I know Morrow will be back at some point, but can a team with Ott and Burish playing in its top six really consider itself a team that didn't need to make any changes down the stretch run?
The team played well enough today, but surely management could have done something that would either put the team in a bit better position or brought back some more youth and assets for the future.
Ott-Benn-Vincour was our best line for a few games before Jamie went down to injury. I'd really like to know what Vincour did to Gulutzan to merit 4th line duty every game. Burish is a great fill in when a team needs energy or a line is looking flat, but not a consistent top 6 option.
Ott-Benn-Vincour was our best line for a few games before Jamie went down to injury. I'd really like to know what Vincour did to Gulutzan to merit 4th line duty every game. Burish is a great fill in when a team needs energy or a line is looking flat, but not a consistent top 6 option.
Its sad that 2 major defensive breakdowns caused us to lose a point here.. this should have never gotten to OT. Larsen had a rough game and Souray-Robidas still continues to be the worst top pairing I've seen this team utilize in the past 3 years.
I really don't think Larsen had a rough game. You seemed to blame him for the 2nd goal which to me just looked like a pedestrian rim around the boards that didn't get out -- something that happens countless times each game -- and it's not like he had an obvious alternative option. The crucial breakdown was with the forwards higher out and then you got the weird bounce/deflection. Like the Pens fan above said, Malkin was neutralized for most of the game and Larsen had a lot to do with that. It says a lot that he was on the ice consistently against that line. Even Robidas and Souray I thought had decent-to-good games. Souray more than Robidas who did get running around a bit at times.
The pairs are of course totally messed up, but that goes without saying.
I really don't think Larsen had a rough game. You seemed to blame him for the 2nd goal which to me just looked like a pedestrian rim around the boards that didn't get out -- something that happens countless times each game -- and it's not like he had an obvious alternative option. The crucial breakdown was with the forwards higher out and then you got the weird bounce/deflection. Like the Pens fan above said, Malkin was neutralized for most of the game. Larsen had a lot to do with that. Even Robidas and Souray I thought had decent-to-good games. Souray more than Robidas who did get running around a bit.
yeah that's one time where Gulutzan's "Ice the Puck!" strategy might have actually been good hahaha
people can talk all they want about "oh if the Stars play this good they'll make the playoffs", unless they get the results NOW it won't matter how good they play later. We still control our destiny (by a thread), but this was an absolutely crushing defeat at home where we couldn't afford it.
I really don't think Larsen had a rough game. You seemed to blame him for the 2nd goal which to me just looked like a pedestrian rim around the boards that didn't get out -- something that happens countless times each game -- and it's not like he had an obvious alternative option. The crucial breakdown was with the forwards higher out and then you got the weird bounce/deflection. Like the Pens fan above said, Malkin was neutralized for most of the game and Larsen had a lot to do with that. It says a lot that he was on the ice consistently against that line. Even Robidas and Souray I thought had decent-to-good games. Souray more than Robidas who did get running around a bit at times.
The pairs are of course totally messed up, but that goes without saying.
I thought I saw that Larsen had an outlet behind the net, but instead tried to get it up the boards despite 2-3 bodies along it. I may have been wrong. I agree though the major breakdown came later in the shift, but I just get so frustrated at what seems like half of this team's clearing attempts never getting out and lead to direct turnovers. What follows of course is almost always scoring chances against, or in this case, goals. I also thought Larsen had more breakdowns than just that, and feel like he's not playing as simple and smartly as he was before the injury.
Souray I agree has played a better game since taking time off to heal. Robidas was a trainwreck tonight I thought, same problems as always.
Penguins with too many men on the ice, goes uncalled.
Was that you that called into the post game show asking about this? Just saw this as I was reading the thread. Might be just a coincidence but someone called into the post game show asking if anyone else saw this.
Was that you that called into the post game show asking about this?
Haha, no. I've never called into anything in my life.
I realize all teams do this to some degree, but Pittsburgh was really cheating the change tonight at multiple junctures. Pierre, to his credit, caught on also.
It makes me happy that the standard for Larsen is to make the right play every single time. It really speaks for what a special player he is.
really it's a testament to our scouting staff that even though they have arguably ****ed up first rounder's often(we think) that they manage to find gold in the later rounds, i mean look at all of the kids we have coming to the AHL next year
It makes me happy that the standard for Larsen is to make the right play every single time. It really speaks for what a special player he is.
The thing about Larsen, and what really separates him from a player like Niskanen (and even Wandell, bless his little stone hands) is that Larsen rarely makes the same mistake twice.
For instance, in a game a few weeks ago, Larsen was directly responsible for the game-winning goal by being overly aggressive with his positioning - he tried to give Goligoski, who was in a battle for the puck on the wall, an outlet behind the net for a pass, but in doing so he left his defensive responsibility of the front of the net uncovered, and an opposing player found it and scored. The next time that same type of play came around, Larsen made sure his partner had full possession of the puck before leaving his position for the outlet.
He makes mistakes like any young player, and sometimes his instincts aren't the smartest, but he learns quickly. That's a huge positive for him, maybe more so than anything else he possesses.
yeah that's one time where Gulutzan's "Ice the Puck!" strategy might have actually been good hahaha
people can talk all they want about "oh if the Stars play this good they'll make the playoffs", unless they get the results NOW it won't matter how good they play later. We still control our destiny (by a thread), but this was an absolutely crushing defeat at home where we couldn't afford it.
at the game and had great seats (even though i was surrounded by pens fans). great game. live hockey is so great.
proposed rule change:
win in regulation: 2.5 points
OT win: 2 points
shootout win: 1.5 points
guarantees that teams play to win all the time.
how much for an ot or shootout loss? I would appreciate a scoring system that takes into account actual wins over shootout wins but i too many people would ***** and moan that things were too complicated.
I've said all along that the best route is to just keep it simple.
2 points for a win.
0 for a loss.
Simple.
A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. Since the NHL wanted to do away with ties, wins can happen at later stages of the game, but they're still wins.
A narrow shootout victory should hold just as much weight as a blowout win in regulation. And a loss 10 seconds into overtime shouldn't earn you a charity point when you get nothing if you lose 11 seconds earlier.
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