GDT: #4 New Jersey Fallen Angels at Washington Metropolis - The "I told you so"-Edition

[lachyrm]

I'm a little surprised that most people are calling for Gelinas to be benched. I understand he was a -2 tonight, but I think his overall body of work has been an improvement on last year.

Cammalleri, Jagr and Ryder all had glorious chances that could have changed the game. Schneider let in a couple of questionable ones as well. So while I would technically still like to see Larsson over Salvador, provided the coaches would trust him to play PK time, I don't see this game as a reason to shake things up in general.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Makes sense too cause they pretty much HAVE run the same lines from the beginning of camp so when a wrench gets thrown into that plan...

Makes sense. I mean play was already shifting before hand though and the other lines remained intact. Pete only filled Havlet in with 4th liners.

It just seemed to take more air out a balloon that was already deflating.

Unseen hand is right. They were just flat. Not outmatched because we were controlling play in the first. It was agonizingly close to being 3-2 our way going into the 2nd and I think it's a different game.

What's annoying is both Pete and some of the guys said they wanted to avoid this attitude of falling flat and looking ahead to the home opener instead of finishing the road trip strong yet they ended up guilty of it.

Big picture I'm not worried. Havlat sounds ok and there was nothing overly alarming about their play. Just have to bounce back Saturday at home.

Sharks are really tough but not invincible.

 

[Billdo]

I just want a 4th line with Ruutu being centered by Gomez or JJ with a Brunner on the opposite wing. Giants shouldn't be on the team let alone signed for another year after this.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The problem with running to put Larsson in over Gelinas is Gelinas can score the same number of goals in a week that Larsson has in his entire career. Heck, Severson just did that.

I think the emergence of Severson offensively makes it easier to take Gelinas out of the lineup

 

[Desert Devil]

Just finished watching the game. A very meh game. Bounces just didn't go our way. Gotta put this behind them. Looking forward to Saturday.

 

[The 29th Pick]

plenty of areas to point our fingers at tonight
just gotta bring our A game Sat night

 

[Unknown Caller]

I'm over Tootoo already. Please waive him.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I think the emergence of Severson offensively makes it easier to take Gelinas out of the lineup

It makes it a lot easier. Also the additions at forward make the PP look more dangerous without him too.

I don't think he really did anything to warrant a benching ( no one did IMO) but if we are actually going to rotate these kids this is a good excuse to do it and give Lars a chance.

 

[StnTwnDevil]

I am not obsessed with anything.

but you guys' attitude of "well hey its the 4th line so who cares?!" is ridiculous to me. Why not ice the best possible lineup?

That's not what it is, your expectations for what a 4th line should be capable of is just a bit overboard. You also are alluding to being some sort of genius that has figured out that the 4th line can be an offensive line. These coaches know a lot more than 99% of the posters on this forum about what may or may not work. They have a hell of a lot more experience in drawing up lines. It also goes beyond what they think could work, they are dealing with players who may or may not like being put on certain lines. I'd prefer Carter over Tootoo right now, but unfortunately it didn't work out.

Maybe at some point Deboer will put a little more offense on the 4th line, but right now, its nothing to be concerned about, and it really should have never been a concern considering the guys that are available to play there.

 

[Emperoreddy]

@TGfireandice: Schneider: "I don’t think we’re going to let two minutes of hockey in the third take away from what was otherwise a pretty good road trip."

@TGfireandice: Schneider:"We felt good about our chances going into 3rd & they got a good break on the 4th one & then obviously the 5th one was all on me"

 

[NJDevs26]

I'm a little surprised that most people are calling for Gelinas to be benched. I understand he was a -2 tonight, but I think his overall body of work has been an improvement on last year.

Honestly it's only because of Larsson being the #4 overall...if Severson/Gelinas were high first-rounders and Larsson was a second-rounder nobody'd care about him constantly sitting. Well we would but not as much.

 

[MadDevil]

I'm not sure putting Brunner in for Tootoo really does much if he's playing with Gionta and Ruutu. He needs somebody to get him the puck. Which pretty much means signing Gomez. I don't see that happening this early in the season.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't see any change at forward unless Havlat can't go.

I could are Lars for Gely to get this rotation we were told would happen going.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Gionta was the only forward on the late 3-on-5, correct? Thought he played it very well.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I think the emergence of Severson offensively makes it easier to take Gelinas out of the lineup

ya pretty much

the offense generated from the blueline is up so it gets to the point where some actual defense would be valuable.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Gionta was the only forward on the late 5-on-3, correct? Thought he played it very well.

i thought they had 11 seconds and just passed it out of the zone? Won't really comment on that either way.

But Salvador has been gross to start the year. Good thing Petey is cutting his minutes

 

[MadDevil]

But how will Gelinas learn if he's not allowed to play through his mistakes?

 

[StnTwnDevil]

I'm a little surprised that most people are calling for Gelinas to be benched. I understand he was a -2 tonight, but I think his overall body of work has been an improvement on last year.

Cammalleri, Jagr and Ryder all had glorious chances that could have changed the game. Schneider let in a couple of questionable ones as well. So while I would technically still like to see Larsson over Salvador, provided the coaches would trust him to play PK time, I don't see this game as a reason to shake things up in general.

He has been very solid so far. I hope he keeps it up.

 

[New Jack City]

ahh put this one behind us and move on to Sat. Hopefully the place is rocking

 

[billingtons ghost]

It's not this game. It's just that this 4th line (like when we had Boulton and Janssen) brings absolutely nothing. Ruutu can bring so much more, but he has to play with two guys who arguably don't belong in the league.

We can have one of the best 4th lines in the league. Instead we roll this trash.

Dude - you can't point at the 4th line.

This was all on the goaltending and the bounces. It's behind us - forget about it and move on to San Jose.

 

[Sascha Goc]

But how will Gelinas learn if he's not allowed to play through his mistakes?

Was beaten to the punch again tonight All the people who freak out about young guys getting benched too easily, want to to do exactly what they are complaining about to Gelinas

 

[EnglishDevil]

Wasn't a dreadful performance all things considered, the score flattered them, Holtby made some tremendous saves as well.

Hopefully Havlat isn't out for too long, i have to say i've been unimpressed with Tootoo so far (looks nothing like the player he was for the Predators), i think we should consider waiving him and giving Gomez a look; i haven't been particularly thrilled with Gionta either.

If Havlat isn't good to go for next game, i'd consider using something like:

Cammalleri - Zajac - Jagr
Clowe - Henrique - Ryder
Elias - Gomez - Zubrus
Ruutu - Gionta/JJ - Brunner

It's unlikely JJ displaces Gionta given that we're playing the Sharks and Gionta isn't too atrocious defensively, but i haven't many positives from Tootoo to warrant his continued presence in the lineup. It's unlikely he'd get claimed anyway, i'd definitely like to see what Gomez can bring for a few games.

 

[billingtons ghost]

But how will Gelinas learn if he's not allowed to play through his mistakes?

I didn't really see where any of the goals were specifically Gelinas's fault.

He played the 2nd goal pretty soft, but Cory has to have that from the bad angle.

The bad rebound first goal, the bad angle and the POS 5th goal were all on Cory - not the defenders.

Bench Zids for the bad step up at the blue line that caused the 2-on-1 if you want to point to bad defense.

 

[EnglishDevil]

Definitely can't bench Severson or Merrill, they've been our two best defenders (the veteran guys have all looked pretty bad at times, including Greene).

The only logical replacement for Gelinas is Larsson; which may not be a bad idea considering we're playing an offensive powerhouse in San Jose next game. Might be a good time to give the kid a look.

 

[RSeen]

Don't think Gelinas has been bad. Though I would like to see Larsson get a chance and Merrill get a shot on the left side, think he would be better there.