Quote:
Originally Posted by Jore
From Darren Haynes' breakdown of the ot goal the other night on the athletic:
Look at all the space Hamonic gives Soderberg right after surrendering the blueline. What is he doing? Is he afraid of being burned by the all-mighty Soderberg?
I realize that Backlund and Neal also failed on that 3 on 3 rush, but that's beer league gap control from Hamonic. The second pairing has been getting eaten alive on zone entires and exits. Look at the gap Hanifin, following Mackinnon to the boards, gave Makar on his goal.
what is he doing??
Hamonic alone had 3 or 4 passes from his zone right to the tape of the avs forwards last game. Hanifin almost gave the game away in regulation by taking an obviously overwhelmed and panicky penalty right after Rantanen scored.
Give them less ice time ffs Peters. They're playing with much less composure and confidence than the all rookie pairing. Valimaki should have never sat so long for Fantenberg in the first place. |
Fans on this board have been noting the terrible gap control and lazy backcheck since after Game 2.
The coaches are either not recognizing it or they are and the players aren't listening.
It's basic hockey, things that most players learn in peewee. Seriously, why does Peters have to tell these players anyways? MOST of us posters can see it.
This team and it's players are playing scared. It's not just Gaudreau, they all are playing scared.
I don't know what it is about this team but any time there is a super star player on the other team with electrifying speed, they just get scared.
Thank god the Oilers didn't make it into that 8th speed, because McDavid would have done the same thing as Mackinnion has. If losing to the Avs is bad, can you imagine losing to the Oilers? That's my glass half full perspective.