Post-Game Talk: Kings def. Canucks | 5-1 (Boeser) | Too much outside noise?

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

This month has not exactly inspired a ton of confidence.

Lindholm has been a terrible fit thus far. Dude simply has to pick it up.

 

[NoShowWilly]

Hardly got a chance to watch most of this... Saw one goal and it was spoiled.

 

[Orr4Norris]

I still think it comes down to the PP. At times this has been an excellent unit. They need to get their sh*t together. Yes I know they scored a PP goal last night, and that’s a start. But it’s more than just scoring. A PP should generate momentum - not kill it. It’s depressing and nerve wrecking when they get a power play at this point. That needs to change.

 

[andora]

It isnt panic time yet for all who wish it was - it is pissed off time.. not panic

This is good for the group. Grips are tight when everyone has to figure out new roles.. coming soon will be coach simplifying and i could see blueger and garland back together with a boring mik or pdg with them.. lindholm back with pettersson

It is key not to try a bunch of things in times like these because value is in stability - you also have to challenge your players and right now they need to figure it out - they need to adapt and work which the playoffs are all about

Tocchet has spoke about their resolve all year and now he is testing it

 

[Baby Pettersson]

It isnt panic time yet for all who wish it was - it is pissed off time.. not panic

This is good for the group. Grips are tight when everyone has to figure out new roles.. coming soon will be coach simplifying and i could see blueger and garland back together with a boring mik or pdg with them.. lindholm back with pettersson

It is key not to try a bunch of things in times like these because value is in stability - you also have to challenge your players and right now they need to figure it out - they need to adapt and work which the playoffs are all about

Tocchet has spoke about their resolve all year and now he is testing it

Exactly. If the playoffs were next week I'd be worried. But its the trade deadline next week. Lots of time to figure this adversity out and maybe even benefit from it.

 

[brock hughes007]

I still think it comes down to the PP. At times this has been an excellent unit. They need to get their sh*t together. Yes I know they scored a PP goal last night, and that’s a start. But it’s more than just scoring. A PP should generate momentum - not kill it. It’s depressing and nerve wrecking when they get a power play at this point. That needs to change.

All they do is pass the puck,no one wants to take charge.No one wants to shoot.You go into the playoffs like this,your gonna be out in the first round .They better get there shit together.

 

[andora]

Exactly. If the playoffs were next week I'd be worried. But its the trade deadline next week. Lots of time to figure this adversity out and maybe even benefit from it.

YES

Shittiest time of year for players

 

[credulous]

This game was somewhat of a microcosm of all the concerns I've had with the team, dating back to the start of the season frankly. I'm not concerned in the macro sense (I think at 5v5 they are good, and will still easily make the playoffs), but I think I should have trusted more of my initial read of this team rather than be convinced of their sterling first half.

1. Hate to bring up the PDO debate again (not really), but this team was very fortunate in the shooting department (and somewhat in goaltending) in the first half, and the table is turning the other way. The Canucks, are not in fact, doing something that can sustainably lead to historic NHL shooting efficiency.

2. I've said this all along. The Canucks don't create enough chances. We saw it very clearly against SEA, BOS, and LA tonight. They got by with hot shooting before, but they don't create enough rush chances or interior slot shots. They need to diversify how they create offense.

3. I've been visually concerned with Hronek's defending from the beginning of the season as well, and there were issues tonight again.

4. We really should have known this stretch was coming. The easiest parts of the Canucks schedule were front loaded in the first half - especially in terms of quality of competition and rest/B2B advantages. They're playing real teams now. It's tougher.

tocchet team doing tocchet things. his teams have always been conservative and low event. the theory that he somehow had a system that sustainably unlocked the best shooting percentages in league history was pure farce

team is still better than i expected and maybe even a borderline contender but they're not the juggernaut their early record indicated

 

[EpochLink]

Probably the worst month of Canucks hockey. Team is going through some shit.

 

[bossram]

tocchet team doing tocchet things. his teams have always been conservative and low event. the theory that he somehow had a system that sustainably unlocked the best shooting percentages in league history was pure farce

team is still better than i expected and maybe even a borderline contender but they're not the juggernaut their early record indicated

Yep. They were never that. They are good, but not great.

I feel like we're also seeing some of the "Torts Effect" out of Tocchet. From the gates, he had the team redlining and giving max effort. But you can't sustain that.

 

[TruGr1t]

I said since post-All-Star the trends have been concerning and the schedule was tough. Some held onto the floating 5-on-5 stats and blamed special teams (which haven't been good), but 5-on-5 scoring regression was also always coming versus what they were seeing early in the season.

They're going through some bad luck at the moment for sure, but they've also lost some structure, special teams have been on-average terrible, and they aren't scoring particularly well at even strength.

I assume things will even out on the luck or bounce side, but they won't be the team they were over the first 30 games again, I'd wager. Things could really go off the tracks if they can't fix the PP and figure out a good mix in the top six.

 

[vancityluongo]

my biggest complaint about this game was that the skate jerseys look even worse on ice against the kings referee ass color scheme

think it's good to have some adversity right now. we'll see what tocchet and the staff are actually capable of in terms of making adjustments.

didn't love lindholm's game, as others have said. hope that's more of an adjustment thing than him being washed

 

[Nucker101]

The tired excuse can’t work anymore, the all star break excuse never made sense since every team is in that same boat.

The goaltending and finishing has come back down to earth which was inevitable. Better to have this regression hit now than in R1

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Hardly got a chance to watch most of this... Saw one goal and it was spoiled.

You didnt miss much..It was the usual LA Kings brand of hockey..low event,.. bordering on dead puck era hockey.

 

[beachcomber]

They aren't a hard team to play against. The Kings went after Hughes all night with zero push back. This team will be one and done in the playoffs if they aren't willing to play a hard nosed game and they don't have the forwards for that right now.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

They aren't a hard team to play against. The Kings went after Hughes all night with zero push back. This team will be one and done in the playoffs if they aren't willing to play a hard nosed game and they don't have the forwards for that right now.

There are many ebbs and flows throughout an 82 game season, and the Canucks are currently going through a rough patch (all of the tops teams do)..and playing a desperate team trying to get one of the last playoff spots.

The Canucks will straighten themselves out.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

This is what happens in a playoff series if you aren't built or ready to handle these types of teams. The stretch is brutal but similar to what they will face in the playoffs. There are no pretenders once you get to that stage - you only advance if you belong.

 

[Bleach Clean]

They're just a low event team in general. They don't create much offense, but they don't give up much (overall their defensive metrics are quite good). NST has them at 56% scoring chance control over the last 25 games. They are good at 5v5, hence my not-macro concern.

However, being a low event team means you are more prone to random variance. The shooting percentages worked in their favour before. Now it's not. Relying on efficiency is a fool's errand. To be a real, sustainable contender, they do need to generate chances (and a different variety of chances) at a higher clip. Look at a team like Florida - they are not shooting the lights out at all, but they are an elite team and winning because they just bombard the opposition.

I agree with you, but I'm wondering why you would say they are good 5v5 if the way they've been good 5v5 is relying on efficiency (low events).

To me, that in of itself is enough to be concerned in the macro as well as the micro.

 

[bossram]

I agree with you, but I'm wondering why you would say they are good 5v5 if the way they've been good 5v5 is relying on efficiency (low events).

To me, that in of itself is enough to be concerned in the macro as well as the micro.

Because being 55+% in scoring chance control is quite good. The margins are fine in the NHL and being above 50% is tough.

But all else equal, I'd rather be a high-event team at 55% than a low event team at 55%.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Because being 55+% in scoring chance control is quite good. The margins are fine in the NHL and being above 50% is tough.

But all else equal, I'd rather be a high-event team at 55% than a low event team at 55%.

High event would yield more scoring changes against, so no increase in scoring chance control. (As in, no material difference)

Your comment about efficiency being a fool's errand is what is intriguing here. This team's system is built on low event hockey, but with that in place, they are more susceptible to swings in save percentage and conversion rates. High-event hockey would make them less susceptible to save percentage and conversion rates, but still not better the team's results in a significant way.

 

[wetcoast]

Lots to be unhappy about. After two solid games against Boston and Pittsburgh, they looked like they did against Seattle for most of the game.

- I don't think there was much to be done on the 1-0 (screen) and 2-0 (incredible shot by Kopitar) goals, but the penalty leading to the 3-1 goal was a poor play by Hronek who somehow ended up being the forward he was checking because he completely messed up the hit and body position. And yeah, it was a soft call, but you knew it was coming right back at us from the refs.
- The 4-1 goal was even worse because Boeser was skating with the 2nd LA player, then for whatever reason just stopped. Putrid effort and after a horrid two months you really have to think about moving him again if the opportunity comes up.
- Lindholm with another bad game. If you're not outplaying Pius Suter making 1.5M/year or whatever, you're not doing enough.
- Juulsen or Cole need to sit. Cole especially has looked tired since November.

I'm still not worried. They still have time to figure this out. I'd rather they go through this now than in April.

LA also played an excellent road game had speed and beat us in most of the battles but the Canucks just looked flat out there most of the game.

 

[TruGr1t]

There are many ebbs and flows throughout an 82 game season, and the Canucks are currently going through a rough patch (all of the tops teams do)..and playing a desperate team trying to get one of the last playoff spots.

The Canucks will straighten themselves out.

The "rough patch" happens to correlate with a period where they're playing a bunch of good teams ramping up for the playoff push, but sure.