Highmore in over Cousins, which I didn't think was a good call. Not nearly as impactful. Wasn't great on the PK where he's supposed to be. I wonder if it was more maybe his knee

Cousins. Yes. Oh That would then preferred for then it was a Coach's decision. I am wondering if it was more health related because he did miss close to the back half of the season With a knee injury, right? Maybe maybe having a few issues there maybe another day of rest. If I'm an Ottawa and part of the coaching staff, I don't know if you have an undisciplined game where you take a bunch of stupid penalties and it ends up costing you that your dice move should be inserting another guy.

That's like about could potentially do that. So it might have actually hurt his chances to play in game to the way that that one played out But usually after a loss coaches are pretty quick to make a lineup change So we'll be surprised to see him, but if it's injury related you'd get that too Do you want to hear a Ruby on moving max down to the third line playing center? Yeah, do that clip seven from Berubey, please Not much. He just you know max good about playing Wing, center, he's done both all season and it's an easy switch for him, you know. I mean, it's not that much of a conversation to be honest with you. He's good with whatever we need.

Well alright then. You know, just one last thought too and not that all the shenanigans had anything to do with anything at the end of the game but it is a nice look for the Toronto Maple Leafs and ones that's been missing over the course of the last eight playoff rounds and it's not has nothing to do with anything and it's just a lot of goofy message sending for the next game but it damn it isn't not a good look there. And led by Max, right? Honestly, having the last minute take 10 minutes

is what every close first round playoff game should look like. And it was going to take that long. It's nice that you got guys on the ice there that are pretty comfortable in that situation. Appreciate Robertson doing his best, but hey, McMahon's a big guy, Benoit, like, Carlo's big,

Tommy throws a couple. Oh, he got a nice uppercut in. He did. Right? Otto, you could see in the last 10, you know, trying to, you know, extract that pound of flesh. There's a couple of hits by Clevin. You know, they're bigger guys that were chasing him.

You know, nice that they were able to have. It's great having Max in those moments for sure. This is just the best. And you want it. You want this to be like this. You want the Battle of Ontario. I watched hype videos for three straight days about like Tucker and Travis Green, by the way, jumping into the Sens bench and like those battles and Chris Neil. You want it to look like this.

You want these teams to hate each other. That's the whole point. It's the look and that's why I'm kind of weary about sometimes, you know, some of these penalties and just let the guys go. Like the Leafs are in better position than they ever have been, you know, in the last eight years to kind of handle this and work around it.

And like, this is the passion and the emotion that people want to see. Don't over officiate here. Let them play. I mean, they over officiated it and it still happened. So if they want to get the Leafs six power plays every game, I'm down with that. I know.

But McCabe, by the way, what a, is speaking of guys you like having on those scrums, cause he's not a bluffer. No. No, but yeah, I just, it's really, really good to have it start like that, just with the grease, and I'm sure Ottawa fans wouldn't love it, but. Yeah.

They're upset. You know, for the next game, I do feel like for Ottawa, you know, do they need to make changes? Like, can they convince themselves that boy five on five, it was pretty good if we don't take those penalties. Yeah, we're all right. I think they can. They can convince themselves that.

And do you think they're right to do that? I think they can play well enough to keep it close here at four one. This just the game's over. I'm sorry. But with Stolarz, the game's over. I'm sorry, but with stole ours the game is locked you know if they can I think they they're good enough to keep games close here and oh yeah, and then you just See where all mark is I? Predicted sends in seven I think you guys did sends in sorry I did sends

Leafs in seven you did six I did leaves in seven I do think I still get the feeling that this is gonna be a long series They had moments where they played really really well gonna get a game. Yeah, you're there for sure But let me tell you who's Ottawa's best player last night. I'll tell you in two seconds Drake Batherson. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely He was good. Yeah, he was good noticeable. He was good even Even when Morgan scored what was the score? Five two then? And then a minute later, he's coming off a post and seems to have the far side wide open and then stole ours left leg comes out and just shuts it right down.

Batherson and Pinto, bright spots for them. Greg too. At least get the game tomorrow night potentially. That game three in honor of our show tomorrow. But just, we got two seconds here. A lot of Leaf fans, that could be a nightmare night for the Sens fans. Oh boy. All right.

Just like that. One hour done. One still to go as we go national. Luke Robitaille. Hockey Hall of Famer, president of the LA Kings will help us tee up the Kings versus the Oilers. And then John Michael Isles, former Toronto Maple Leafs, will give us his thoughts on Landis Cog, potentially in for game two. Plenty more, including news out of Seattle coming up when we return to

Real Kipper and Bourne.