Blocking Shots

[wjag]

During the playoff run last year, I made the statement that blocking all those shots as a style of play was going to kill us. I remember posting it during the Sens series and wondering aloud if that 'sacrifice your body' approach was smart hockey. Clearly blocking shots had the effect of attriting our team and shreading our defensemen.

 

My question is are they employing the same tactic this year? With McKee gone, are the boys jumping into the shooting lanes or diving in front of shots this year so far?

 

Bill

[hopeleslyobvious]

During the playoff run last year, I made the statement that blocking all those shots as a style of play was going to kill us. I remember posting it during the Sens series and wondering aloud if that 'sacrifice your body' approach was smart hockey. Clearly blocking shots had the effect of attriting our team and shreading our defensemen.

 

My question is are they employing the same tactic this year? With McKee gone, are the boys jumping into the shooting lanes or diving in front of shots this year so far?

 

Bill

 

Come on. McKee's Staph infection was related to a shot block, but it's not an every day occurrence. Tallinder broke his arm getting checked by Recchi...so nothing there, and Teppo's injuries had nothing to do with blocking shots.

[BuffalOhio]

Come on. McKee's Staph infection was related to a shot block, but it's not an every day occurrence. Tallinder broke his arm getting checked by Recchi...so nothing there, and Teppo's injuries had nothing to do with blocking shots.

 

Kalinin broke his ankle blocking a shot. Could be on to something here, but I still think it's the right thing to do.

 

To answer the question, yes, everyone is still stepping into the shooting lanes. Fewer shots equals fewer goals, usually.

[Stoner]

Kalinin broke his ankle being taken into the boards, not blocking a shot.

 

Am I crazy or did it seem like every other goal in the playoffs scored against us went in off one of our defenseman?

[wjag]

Come on. McKee's Staph infection was related to a shot block, but it's not an every day occurrence. Tallinder broke his arm getting checked by Recchi...so nothing there, and Teppo's injuries had nothing to do with blocking shots.

 

Here is what I dug up on a google search..

 

Bob McKenzie was interviewed on XM earlier and had just spoken to McKee's agent. They're not sure it's a staph infection, but apparently a cut received while block a shot in a previous round had gotten severely infected. He's been in bed and on IV antibiotics for the past 24 hrs. He'll attempt to get out of bed this afternoon, and if strong enough, hop the owner's plane for the afternoon trip to Raleigh.

 

Call me crazy, but a bunch of little wounds add up especially during the playoff run of nearly every other night games.....

[BetweenThePipes00]

What is the alternative? Tell guys to get out of the way and let the goalie face 50 shots a game? Carolina blocked a ton of shots last year in the playoffs too, and they won the Cup.

The Sabres fell victim to some freak injuries, but the answer is not to stop playing the game and avoid contact. Blocking shots is part of the game, not just for the Sabres but for everyone. Miller broke his thumb in practice last season ... if that had happened a week before the playoffs, would you have suggested the goalies face no shots in practice because someone could get hurt? Injuries are part of the game. It's a physical sport and if you try to avoid contact, with pucks or other players, you won't win anything.

[wjag]

Blocking shots is part of the game, not just for the Sabres but for everyone. Miller broke his thumb in practice last season ... if that had happened a week before the playoffs, would you have suggested the goalies face no shots in practice because someone could get hurt?

 

No.. I think I recognize that blocking shots is a strategy and that injuries will occur. My point was the Sabres blocked more shots than anyone else, especially in the playoffs. They pushed the opposition to the outside and forced longer range shots as a deliberate strategy. I can't say that this was effective as I agree with PASabreFan that several critical goals went in when they caroomed off of defensemen near the goal. Not sure any other strategy wouldn't have produced those goals as well, but it did seem like the opposition just fired shots at our guys and hoped that either they got bruised or beaten on a rebound.

 

There are times in every game when dropping in front of a shooter makes complete sense and must be done. But take yourself back to the playoffs. The Sabres were flopping all over the ice or putting themselves between each and every shot they could get to last year. In my opinion, they didn't need to do that each and everytime it occurred. They became punching bags for the other team and had to be completely black and blue by the end if not broken.

[inkman]

Am I crazy or did it seem like every other goal in the playoffs scored against us went in off one of our defenseman?

 

It sure as hell felt that way. Not that it mattered but it also felt like Jay was deflecting in his fair share.

[X. Benedict]

Give me a team that blocks shots.

I love it.

Blocking shots won the Ottawa series.

[BetweenThePipes00]

No.. I think I recognize that blocking shots is a strategy and that injuries will occur. My point was the Sabres blocked more shots than anyone else, especially in the playoffs. They pushed the opposition to the outside and forced longer range shots as a deliberate strategy. I can't say that this was effective as I agree with PASabreFan that several critical goals went in when they caroomed off of defensemen near the goal. Not sure any other strategy wouldn't have produced those goals as well, but it did seem like the opposition just fired shots at our guys and hoped that either they got bruised or beaten on a rebound.

There are times in every game when dropping in front of a shooter makes complete sense and must be done. But take yourself back to the playoffs. The Sabres were flopping all over the ice or putting themselves between each and every shot they could get to last year. In my opinion, they didn't need to do that each and everytime it occurred. They became punching bags for the other team and had to be completely black and blue by the end if not broken.

 

I just can't wrap my head around any argument that suggests forcing lower-percentage shots and putting MORE obstacles between those shots and the goal is bad. Yes, there will be bad bounces, but those are going to happen anyway. Hecht's goal the other night was a "bad bounce" for the Rangers, but if the defenseman stands there an watches the pass go to Pomminstein, it ends up in the net anyway and he gets ripped, and rightfully so.

 

If you have guys standing around thinking they better not get in the way, all of a sudden you have a tentative team one step behind in its own end and teams are making pretty plays against you all night.

[wjag]

I guess I would have preferred a different style than was played last year. And I say that fully recognizing how successful it was. But I think that success came at a huge price. Sitting in the defensive zone, blocking shot after shot for 14 of 20 minutes per period drove me nuts. The style was to play for an odd man break instead of trying to play keep away in the offensive zone. The net results (as it seemed to me) was that we only got the puck back when we stepped into a passing lane or sacrificed the body to stop a shot. I think that sacrifice took a big toll on the Sabres. Did we need to do it? I don't know, Carolina didn't do it. Edmonton was probably number two in blocked shots. Didn't work for them either.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I guess I would have preferred a different style than was played last year. And I say that fully recognizing how successful it was. But I think that success came at a huge price. Sitting in the defensive zone, blocking shot after shot for 14 of 20 minutes per period drove me nuts. The style was to play for an odd man break instead of trying to play keep away in the offensive zone. The net results (as it seemed to me) was that we only got the puck back when we stepped into a passing lane or sacrificed the body to stop a shot. I think that sacrifice took a big toll on the Sabres. Did we need to do it? I don't know, Carolina didn't do it. Edmonton was probably number two in blocked shots. Didn't work for them either.

 

Two of the last 3 teams left standing and it didn't work? Not to mention Carolina DID block a ton of shots also, especially their forwards on shots from the point. Their whole game was (and still is) collapsing all 5 guys down low and giving you shots from the outside. yeah you get defletcions like the Sabres did in the opener, but fewer quality chances against ... and it DID work for them. Of the top 12 shot blockers in the playoffs, 6 were Hurricanes and the other 6 were Oilers or Sabres. They ALL did it, not just the teams that came up short.

 

You seem to be arguing that the Sabres should have played more dump and chase and cycled the puck more ... and that's fine, except they are not built for that. They have smallish forwards who take enough of a beating over the long haul. If they would have not played transition and played old-school grind it out hockey, maybe it's the forwards who get hurt from all the banging by bigger defensemen, and then what? Then we wonder why they did not play to their strengths and why they played a style that made it easier for their guys to get hurt.

 

That series was lost when they got shut out on home ice in Game 4 (when they were still healthy) and then lost a very winnable game in OT in Game 5. It wasn't because they played the wrong style, the same one that won them 63 games last season. I believe the Sabres were the better team and woudl have won Game 7 if healthy, but they did not play like the better team in Games 4 and 5 when they were still mostly healthy, and that's why they lost.

[norfend]

I guess I would have preferred a different style than was played last year. And I say that fully recognizing how successful it was. But I think that success came at a huge price. Sitting in the defensive zone, blocking shot after shot for 14 of 20 minutes per period drove me nuts. The style was to play for an odd man break instead of trying to play keep away in the offensive zone. The net results (as it seemed to me) was that we only got the puck back when we stepped into a passing lane or sacrificed the body to stop a shot. I think that sacrifice took a big toll on the Sabres. Did we need to do it? I don't know, Carolina didn't do it. Edmonton was probably number two in blocked shots. Didn't work for them either.

 

Actually, as qouted here in an ESPN column from last years playoffs, Carolina blocking shots was the difference in the Stanley Cup Finals...

 

Scroll down a bit to Block Party Subheading

[hopeleslyobvious]

Here is what I dug up on a google search..

 

Bob McKenzie was interviewed on XM earlier and had just spoken to McKee's agent. They're not sure it's a staph infection, but apparently a cut received while block a shot in a previous round had gotten severely infected. He's been in bed and on IV antibiotics for the past 24 hrs. He'll attempt to get out of bed this afternoon, and if strong enough, hop the owner's plane for the afternoon trip to Raleigh.

 

Call me crazy, but a bunch of little wounds add up especially during the playoff run of nearly every other night games.....

 

Ok, well I'm not a doctor, so you might want to get some expert medical advice on this one. I am not arguing with you about the fact that if a player gets a cut blocking a shot it can get infected. But I think if you cut yourself in some other manner, it can get infected too!!

[wjag]

Actually, as qouted here in an ESPN column from last years playoffs, Carolina blocking shots was the difference in the Stanley Cup Finals...

 

Scroll down a bit to Block Party Subheading

 

Wow... Thanks for the article. Certainly didn't seem that way to me, but there it is.

[That Aud Smell]

it is a bit of a cost-benefit analysis, to be sure, and there are risks on both sides of the equation.

 

should you stay out of the shooting lanes and, potentially, feel better and fresher come may and june, and, in so doing, risk that you won't even be playing at that point because your goalie faced 40 shots a few too many times?

 

or should you get into the shooting lanes and, potentially, get worn down and even injured come may and june, and, in so doing, quite possibly ensure that your team will still be playing at that point (with or without you)?

 

from my perspective, there's no debate: players have to get in the lanes, block some shots, take their chances and hope for the best. (easy for me to say, from my desk here at work.)

[DR HOLLIDAY]

You want your team to play with courage and no fear...........You don't want them to play like the rangers............ B-)

[Raelity]

Here is what I dug up on a google search..

 

Bob McKenzie was interviewed on XM earlier and had just spoken to McKee's agent. They're not sure it's a staph infection, but apparently a cut received while block a shot in a previous round had gotten severely infected. He's been in bed and on IV antibiotics for the past 24 hrs. He'll attempt to get out of bed this afternoon, and if strong enough, hop the owner's plane for the afternoon trip to Raleigh.

 

Call me crazy, but a bunch of little wounds add up especially during the playoff run of nearly every other night games.....

On top of the cut being aggravated, I remember reading a detailed article that said McKee insisted on wearing the same (very) old shin pads, dating back to his early days in hockey. Some kind of superstition thing. Imagine trying to heal a wound under nasty old sweaty pads!

 

I don't think we "wore out" in the playoffs on defense because of the blocked shots. We just had a bunch of unrelated, unlucky breaks (injuries) that happened to wipe out our defense. Odds of something freakish like that happening again are tiny. I wouldn't worry about that type thing preventing us from winning the cup this year. There's all kinds of other things that could happen of course - it is damn tough to get even as far as we did two years in a row. Hopefully we get a little of lady luck shining on on this year for once - odds also say eventually that happens!

[Alaska Darin]

The playoffs is a war of attrition every season. Blocking shots is the least of our worries in that regard.