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Bad ice made it impossible to play our game (when we do play it). It's based on crisp passing and every time we tried, we fumbled it (I suppose fitting that it was a football stadium).
gomez and ak were IMO very good. Moen needs to be replaced. Put Eller there or just accept that Gomez (who has been good, but people are blinded since his overall line sucks) isn't gonna break out of his funk.
Gionta is eternally frustrating. He is definitely the guy with heart, he's the captain, but he looks like a one trick pony who's run out of tricks. I don't want to believe that's true. DD and Cammy --> the passes were off, they did well otherwise (I think they'll show something in an actual NHL rink). Plex just has no one to go to and can't do it alone like he has in the past. Patches didn't have a good game. Lot of passes to nowhere. And then Gionta being barely able to stand doesn't help.
defence was pretty bad, as it's been for awhile. They play well for a bit, but eventually blow coverage. Wiz is just not a good D man and aside from his start in MTL has mostly been part of the problem. Mara, well, whatever, he didn't suck. The only person I can ever count on is PK since he does his job regardless of everyone else (and that goes double for Price). Personally I like Pouliot a lot, but the ice was not favouring his usually slick hands.
Overall the problem is a lack of cohesion. With Cammy back, we need to reshuffle the lines. Gomez needs to be on a line where everyone can score or help score. I'm tired of his "demotion". He has had multiple great games where people have bashed him cuz the others on his line sucked.
What is plainly obvious: we stay to the perimeter against big body teams. If our passing doesn't work and Gionta doesn't become Koivu-esque, and if Pleky can't find someone with a sweet feed, we're cooked. Then we rely on D, which would be ok...if we had a good D corp. Hammer has given a lot, but like last year the second half of the season is too much for him. Eric Staal pretty much ruined our season. That and the unfortunate loss of Gorges. Everything is built from there up. Patches is our best shot at changing ways. That and Eller breaking out.
So embarrassing tonight, but I have to say - the ice was a HUGE factor for a team that requires good ice to be successful.
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