SwampD Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 3 hours ago, ... said: So I was wondering to myself after the game what is it that was different about last night's effort versus the effort in Boston. We had Zegmus and Hutton, I think those were the only roster changes. Different look to some of the lines. What I did notice early on, and I noted it by saying in this thread something like "mid-season road game for NJ", was that NJ was not hitting the Sabres. The difference in the physical game between Boston and NJ is very stark - Boston brings the heavy. Something I noticed lately, after the 10 game streak, is that when a team brings the heavy against the Sabres - the forwards crumble. Our D can handle it, I think, because we don't get blown-out, but our forwards can't. That has to be "the book" on this team and I think last night's game was a pretty good test against that. I agree and I've been saying it for months. We need more size up front. 1 Quote
inkman Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Samson's Flow said: A Messy balls sighting! Damn. They weren't for the faint of heart or anyone wanting to see anything above ECHL level hockey. Quote
Weave Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 4 minutes ago, SwampD said: I agree and I've been saying it for months. We need more size up front. I think we’ll get away with it in the regular season but it will be very evident in the playoffs. There. I said it. Quote
inkman Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 7 minutes ago, SwampD said: I agree and I've been saying it for months. We need more size up front. Not that I disagree but what small guys are we taking out of the lineup for these biggons. Quote
darksabre Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 I don't know if size is necessarily the answer. I think it's more that they need to solve the teams that play a heavy game by line-matching and playing at a fast enough pace that the grind you down style isn't effective. That means making quicker decisions with the puck. I think the lack of talent and experience on the roster tends to hamper their ability to overcome the physical stylings of a team like the Bruins. I also think Phil's stated disinterest in line-matching is contributing there as well. 1 Quote
Samson's Flow Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, Weave said: I think we’ll get away with it in the regular season but it will be very evident in the playoffs. There. I said it. Especially since the playoffs are when the hooking and interference calls go away - at least so I've heard. Quote
inkman Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Based on a quick look at the roster we'd be looking at taking the following players out of the lineup. Pominville, Sheary, Rodrigues, Larsson, Sabotka. The rest have decent size or are Jeff Skinner. Quote
Huckleberry Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, inkman said: Based on a quick look at the roster we'd be looking at taking the following players out of the lineup. Pominville, Sheary, Rodrigues, Larsson, Sabotka. The rest have decent size or are Jeff Skinner. I like his play to much, he gets under the skin of the other teams. 1 Quote
That Aud Smell Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 6 minutes ago, darksabre said: I don't know if size is necessarily the answer. I think it's more that they need to solve the teams that play a heavy game by line-matching and playing at a fast enough pace that the grind you down style isn't effective. That means making quicker decisions with the puck. I think the lack of talent and experience on the roster tends to hamper their ability to overcome the physical stylings of a team like the Bruins. I also think Phil's stated disinterest in line-matching is contributing there as well. TBL and TOR are both pretty smallish teams. 1 Quote
... Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 2 minutes ago, inkman said: Based on a quick look at the roster we'd be looking at taking the following players out of the lineup. Pominville, Sheary, Rodrigues, Larsson, Sabotka. The rest have decent size or are Jeff Skinner. I think that list makes sense, except Angry Larry. I think he manages just fine. I would be far more worried about Mitts and Pilut. Dahlin evades every big check, so he's fine. I don't think Mitts does and he's one of the guys who concerns me the most during a heavy game. He, Sheary and Pilut. ERod can take the hit, but I think during a heavy game he seems to stretch out as far as possible to poke/stick check. Pominville still plays a soft game, but I have seen him lay a few solid hits this season, which surprised me. Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Not sure why Pilut would concern you. He doesn't seem to take crap from anyone out there. Quote
darksabre Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 2 minutes ago, inkman said: Based on a quick look at the roster we'd be looking at taking the following players out of the lineup. Pominville, Sheary, Rodrigues, Larsson, Sabotka. The rest have decent size or are Jeff Skinner. I'm actually fine with Sheary, E-Rod and Larsson for the time being. Even Pominville is reasonably responsible with the puck. Skabotka though. His passes are maybe the worst on the team when he's under pressure. He just fires the puck to wherever. Quote
Doohicksie Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 6 minutes ago, LGR4GM said: Not sure why Pilut would concern you. He doesn't seem to take crap from anyone out there. Still, he's small by NHL D standards. He seems to have that same spark that Angry Larry has though; he's no wilting violet. Quote
SwampD Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 20 minutes ago, Weave said: I think we’ll get away with it in the regular season but it will be very evident in the playoffs. There. I said it. Yep. Just like in '05-'07. Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, SwampD said: Yep. Just like in '05-'07. lol, not even remotely accurate IMPO. Quote
... Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, Doohickie said: Still, he's small by NHL D standards. He seems to have that same spark that Angry Larry has though; he's no wilting violet. I'm not concerned by small guys. It's a combination of factors. In the case of Pilut, his small size is only an issue if he gets hit. I think he plays a great game with the right partner, but we've seen him taken off his game with the wrong one (Dahlin). I think he needs more experience in heavy NHL games to get a taste for it and for us to see how he responds to that environment. I'm perfectly willing to not be concerned, but I need to see more of him first. Quote
SwampD Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, LGR4GM said: lol, not even remotely accurate IMPO. The rules change in the playoffs. They always have. They always will. Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 1 minute ago, SwampD said: The rules change in the playoffs. They always have. They always will. Not what I disagree about. We didn't lose either of those playoffs because we lacked "toughness" or "size". Quote
SwampD Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, LGR4GM said: Not what I disagree about. We didn't lose either of those playoffs because we lacked "toughness" or "size". We absolutely lost to Ottawa for that very reason. And jftr, I'm translating "toughness" and "size" to mean playing a tighter checking, more physical game. The same thing we disagreed about a week or so when I brought up the same thing that @... brought up. Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Every team ups their game in the playoffs. This team isn't going to lose a playoff round because the other team checks harder. They might lose because the other team forechecks faster. Quote
SwampD Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, LGR4GM said: Every team ups their game in the playoffs. This team isn't going to lose a playoff round because the other team checks harder. They might lose because the other team forechecks faster. Not sure I agree with this either. Seems to me like entering their zone with possession has been a much bigger issue than leaving ours. Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 1 minute ago, SwampD said: Not sure I agree with this either. Seems to me like entering their zone with possession has been a much bigger issue than leaving ours. Zone exits and entries are different yet tied together. A strong forecheck does not have to win the puck but force the puck up the strong side so you can break up the entry. Quote
Taro T Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 32 minutes ago, LGR4GM said: Not sure why Pilut would concern you. He doesn't seem to take crap from anyone out there. Umm, would the answer be that he went out injured after only 6 NHL games? Quote
SwampD Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 Just now, LGR4GM said: Zone exits and entries are different yet tied together. A strong forecheck does not have to win the puck but force the puck up the strong side so you can break up the entry. That's the point though. What I've been saying and what @... said is that it often doesn't matter what side they enter, as soon as our forwards are met by the D, the entry's over. Quote
LGR4GM Posted January 9, 2019 Report Posted January 9, 2019 1 minute ago, SwampD said: That's the point though. What I've been saying and what @... said is that it often doesn't matter what side they enter, as soon as our forwards are met by the D, the entry's over. As soon as any entry is met by a defender it is over... because you have A entered the zone and B need to pass the puck. Quote
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