Observations, Part II

[Pred303]

jokinen makes the right decisions out there, he just seems to make them about half a stride too late right now. afraid age has simply caught up with him. sure would be nice if he can find enough gas in the tank this last half to be the decent third line forward we need him to be. just don't know if he can.

 

[drwpreds]

Watching the game last night, I started thinking that it seemed like our offense struggles at home much more than on the road- so I did the research and sure enough, some interesting numbers- we score A LOT more on the road. (And also allow fewer at home):

Home:
Goals scored per game: 2.50
Goals allowed per game: 1.94

Road:
Goals scored per game: 3.33
Goals allowed per game: 2.47

That is a pretty big difference. Obviously hasn’t been an issue, as we have the best home record in the league.

In addition, in 18 home games, we have scored more than 3 goals only 3 times- 15 out of the 18 we have scored 3 or less. On the flip side, we have allowed 3 or fewer goals in all 18 home games, and 2 or fewer in 13 of the 18.

On the road, we have scored 4 or more goals 7 times, but have also allowed 4 or more 6 times.

 

[PerdFan]

couple of decisions i disagreed with last night;

1)jokinen on the fisher line
2)starting jones-ellis on the 1 minute carry over pp into the second. makes no sense to me when you have weber and josi rested and ready.
3)jokinen on the pp. i know we are running thin on pp forwards, but jokinen?

obviously lavy is trying to get him going somehow i guess

I think they put Stalberg with Goose and Nystrom to give that line some speed. The last game against the Canes the 4th line got terrorized by Carolina's young speedsters. Also, as strange as this sounds, I think Stalberg may play better with less skilled players....he lets his skating ability make the plays instead of having to try to create offense with his stick/shot. He looked good last night, like former Chicago-good.
We'll see how long it lasts...

Also that "2nd" PP unit has been equally as good or better than the other one. I like that unit because they are looking to feed the point for puck movement, not for grade A chances most of the time....Weber's unit looks to him and Josi way too much. Although having 2 PP's that play completely different styles has got to be a good thing when it comes to confusing the PK.

 

[darth5]

Pardon me for just a moment while I make a negative observation.
<rant mode on>
OK, is it just me, but is anyone else annoyed by Grimson's commentary?
Forget for a while we had Crispy who wanted to crack jokes and fall back into coachspeak all the time ('head on a swivel'). I just rarely hear Stu say anything that is not either extremely obvious, obsequious, or coming from behind rose colored glasses. Can't say how many times I have wished I could just mute his mike. Heck I watch the games on mute for long stretches when he is getting to me, depriving myself of Pete's PBP just to spare myself. Just had to get that off my chest.
<rant mode off>

 

[PerdFan]

Pardon me for just a moment while I make a negative observation.
<rant mode on>
OK, is it just me, but is anyone else annoyed by Grimson's commentary?
Forget for a while we had Crispy who wanted to crack jokes and fall back into coachspeak all the time ('head on a swivel'). I just rarely hear Stu say anything that is not either extremely obvious, obsequious, or coming from behind rose colored glasses. Can't say how many times I have wished I could just mute his mike. Heck I watch the games on mute for long stretches when he is getting to me, depriving myself of Pete's PBP just to spare myself. Just had to get that off my chest.
<rant mode off>

Nope not the only one...Stu makes me want to drink. But Pete's ever increasing mistakes are beginning to worry me a little bit.

 

[drwpreds]

We are now the only team in the league with single digit losses, and continue to have the best winning % in the league.

Two points behind Anaheim in the points race, but THREE games in hand. We have games in hand on all the teams we are competing with for best record.

Interesting note on Anaheim- they are 26-10-6, but only have a +2 goal differential- that is pretty hard to do. They have been living on the edge, winning a ton of one goal games.

 

[Pred303]

darth, i'm right there with you.

ok guys, let's find a way to beat DAL again. i hate many teams, but DAL is on my shorter 'most hated' team list (DET, CLB, STL, CHI, DAL, SJS)

 

[Pred303]

We are now the only team in the league with single digit losses, and continue to have the best winning % in the league.

Two points behind Anaheim in the points race, but THREE games in hand. We have games in hand on all the teams we are competing with for best record.

Interesting note on Anaheim- they are 26-10-6, but only have a +2 goal differential- that is pretty hard to do. They have been living on the edge, winning a ton of one goal games.

good stuff drw, one thing though, they're not much different than us in 1 goal game (20-0-6 versus our 17-4-4) as far it it affecting their goal +/-. but they're lost 7 games by 3 or more goals. 7. versus our one 3-0 PIT loss

 

[NSH615]

We are now the only team in the league with single digit losses, and continue to have the best winning % in the league.

Two points behind Anaheim in the points race, but THREE games in hand. We have games in hand on all the teams we are competing with for best record.

Interesting note on Anaheim- they are 26-10-6, but only have a +2 goal differential- that is pretty hard to do. They have been living on the edge, winning a ton of one goal games.

Due to this loss by Anaheim, a win tonight would basically clinch coaching duties for the Nashville coaching staff for the All Star game. Whoever has the highest Pts % after Saturday gets the call.

 

[Pred303]

there are no easy games in the NHL. our next 8;

DAL, @MIN, VAN, WSH, @DET, @MTL, COL, @STL

nothing ever comes easy.

 

[darth5]

ok guys, let's find a way to beat DAL again. i hate many teams, but DAL is on my shorter 'most hated' team list (DET, CLB, STL, CHI, DAL, SJS)

Dallas got on my list because they were (and to an extent still are) media darlings after their roster makeover and they really play on the edge. I suppose that is the Lindy Ruff influence.

 

[drwpreds]

there are no easy games in the NHL. our next 8;

DAL, @MIN, VAN, WSH, @DET, @MTL, COL, @STL

nothing ever comes easy.

No doubt- in my opinion, the NHL is tougher than any other sport in this respect. If there was ever going to be an "easy" game in the NHL it would have been a home game against Carolina- and we saw how easy it was for us- not at all.

There are absolutely no gimmes in this league- and that makes our 26-9-4 record all the more impressive.

 

[bdub24]

DAL is OK...I dont like 'em, but I dont hate 'em.

I only have room in my heart for so much hate and CHI, STL, CHI fans, VAN, NHL on Sirius (except Boomer for some reason), CHI fans, ANA, EDM (cause we have hard time with them), DET (cause old habits die hard and Detroit doesnt deserve professional sports teams at this point), anytime people get all starry eyed about a team because they were one of the 6 (to me, being proud of cups you won when you had to beat 5 other teams for them should be a source of embarrasment).

 

[triggrman]

Come on now, everyone knows as a Preds fan you have to hate Minnesota at the top of your list....

 

[NSH615]

Neal and Nystrom to IR today. So we now have 4 on IR.

 

[bdub24]

Come on now, everyone knows as a Preds fan you have to hate Minnesota at the top of your list....

Dang it! How did I miss them!! Yes - MIN on that list for sure!!

 

[Pred303]

we're getting mighty thin up front all of a sudden

what the heck happening to nystrom? he played the next to last shift Tuesday. and did Neal have a secret hip replacement or something? it's been two weeks now and i thought that it was something 'minor'? and beck must have the bubonic plaque to be 'ill' this long.

sure make one think about lines tonight, leaves us little choice except which line stalberg/jokinen are on;

forsberg-ribs-smith
wilson-fish-jokinen(?)
bourque-jarnkrok-arco
salamaki-gaustad-stalberg(?)

lol, and me too trig, i hate MIN so much i refused to write their names i guess

 

[PredsV82]

Neal and Nystrom to IR today. So we now have 4 on IR.

dang. thats not cool. Need to know whats up with Neal... did anyone see him take a puck to the foot? Thats what I was thinking when he tried to skate and couldnt a few days ago...

 

[NSH615]

we're getting mighty thin up front all of a sudden

what the heck happening to nystrom? he played the next to last shift Tuesday. and did Neal have a secret hip replacement or something? it's been two weeks now and i thought that it was something 'minor'? and beck must have the bubonic plaque to be 'ill' this long.

sure make one think about lines tonight, leaves us little choice except which line stalberg/jokinen are on;

forsberg-ribs-smith
wilson-fish-jokinen(?)
bourque-jarnkrok-arco
salamaki-gaustad-stalberg(?)

lol, and me too trig, i hate MIN so much i refused to write their names i guess

Beck must not be too sick as he has been practicing with the team this week and did again this morning.

Regarding the Lines:

 

[Pred303]

so our new strategy seems to be whoever has a bad game gets promoted to the second line immediately if we move arco there following a bad game versus CAR after moving jokinen there after a bad game in ANA.

 

[PredsV82]

so our new strategy seems to be whoever has a bad game gets promoted to the second line immediately if we move arco there following a bad game versus CAR after moving jokinen there after a bad game in ANA.

Laviolette with the compassionate "build them up dont tear them down" approach to coaching?? LOL

You just knew we werent going to make it through the whole season without some significant injuries. Coincidental or cosmic that Hornqvist is on IR the same time as Neal.

To make it half the season without having to play a callup from Milwaukee is pretty amazing. Time for Salomaki to grab the brass ring... there is a golden opportunity for someone from Milwaukee to prove that Jokinen/Arco/Nystrom can be jettisoned.

 

[HoptownPred]

Laviolette with the compassionate "build them up dont tear them down" approach to coaching?? LOL

You just knew we werent going to make it through the whole season without some significant injuries. Coincidental or cosmic that Hornqvist is on IR the same time as Neal.

To make it half the season without having to play a callup from Milwaukee is pretty amazing. Time for Salomaki to grab the brass ring... there is a golden opportunity for someone from Milwaukee to prove that Jokinen/Arco/Nystrom can be jettisoned.

Or we can always make that trade for Kessel

 

[Pred303]

Or we can always make that trade for Kessel

if they will take jokinen/arco/nystrom for kessel i'm all for it.

 

[Drake744]

Dallas got on my list because they were (and to an extent still are) media darlings after their roster makeover and they really play on the edge. I suppose that is the Lindy Ruff influence.

Media darlings? I don't hear squat about them outside of Seguin.

 

[tampa pred]

Any word on what is wrong with Neal and how long he is expected to miss?