Quote:
Originally Posted by Infinit47
The issue isn't necessarily that the 4th line is getting 10-12 minutes, it's that Lucic should not be an everyday fixture on that line.
I actually think he is quite effective on the forecheck and causing havoc in the offensive zone, but when the Flames fall into man on man coverage in the defensive zone Lucic just can't keep up with the opposing forwards. It's here that he really seems to hurt the team.
I listened to the away broadcast of the last Minny game and the announcers spoke about how the Flames just couldn't get any momentum going in the last two periods. The next three shifts went as follows:
Kadri line got some ozone time, slight momentum
Lindholm line, more ozone time and continue momentum
4th line - hemmed in Flames end, barely chip the puck out for a scrambled change with the oncoming line already on their heels.
It was a complete reversal of momentum.
It's as much Sutter's deployment strategy of the 4th line as their total minutes. I'd love to see Lucic play half the games to allow him to amp up in between.
There is no reason Duehr can't trade off with Lucic at the min.
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This if he used them sparingly 5v5 it would be passable but he rolls 4 lines and its maddening. Zero line matches to keep them away from playing against the other teams top line. Just keep rolling them out. That 4th line is a momentum killer just like the Backlund line creates pressure and momentum only to have Lucic go out and kill it.
If he skipped them every other shift it might work. Also deploying one of the better lines after a shift by Backlund and his line might lead to more offence as the line coming on has some momentum to build off. It would be interesting to see what line gets the most shifts after a Backlunds line was out.