GBU The _______, the Powerplay, and the Enroth

[enrothorne]

This team is a well sanded coffeetable: No finish.

[Sabretip]

2-for-their-last-28 on the PP.....

I saw more hope on Friday when Ruff opted to put Pominville back at the point with Ehrhoff, and insert Stafford into the forward mix with Roy and Vanek - they seemed to at least maintain possession and generate pressure. But the biggest obstacle to the PP unit being a consistent threat is their cluelessness on how to gain zone entry or bring the puck up ice. If it's not the low-percentage Detroit drop-pass play, it's one skater trying to dipsy-doodle with the puck at the blueline while the other 4 skaters stand still to avoid offsides. Ruff and his staff have yet to construct some logical, methodical tactics of taking the puck from one end to the other - and it's been that way for 3-4 years.....

[dire wolf]

They've been gaining the zone this year better than the last two years. The biggest problem is they've reverted to being stationary once they set up. They need to rotate and skate more. And Ehrhoff needs to get his point shot through traffic and on net and stop trying to snipe the corners and missing.

[Cirris]

Originally Posted by cardiffgiant

Most of what got past Enroth might have been weak, but it will take more than 1 goal to win most games. Heck... it'll take more than 2 a lot of times. A regular needs to heat up and this power play needs to get going.

The point is when you goaltender gives up those stinkers and puts your team behind, It gets a lot harder to score on a team that isn't going to do you any favors and give up quality chances.

[kirby11]

Originally Posted by Sabretip

2-for-their-last-28 on the PP.....

I saw more hope on Friday when Ruff opted to put Pominville back at the point with Ehrhoff, and insert Stafford into the forward mix with Roy and Vanek - they seemed to at least maintain possession and generate pressure. But the biggest obstacle to the PP unit being a consistent threat is their cluelessness on how to gain zone entry or bring the puck up ice. If it's not the low-percentage Detroit drop-pass play, it's one skater trying to dipsy-doodle with the puck at the blueline while the other 4 skaters stand still to avoid offsides. Ruff and his staff have yet to construct some logical, methodical tactics of taking the puck from one end to the other - and it's been that way for 3-4 years.....

I only saw the sabres do this once last year, but there was a play where roy or connolly faked that drop pass at center ice and actually just dumped the puck in. It seemed to work really well. Everyone on the PK had slowed up because they were expecting the drop pass, and the rest of the PP was able to gain possession of the puck because they didn't have to slow down in the neutral zone. Maybe they could try that more or just shoot the puck on net and take the offensive zone faceoff, i'd rather see that then watch 1 guy try to dance through the d and lose the puck.