Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee
How does a team get past Anaheim, LA, San Jose or Chicago without being bigger and tougher? I don't see it.
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You really think that the way to beat the Blackhawks is to put big, slow, relatively skill-less players out there, who take penalties?
The 'Hawks have fairly owned the Blues that have tried that...the teams that give the 'Hawks the most problems have been the ones that forecheck the D-Men quickly, While teammates fall back to clog the Neutral Zone...Think Nashville.
I have seen the Blackhawk fan forums complain that WE are too soft, and complain about Bollig, when he was with US, for not punching out cheap shotting cowards, but "toughness" in the new NHL seems to be cheap shot dealing turtles...My guys are consistently out hit (two reasons, smallish and skilled team that dominates possession). But, honestly, 4 lines that can threaten offensively (or at least forecheck like demons) is FAR preferable, IMO, to "truculence". Making teams pay on the scoreboard for indiscipline seems a winning formula.
Your teams' work ethic combined with better finishing will go a long way...drawing penalties by having the puck and attacking the dangerous scoring areas, seems a better plan than punching out marginal guys, to get even...and taking runs at other teams' top guys, just gets the referees on alert to "keep the game under control." It is never the initiator that gets the PIMs, it's the retaliator.
I've watched the NHL since 1964, guys, it's a different NHL, and except for the Flyers abberent run of goonery in the 70's, skilled teams that work hard win FAR more hardware than Charlestown Chief wannabes.