I could only watch the first period, but sounds like dodged a bullet missing the other two
Seemed very messy, some of it was to be expected I guess and it's not on Vincent that Werenski does a horrible pinch while Peeke decides to take a knee (for the record not blaming Peeke for that one, **** happens and it would've been a 2-on-1 at best) or that Laine makes a bad drop pass which leads to turnover and a goal against.
But what is on Vincent is the apparent general lack of structure and deciding to give a guy who's playing his 3rd proper NHL game as a center a winger he's played together with for one period of preseason. I don't think Laine's idea was bad there, it's just the way it went down the timing was horrible. Sillinger changed pace and started rushing the net/middle of ice the very moment Laine made the drop. You can argue the drop pass failed because they have played like 10 minutes together, but that's also a good argument for not trying the play in the first place and going for the simple "pucks to the net" instead, which seemed to be what Sillinger was anticipating.
Anyway back to Vincent, wasn't really a fan of his lines there, also WTH is Peeke doing in the 1st pair. Like I've been higher on Peeke than most, I've thought to this day there's some good upside for a defensive D-man there, but for crying out loud, when I think of Peeke and "upside", I'm not thinking of Peeke the top-pair dynamo, more like Peeke the defensive #4.
Werenski had an atrocious game and ending it with an injury is just a cherry on top
I get he's rusty but man he needs to be better and I think he needs to adjust his game. I get he's an offensive D-man but this team now has Laine/Gaudreau/Marchenko/Fantilli/Johnson/etc, he has a letter and the big #1D contract. I'm not asking him to change who he is as a player but give some thought on what this team and that forward group really needs from their #1D and how can Werenski provide that while being the player he is.
On the positive side, I liked Bean's game at least in the first period I watched, this was one of the first games I remember where he actually stuck out positively to me and it was not the goal, it was actually some nice D / neutral zone plays that first caught my attention. The goal was just funny, I dunno what they communicated there if anything, but Danforth is just like gliding there with no care in the world and zero goal scoring urgency, it almost looks like Bean thinks Justin fell asleep and decides to take care of the job himself.
I still like the team and the roster and have lot of hope for the season, I'm not gonna fall into despair because of one game, but now is Vincent's time to shine and get the ship on the right course ASAP.