Quote:
Originally Posted by saillias
A bag skate kind of kicked this 0-2 stretch off though. They made a show of having a really hard practice on the weekend and had all the local media tweeting how the team stayed on the ice longer to work. They were 5-1 at the time and it was October. Maybe being normal would suffice. might be irrelevant but it just struck me as odd.
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I think Sutter already saw some of the being in the comfort of home for a whole calendar month, creeping in to attitude and play. A hard practice to somewhat simulate a game that should've been that night in a normal schedule, was what he was trying to accomplish and regain focus. Players don't care for it either, used to playing every second day and being on the road every couple weeks to stay on their toes.
Bag skate not really worked, some bad puck luck but not paying attention to some details bit them these last two games, while also mixed in with being out of routine and at home so much with the odd scheduling.
8 of 9 games at home is odd enough, but to start a year, where you've been in town since late September before camp as well, and may not have gone on the road in preseason, is very odd.
In future if we get 8 games homestands, the last week the players have to all stay at a hotel downtown.
I also think Sutter can better use his motivational techniques when he has the mix of home and road and many games in fewer nights, to get more out of players and the team, either through rewards for playing well, and or managing the bench and toi, with the excuse of multiple games in less days.