Sabres Fan in NS Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 She turned me into a newt! She's a witch!! Burn her!! Quote
WildCard Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 I went back and watched Miller's performance from last night and I noticed something really odd. On every goal Miller is beaten on, he isn't in the butterfly. Even on the breakaway chance by Sharp in the 2nd OT he's not in it. Now we've seen Miller for years here, and he is the epitome of a butterfly style goalie: everything is systematic and he relies having the right angle on the right moment. I'm not saying he wasn't in it at all during the game, but the difference from when is is and when he isn't is pretty apparent. Quote
MattPie Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 She's a witch!! Burn her!! Only if she floats. (Loving the MP lately) Quote
Weave Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 I went back and watched Miller's performance from last night and I noticed something really odd. On every goal Miller is beaten on, he isn't in the butterfly. Even on the breakaway chance by Sharp in the 2nd OT he's not in it. Now we've seen Miller for years here, and he is the epitome of a butterfly style goalie: everything is systematic and he relies having the right angle on the right moment. I'm not saying he wasn't in it at all during the game, but the difference from when is is and when he isn't is pretty apparent. Hitch has him playing differently. They want him in closer and not challenging. I have no idea if it affects when/if he goes into butterfly but it sure might. Quote
X. Benedict Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 She's a witch!! Burn her!! Anyone got a duck? Quote
X. Benedict Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 I went back and watched Miller's performance from last night and I noticed something really odd. On every goal Miller is beaten on, he isn't in the butterfly. Even on the breakaway chance by Sharp in the 2nd OT he's not in it. Now we've seen Miller for years here, and he is the epitome of a butterfly style goalie: everything is systematic and he relies having the right angle on the right moment. I'm not saying he wasn't in it at all during the game, but the difference from when is is and when he isn't is pretty apparent. They are asking Miller to take the reads differently - in Buffalo, Miller usually had shooter and he'd play high in the crease taking angles away. in St. Louis they want him to take pass, and he's back farther in the crease to back the play coming at him. Or at least that's what I think I'm seeing. Quote
... Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 They are asking Miller to take the reads differently - in Buffalo, Miller usually had shooter and he'd play high in the crease taking angles away. in St. Louis they want him to take pass, and he's back farther in the crease to back the play coming at him. Or at least that's what I think I'm seeing. Something like that for sure. I noticed his style had changed since after the first week with the Blues. I thought it was maybe just the life upheaval, but it makes sense he was forced to change his approach. Explains a lot. Quote
dEnnis the Menace Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 why would a team ask a top end goalie to change his style with so little time left in the season though? I cannot argue that he looked like he was taking a different approach at times, but last night, after the 1st 3 goals, he seemed like the same old Miller. It's more of an open ended question. it doesn't make sense to me to ask someone who has been doing it as long as Miller to change their style. Quote
X. Benedict Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) why would a team ask a top end goalie to change his style with so little time left in the season though? I cannot argue that he looked like he was taking a different approach at times, but last night, after the 1st 3 goals, he seemed like the same old Miller. It's more of an open ended question. it doesn't make sense to me to ask someone who has been doing it as long as Miller to change their style. The Goalie is part of the defense, St. Louis has a great defense, so they want their D to challenge every shot. In Buffalo the last D usually took the pass away, asking Miller to take the shooter....So Miller has less time to come out now in St. Louis. Really it is easier to ask the goalie to stay back rather than overhaul the approach that the D has been using all year. Easier to have one goalie adjust than change the style of 7 skaters. Edited April 18, 2014 by X. Benedict Quote
Sabres Fan in NS Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 Only if she floats. (Loving the MP lately) MP ... :unsure: Quote
dEnnis the Menace Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 The Goalie is part of the defense, St. Louis has a great defense, so they want their D to challenge every shot. In Buffalo the last D usually took the pass away, asking Miller to take the shooter....So Miller has less time to come out now in St. Louis. Really it is easier to ask the goalie to stay back rather than overhaul the approach that the D has been using all year. Easier to have one goalie adjust than change the style of 7 skaters. Gotcha. Makes sense. Thanks!! Quote
WildCard Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 The Goalie is part of the defense, St. Louis has a great defense, so they want their D to challenge every shot. In Buffalo the last D usually took the pass away, asking Miller to take the shooter....So Miller has less time to come out now in St. Louis. Really it is easier to ask the goalie to stay back rather than overhaul the approach that the D has been using all year. Easier to have one goalie adjust than change the style of 7 skaters. This and a few explanations would explain a lot. I can't argue with the success St.Louis' D has had this year, but that approach just confuses me. I feel like the forwards and D can still challenge the shots, but focus more on the pass while Miller takes sole focus on the shots. That system may have been necessary with a lesser goalie like Halak/Elliot where you need to minimize exposure on your goalie, but Miller can make those saves that they can't, so I say let them shoot away at him and let him focus on that. Plus, I just don't get how a goalie should ever focus on the pass. Usual passes through the crease, at least on 2-1's, are almost never saved, and the other ones (i.e. crowded crease) are just reaction saves the goalie makes. Also, if the D are supposed to focus on taking the shot away, why does it always seem to be that Miller has no room in his crease to view the puck? And it's usually Blues' D in there getting in his way Quote
X. Benedict Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 This and a few explanations would explain a lot. I can't argue with the success St.Louis' D has had this year, but that approach just confuses me. I feel like the forwards and D can still challenge the shots, but focus more on the pass while Miller takes sole focus on the shots. That system may have been necessary with a lesser goalie like Halak/Elliot where you need to minimize exposure on your goalie, but Miller can make those saves that they can't, so I say let them shoot away at him and let him focus on that. Plus, I just don't get how a goalie should ever focus on the pass. Usual passes through the crease, at least on 2-1's, are almost never saved, and the other ones (i.e. crowded crease) are just reaction saves the goalie makes. Also, if the D are supposed to focus on taking the shot away, why does it always seem to be that Miller has no room in his crease to view the puck? And it's usually Blues' D in there getting in his way He's never focusing purely on the pass...of course his job is to try to stop any shot.....they just don't want him fronting the shot as much by coming out to the top of his crease especially if the defensemen attacks shooter. St. Louis wants an aggressive defense to challenge the shooter, or erase the shooter so the shot is never taken. So Miller's responsibility is more on the back end of the play, where in Buffalo they wanted Miller to see the shot and treated any visible shot as a turnover. (well at least until this year's ineptness settled in). Basically it is a percentages game on some levels. Miller won't be asked to make as many saves, especially with a lead, but he'll have less time to challenge and stand farther back in the crease. That's just how I see it. Just my thoughts. Quote
qwksndmonster Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 Great stuff. I'll try to notice Miller's positioning more when I watch the next game. Quote
WildCard Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 He's never focusing purely on the pass...of course his job is to try to stop any shot.....they just don't want him fronting the shot as much by coming out to the top of his crease especially if the defensemen attacks shooter. St. Louis wants an aggressive defense to challenge the shooter, or erase the shooter so the shot is never taken. So Miller's responsibility is more on the back end of the play, where in Buffalo they wanted Miller to see the shot and treated any visible shot as a turnover. (well at least until this year's ineptness settled in). Basically it is a percentages game on some levels. Miller won't be asked to make as many saves, especially with a lead, but he'll have less time to challenge and stand farther back in the crease. That's just how I see it. Just my thoughts. I agree with your assessment on what the Blue's are doing, I just see Miller being better in a different approach. I'm not saying abandon defense entirely like the Sabres did, but I think he works best when he takes charge of the scenario rather than being the second line of defense. Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 I agree with your assessment on what the Blue's are doing, I just see Miller being better in a different approach. I'm not saying abandon defense entirely like the Sabres did, but I think he works best when he takes charge of the scenario rather than being the second line of defense. Great last page here, and I especially agree with this. It seems the Blues' D was designed with only an adequate goaltender in mind, and I'm not sure it's the right approach with Miller. That said, overhauling a defensive system isn't exactly something you do a few weeks before the playoffs, so it makes sense they'd rather have Miller adjust. Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 Monty Python. Incredibly overrated. Yea, I said it. Quote
Sabres Fan in NS Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 Monty Python. Duh, on me. And I was in on it too. Incredibly overrated. Yea, I said it. He's a witch!! Burn him!! Quote
X. Benedict Posted April 18, 2014 Report Posted April 18, 2014 Incredibly overrated. Yea, I said it. Incontnentia Buttocks!!! Quote
darksabre Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Posted April 18, 2014 Incredibly overrated. Yea, I said it. We can't be friends anymore. Quote
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