GrassValleyGreg

Big eastern stretch coming up. After Minnesota, Leafs at home at Sens at Bruins Sens at home Devils at home at Devils With another well-played game at Minny, we'll return home with some confidence for Nylanders and Matthews first in THE KEY.

I'm happy the irony was not lost, although my reaction to a two game win streak was solely to highlight the short-sightedness of the reactions by the reactionaries that came before. In reality, the constant negativity including tank talk, firing of head coach, etc. after the first four games (after losing best player with 10 minutes left in final preseason practice, missing our top FA acquisition to start the season, losing our best forechecker (maybe in league) and second fastest skater) was a drag on GDT. Hope a little streak turns that around and we can can return to some actual substantive analysis and critique. And wrong how? Because we don't have the wild card tie breaker after 8 games. Come on.

Haha kudos to the reactionary posters for raising this strategic insight that has turned the early season around. Nothing to be said about players who've never played with one another getting some time together. Or the fact that we outplayed teams in three of our losses. And there's different levels of reactionaries. You, Flagg, actually do offer some insight with your early season negativity. -- Every game that goes by, the better that Risto deal looks. He's looked wholly sound in his own end and is jumping the zone and possessing much more this season, a la his under 18 performances.

To the overwhelming number of reactionary posters who draw conclusions from 4 of 82 games, we are now tied for the wild card. How does that fit into your doomsday prognostications?

Mason closing it up real quick. Nice to have a 38% shooter in Ok.

Hope thats a very small group.

Seriously. I guess Buffalo fans just find more joy in commiseration. Tough pill to swallow but you guys are going to have to adjust expectations a bit without are two most dynamic players. Came out playing a solid road game. Unfortunately we came apart. Let's get the other point now.

Haha ashamed of them? Clearly holding arm but that's tough to overturn.

After a really smart play. Too bad. But I agree with Flagg, not as bad as the announcers making it out to be. Damn, let's win this for Nilsson.

Ahhhh. Got it. Tough in the GDT context. Yea, Russians (especially the young ones) like Pov notorious for blatant dives.

What a Russian dive Povorov. No place for that in the game.

Meaning you thought that throughout the road trip? Really didn't see that at all. Thought he was one of our best players, if not our best.

We have some very cerebral players but our overall team intelligence is dragged down by Caveman Bogo. He has a good physical feel for the game but no mind for it.

Hopefully he'll be off the PP1 sooner rather than later. Nice to have some confidence back. ROR stick handling on that PP was a thing of beauty. And yes, far far and away Enos best play so far. Good to see.

Bet Eich has a big old smile on his face too.

Love how some boomers now default to a generational divide in argument. The fact you bring up bigots/liars/scoundrels is quite telling. Surprised to see he was third star. Maybe a little home town love? Definitely got better as the game wore on but still don't even think he was best player on his line. Happy to hear your observation of him being a force though. I know Mouls has been solid, but I'd like to see Sam in front of goalie a bit more on PP (him not front and center just another indirect impact of Eich's absence).

Damn man, great in-person scouting report. Thanks. And couldn't agree more with each observation. I'm hoping the team will use the long break and return home as a sort of reset. They can look back at this odd short, early-season western road trip as nothing more than a false start. I think our top 3 will only get stronger (especially with ROR getting some wind and Ok getting more time) and along with it, our PP1 will start flowing like in Edmonton. Depth is the issue obviously but we have the smarts and physicality to keep our heads above water before help arrives. Long season ahead. Here's to some optimism in a sea of doubt.

Huh?

ROR/Reino/KO have shown dominant possessions. And we are missing 67% of a second line. Foligno-Gio-Lars have shown well, especially for a third line. I stress we are four games in. And missing two of the fastest skaters in the league including our superstar. Please let's not make this situation more painful by being all negative and gloomy so quick into the season (edit: this isn't just to you Flagg, but to all calling for DD's head, or calling for a tank (for Christ's sake)).

Agree but long rest coming up. A point there and you could argue that was a successful western swing (even though we're a better team than two of those squads as is, and the other when we are full go). And I gotta say, that was ROR's worst performance of the season. Still one of the best players on ice, but didn't quite have his usual game going. (Edit: corroborating Thorny's eval) Take this five-day break to work on a few things and come back with a winnable game against the Flyers. Final Edit: We are a much better team than the Canucks. We outplayed them hands down tonight. If you watched the game, you should come away with the same conclusion.

Feel better man. Might be a third-liner (a perfect one if that) but he is also our second most dynamic player. We have the smarts on display. We need a lil spice. And we'll get it before you know it. West coaster here. Couldn't imagine staying up for that entire game on EST. Kudos to those who did. For once, advantage us.

Bummer. Have to get a point against a bad team. At least we outplayed them in an overall ugly game.

Noticed that. Thanks. Haha. Has not been good so far unfortunately.

Make em pay for that. Brutal.

Damn dude, downer tonight.