Quote:
Originally Posted by Itse
IMO a much more likely explanation for those stats than epicly bad luck is that they don't actually create good chances in the sense of "a lot of net to shoot at", leaving them with poor options and desperate snipes that predictably fail a lot.
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I don't see Bingo's explanation of "pressing" as the equivalent of "epicly bad luck." He spelled it out pretty clearly—confidence and cognitive/emotional clarity make it much easier for athletes to perform. That is different than merely bad luck, and I think it also speaks to your "quality of chance" argument in a different way: players who are struggling with the magnitude of pressure are also not exercising good judgment and patience in all situations.
I don't think the Flames are short on good chances. When I watch them this season there are a tonne of shots from very good scoring positions that they miss, and also a lot of set ups which should result in goals but do not because of an extra pass or a "whiff" by the open shooter. These are not things the coaches are instructing nor are they exhibits of deficient skill. It really does appear mostly resulting from a cognitive block for an inordinately high number of players at a very inopportune time. And I agree with Bingo—experience and patience can cure all of that.