So what is the point of a goalie, if every goal is blamed on defense on him? He is supposed to bail out his team, not give out 3 goals on 4 shots; one save being a rebound that leads to a goal.
Sure Murray sucks 2 on 1, sure Wallin turned it over, but his glove stank today and he gave up two goals because of it. The first goal was his turnover.
The goalie's job is very clear. Stop the puck from going in your net.
However, look at what I just bolded from you. This mentality is flat out wrong.
In TODAY's NHL playoff hockey, you MUST cover everything down low and block as many shots as you could. No more of this risk goaltending.
The goalie's job is very clear. Stop the puck from going in your net.
However, look at what I just bolded from you. This mentality is flat out wrong.
In TODAY's NHL playoff hockey, you MUST cover everything down low and block as many shots as you could. No more of this risk goaltending.
Well, look at what I bolded. He clearly failed at it.
The reason I say "bail out" is because in perfect world, all shots are blocked prior to getting to the net and all the time is spent in the offensive zone. What separates a good goalie from a bad goalie if all that is asked is making a basic safe, as his defense got it all covered? Making that simple safe? Then I dunno why we're paying $4mil for goalies and paying $4 for the next 4 years.
I feel like the staff is afraid of hurting Niemi's feelings, or ruining his confidence by not starting him. **** Niemi's feelings. Start Nitty until he loses a game. Niemi will come back strong either way.
After the third game I said Niemi but after looking awful again and Nitty coming in and at least giving the us a chance to win(like before) you really want to ride with him. It's hard not to.
The goalie's job is very clear. Stop the puck from going in your net.
However, look at what I just bolded from you. This mentality is flat out wrong.
In TODAY's NHL playoff hockey, you MUST cover everything down low and block as many shots as you could. No more of this risk goaltending.
The bail out mentality is wrong. It's what the problem was in reality with the team and Nabokov. But goaltending is about making the saves you're supposed to make and occasionally making the saves that you're not supposed to make...or big saves in big moments.
However, you're really oversimplifying it if you think it's just about covering everything low. Notice the three goals that happened tonight weren't low shots that got by. One was a deflection which all of the good teams can do. One was a rebound off the pads as a shot-pass. The other past that God awful glove of Niemi's. These teams can get the puck off the ice and hit the top shelf where mama hides the cookies. If you can only effectively cover half the net, you're an ineffective goaltender.
I think it will do Niemi wonders to sit on the bench for game six and watch. And if Niittymaki falters, you can go to a rested Niemi back home. He's had his chances at redemption and he hasn't been good since game 1.
Ask that again. This time without the confusion, tho.
I...what?
Anyway, there's absolutely no sugarcoating that goaltending performance. It's one of the worst I've ever seen from a Sharks goalie. Yes, Wallin is awful and that turnover was brutal, but an unscreened wrist shot from the high slot is stopped by a competent NHL goaltender. Yeah, Murray misplayed the 2-on-1 but giving up that brutal of a rebound right to Clifford is atrocious. And the first goal...what is he even thinking trying to make a play with the puck? When has that ever worked for him?
How many "second chances" does Niemi get? He already got one too many as far as I am concerned (although I admit he played well in game 4). What does Nitty have to do to get a freaking start? He could be our Cam Ward!
Well, look at what I bolded. He clearly failed at it.
The reason I say "bail out" is because in perfect world, all shots are blocked prior to getting to the net and all the time is spent in the offensive zone. What separates a good goalie from a bad goalie if all that is asked is making a basic safe, as his defense got it all covered? Making that simple safe? Then I dunno why we're paying $4mil for goalies and paying $4 for the next 4 years.
If you think playing sound defense is "perfect", then why am I arguing this with you?
IMO, playing sound defense is easily achievable.
You disagree, and believe that turning the puck over high is "normal" and an acceptable way to play hockey professionally, and with that, it pretty much ends this debate between you and me.
If you think playing sound defense is "perfect", then why am I arguing this with you?
IMO, playing sound defense is easily achievable.
You disagree, and believe that turning the puck over high is "normal" and an acceptable way to play hockey professionally, and with that, it pretty much ends this debate between you and me.
So what's the purpose of goalies in your fantasy land?
The bail out mentality is wrong. It's what the problem was in reality with the team and Nabokov. But goaltending is about making the saves you're supposed to make and occasionally making the saves that you're not supposed to make...or big saves in big moments.
However, you're really oversimplifying it if you think it's just about covering everything low. Notice the three goals that happened tonight weren't low shots that got by. One was a deflection which all of the good teams can do. One was a rebound off the pads as a shot-pass. The other past that God awful glove of Niemi's. These teams can get the puck off the ice and hit the top shelf where mama hides the cookies. If you can only effectively cover half the net, you're an ineffective goaltender.
I think it will do Niemi wonders to sit on the bench for game six and watch. And if Niittymaki falters, you can go to a rested Niemi back home. He's had his chances at redemption and he hasn't been good since game 1.
See, here is where we disagree. And we already knew this.
IMO, the saves a goaltender HAS TO make is EVERYTHING down low. If you allow the other team to roof the puck, you deserve to lose.
Your opinion? I'm guessing you think that goaltenders need to stop everything high? We already had that kind of goaltender. Didn't work.
I'm not oversimplifying anything, either. You're making it complicated. The team itself is making it complicated. The sport is an amazing sport, but it is a lot more simple then you think it is.
Quick stole a game today.
He made how many saves down low?
Proof is right there, dude. Turn your blinders off.
See, here is where we disagree. And we already knew this.
IMO, the saves a goaltender HAS TO make is EVERYTHING down low. If you allow the other team to roof the puck, you deserve to lose.
Your opinion? I'm guessing you think that goaltenders need to stop everything high? We already had that kind of goaltender. Didn't work.
I'm not oversimplifying anything, either. You're making it complicated. The team itself is making it complicated. The sport is an amazing sport, but it is a lot more simple then you think it is.
Quick stole a game today.
He made how many saves down low?
Proof is right there, dude. Turn your blinders off.
Stubborn doesn't win games. Look around the league, Price, Lundqvist, Bryz, and Rinne have all had issues, but not on the order of Niemi. They are all big butterfly goalies covering everything low, but they are covering the high stuff better than Niemi. It is in the percentages. Then you can look at Thomas who is unconventional but more the athletic type who is having a far better time and covering far more egregious errors by everyone of his defenders not named Chara or Seidenberg.
It's good to cover everything low, but there will be high shots. The more that the goalie grabs, the better. And, at a certain point stopping all low shots while leaving the upper half open, a team might as well go with an athletic guy. It's total shots stopped in all situations. Heck, towards the end of the year, Niemi was letting in more than his share along the ice as well.
I don't want to unload Nemo or blame him for all evils, but I do think he needs to sit, rest and reflect. I would have no problem running Nitty for a few games such that Niemi can get the top of his game back.
See, here is where we disagree. And we already knew this.
IMO, the saves a goaltender HAS TO make is EVERYTHING down low. If you allow the other team to roof the puck, you deserve to lose.
Your opinion? I'm guessing you think that goaltenders need to stop everything high? We already had that kind of goaltender. Didn't work.
I'm not oversimplifying anything, either. You're making it complicated. The team itself is making it complicated. The sport is an amazing sport, but it is a lot more simple then you think it is.
Quick stole a game today.
He made how many saves down low?
Proof is right there, dude. Turn your blinders off.
That is an utterly ridiculous expectation to think that shots should never go high on a goalie as a defender. I mean, really that is just absurd. Goalies have a blocker and a glove for a reason and it's not just for looks.
My opinion of goalies is that they have to not let in any bad goals. You have to expect a certain amount of errors from the guys in front of you and even from the goalies themselves with split-second decision-making going on.
The first goal was Niemi's mistake turning the puck over putting his own defenders in a bad spot. The goal itself you can't really expect Niemi to make the save on. But since the turnover came off his stick, he is responsible. The second goal I blame completely on Boyle and Murray. Boyle for the unforgivable turnover and Murray for a piss-poor effort where he took neither the shooter nor the eventual goal scorer. The third goal is a bad turnover by Wallin, I think, but Penner took a shot from above the face-off circle with Niemi deep in his net beat on the glove side. That is on the turnover and the shoddy play in net. That's a puck he HAS to stop.
It's understandable why you would want to have an emphasis on stopping pucks low. But what is not understandable is a complete ignorance to anything over the pads. You have to stop most every puck that you see come at you from a distance past the face-off dot that doesn't get deflected. And the goals that do get past will be ones that EVERY goalie wants back and if you have too many of them, you will get a signal from the coach to sit your ass down.
You can't look at Quick's performance for your strategy when Niemi employs that same strategy and got beat up each time even though he covers down low.
Niemi was to blame on the 1st and 3rd goal. The 2 on 1 was a bad rebound but I doubt he could control it since he has a brutal glove hand. His giveaway on the first goal and TERRIBLE attempt at a save on the 3rd were unforgivable though.
In game 2 he allowed 4 goals on 24 shots. Game 3 he allowed 4 goals on 10 shots. Game 5, 3 goals on 4 shots...
you guys are unbelievable.....not a single goal was niemi's fault.....one was a 2 on 1, one was a screen/deflection, and the other was, yea, ill get blasted for this one, the result of the referees getting involved in the play and interfering with an easy sharks d-zone clear, all year everyone has questioned niemi, even to the point where people actually thought nitty was a better goalie at the beginning of the year.......
but maybe nitty should start cause its obvious the sharks dont play defense with niemi in net, for some reason they play defense when nitty is playing, i dont get it
