Lightning take game one easily as Leafs fall 7-3: Game Highlights

It was all Tampa Bay in game one. They dominated from start to finish. The Leafs briefly got themselves back in the game in the second period but a match penalty from Michael Bunting erased any possibility of a comeback. Below are the highlights from the game.
Tampa struck first with a goal from the bottom six. The Leafs turned the puck over trying to clear the zone and Corey Perry threw it on net. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare cleaned up the rebound…

THE LIGHTNING STRIKE FIRST! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/KjyT5WsxOm
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2023

The Lightning doubled their lead on a similar play a few minutes later. Another scramble in front. This time it was Anthony Cirelli finishing the rebound…

Anthony Cirelli on the doorstep! 💥 pic.twitter.com/jpr7pS5Q1n
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 18, 2023

With time just about to expire in the first the Bolts made it 3-0. Mikhail Sergachev set up Nikita Kucherov on the powerplay. He rocketed a one-timer past Ilya Samsonov…

Welcome back playoff Kucherov. 😮‍💨
Don’t miss any of the Game 1 action between the Maple Leafs and Lightning live on Sportsnet! pic.twitter.com/eBaCiUGB7X
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2023

Toronto got back in the game in the middle frame. They responded with a powerplay marker of their own. John Tavares found Ryan O’Reilly in front and he made no mistake. 3-1 Lightning…

PPG FOR ROR!!! pic.twitter.com/uPNC4gZyO6
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 19, 2023

Shortly after O’Reilly’s goal, Samsonov made a couple huge stops on Perry to keep the game within two…

huge stop from Samsonov pic.twitter.com/yTZA0ADb7F
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 19, 2023

The Leaf’s powerplay connected again later in the second. Tavares set the screen in front and William Nylander wired a wrist shot blocker side to cut the lead to one…

😎 PLAYOFF STYLES 😎 pic.twitter.com/X4CTfGq4QI
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 19, …

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Author: Scott Ony / The Leafs Nation

Exploring whether or not the Leafs truly need more secondary scoring

Let’s start with the obvious answer to the title of this post: secondary scoring couldn’t hurt the Leafs. And let’s start with an obvious caveat that it couldn’t hurt the Leafs as long as their team defense doesn’t suffer due to bringing in more secondary scoring. If the Leafs could drop someone into their lineup tomorrow that would outperform Zach Aston-Reese offensively without having to give up his defensive zone play or his willingness to hit absolutely everything, the Leafs would probably make that upgrade.
Of course, it is more complicated than that, but it’s also worth taking a look at how the Leafs measure up when it comes to their secondary scoring and the challenges that come with that.
First let me establish what I’m using as my definition of primary, secondary, tertiary, and non-scorers.
Primary scorers are the top quarter of forwards in total points per sixty with a minimum of 25 games played. Secondary scorers will be that next quarter of forwards, Tertiary next, and finally your non-scorers make up the bottom group. It’s not the most in depth approach, but it’s simple. It considers all situations as well, and is largely meant to explore the simple idea that the Leafs need secondary scoring. …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Blue Jays Nation’s 2023 Preseason Top 50: #8 Gabriel Martinez

Prior to the start of the 2022 season, Gabriel Martinez ranked as Blue Jays Nation’s 17th best prospect.

While he had a fantastic 2021 in the Florida Complex League, especially showcasing his hit tool, there were some question marks to be answered about his lack of power.
As you may guess, those questions were answered in 2022, hence why he ranks as the 8th best prospect heading into the 2023 season.
But first, let’s look at the criteria.
Brennan’s criteria:
Instead of writing this out every time I did for the mid-season Top 60, I’ll copy and paste my criteria for how I rank and scout these players.
There are many factors that determine a top prospect. The eye test is the biggest driver in determining a top prospect, but proximity to the majors, ceiling, and floor is also important. Moreover, statistics are another key ingredient, as everything works together to give you numbers.
As for the grades, it’s important to remember that they are relative to the league in which they play. A kid from Dunedin is not going to have a 50-grade hit tool if he were placed in the big leagues. But relative to the league in which he plays, a .300 hitter is eligible to have that grade.
For these prospects, I’ll be reviewing their background, numbers in the minors, pitch mix (if they’re a pitcher), and giving a scouting report (if feasible, rookie league guys are difficult).
Let’s jump in!
Gabriel Martinez‘s career so far:
The 20-y …

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Author: Brennan Delaney / Blue Jays Nation

1 stud and 1 dud as Gary Trent Jr, Raptors lose tough game to Pacers

1 stud and 1 dud as Gary Trent Jr, Raptors lose tough game to Pacers

Gary Trent Jr. and the Toronto Raptors looked to start 2023 off the right way, as they had a winnable road game against the Indiana Pacers up on the schedule following a nice victory against the Suns. Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton are tall orders, but Nick Nurse was hoping “Vision 6-9” would derail the […]
1 stud and 1 dud as Gary Trent Jr, Raptors lose tough game to Pacers – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Bulls’ struggles could make ideal Raptors trade target available

Bulls’ struggles could make ideal Raptors trade target available

The Toronto Raptors have made a solid start to the season despite having to deal with a series of injury problems since the beginning. Nick Nurse’s side finds themselves with a 13-2 record and sitting at 7th in the Eastern Conference. The same thing cannot be said about the Chicago Bulls’ start to the campaign, […]
Bulls’ struggles could make ideal Raptors trade target available – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Sourav Mahanty / Raptors HQ

Raptors: O.G. Anunoby makes history with insane defensive skills

Raptors: O.G. Anunoby makes history with insane defensive skills

The Toronto Raptors have had a solid season start and have a 5-4 record after Friday night. The base of this early season success has been built on a rock-solid defense. The biggest reason behind the Raptors being so solid on that end of the court has been the play of O.G. Anunoby. The British […]
Raptors: O.G. Anunoby makes history with insane defensive skills – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Sourav Mahanty / Raptors HQ

Mitch White to start for Blue Jays on Friday, Alek Manoah lined up for Game 162

Mitch White will get the start for the Blue Jays on Friday in Tampa, a move that the team’s coaching staff has made in order to give Alek Manoah some extra rest and to line him up for the final day of the season.

Manager John Schneider said that the team’s priority is finishing as the top wild-card team so that they can host the first round of the playoffs. If that comes down to the final day of the season, Manoah will start. If not, he’ll get more extra rest before the Blue Jays head into the playoffs.
Here’s how the pitching rotation will look the rest of the way, based on the Blue Jays’ plans…
Friday, Sept. 23 vs. Rays: Mitch White
Saturday, Sept. 24 vs. Rays: Alek Manoah
Sunday, Sept. 25 vs. Rays: Ross Stripling
Monday, Sept. 26 vs. Yankees: Kevin Gausman
Tuesday, Sept. 27 vs. Yankees: Jose Berrios
Wednesday, Sept. 28 vs. Yankees: Mitch White/Bullpen Day
Thursday, Sept. 29 – OFF
Friday, Sept. 30 vs. Red Sox: Alek Manoah
Saturday, Oct. 1 vs. Red Sox: Ross Stripling
Sunday, Oct. 2 vs. Red Sox: Kevin Gausman
Monday, Oct. 3 vs. Orioles: Jose Berrios
Tuesday, Oct. 4 vs. Orioles: Mitch White/Bullpen Day
Wednesday, Oct. 5 vs. Orioles: Alek Manoah
Thursday, Oct. 6 – OFF
Friday, Oct. 7 – Wild Card Game 1
Saturday, Oct. 8 – Wild Card Game 2
Sunday, Oct. 9 – Wild Card Game 3
The ideal situation here, of course, is that the Blue Jays have the top wild-card spot locked up before the end of the season and those games against Baltimore in October don’t matter. As it stands right now, the Blue Jays are one game up on Tampa Bay and they play the Rays three more times while t …

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Author: Cam Lewis / Blue Jays Nation

PK Subban might find his best price as an in season free agent option

Let me start by saying this isn’t making a case for Subban coming to the Leafs. In fact other than this initial preamble I’m not sure there will be a ton a Leafs content in this article, we’ll have to see where this journey takes us.
From a Leafs perspective, Toronto is already set with seven NHL defensemen once Rasmus Sandin is signed, and Jordie Benn and Victor Mete seem to be very capable depth options to put on the Marlies. Making room for Subban would likely mean not only moving Justin Holl, but one other defenseman to have a spot for PK in the lineup. I’m not sure the Leafs wanted to do that.
Throw in the fact that Mark Giordano a two year $800k AAV deal that seems to set a ballpark for what the Leafs are willing to spend on veteran defense wanting to come back to play in their hometown. While I’m sure most people would easily put 2021-22 Giordano over Subban, it’s still a very reasonable thing for Subban to not be ready to take a sub $1M deal. He still has talents that can be marketed well above that range and he is likely trying to get his price.
That’s …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Blue Jays-Red Sox 7/22/2022: A Comedy

Now THAT is how you start the second half of the season. The Blue Jays came back from the All-Star break and welcomed the Red Sox with a 28-5 beatdown at Fenway Park. It’s safe to say that this game was worthy of a mercy rule, and everyone in the ballpark would’ve been okay with it. Red Sox fans were booing in literally every single inning, even to cover up some “Let’s go Blue Jays!” chants.

It would be hard to mention every run scored by the Blue Jays tonight because it would simply have as many words as the United States Constitution. Tough night for those who took the under!
The best and most comical of the 28 runs came from Raimel Tapia, who hit an inside-the-park grand slam. Randal Grichuk could never! On a 0-0 offering from Red Sox reliever Austin Davis, Tapia skied a ball into deep center field, and judging on his body language, Tapia assumed that he would be out. On what should have been a routine fly ball, Red Sox CF Jaren Duran never saw the ball, and instead, stood completely still as the ball landed in front of the center field wall. Tapia went from “Damn, I’m out” to 355 mph in no time, and he cleared …

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Author: Evan Stack / Blue Jays Nation

A fond look back at the narratives of the Leafs first day of free agency

Editor’s note: I wanted to start off by thanking the team here at The Leafs Nation for their outstanding coverage of the first day of free agency this year. Our writers were on top of every development as it occurred and analyzed in a thoughtful manner. I also want to thank our readers who have been coming to the site in the record numbers in the past couple of days. Don’t think we don’t appreciate you too. I know free agency is a big time for news, but I assure you we’ve got some exciting content planned throughout the offseason and if you are new to the site, we hope we can count you returning frequently (whether you agree with us or not.) 
Free agency is a day that I often look forward to on the NHL calendar, and then comes and it’s an absolute blur. I have no idea who plays where anymore but assume that most of the Leafs free agents are in Edmonton now and that Johnny Gaudreau isn’t the best decision maker in high pressure situations.
So far in free agency the Leafs have had one key objective that needed to be accomplished and more or less they’ve done that. They’ve reworked the …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation