Is that stat right? 7-0 odd man rushes for Tampa? Pathetic. This team starts out 6-0-1 (with the last 2-3 games being not very pretty efforts) and the team defense goes right back to last year's level.
A major reshuffling of the lines is necessary. The top line is 100% ineffective with Stafford as an anchor, and not enough secondary scoring is coming from elsewhere.
So i DVR'd the HD channel, and the feed cut out after the first period
So: my first period analysis. They sucked. To a man they sucked. Miller needs to stop the 2nd two goals, but defensive gaffes (a horrible one by Sekera on the killer 3rd goal) also allowed shots in dangerous areas with little pressure. Roy? Awful. Stafford? Awful. Vanek? Awful (although I see he got on teh board in the 2nd). What happened to the positionally sound Sekera we saw last year? Because right now he's not showing it. If the trade off for more offensive rushes is for less sound defense, I'll take the sound defensive play any day of the week. Weber-Numminen? Awful.
Ellis goes out, and the 4th line gets scored on from the center of the ice. One wonders if the lack of pressure coming back from the middle of the ice was a factor.
The problem is if the coaches were willing to play Kotalik at center, Ellis wouldn't have been picked up in the first place, IMO. When Hecht gets back you might be able to slot him there, but it'd break up a pretty effective line (although one that didn't score much), although Roy-Pominville do have chemistry dating back to Rochester.
The problem is if the coaches were willing to play Kotalik at center, Ellis wouldn't have been picked up in the first place, IMO. When Hecht gets back you might be able to slot him there, but it'd break up a pretty effective line (although one that didn't score much), although Roy-Pominville do have chemistry dating back to Rochester.
I agree with your other sentiment though, trade Stafford.
i dont like any new lines that still feature Vanek-Roy... Roy sucks right now, and he drags Vanek down with him at ES. Vanek is playing great hockey right now, get some linemates that can play second fiddle to him on the first line. Roy and Vanek are not meshing at all, and its time to shake that up.
i dont like any new lines that still feature Vanek-Roy... Roy sucks right now, and he drags Vanek down with him at ES. Vanek is playing great hockey right now, get some linemates that can play second fiddle to him on the first line. Roy and Vanek are not meshing at all, and its time to shake that up.
Shouldn't they keep Roy with the team's best offensive player if he needs to get going offensively?
Shouldn't they keep Roy with the team's best offensive player if he needs to get going offensively?
Why? They didn't do that with Vanek when he was struggling. Ruff put him down on the fourth line and made him work his way back up, and he did. Why should Roy be any different?
Why? They didn't do that with Vanek when he was struggling. Ruff put him down on the fourth line and made him work his way back up, and he did. Why should Roy be any different?
He's a center on a team that's woefully lacking centers, and offensive woes aside, he's been playing good hockey otherwise.
That doesn't mean he shouldn't get a game or two on the fourth line to wake him up, but that'll be Ruff's thinking.
offensive woes and good hockey don't belong in the same sentence when you are talking about your #1 center.
Agreed. I suppose they could put Connolly with Vanek for 2 periods. Hopefully that's enough time for Roy to get the picture, before Connolly goes back to the dressing room.
Agreed. I suppose they could put Connolly with Vanek for 2 periods. Hopefully that's enough time for Roy to get the picture, before Connolly goes back to the dressing room.
That's pretty a pretty generous assumption. Are you sure Tim will last that long?
roy sucks offensively, but defensively he's still one of our stronger forwards. i don't think benching him would benefit the team. that being said, we do have to snap him into shape and maybe a line demotion will do it.
