Peters probably should have got called up over Ortmeyer, especially considering how poorly Ortmeyer played last night. A right-handed center capable of winning a face-off would have been nice to take that face-off Kopitar scored the empty netter off of.
If Richards would've put Peters on the ice in the last 2 minutes of a 1 goal game, we would've all gone ballistic. Cullen was our guy; Havlat's laziness lost that faceoff, not our center.
C'mon, we all know Patty O will be the savior. He's tearing it up. He just hasn't been given a fair opportunity...
Were you at the X when the Aero's played their game here? OMG was Sully worse than ever in terms of not giving a crap! He's become beyond painful to watch! He makes the Pouliot we saw here in Minnesota look like the most motivated player ever!
If Richards would've put Peters on the ice in the last 2 minutes of a 1 goal game, we would've all gone ballistic. Cullen was our guy; Havlat's laziness lost that faceoff, not our center.
Just for the face-off I'd have put Peters out there. I recall a game early this season when we put Madden and other grinders out in a game we trailed by 1 with a face-off in our zone, a move that was highly criticized here but I agreed because our top-guys were tired. Richards isn't coaching to please anyone, he's coaching to win. The face-off is vital there if you're going to have the goalie yanked already(but that's a different story).
Matt Cullen isn't the #1 or #2 option on a right-side face-off in the offensive zone when we're healthy. You can say Havlat was lazy, but he's playing the point. Cullen, like normal tries to win a draw clean back, much harder to do on your off-wing.
Edit: Clearly I'm confusing Peters with some other ex-Flame as he's a left-hand shot as well.
His job was to not lose it clean, which he succeeded in doing. It was up to the other guys to gain control. As far as I'm concerned, the face-off wasn't the problem, it was the support afterward.
Looks like Wellman won't play tonight according to the Wild website. I would hope they would take out Ortmeyer and give Wellman a chance. Ortmeyer has shown me nothing. He has looked a lot worse than Almond, and Almond was playing with huge nerves. Also Wellman would give us some needed speed and scoring ability. Maybe go with these lines
Peters 22/31 71% in face-offs. He's not leaving the line-up till Koivu comes back unless injury. Face-offs alone should keep him in there.
Ortmeyer is slow. He does not hit. He has terrible hands. No face-offs in the NHL this year, seemed to be 25% or worse in previous seasons, with no apparent experience as an NHL center either.
If Clutter buck is okay to go... switch him and miettinen and I think that is the line combo's you will see.
Remember, Richards didn't say he was splitting up Bruno and Mitts. he said that Cullen wasn't working there. And Ortmeyer over Peters doesn't make sense.
" So there you have it.
