Showing a goal on a slapper doesn't do it for me, sorry. A goal or two where he does get it on net is the exception IMO. Normally he misses, badly. Or it gets blocked easily because his windup takes so long. If you show me eight goals in a season where that happens, great. And he isn't a good passer, so he is just as one dimensional on the point as a guy who only passes well (like Brodie)
I agree with people who say Brodie shouldn't be on the point because he isn't a threat to shoot at all (he did shoot it, but he's no good at it). But Hanifin or Valimaki are much better choices.
The Flames were trying really hard not to get back into the bad habits of last year. Once the second period floodgates opened it was all drop passes everywhere and d-d passes once again.
Gully instilled some really lazy plays into the players. It will take a while to shake those out.
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Our PP setups are structured completely wrong. They need to address this because we're far too perimeter like we were last year and its too predictable again just like last year.
We need to highlight guys with a shot in position for a 1 timer. Please hit the net too.. I think practice this week should be 1 timers from the circle/point and focus on hitting the damn net.
This means Lindholm on PP1 on the left circle
This means Neil on PP2 on the right circle
Remove Johnny from the point on PP1 and put him behind the net, swap with Tkachuk so he can do his wizardry from the corners/half board and leave Mony in front of the net but please let him move his legs. Vancouver just collapsed on him all game and the forced passes to Mony in the slot weren't going to happen.
PP2: Swap Brodie for Hanifin, swap Ryan for Dube/Bennet/Jankowski - Whoever's feeling it
Neil is your 1 timer target, put Dube in Tkachuks spot, and CZ behind the net
I like the idea of parking Jankowski in front of the net on PP2. He did well when he got the time last year. Big body, long ass stick, nice moves in close.
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In the cold light of day, I saw the game as follows:
a. Smith started great, but at the end of the day didn't outplay Markstrom. I don't put any particular goal on him, but that's not how I assess it.
b. Markstrom was solid enough but never had to really stretch or slide to make a save - in other words, the Flames made it pretty easy on him. The exceptions being the goasls they scored (see how that works boys).
c. Gio looked slower, like I said in the game thread. But he's still faster than most defencemen and I am not saying he's dropped off a cliff or anything.
d. Gaudreau was brilliant in the late third. Which was a big let down for me, because he was obviously able to to do that but didn't muster it in the first and second.
e. The PP was too static (again) which had nothing to do with the drop pass. I don't automatically assume off-wing players would help, but I'd at least like to see switches to off-wing during the pressure. More than anything, they lost puck battles during the PP.
f. I liked Valimaki, Dube, Hanifin and to a lesser extent Czarnik, Neal and Lindholm. Of the others, I liked Tkachuk, Hamonic (what a guy), and to a lesser extent even strength Gio and Brodie. Monahan was Monahan - he was in position but didn't get the pucks. Stone wasn't very good. I thought Bennett and Jankowski were too low energy given the amount of rest they had. A fourth line needs to come out and be all out for the entire shift. Backlund had a bad game IMO and Frolik was merely adequate.
At the end of the day, it's only one game, it was the Canucks home opener and there's lots of time to improve. On the other hand, aside from the next game, the schedule is tough and they could really have used a win against a lesser team. On the third hand, playing tough teams early in the season might have advantages (they won't be in mid-season mode, and hopefully that means late season schedule advantages).
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I wonder how different the results would be if we had a heart.
No heart, little desire . 7 power plays and 6 shots.
Why is Hamonic ALONE trying to send a message?
The whole team should have been running Canuck especially when he's an easy target to take dumb penalties.
Our home opener better not be full of fancy pass attempts , river hockey and no heart.
I don't care if they play the trap and it's boring as hell let's win with heart, team effort . The give a fata meter is broken and the suicide booth is in the shop for repairs so we have to figure stuff out .
It's one game and I see a ton of potential in this team , I hope they see it in themselves and make an effort to erase this game from our minds.
This guy gets it. It's about heart.
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There are plenty of "if our goalie could make a save" comments in the previous 18 pages
I was one of them, I thought some of those were still. Stoppable and I explained why. Just my opinion. That said I'm a big supporter of smith and he shouldn't have had 2 Canucks camped at his doorstep two different times.
I was one of them, I thought some of those were still. Stoppable and I explained why. Just my opinion. That said I'm a big supporter of smith and he shouldn't have had 2 Canucks camped at his doorstep two different times.
1. Perfect shot from a special player.
2. Great pass from the same player.
3. There are as many as three blue shirts in frame between our closest defender and Smith, and all three are within ten feet of the crease.
4. Should've had it. It's a tough save, but Gio is providing something of a distraction and at that point in the game, the team needed the save.
This team's core and leadership group, that has been around 5 or so years, seems to have what you could compare to something like the putting or chipping yips in particular situations on the ice. Beginning of seasons, beginning of games, key games, powerplay, Anaheim - there seems to be a mental barrier that emanates from the core group to the team as a whole. The patterns are so seemingly consistent that it's hard to ignore despite different coaching staffs, turnover in the non-core players. That core group of Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Backlund, Gaudreau have been the common denominators and leadership group of the team. They are all really good players, but are they in the right frame of mind for those situations, and are they helpful leaders in getting the team as a whole in the right frame of mind.
I'm trying to explain these trends in my mind, and this is the only thing that's making sense.
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That was frustrating to watch, and it was clear that we were out coached last night. The Nucks had a gameplan against our system especially our powerplay and it took until the second intermission for any adjustments... at all... to be made. I know Calgary is learning a new system, but you still have an opponent who is trying to eliminate what you are trying to do.
Flames looked out of a Sync a bit. Johnny and Monahan took until the third to get going..
Flames looked like the better team all night but were sloppy all over the place.
PP is frustrating, that needs to change, we can't have everyone standing around in one spot and only the puck carrier changing positions.. It doesn't open any lanes.
0/7 on the PP is why we are starting this season 0-1-0.
I can't handle another season of horrific power plays, so I am hoping it will get better, because it can't get any worse.
This team's core and leadership group, that has been around 5 or so years, seems to have what you could compare to something like the putting or chipping yips in particular situations on the ice. Beginning of seasons, beginning of games, key games, powerplay, Anaheim - there seems to be a mental barrier that emanates from the core group to the team as a whole. The patterns are so seemingly consistent that it's hard to ignore despite different coaching staffs, turnover in the non-core players. That core group of Gio, Brodie, Monahan, Backlund, Gaudreau have been the common denominators and leadership group of the team. They are all really good players, but are they in the right frame of mind for those situations, and are they helpful leaders in getting the team as a whole in the right frame of mind.
I'm trying to explain these trends in my mind, and this is the only thing that's making sense.
I believe that the biggest mental block that most of the young core struggle with is from the goaltending this team has suffered during the rebuild. This includes Smith. I know he had a good start to the season last year but from mid-December on (even before he got hurt), he was not good.
All these guys have experienced in the NHL is their goalies being a weakness rather than a strength. One of the biggest common denominators of this team over the past 4 to 5 years is being the better team/carrying the play to start the game and their goalie lets in the first goal. It’s happened so many times it’s frustrating as a fan. This happened under MacDonald, hiller, ramo, elliott, and now smith. Not once for a full season during this rebuild has the starting goalie been anything close to an MVP for the team.
It must be even more frustrating as a player. It makes it so difficult to build momentum or to feel comfortable in the game. Even when you have a lead, it’s not safe because the goalies have constantly let in a goal that completely saps any momentum. For example, when the flames scored to make it 3-1 and then the canucks made it 4-1 almost immediately after that.
It’s why this team has a pattern of playing nervous/scared. I don’t know what the solution is because it’s a combination of having better goaltending and also breaking that nervous feeling the players and fans get from their goaltending.
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