I could see Bennett and Lazar getting some instant chemistry tonight. Bennett's been playing really hard lately and if he has someone to match his skill he could explode, Lazar might be that guy. Bouma will just step on the ice, skate around and step off again.
Agreed, and it would be nice to see someone like Versteeg or Brouwer tried on that line as well tonight to see if anything is there. Bouma will be the odd-man-out if Lazar impresses before Ferland returns.
given the differentials in possession for Bennett when they took him away from Versteeg and Brouwer last game this experiment should be fascinating.
Yep. I predict the no pressure vibe of being the 4th line, playing easy minutes, combined with the unpredictable nature of having unknown chemistry between skilled players will result in a goal for that line tonight.
I'm very excited for what they can do with this opportunity.
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Really unfortunate to not have Ferland against the Kings (never would his presence on the first line have been more useful), but great to see Lazar in.
Lazar overall had an ok night. He was a bit rusty at the start, but was playing physical, made some contact, had a few shots on net. Looked ok with Bennett I thought. He seemed to find his stride a bit more by the third period, and of course picked up an assist on the ENG. Good debut, all things considered.
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Gulutzan only iced him for 10 minutes, but Lazar took the bull by the horns. He was credited with 3 hits but I thought he threw his body around a bit more than that. He was credited with a takeaway, but I think he got another when he stripped the puck from a King at centre ice and dished it off to Versteeg for an assist on the empty netter. He took an accidental high stick to the face from Alex Martinez which looked nasty, but then he got up on his feet with a huge smile on his face.
To me, that's how you make the most of your 10-minute cameo on the 4th line. I'm looking forward to seeing him more in the future.
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To me in his limited ice time, what screamed about his game was hockey I.Q. Quick chip plays on the boards, combined with moments where he needed to hang on for a few moments to get an open passing lane on breakout.
Ironically hockey I.Q was seen as a weakness during his time with the Sens (according to fans, anyway).
I was very encouraged with what I saw, and to me embodied the traits of why the Flames brass is so bullish on him.
To me in his limited ice time, what screamed about his game was hockey I.Q. Quick chip plays on the boards, combined with moments where he needed to hang on for a few moments to get an open passing lane on breakout.
Ironically hockey I.Q was seen as a weakness during his time with the Sens (according to fans, anyway).
I was very encouraged with what I saw, and to me embodied the traits of why the Flames brass is so bullish on him.
Maybe he benefited mentally from sitting in the press box here with his eyes glued to the hottest team in the NHL. With the coaches having said "we aren't changing the lineup until we lose" I think he could sit there without any pressure & soak it all in without the negative baggage he accumulated in Ottawa.
The other noticeable thing was how the coaching staff & veterans alike were beaming with what seemed like pride & encouragement. It was like Lazar was their prized Labrador puppy & he just aced his obedience training... Anyway, it seems to me that he's well-liked and seems to be happy to be here. A nice injection of youthful enthusiasm for the stretch drive.