2 games in, my observations:
- Allowing a lot of shots. Allowing 36 shots per game on average will not win you many games. However, they seem to be pushing the shots to the outside
-The D are not good at stopping the rush all that well, but the forwards come back hard which helps. This seems to lead to some of the chances off the rush. I haven't seen any breakaways or 2 on 1's that I can remember, can anyone else? Am I missing something? That's quite a feat if true.
-Goaltending. It'd be nice to see a goalie that stops a shot they shouldn't once in a while, but they're stopping all the ones they should. That's really all we can ask I guess.
-Forwards are making smart plays and coming back hard. Despite this they're scoring. It's nice to see two guys in on the forecheck. It sure makes things more exciting and has caused more turnovers on the forecheck than I've seen since 2004. The speed is the obvious difference, but another difference is what happens when they get the puck. I might be making stuff up, but it seems as though they pass to the supporting forward the instant they retrieve the puck, which seems to help with possession.
Overall they are exhibiting the exciting game they promised and I'm a lot more invested than I thought I'd be. If we're out of playoffs, and too far behind Edmonton and Vancouver, I'm not sure I'd have much to watch though. I hope they keep this up!
Edit: forgot about the breakaway goal in Washington against Ramo
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