Observations XVI

[ThirdManIn]

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[Drake744]

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Byrddog

The first period they were on there heels the entire period. The second both teams played pretty equal and the third was a mixture of the Kings playing horrible the first 9 minutes and then recovering and the Preds inability to take advantage of the Kings sloppy play early in the 3rd was costly. Smith, Forsberg and Arvy all three missed a chance to bury a rebound in the 3rd. Frosberg hit the iron, Smith missed the net as usual and Arvy was just froze looking at the puck as a King swiped the puck from right in front of him.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Winning tonight is pretty darn important. We got the Blues coming up behind us out of nowhere and we need closure after game 7 fiasco last year.

Doesn't get any bigger than this boys...

 

[King Weber]

so Salomaki's Milwaukee stint is now over. Wonder if we'll see him in the lineup tonight?

 

[PredsV82]

When you've just about got your mind made up to chuck this season in the gutter and focus on March Madness, they go and have a game like this...

 

[INDhockeyfan]

Despite all the negativity, we got 4 out of 6 pts on the road trip. Just get points doesn't matter if it is the loser point we need all we can get.

 

[PredsV82]

Despite all the negativity, we got 4 out of 6 pts on the road trip. Just get points doesn't matter if it is the loser point we need all we can get.

With no intent to be a wet blanket on the spirit of your post, if we had obtained the same 4 points with a regulation loss to ANA and a regulation win in LA it would have been much better. We would pretty much be locked for the playoffs. But the solid win is refreshing and can allow some optimism to creep back into the board for a few days. Of course between now and Monday I expect 98%of the discussion to be "ZOMG Saros should start every game now #!!!#1!"

 

[Preds Partisan]

Winning in regulation probably feels pretty damn good to these guys right about now. This was a must win, but I didn't want to say that before the game and jinx it.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Out of town visiting family so I wasn't able to watch the game. So thankful the boys rallied and won this one. Huge win going into these final weeks.

 

[jwhouk]

An entire game with no secondary assists?

 

[Byrddog]

With no intent to be a wet blanket on the spirit of your post, if we had obtained the same 4 points with a regulation loss to ANA and a regulation win in LA it would have been much better. We would pretty much be locked for the playoffs. But the solid win is refreshing and can allow some optimism to creep back into the board for a few days. Of course between now and Monday I expect 98%of the discussion to be "ZOMG Saros should start every game now #!!!#1!"

Exactly the inability to to keep the Kings from getting points in that game was huge. And your right the Saros banter will be center for the next few days.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Just want to bring up the fact that Wilson is slowly moving up to half a point a game.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

With no intent to be a wet blanket on the spirit of your post, if we had obtained the same 4 points with a regulation loss to ANA and a regulation win in LA it would have been much better. We would pretty much be locked for the playoffs. But the solid win is refreshing and can allow some optimism to creep back into the board for a few days. Of course between now and Monday I expect 98%of the discussion to be "ZOMG Saros should start every game now #!!!#1!"

At this point, I'm fully in favor of playing whoever we win with regardless of how significant a part of that victory they were. Give it to Saros til he loses, then go back to Rinne and so on.

 

[braindead]

Is it just me or is Craig Smith looking really good lately? I feel like he will never score again but maybe it will even out and he will get, like, 15 goals in 15 games.

 

[Drake744]

Is it just me or is Craig Smith looking really good lately? I feel like he will never score again but maybe it will even out and he will get, like, 15 goals in 15 games.

Please do, so we can reap the rewards now while Vegas decides he's the guy for them.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Is it just me or is Craig Smith looking really good lately? I feel like he will never score again but maybe it will even out and he will get, like, 15 goals in 15 games.

Not just you, it's just en vogue for him to be the permanent whipping boy at this point. Why do I doubt Arvy gets the same treatment next season if his production drops like a rock after signing an extension?

 

[Armourboy]

Not just you, it's just en vogue for him to be the permanent whipping boy at this point. Why do I doubt Arvy gets the same treatment next season if his production drops like a rock after signing an extension?

Arvy gets 4 mil a season and then puts up single digit goals I'll give him crap. Anytime you get a raise and then do jack you get everything people give you.

Smith is getting it right now because people defended him for years against guys like Byrd and then he comes in and lays this mess. Frankly at this point in his career " looking good" doesn't cut it.

 

[Scoresberg]

Smith is playing well, I agree but he's so snakebit that I don't know if he can get out of that this season. We'd surely need him to. Still 15 games to go, but hopes of getting Smith going shouldn't take Fiala completely out of the lineup.

I don't know why, but we played a really solid team defense last night. Honestly, probably the best we've played all season. Sharks are one of the best offensive teams in the league and we really limited their chances to a minimum. We stifled their PP as well. Can't describe how much I loved seeing that.

But was the reason, for that kind of defense, Saros? I don't know but if our team plays like that in front of him, we're gonna win a whole lot more games than we're going to lose.

 

[Byrddog]

Why should Smith not be the Whipping boy??????? Every player MUST perform to there role and Smith is paid to be a scoring wing the same with Wilson. In the past Stalberg a very similar player with speed to burn but had lost his ability to finish was the whipping boy and eventually bought out. Nystrom and Gaustad while overpaid were both whipping boys due to there salary but they filled the role they were here for. Then you might remember Joel Ward who did nothing but good things and was not resigned due him wanting 3 mil a year a good two way player that was a consistent 30 to 40 point here in really 3rd line role. SO why should Smith and Wilson at 4 mil a year not be whipping boys? Even if Smith happened to get hot and scores a goal a game the remainder of the year and goes over 20 goals he has still been a boat anchor to the team for what 60 games since all his goals have been scored in 7 games, Add to that he has but 8 asst's. His 13-14 fluke year has got him a 20 million dollar contract and his production has decreased each year in both goals and asst's. And honestly the Wilson contract is no better he had 24 points last season and has 29 at this point this year. There is nothing to indicate either are going to return to 20 goals and 40 odd points each.

As to Faila it will be no surprise if he was sent to Milwaukee to to finish there year now that Parenteau is in the lineup. If the Preds go farther than the Admirals he will come back and sit in the pressbox unless there is an injury. What Poile and Lavi do with him next year is questionable.

As to the goaltender situation it is not surprising to read here the reactions after Saros wins one game. Time will tell what the outcome will be neither goalie is playing well enough to be successful in the playoffs the only thing consistent in net is there inconsistency even in the 4 game win streak they gave up a load of goals.

 

[bdub24]

4 mil a year buys more than 9 goals. Not hustle. Not effort. Goals. At some point, you either look good, or you are good.

Now in Saros vs Rinne...Saros both looked good and was good in the win. And it's the fact that he looks good (anticipation of the puck placement, quick reflexes, reducing rebounds) along with the result (our first one goal allowed game in how long?) that gives reasoning and logic to the excitement of maybe letting him take the reigns a little more often. You argue against it because you didn't pick him up in your fantasy league or you can't let go of that one time you had a chat with Korn when he was coaching here and he personally told you how important height was.

 

[Drake744]

The best way I'll sum up my thoughts on Saros vs Rinne is this:

Rinne is still talented enough to have stretches of good games where he gives us a chance to win, or maybe even wins a game for us. If we beat Anaheim in that shootout, those two points are entirely thanks to him. That's fine. But if he was 5'10" like Saros he wouldn't be sniffing an AHL roster.

But thankfully, he's not. And instead of arguing who's better and who sucks, I prefer to look at it as a positive and I'm on board with the idea someone said earlier to just let the winning guy play until he loses, then go back. Now, would Saros be ready for playoff action? Who knows, but down the stretch I don't see why we couldn't do it that way

 

[Scoresberg]

Yes, Saros is an unproven card in the playoffs in the NHL but previously in his career he has done nothing but improved his game when the stakes were high. He thrives under pressure.

 

[drwpreds]

We are now 12 games into the absolutely brutal 14 game stretch coming out of bye week:

@ Minn L
@ CBJ W
CGY OTL
COL W
WSH W
EDM W
@ Buf W
@ Mtl L
CHI L
@ Ana SOL
@ LA OTL
@ SJ W
WPG
@ Wsh

We have actually made it through it in pretty decent shape- 6-3-3 overall (6-2-3 since the Minnesota loss). Only two regulation losses in our last 11 games, and in both of those we gave up the winning goal in the final minute.

Also, in the road games at Montreal and the 3 in California, we trailed for a total of approximately 6 minutes in those 4 games combined. So it is not like we are playing bad or anything close to it.

If we can at worst split these two games this week (beat WPG, lose at WSH) then we will have survived a pretty tough stretch. Our remaining schedule after that is not easy by any means, but not nearly as tough as those previous 14.

And it is a good thing we have managed to keep collecting points- the past couple of weeks it has been pretty amazing that almost every game involving teams behind us have not gone our way. Calgary, STL and LA have combined to win 15 games in a row. (Calgary 9, STL 4 and LA 2).
So we are not getting any help whatsoever. That will hopefully end tomorrow when STL plays in LA- hopefully that will not go to OT.....

 

[Scoresberg]

Salo called up. Goodbye, Cody!

 

[INDhockeyfan]

Salomaki coming back improves our 4th line.