Quote:
Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper
That’s the disconnect here ultimately in all of this. People watch and see the breakouts and assume it’s all on the coach. This game has so much read and react and I don’t know how it could ever be on the coach. This game is more about how you deal with pressure and puck pursuits and this team has a hard time with this aspect a lot of nights. They did a better job last night and played the style of game Ward WANTS. They looked faster and more cohesive. But that’s because Toronto plays like the Flames, they commit to a harder forecheck and are totally fine with opening up the middle of the ice which suits the Flames.
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This is wrong IMO. The breakouts are coached and CGY is going strong side of the ice and up the boards. It is problematic. They have to open up the break out and be more creative.
Good teams look flawless and effortless when breaking out and CGY look rushed and in some cases paniced (Leivo going up the right - head down put a short pass behind the centre. The answer is not Leivo is a bad player it's just too concentrated on one side players feel pressure). Many times it looks forced. It's easy to defend against that.
TOR in the latter part of game was able to easily breakout against CGY forecheck because they had 4 guys go back to retrieve (they are not clogging neutral zone). They are coached like that. TOR play compact and have confidence to make those short passes.
Now TOR is a confident team and expect to win. CGY got up and perhaps feeling a little fragile were kind of defensive so that may have factored in.
Not trying to take anything away from win last night but CGY breakout looks way different than TOR and of course skill is involved but it is coaching. If you watch how they move it is coaching, the routes etc. Once it's in the offensive zone yeah read and react (but coaching too).