Powerplay struggling

[Bmwolf21]

According to the News the team has converted just 3 of their last 36 PP's - and one of those was a 5-on-3 against the Panthers. I know the team is still 10th in the league at just over 18% efficiency, but there is a lot of room for improvement, especially lately. To what do you attribute this power outage, and what would you like to see the team do better?

 

Personally, I think it's a couple things - teams have caught on to the Sabres' PP strategy, especially working to take away the shot when Pommer or Kotalik are on the point. I also think Hecht had it right when he said that the team seems to be looking for the pretty play rather than the practical one. Personally, I wish the Sabres had a true PP quarterback out there, someone who could man the point and distribute the puck (I shudder when I see Kalinin on the point for a PP) but I'd also like to see the Sabres try to work Pommer or Big Al into the high slot where they can get a quick shot from a little closer.

 

Thoughts?

[hopeleslyobvious]

According to the News the team has converted just 3 of their last 36 PP's - and one of those was a 5-on-3 against the Panthers. I know the team is still 10th in the league at just over 18% efficiency, but there is a lot of room for improvement, especially lately. To what do you attribute this power outage, and what would you like to see the team do better?

 

Personally, I think it's a couple things - teams have caught on to the Sabres' PP strategy, especially working to take away the shot when Pommer or Kotalik are on the point. I also think Hecht had it right when he said that the team seems to be looking for the pretty play rather than the practical one. Personally, I wish the Sabres had a true PP quarterback out there, someone who could man the point and distribute the puck (I shudder when I see Kalinin on the point for a PP) but I'd also like to see the Sabres try to work Pommer or Big Al into the high slot where they can get a quick shot from a little closer.

 

Thoughts?

 

I think it's kind of the same as last year when the PP struggled. Teams have caught on to the big shot from the point. I think the best solution is to put Campbell and Spacek on the points together, and put Kotalik or Pominville on a wing. It's easy for a team to neutralize one player's big shot. Not so easy to do it when there are 3 out there.

[Mr.Christopher]

I think it's kind of the same as last year when the PP struggled. Teams have caught on to the big shot from the point. I think the best solution is to put Campbell and Spacek on the points together, and put Kotalik or Pominville on a wing. It's easy for a team to neutralize one player's big shot. Not so easy to do it when there are 3 out there.

Good point.

 

Sometimes the Sabres seem to just keep holding onto the puck for way too long. They then try and force a pass to the other side and it ends up getting intercepted or blocked.

[Stoner]

We're already the highest scoring team in the league. Is there a point when you just can't score any more goals? I guess what I'm wondering is whether our increased scoring 5 on 5 (leading the league this year, sixth a year ago) has taken some of the urgeny out of the power play?

[drnkirishone]

I've said it before bad bad passing. The powerplay just shows it more. Bad passes + bad decisions = bad powerplay

[Corp000085]

PA, i think you're onto something. With the 5-on-5 being so efficient throughout the season, the team doesn't really rely on the PP. However, they've been coming down to earth lately, so the lack of PP production is beginning to show. Whether they've been experimenting with subtle formation changes, individual skill, or play setup, its just not been as efficient. The team does have a good PP, and I'm pretty sure they'll start firing when they come back to basics.

 

 

Move kotalik to a wing and maybe put 2 D men back there. Campbell and spacek are decent from the point. The team just needs to get back to basics. crash the net, quick passes, and shoot! for goodness sakes, shoot the puck and worry about a rebound rather than the hilight reel deke and goal. I'm pretty sure that Ruff was sufficiently pissed off that there won't be a lack of effort tonight, especially on the PP. 45 minutes till we findout.

[Bmwolf21]

So we are using our "offensive allotment" at even-strength, meaning we can't score as many PP goals?

 

While I think the fact that we are scoring more at even strength balances out the struggling PP, I also realize that the Sabres need their PP to be clicking at a high rate because of the type of team they are. This team is built on speed and skill, so teams trying to contain our explosive offense should be taking a lot of penalties to - and the team needs to make them pay for those penalties.

 

I cannot wait until Tallinder comes back and Teppo is healthy so we can keep rolling our top-4/5 defensemen regularly and we aren't running guys like Campbell, Teppo and Lydman into the ground night in and night out.

 

On a side question - when the whole "D" is healthy - how do you rank our defensemen? Who are the top 4 and who are the 5/6 guys? I put Campbell & Tallinder as our top 2 (individually) and I think Teppo is a 5/6 guy - where do Lydman, Spacek and Kalinin rank, in your opinions?

[Mr.Christopher]

So we are using our "offensive allotment" at even-strength, meaning we can't score as many PP goals?

 

While I think the fact that we are scoring more at even strength balances out the struggling PP, I also realize that the Sabres need their PP to be clicking at a high rate because of the type of team they are. This team is built on speed and skill, so teams trying to contain our explosive offense should be taking a lot of penalties to - and the team needs to make them pay for those penalties.

 

I cannot wait until Tallinder comes back and Teppo is healthy so we can keep rolling our top-4/5 defensemen regularly and we aren't running guys like Campbell, Teppo and Lydman into the ground night in and night out.

 

On a side question - when the whole "D" is healthy - how do you rank our defensemen? Who are the top 4 and who are the 5/6 guys? I put Campbell & Tallinder as our top 2 (individually) and I think Teppo is a 5/6 guy - where do Lydman, Spacek and Kalinin rank, in your opinions?

1.Tallinder

2.Lydman

3.Campbell

4.Spacek

5.Numminen

6.Paetsch

7.Kalinin

[hopeleslyobvious]

1.Tallinder

2.Lydman

3.Campbell

4.Spacek

5.Numminen

6.Paetsch

7.Kalinin

 

Tallinder and Lydman have great chemistry together. Same with Campbell and Spacek. That leaves Teppo and Kalinin or Paetsch. Kalinin has been bad lately, but I still don't want to drop him down to #7...yet.

[Bmwolf21]

I struggled with putting Lydman in the top-2 because he seems to struggle a lot when Tallinder is not in the lineup. I had them as:

 

1A Tallinder

1B Campbell

3 Lydman

4 Spacek

5 Teppo

6A Kalinin

6B Paetsch

[hopeleslyobvious]

I struggled with putting Lydman in the top-2 because he seems to struggle a lot when Tallinder is not in the lineup. I had them as:

 

1A Tallinder

1B Campbell

3 Lydman

4 Spacek

5 Teppo

6A Kalinin

6B Paetsch

 

I think Campbell is better than Lydman, but I think Lydman and Tallinder play great together.

[Stoner]

One thing to consider is that we gave up 17 shorthanded goals last season, second most in the league. Nearing the midway point this season? Just two.

 

When you factor in shorthanded goals, the Sabres' "net efficiency rate" is 17% this season, compared to 17.6% last.

 

Did Lindy use a forward at the point more last season?

[hopeleslyobvious]

One thing to consider is that we gave up 17 shorthanded goals last season, second most in the league. Nearing the midway point this season? Just two.

 

When you factor in shorthanded goals, the Sabres' "net efficiency rate" is 17% this season, compared to 17.6% last.

 

Did Lindy use a forward at the point more last season?

 

If I remember correctly he almost always used at least 1 forward at the point.

[Mr.Christopher]

I think Campbell is better than Lydman, but I think Lydman and Tallinder play great together.

Tallinder and Lydman do have great chemistry together. Lydman usually seems to play better when he with Tallinder. Campbell would make a good #2 defensemen, but he does seems to do well with Spacek. Once we are healthy again, I would keep Campbell with Spacek.

[matter2003]

It seems teams are being much more aggressive against us on the penalty kill this year---Carolina really was able to clamp down on our PP in the playoffs last year, and it looks like a lot of teams have watched what they did and try to put a lot of pressure on our point men and try to force them into making a mistake by giving them less time. If you notice, teams that play passively on the Penalty Kill are the ones that we have had great success with this year, getting 2 or 3 PP goals a night. Teams that are aggressive like Carolina and Montreal are the ones that are giving us problems...sometimes they give us so many problems that we can't even get a decent shot on net during the 2 minutes....

 

Connolly being out really hurts us a lot...he was able to make teams that aggressively played him look absolutely silly, especially when the other team would send someone out at him and he would duck away from them, draw 2 other players and then dish it off to a wide open teammate for an easy goal. Pominville and Kotalik at the point don't have the same type of mobility...

 

I wonder if Ruff has considered using Briere at the point, who has a similar shiftiness as Connolly. Afinigenov definitely does, but is too prone to giving the puck away...not a good thing when you are the last player at the blue line. If I am not mistaken, Ruff started using Briere at the point during the playoffs, and it was Briere who scored from the point on the PP in game 6 to win it in OT...

[Mr.Christopher]

It seems teams are being much more aggressive against us on the penalty kill this year---Carolina really was able to clamp down on our PP in the playoffs last year, and it looks like a lot of teams have watched what they did and try to put a lot of pressure on our point men and try to force them into making a mistake by giving them less time. If you notice, teams that play passively on the Penalty Kill are the ones that we have had great success with this year, getting 2 or 3 PP goals a night. Teams that are aggressive like Carolina and Montreal are the ones that are giving us problems...sometimes they give us so many problems that we can't even get a decent shot on net during the 2 minutes....

 

Connolly being out really hurts us a lot...he was able to make teams that aggressively played him look absolutely silly, especially when the other team would send someone out at him and he would duck away from them, draw 2 other players and then dish it off to a wide open teammate for an easy goal. Pominville and Kotalik at the point don't have the same type of mobility...

 

I wonder if Ruff has considered using Briere at the point, who has a similar shiftiness as Connolly. Afinigenov definitely does, but is too prone to giving the puck away...not a good thing when you are the last player at the blue line. If I am not mistaken, Ruff started using Briere at the point during the playoffs, and it was Briere who scored from the point on the PP in game 6 to win it in OT...

Briere was used a little bit on the point on the powerplay this season. I liked him there, I'd prefer to put Briere there than Kotalik.

[matter2003]

Briere was used a little bit on the point on the powerplay this season. I liked him there, I'd prefer to put Briere there than Kotalik.

 

I agree--Kotalik seems to fumble the puck too much back there----It always makes me nervous when the puck comes around to him on the PP and he is trying to keep it in...

 

Perhaps put him on the off wing where he can set up to rip a one timer off a good feed.

[Mr.Christopher]

I agree--Kotalik seems to fumble the puck too much back there----It always makes me nervous when the puck comes around to him on the PP and he is trying to keep it in...

 

Perhaps put him on the off wing where he can set up to rip a one timer off a good feed.

Vanek saw a shift or two on the point on the powerplay as well, Vanek is best in front of the net in my opinion. Kotalik would be better off on the wing, or somewhere closer in. He has a great shot, if he could get some more shots off during the powerplay, it would help him a lot.

[matter2003]

Vanek saw a shift or two on the point on the powerplay as well, Vanek is best in front of the net in my opinion. Kotalik would be better off on the wing, or somewhere closer in. He has a great shot, if he could get some more shots off during the powerplay, it would help him a lot.

 

Yeah, Vanek is great in front of the the net getting tips or pouncing on rebounds. He is also great on what amounts to "posting up" like in basketball, where he leans into the defender, they pass him the puck and he tries to turn and shoot it, while the defenseman helplessly tries to get the puck away from him, which usually fails....Vanek is really really strong in front of the net....

[wjag]

I think you folks are missing some of the true causes.

 

We are bad on offensive zone draws and teams are standing us up at the blue line. Much of their time is spent just trying to get in and control the puck in the offensive zone. If they dump it in, the other team beats them to the puck and sends it back out. The Sabres have a standoff distance when they are on the penalty kill choosing to play closer to the net and block shots and lanes. Just the opposite is true on the Buffalo PP as teams challenge the Sabres point men and wingers. They play to entangle them along the boards and break up the pass. And it is working.

 

Work on controlling offensive zone draws and figure out a way to get thru the wall on the blue line. Dumping in sure as hell ain't working.

[Buffalo Wing]

From my standpoint, there are a lot of different reasons:

 

(1) Getting too cute with the puck...too many attempts at the perfect pass. We all see this. There are times when I'm yelling at them to just shoot the puck! Sometimes you just need to get back to basics. On a positive note, I do love seeing Spacek on the point. The guy puts the puck on the net - unlike Zhitnik from year's past where he would hit everything but the net.

 

(2) Injuries - not having Connolly out there really hurts. That guy was the heart and soul of last year's PP. Through the first ~30 guys so far this year, we have been without Afinegenov, Roy, et al on the PP. Those are not easy to replace...especially when you are asking guys to log more ice time than usual...eventually it catches up with these guys.

 

(3) Pressure, pressure, pressure. Teams are really pressuring the Sabres this year. And when that happens, we are losing more of the one-on-one battles along the boards than winning. I'm not sure why that's happening - I can only conclude that our smaller guys are getting knocked off the puck easier.

 

On a side note, is it me or does it seem as if Drury is not out there enough on the PP? Again this may be due to the fact that he is asked to do so much (e.g., penalty kill)...but when he is out there, the PP unit just seems to be in better control.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

From my standpoint, there are a lot of different reasons:

(2) Injuries - not having Connolly out there really hurts. That guy was the heart and soul of last year's PP. Through the first ~30 guys so far this year, we have been without Afinegenov, Roy, et al on the PP. Those are not easy to replace...especially when you are asking guys to log more ice time than usual...eventually it catches up with these guys.

 

That is one major reason right their, our best passer hasn't even hit the ice this year and may not.

 

Also the departure of Scotty Arneil has hurt as well.

[X. Benedict]

I really am not worried about the power-play.

 

The thing I am really worried about is the Penalty Kill. Mike Grier and Tim Connelly were extremely good at challenging up top and filling the shooting lanes. Though players are working hard on the PK, it they are missing the quirky knack they had last year.

[Stoner]

Interesting stat: the Sabres' penalty killing unit this season is off to a better start than last year, when it finished near the top of the league. Lindy and staff are good at making adjustments.

[X. Benedict]

Interesting stat: the Sabres' penalty killing unit this season is off to a better start than last year, when it finished near the top of the league. Lindy and staff are good at making adjustments.

 

Wow. good find. That is really a surprise.