RK’s system: What is it and does it work?

[dudacek]

53 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

They also started getting below the D and moving the puck quicker east/west.  Amazing what happens when you force the PKers out of their box with quick puck movement.

Definitely. They are moving pucks along the end boards more, almost like they would be if they were cycling at even strength

44 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I agree with all of this. I does seem to come with a little bit more risk, though. With only the one guy at the blue line, I see us giving up more shorthanded chances.

Probably.

I was impressed yesterday though how the guy on the half wall would gum things up just enough for one guy to rotate behind him to protect against the breakout and a second guy in to support the puck.

[SwampD]

8 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Definitely. They are moving pucks along the end boards more, almost like they would be if they were cycling at even strength

Probably.

I was impressed yesterday though how the guy on the half wall would gum things up just enough for one guy to rotate behind him to protect against the breakout and a second guy in to support the puck.

It was during the transitions from one side of the ice to the other. Our guy would have the puck at the center of the blue line, and just before everyone else finished shifting, leaving him isolated with two opposing players on either side of him and between every other player.

Made me a little nervous every time.

[Taro T]

15 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think people are underestimating the time it is going to take for all teams to get into daily rhythm.

And in this case, the Flyers had won two easy games and were about to play a team they had no reason to take seriously.

They will give us a better effort tomorrow.

The Phlyers were also without Couturier for the 1st time last night.

Will be interesting to see if missing him continues.  Will also be interesting to see how (more accurately, if) having Elliott in instead of Hart will effect their style of play.

Hoping that the Eichel line flying boosts the energy level for the 2nd line.  The 3rd & 4th lines seem to arrive with their own energy, but even they can be built up after watching a 1 full minute cycle.

[pi2000]

IMO the win last night was more due to Philly being flat than a "confirmation" of the system.

The defensive zone play is still atrocious, with even the slightest amount of puck luck, Philly gets 3 or 4 past Hutton.

Until the defensive zone play improves I'll remain skeptical. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

19 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

IMO the win last night was more due to Philly being flat than a "confirmation" of the system.

The defensive zone play is still atrocious, with even the slightest amount of puck luck, Philly gets 3 or 4 past Hutton.

Until the defensive zone play improves I'll remain skeptical. 

Fair.  Although they did a better job of getting puck out of the zone most of the game.

[dudacek]

49 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

IMO the win last night was more due to Philly being flat than a "confirmation" of the system.

The defensive zone play is still atrocious, with even the slightest amount of puck luck, Philly gets 3 or 4 past Hutton.

Until the defensive zone play improves I'll remain skeptical. 

 

28 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Fair.  Although they did a better job of getting puck out of the zone most of the game.

You can’t be talking about last night. 
They allowed 22 shots and minimal stretches of zone pressure.

[Thorner]

Read this just now and thought it was a great observation, wanted to share it:

 

 

[dudacek]

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Read this just now and thought it was a great observation, wanted to share it:

 

 

Agreed. After a shakey first game, we are getting Risto mostly used properly and at his best IMO.

And McCabe over four games has been the Sabres best defender.

Edited January 21, 2021 by dudacek

[dudacek]

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Read this just now and thought it was a great observation, wanted to share it:

 

 

And for those asking ^^^ is Ralph's system in action.

[Thorner]

Agreed. It's exceptionally relieving to know, if used properly, Risto is an actual asset. I'd suspect quite a valuable one, if we made the playoffs. Now that there is precedent being established for how he should be used, if we don't let it go back to the old ways, it's truly a massive step towards just the ability to contend, IMO. 

McCabe has been a bit of a revelation but, like that chart I posted a week or so ago, all of his advanced stuff has been coming around for a while, honestly. He's a guy who's a great fit with Ralph, from what I can tell. 

Dahlin continues progressing and takes over 1LD and we are in business on that side. No problem with Risto and Miller in 2/3 roles.

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

And for those asking ^^^ is Ralph's system in action.

Good call. 

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

Agreed. It's exceptionally relieving to know, if used properly, Risto is an actual asset. I'd suspect quite a valuable one, if we made the playoffs. Now that there is precedent being established for how he should be used, if we don't let it go back to the old ways, it's truly a massive step towards just the ability to content, IMO. 

McCabe has been a bit of a revelation but, like that chart I posted a week or so ago, all of his advanced stuff has been coming around for a while, honestly. He's a guy who's a great fit with Ralph, from what I can tell. 

Dahlin continues progressing and takes over 1LD and we are in business on that side. No problem with Risto and Miller in 2/3 roles.

And I do agree. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Thorny

[Thorner]

It's also nice to know, for those arguing for years that a usage change would open doors, that the proof thus far has been in the pudding. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 hours ago, Thorny said:

Read this just now and thought it was a great observation, wanted to share it:

 

 

Marty discussed this during the broadcast.

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Marty discussed this during the broadcast.

Good for my man Marty but I don't usually watch the intermission stuff as I'm usually hitting the fridge for a beer or hitting the pipe. 

[LGR4GM]

Sabres shot quality isn't great. 

 

[LGR4GM]

Basically the short version through 4 games is that Buffalo's expected goals for is good, they have gotten unlucky, their shot quality isn't great, but they also do not allow a lot of quality against. 

AKA, we have gotten unlucky and our goaltending sucks. 

[jsb]

40 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Basically the short version through 4 games is that Buffalo's expected goals for is good, they have gotten unlucky, their shot quality isn't great, but they also do not allow a lot of quality against. 

AKA, we have gotten unlucky and our goaltending sucks. 

Thanks for the interpretation, I didn't have a clue what I was looking at.

[SwampD]

49 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Basically the short version through 4 games is that Buffalo's expected goals for is good, they have gotten unlucky, their shot quality isn't great, but they also do not allow a lot of quality against. 

AKA, we have gotten unlucky and our goaltending sucks. 

I wonder where our xG would be without Skinner, though. Man, he gets a lot of point blank chances. I can’t believe he hasn’t  scored yet.

[Stoner]

7 hours ago, Thorny said:

Good for my man Marty but I don't usually watch the intermission stuff as I'm usually hitting the fridge for a beer or hitting the pipe. 

You've been watching the Sabres too long.

[Weave]

 

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

You've been watching the Sabres too long.

Ba dum, tsh!

[bunomatic]

Its time for results Ralphy boy. You’ve got 2 points. And according to you thats from playing the ‘right’ way. I’d hate to see results from playing the ‘wrong’ way. 😉

[Kruppstahl]

A big part of his system seems to be all about hiding the $9 million sniper/finisher named Skinner, usually on the 4th line, and seeing how fast you can destroy his will to play hockey while removing all of his production from the team.

Ralph has proven for quite a while now that he is an expert at this strategy, and it's very effective.

 

 

[Kruppstahl]

10 hours ago, bunomatic said:

Its time for results Ralphy boy. You’ve got 2 points. And according to you thats from playing the ‘right’ way. I’d hate to see results from playing the ‘wrong’ way. 😉

With the games coming fast and furious in this shortened season, and with our new division lineup, we should be out of a playoff spot in February. 

Then the trade deadline and the sell-off of Hall comes later in April.

Season ends a month later, and that's when Ralph will get the ax.   I think.

 

 

 

[SwampD]

21 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

With the games coming fast and furious in this shortened season, and with our new division lineup, we should be out of a playoff spot in February. 

Then the trade deadline and the sell-off of Hall comes later in April.

Season ends a month later, and that's when Ralph will get the ax.   I think.

 

 

 

Or, we win the next two and are tied with the Caps.

[LGR4GM]

On 1/21/2021 at 9:17 AM, jsb said:

Thanks for the interpretation, I didn't have a clue what I was looking at.

Basically speaking the underlying numbers except sv% and shot quality for are good. 

PDO (luck) will regress towards the mean as the season goes on so I don't really worry about that much.

[Curt]

43 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

With the games coming fast and furious in this shortened season, and with our new division lineup, we should be out of a playoff spot in February. 

Then the trade deadline and the sell-off of Hall comes later in April.

Season ends a month later, and that's when Ralph will get the ax.   I think.

Has anyone ever been able to divine so much from watching 4 hockey games?  I think not.