Post-Game Talk: Home Opener vs Bolts 1/22

[HisIceness]

That is all.

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[What the Faulk]

When this team is on, it's going to be dangerous. Really dangerous. The question is how long will it take for them to flip that switch.

 

[Mr Whipple]

Definite improvement from the previous game. Look forward to more improvement Thursday with a 3-1 loss.

 

[Joe McGrath]

When this team is on, it's going to be dangerous. Really dangerous. The question is how long will it take for them to flip that switch.

I think they will score eventually. Unfortunately I don't think they will ever be able to play any defense. On the plus side I was pleasantly surprised by Corvo's ability to not be a terrible 6th defenseman. Unfortunately Harrison and Sanguinetti are terrible 4th and 5 th defenseman.

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

Breaking up Skinner and Jokinen I think is for the best, that line doesn't look nearly as good without Ruutu forechecking. They can't keep up the pressure, everything just gets turned over off once it gets down low.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

This is what happens when you pay a goalie with a career .910 sv% $6.67 a year and then entrust him to cover up for the horrible defense of clowns like Sanguinetti who aren't even good defensively in the AHL but get a spot on this team because ???

If you were to calculate the actual worth of players on the team, there'd be about $10M combined value of defense and goaltending.

I particularly enjoyed Tripp's analysis of the first goal, which he pinned on Jokinen's turnover and Harrison (who was on the bench). That's about one total sentence from the broadcast team dedicated to Bobby Sanguinetti handing two goals to the other team over the past two games. Obviously there's some organizational sell job going on.

 

[Novacane]

One thing I noticed this team is forming a habit of is looking for the perfect shot, especially on the PP. If it ain't working, quit passing it incessantly. You gotta put the puck on net to score, and it's not happening as often as it should. Yes, I know they have had high shot totals, but they are looking for the perfect chance way too often.

Secondly, **** Corvo.


Another thing I've noticed is that Skinner is being a lot more cautious with putting his body in vulnerable positions. It might be him acclimating himself to game action or it might be him being cautious. Either way, I breathe a whole lot easier.

 

[Joe McGrath]

This is what happens when you pay a goalie with a career .910 sv% $6.67 a year and then entrust him to cover up for the horrible defense of clowns like Sanguinetti who aren't even good defensively in the AHL but get a spot on this team because ???

If you were to calculate the actual worth of players on the team, there'd be about $10M combined spent on defense and goaltending.

Is that 9.5 mil for Faulk and 500k for the rest?

 

[Boats Ahoes]

We knew the defence would suck and we'd be letting in 4+ on a regular basis (not that it's excusable), but the lack of finishing has made me want to tear my hair out. So far against us, Theodore and Garon have looked like f'ing all-stars. Did they both play very well? Sure, but there have been so many great opportunities that were fanned on/shot wide. Even in the Florida game, there were times where we dominated the play with nothing to show for it, followed by a momentum swing and quick goal.

 

[DaleCooper]

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Meh, I thought Gleason looked good in his own right tonight, that might just be him playing next to Faulk though. Pits was good on the PP, bad at ES. Semin is fun to watch on the PP, like our own little Stamkos.

Aside from the defense pulling it together by some miracle, that first unit of the PP is going to make or break the playoffs for us. They convert, we make it. Otherwise, no.

Having Ruutu would've REALLY helped this team. It'd give us a guy in the top 9 that can bounce around and hit people that's NOT Patrick Dwyer. Dwyer did well with the minutes he was given, but we really shouldn't have him in the top 9. I'd have loved to see Welsh slot in where Dwyer was, you play a 4th liner where he should be and you give the kid another shot, even if it's for one game until Dalpe's healthy.

 

[CanesAvs16]

I hope Dalpe is healthy for thursday. Grant one player cannot make or break this team, but anything can help at this point

 

[Novacane]

Ellis has got to start Thursday, right? Right? We have to steal the game against Miller or else we're starting 0-4. I can't trust Ward right now, and Ellis needs his time. Please don't put Ward in on Thursday.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Ellis has got to start Thursday, right? Right? We have to steal the game against Miller or else we're starting 0-4. I can't trust Ward right now, and Ellis needs his time. Please don't put Ward in on Thursday.

I think you might be missing the part where the team is averaging 1 goal a game.

 

[What the Faulk]

Ellis should start one of the games against Buffalo, but when he let's in 4+ himself, people will stop calling for him after every bad loss.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Ellis has got to start Thursday, right? Right? We have to steal the game against Miller or else we're starting 0-4. I can't trust Ward right now, and Ellis needs his time. Please don't put Ward in on Thursday.

This obsession with Ellis is funny. What indication is there that he's going to suddenly become the goaltender he hasn't been the past couple years?

Especially given his performance behind Tampas defense, which is (sadly) better than ours.

That all being said, I can see him starting Thursday to change things up. But stealing a game?

 

[Novacane]

I agree. I had several comments last thread about how ****** we played. I'm not using Ward as a scape goat. I think he still probably has a lingering flu. That's why I'm saying this. I don't have some fascination with him. I think the change needs to be made to wake the team up.

 

[Lazyking]

Well Ellis is likely to start one of the buffalo games. No reason to wear out Ward esp. when he's not been sharp.

 

[Identity404]

Here is the plan. We are going to send Bobby Sanguinetti back down to Charlotte in a few games after we get tired of his poor defense turing into goals against. Corvo will stay in the line-up looking terrible. Eventually Sangs will be called back up playing exponentially better. Corvo will not play full on Pejorative Slur for a couple of games and we will convince Montreal to take him for Erik Cole. Cole will retired after the end of the season because he is still butthurt about the lockout. Does most of this sound familiar?

 

[DaveG]

JR is a ****ing idiot when it comes to building a defense, we haven't had a decent one since 09, haven't had a good one since 02. And his response this season was to add Corvo after we lost Allen?

 

[AhoLottaLove]

The Good:
Faulk- Covering for the bad Gleason pinches in the first. Deflecting shots and playing the body the rest of the game.
The Meh:
Semin: Hit a post, was super creative on the PP. Missed a wide open net on a pass from Staal but I'll chalk that up to NOBODY in the building thinking Staal would pass up that shot. If they have that time together maybe he knows that pass is coming. Haven't seen any problems defensively.
Skinner- Scores the PP goal but boneheads the TB 3rd goal defensively.
E. Staal- Got a few good scoring chances. When the team was down tried to muck it up. Although he didn't remove the gloves, he at least showed a little heart with that play.
J. Staal- Hasn't shown any ability so far except dump and chase. Defense is ok. Offense hasn't produced many scoring chances or even shots.
The Bad:
Sanguinetti- Responsible for poor defensive plays on the first two TB goals. Nothing positive to say on the offensive side of things.
Jokinen- Two bad minor penalties and sluggish play 5 on 5. I expected better from a guy who played during the lockout.
Tlusty- Missed on a great scoring chance in the first. You could see it on his face that he was preoccupied with that chance on further plays and became frustrated.

 

[nobuddy]

I just don't know what to say about this team right now. We don't look all that bad. Semin, Eric, Jordan, Skinner, Faulk, and Gleason all played well tonight.

 

[tomdundo]

I just don't know what to say about this team right now. We don't look all that bad. Semin, Eric, Jordan, Skinner, Faulk, and Gleason all played well tonight.

Agreed. I think there are three possible options to why they're not quite there yet.

A) Shaking off the rust
B) Trying to figure out new linemates after not having practiced/played with each other much and being mixed around during the short training camp
C) Trying too hard due to it being a shortened season


Or all three.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

It's clear this team is struggling with chemistry and rust...and are missing a lot of great scoring chances. Semin had a glorious chance and whiffed on the puck. EStaal had a great chance and shot it wide. JStaal had a great chance but was a second late getting to the puck right in front of the net. A lot of passes still missing the target, etc.. A lot of times they look way out of synch and the puck is bouncing a lot. Not overly surprising given the personnel changes and short camp, but they need to figure it out before they dig too big of a hole.

I know the defense sucks and Ward hasn't been good, but his team has 2 goals in 2 games. The "big guns" (Staal, Staal, Semin, Jussi, Skinner) have to start producing more or it won't matter who the Canes have in goal.

Also, I realize the team isn't very physical to begin with, but they are just too soft right now. They are too easy to knock off the puck and don't scare anyone physically. I realize they can't just magically become bigger and tougher, but they sure can work harder.

 

[Identity404]

JR is a ****ing idiot when it comes to building a defense, we haven't had a decent one since 09, haven't had a good one since 02. And his response this season was to add Corvo after we lost Allen?

"I know Corvo sucked in Boston last year, but he was great in Carolina in the past; Shutting down Ovechkin every night, even when we didn't play Washington. Wait did that happen? I don't remember, it's about time for my nap. The best defensive is a great offensive. We like our group." -JR