GDT: Game 18: Coyotes @ Flames | 2-24-13 | 6PM MST

[lockstock]

Halfway through the game, I was thinking how much both of these teams suck. Got to 2 minutes and you could just tell they were going to blow it and let it get tied up to go into OT. **** **** **** DAMN IT! I turned it off after the go ahead goal and just started laughing. These guys don't have the heart that some of the past teams did.

Even though they really sucked, one thing I really missed about the Gretzky teams was they gave a full 59 minutes. They still never finished that last minute, but the current team doesn't even finish the last 5 usually. Or quite a few in between. ****in A, that was pathetic.

Should've paid for Whitney. We're really missing that W-H-V line on both sides of the ice.

 

[Redcoyote]

**** damn **** ****

 

[SniperHF]

Smith wasn't horrible but wasn't good either. Gordon however, was Awful. Really bad puck luck, out of position, falling down.

What completely baffles me is this teams ability to completely stop playing 'their game' at random points and suddenly collapse.

That pass by Torres though.......

 

[XX]

OEL came out of this ******** a +2. He played 25:53, and only two other players (I bet you can guess who) were over 20. Just an amazing young talent.

Stone was -3, Summers -2. The kids aren't alright.

This team has suddenly started turning over a lot of pucks in the high slot, and allowing shooters to sit in that same slot area. The two Yakupov chances right after another were embarrassing enough, so to let Glencross sit open in the exact same spot (and receive an identical pass) the next game is what stings so much.

It's pretty clear that Tippett is the least imaginative coach in the league. Every team is expanding their box and not letting the D shoot. That leads to bad turnovers and zero offense, because it requires vision and talent to make cross ice plays. Not exactly this teams forte. They made a 5 on 3 look like it was 5 on 5, couldn't even get zone entry... with 2 extra players. A better PP would have buried both opponents.

Statistically, the team has moved from the top 10 in D to the middle of the pack. The offense is the same. So it's not really surprising that this team is so frustrating.

 

[SweYote]

We need Hanzal and Vrbata. Now.

 

[Shepard]

That's a common complaint around here, don't know enough about the game to say whether or not its valid. Makes sense though.

It happens all the time. When this team has a one goal lead and the game is winding down, they just dump the puck and go for a line change as soon as possible. The forecheck just completely disappears, and they'd much sooner ice the puck than try skating the puck up the ice.

I don't know how that can't be part of Tippett's strategy. This team's play almost always becomes much more passive when they have a lead. I don't think it's just the players deciding to stop playing.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Fellas, Tippett is one of the best coaches in the league, and he's taken a lineup that is less talented than most and got us to the playoffs 3 years in a row and to the WCF last season.

I think we've hit a bad stretch of losing games late, that we haven't seen before, if I remember the stats, we were 36-2-2 over the last 40 games with a lead going into the 3rd period.

I think everyone is just frustrated over the last two games giving up the lead late and then losing and yesterday's game was extremely disappointing after getting back into the game and taking the lead in the 3rd.

But you have to remember we are playing Stone & Summers (who doesn't look good) and are without Vrbata and Hanzal our two top scorers and DeMo who has been our most consistent defender this season.

Games like these are bound to happen, the question that needs to be answered is how can we get guys healthy and stay healthy to make a run at the playoffs.

 

[zz]

It happens all the time. When this team has a one goal lead and the game is winding down, they just dump the puck and go for a line change as soon as possible. The forecheck just completely disappears, and they'd much sooner ice the puck than try skating the puck up the ice.

I don't know how that can't be part of Tippett's strategy. This team's play almost always becomes much more passive when they have a lead. I don't think it's just the players deciding to stop playing.

I don't know. Tippett's a numbers guy. Maybe he found a correlation between less SOG in the last 10 minutes with a lead and win percentage. In other words, it's possible that while frustrating and scary to watch, in the end we win more of those games than we would if we kept pressing.

 

[AZviaNJ]

OEL came out of this ******** a +2. He played 25:53, and only two other players (I bet you can guess who) were over 20. Just an amazing young talent.

Stone was -3, Summers -2. The kids aren't alright.

This team has suddenly started turning over a lot of pucks in the high slot, and allowing shooters to sit in that same slot area. The two Yakupov chances right after another were embarrassing enough, so to let Glencross sit open in the exact same spot (and receive an identical pass) the next game is what stings so much.

It's pretty clear that Tippett is the least imaginative coach in the league. Every team is expanding their box and not letting the D shoot. That leads to bad turnovers and zero offense, because it requires vision and talent to make cross ice plays. Not exactly this teams forte. They made a 5 on 3 look like it was 5 on 5, couldn't even get zone entry... with 2 extra players. A better PP would have buried both opponents.

Statistically, the team has moved from the top 10 in D to the middle of the pack. The offense is the same. So it's not really surprising that this team is so frustrating.

Stone is OK, Summers is not. It's time to give Gormley a shot until DMo/Schlemko come back. Also, why are we playing Stone/Rundblad and Summers together? Shouldn't we mix them with a vet???

 

[Jakey53]

Stone is OK, Summers is not. It's time to give Gormley a shot until DMo/Schlemko come back. Also, why are we playing Stone/Rundblad and Summers together? Shouldn't we mix them with a vet???

You hit the nail on the head. Stone and Rundblad need more time in the AHL. Summers has had more than enough time to develop, but hasn't. We were bragging how stacked we are on defense. We all wanted to trade Morris, Schlemko and even Yandle at some point the last two years. Thank god GMDM and Tip aren't as dumb as us posters.I would leave Gormley in the minors and log major minutes and develop.That Turris trade is starting to bit us in the ***.

 

[zz]

That Turris trade is starting to bit us in the ***.

We didn't have a choice.

 

[hbk]

You hit the nail on the head. Stone and Rundblad need more time in the AHL. Summers has had more than enough time to develop, but hasn't. We were bragging how stacked we are on defense. We all wanted to trade Morris, Schlemko and even Yandle at some point the last two years. Thank god GMDM and Tip aren't as dumb as us posters.I would leave Gormley in the minors and log major minutes and develop.That Turris trade is starting to bit us in the ***.

Turris deal allowed Phoenix to acquire Vermette who was a key contributor to the Pacific Division Championship along with the first playoff series victory in 25 years. I wish Turris the best but to have that monkey off the backs of this franchise is absolutely huge. In summary, I'm very okay with it.

 

[CC96]

Stone is OK, Summers is not. It's time to give Gormley a shot until DMo/Schlemko come back. Also, why are we playing Stone/Rundblad and Summers together? Shouldn't we mix them with a vet???

This is precisely correct, but unfortunately two of our veterans are currently injured, so its likely Tippett doesn't want two pairings with an AHL defenseman. But hopefully once one of Schlemko or Morris comes back, we should see an improvement in the defense.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

Although yesterday's game stunk, we've had others in the past and overcome them. Remember this from last year:

Brad Richards scores as time runs out in the third for a 3-2 Rangers victory. That one seemed like it would be a game we couldn't recover from but we did. Maybe the last 2 games will be the smelling salts that wake us up for the rest of the season. Time will tell.