LabattBlue Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 The Sabres have won 10 games by 3+ goals this year, but only once since 12/18, which was the 7-2 victory in Phoenix on January 18th. This is a stretch where they have won 13 games. Lack of killer instinct? Slumping offense? Other thoughts?
MattPie Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 The Sabres have won 10 games by 3+ goals this year, but only once since 12/18, which was the 7-2 victory in Phoenix on January 18th. This is a stretch where they have won 13 games. Lack of killer instinct? Slumping offense? Other thoughts? Defense first after they have a lead?
Buffalo Fan Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 The Sabres have won 10 games by 3+ goals this year, but only once since 12/18, which was the 7-2 victory in Phoenix on January 18th. This is a stretch where they have won 13 games. Lack of killer instinct? Slumping offense? Other thoughts? Maybe other teams have figured them out.
SwampD Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 The Sabres have won 10 games by 3+ goals this year, but only once since 12/18, which was the 7-2 victory in Phoenix on January 18th. This is a stretch where they have won 13 games. Lack of killer instinct? Slumping offense? Other thoughts? Everyone finally buying into Lindy's system? :lol:
shrader Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 Defense first after they have a lead? Someone's going to have to do the math for me here, but I would guess that they haven't had too many leads during that time.
Eleven Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 ...are rare lately. (We're playing complete-the-sentence, right?)
R_Dudley Posted March 8, 2010 Report Posted March 8, 2010 Maybe other teams have figured them out. Definitely this. IMO a lot of teams were not seriously game planning early season. Once somebody figured a way to counter our puck possession team bring it up the ice style everyone copy catted it.(I forget exactly which game it was but I remember thinking we could be in trouble) We have problems with teams that counter our early strength/puck possesion out of the zone with pressure. They don't fire it or dump the puck fast to the backboards but slower to allow their forecheck time to get on and press our d usually with 2 man forecheck, not giving time to turn around and scan the ice for that first pass, when I see the blind passes on the boards I know we are in trouble. It seems we may be trying to counter that with more support/back check by our forwards which then jams a lot of player's between blue lines. Consequently we have not had as much open space for lead passes and a lot of trouble clearing our zone when forwards do not execute and/or gaining their zone at their blue line. Since teams have been doing this scoring for us is way down as a consequence of making us play this way. I recall being able to play games early season w/almost tic tac toe passes they were executing out of their zone, I recall marveling at how good they looked at the time executig it. Boy that seems like a long time ago. Everyone finally buying into Lindy's system? :lol: :D That would be funny except I believe their is some truth to this in that he may have changed the original early season system to account for the teams that have figured out how and have the right player's to expose our D.
tom webster Posted March 9, 2010 Report Posted March 9, 2010 Without doing the research, I would guess this is a league wide trend. As the season wears on, teams become more responsible.
static70 Posted March 9, 2010 Report Posted March 9, 2010 Definitely this. IMO a lot of teams were not seriously game planning early season. Once somebody figured a way to counter our puck possession team bring it up the ice style everyone copy catted it.(I forget exactly which game it was but I remember thinking we could be in trouble) We have problems with teams that counter our early strength/puck possesion out of the zone with pressure. They don't fire it or dump the puck fast to the backboards but slower to allow their forecheck time to get on and press our d usually with 2 man forecheck, not giving time to turn around and scan the ice for that first pass, when I see the blind passes on the boards I know we are in trouble. It seems we may be trying to counter that with more support/back check by our forwards which then jams a lot of player's between blue lines. Consequently we have not had as much open space for lead passes and a lot of trouble clearing our zone when forwards do not execute and/or gaining their zone at their blue line. Since teams have been doing this scoring for us is way down as a consequence of making us play this way. I recall being able to play games early season w/almost tic tac toe passes they were executing out of their zone, I recall marveling at how good they looked at the time executig it. Boy that seems like a long time ago. :D That would be funny except I believe their is some truth to this in that he may have changed the original early season system to account for the teams that have figured out how and have the right player's to expose our D. This would be the correct answer. Give Rick a Cigar folks, I too noticed almost immediately upon the first 2 or 3 games this has happened. The aggresive forecheck into our zone and the lack of player movement and positioning, not only in the nuetral zone, but below the blue line as well is cause for some very serious concern. To adjust, the forwards will need to move their legs and get positioning, this I put on Lindy's plate to solve, and he hasn't as of yet. I guess with that in mind, you have to wonder just how much confidence he has in the forwards. Are we looking at not only the exposure of the D's problems, but in actuallity, are we looking at a problem with the forwards.
SwampD Posted March 9, 2010 Report Posted March 9, 2010 Definitely this. IMO a lot of teams were not seriously game planning early season. Once somebody figured a way to counter our puck possession team bring it up the ice style everyone copy catted it.(I forget exactly which game it was but I remember thinking we could be in trouble) We have problems with teams that counter our early strength/puck possesion out of the zone with pressure. They don't fire it or dump the puck fast to the backboards but slower to allow their forecheck time to get on and press our d usually with 2 man forecheck, not giving time to turn around and scan the ice for that first pass, when I see the blind passes on the boards I know we are in trouble. It seems we may be trying to counter that with more support/back check by our forwards which then jams a lot of player's between blue lines. Consequently we have not had as much open space for lead passes and a lot of trouble clearing our zone when forwards do not execute and/or gaining their zone at their blue line. Since teams have been doing this scoring for us is way down as a consequence of making us play this way. I recall being able to play games early season w/almost tic tac toe passes they were executing out of their zone, I recall marveling at how good they looked at the time executig it. Boy that seems like a long time ago. :D That would be funny except I believe their is some truth to this in that he may have changed the original early season system to account for the teams that have figured out how and have the right player's to expose our D. This would be the correct answer. Give Rick a Cigar folks, I too noticed almost immediately upon the first 2 or 3 games this has happened. The aggresive forecheck into our zone and the lack of player movement and positioning, not only in the nuetral zone, but below the blue line as well is cause for some very serious concern. To adjust, the forwards will need to move their legs and get positioning, this I put on Lindy's plate to solve, and he hasn't as of yet. I guess with that in mind, you have to wonder just how much confidence he has in the forwards. Are we looking at not only the exposure of the D's problems, but in actuallity, are we looking at a problem with the forwards. Unfortunately, I was only half kidding (when I really think about it, I actually wasn't trying to be funny at all). A strong forecheck has always been the downfall of a Lindy team. This isn't a problem that we are seeing for the first time this year. The forwards too deep, giving up the boards,...it's the system. I want my team to beat the oher team. I don't want them just weather the storm.
Calvin Posted March 9, 2010 Report Posted March 9, 2010 ok.. a good one for all the strategists out there - what is the effective/appropriate method for a team to play against a strong forecheck? NB: the question is not "what are the Sabres not doing?"
Stoner Posted March 9, 2010 Report Posted March 9, 2010 I want to say there were early games against Toronto where the template was laid. Nothing new here. Lindy's team have always engineered Chinese fire drills in their own zone.
static70 Posted March 9, 2010 Report Posted March 9, 2010 I want to say there were early games against Toronto where the template was laid. Nothing new here. Lindy's team have always engineered Chinese fire drills in their own zone. Priceless :lol:
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