Post-Game Talk: Stars def. Canucks - 3-1 (Miller) | Not Clinched

[vadim sharifijanov]

Sami Salo would like a word. and hurt himself expressing such

honestly, jeff brown imo

 

[BimJenning]

I didn't get to watch after Miller tied it but these lines were not conductive to winning. He's been awful, but you really need to get Lindholm into the top 6 and hope he can start doing something again for awhile heading into the playoffs, even if its just to be the face-off man to ensure possession. In all realism, if we're icing these types of throw sh!t at a wall and hope it sticks type coaching decisions, we're going to be out in 5 games.

 

[BluesyShoes]

Not sure what Canucks can do in the off season now in terms of cap space or who's available. But they really need some reliable trigger men that can score clutch goals.

The clouds part, the sun shines through, and the chorus of angels starts singing "Lekkeri..."

 

[kanucks25]

Probably have to just stack the lines and hope the depth players can tread water in limited minutes.

Guys like Lafferty, Aman, PDG, etc. should only ever be on the 4th line.

If Suter is in the top-6 it should only be on the Miller Boeser line. Might have to try giving a Pod a long look there as well to see if he can play the PDG role but better.

It's nice to have a balanced lineup but we simply don't have the firepower to do it. The more we try to spread it out the more watered down it becomes.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

This team peaked too early.

 

[Tact]

Missed the game but everyone is freaking out. We’re missing two key players in Demko and Lindholm who will be ready for the playoffs. The coaching staff need to get their shit together and either figure out new lines that work or go back to what has worked in the past.

I like some of the ideas by other fans by trying Joshua with Miller and Boeser. I still would like to try Lindholm with Miller to see if that can be some super two way line that dominates and get Lindholms offensive game going.

Otherwise, like others have said;

Pettersson - Miller - Boeser
Hoglander - Lindholm - Mikheyev
Joshua - Blueger - Garland
Podkolzin/PDG - Suter - Lafferty

Unfortunately teams will match that top line hard and not sure if Mikheyev and Lindholm are the answers for secondary scoring - but it’s the only hope.

As for the PP, it worked when Horvat was in the bumper for that hashmark/circle quick wrist/snap shot top shelf feed from Miller/Boeser on that off wall. Then we used Pearson in that spot and that worked as well. Suter doesn’t seem to work and doesn’t have the shot. Maybe try Pettersson in that spot and put Lindholm on the right side wall? Not sure but something needs to be figured out.

When you really think of it, Monahan probably would have been a better fit/target for our needs than the Lindholm acquisition and would have cost less.

 

[TruGr1t]

Not sure how they turn the powerplay around, it looks dreadful. There was always the pending risk of 5-on-5 scoring reversion with this team given its over-reliance on the top guys and lack of scoring depth. I just didn't think the PP would also take an absolute nose dive alongside a dry spell. I think I heard they've been basically near the bottom of the league in offense since the all-star break.

Unfortunate, as the defensive side of the game has looked pretty solid, and DeSmith has been pretty good. They've had good control of play for periods over the last two games, but doesn't matter if you can't finish and the PP sucks.

Lindholm trade looks like a massive miss at this point.

 

[SopelFanThe3rd]

When was the last time we were 5th in thr league

 

[ManVanFan]

This team peaked too early.

7-3-1 in March. 9th in win percentage for the month. 24th in GF, 1st in GA. They are still playing okay hockey but quite bad at the same time. I don't miss Kuzmenko but I miss goal scoring. Lol

 

[Hodgy]

Not sure how they turn the powerplay around, it looks dreadful. There was always the pending risk of 5-on-5 scoring reversion with this team given its over-reliance on the top guys and lack of scoring depth. I just didn't think the PP would also take an absolute nose dive alongside a dry spell. I think I heard they've been basically near the bottom of the league in offense since the all-star break.

Unfortunate, as the defensive side of the game has looked pretty solid, and DeSmith has been pretty good. They've had good control of play for periods over the last two games, but doesn't matter if you can't finish and the PP sucks.

Lindholm trade looks like a massive miss at this point.

It’s going to be very difficult to succeed in the playoffs with this even strength offense and power play.

I will say that it isn’t too surprising that we’ve seen an offensive drop off as the defence has improved. These things are Related’s and typically correlate.

 

[EpochLink]

Just f***ing clinch already.

Got 9 more games to fix this ass water power play

 

[aquaweenie]

Stick Joshua to Miller please

 

[ProviesGhost]

This team peaked too early.

or they’re slumping at the right time….(decided to be positive today, why not)

 

[Kryten]

Just f***ing clinch already.

Got 9 more games to fix this ass water power play

We’ve already clinched just not technically. STL and MIN arent going to win out

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

7-3-1 in March. 9th in win percentage for the month. 24th in GF, 1st in GA. They are still playing okay hockey but quite bad at the same time. I don't miss Kuzmenko but I miss goal scoring. Lol

This is what I was going to say.

A dry offensive stretch, for sure, but they’re still winning most of their games and they have the lowest GAA in the NHL, and that’s with missing Demko.

The offense and the PP is definitely an area of concern, but showing they can defend well is key heading into the post season as well.

 

[Peen]

7-3-1 in March. 9th in win percentage for the month. 24th in GF, 1st in GA. They are still playing okay hockey but quite bad at the same time. I don't miss Kuzmenko but I miss goal scoring. Lol

Biggest thing for us is we need the powerplay going or we’re going out in R1. Rest of the play has been encouraging imo.

I think Lindholm healthy along with a working PP and I would see any series we are in going 6+, even if I don’t have us favoured against most of the West

 

[theguardianII]

They could be the last team to clinch instead of the first.

It was not a lack of effort

BUT

I noticed 3 or 4 players that didn't "look" right. Hoglander didn't seem to be as dynamic as usual. Miller was in spurts. Zadorov and Myers looked off.
Maybe the "bug" finally hit the team.

A dry offensive stretch, for sure, but they’re still winning most of their games and they have the lowest GAA in the NHL, and that’s with missing Demko.

The offense and the PP is definitely an area of concern, but showing they can defend well is key heading into the post season as well.

Lowest, since Demko's injury or the home stand.

As the PP suffers Hughes is holding the puck more and more. EP ends up just standing there getting flat on his skates at times. The good PPs' are moving the puck, passing, quickly opening up lanes. If Hughes is gong to hold the puck so long get him skating a lap or two to get the opposition tighter in front and use the guys with the most powerful slap shots on the point. It doesn't matter if they hit the goal or not, as a matter of fact if they are wild then ALL the other teams players will be looking at him wondering where the puck could go, they might have to duck.

Sort of like the bat catcher in the movie Major League, he goes out to the mound and says to "Wild Thing", "I want you to hit the masscot" and pitcher does then the next pitch the catcher says to the batter, I don't where this thing is going, it can be anywhere. Batter misses the next slow pitch.
It was a little like that decades ago when the team put Aucoin on the point, a powerful wicked slap shot but ALL OVER THE PLACE, it worked for awhile.

I see this season as pretty damn close to the last couple of years but in reverse. Once they got in front it was harder for other teams to catch them.

Between periods Demko got discussed. Suddenly there is concern about how severe the injury is. If he makes it back before the end of the season I think they are lucky if he is effective, they will be even more lucky. IF it is what I think it is, what they try to keep quiet, he could play with enough pain killers. Probably getting freezing between periods. Schneider 2.0 IMO.

They are in the playoffs

 

[krutovsdonut]

frustrating game.

joshua was a ridiculous boost to the team. if he can sustain that we are significantly better.

there's a little bit of negative puck luck going on but mostly the problem is an inability to be effective in tight for greasy goals. guys are trying hard and getting there but cannot finish. garland keeps getting glorious chances but unless he is square to the puck i have a harder shot than he does.

the pp i just shake my head. too much time with one of hughes, ep or miller on the puck, and nobody on the bumper or doorstep getting it done. i think they maybe need to bring boeser out and send miller into the paint. or try joshua.

 

[theguardianII]

Was just quickly reviewing the game, I wonder if Pettersson is okay, he was shaking his head two of three times on the bench after body contact. Missing one timers and passes he was getting before. Some hesitation every now and then.

They should win the next game, Anaheim's back to back.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

649
Hog-Lindy-Mik
Joshua-TBB-Garland
Whoever

Do it vulvas

 

[just22]

Stop trying to big brain the line up and do:

Suter-Miller-Boeser
Hoglander-Pettersson-Mik/Pod
Joshua-Blueger-Garland
Who cares

and roll 3 lines.

Why are we trying to change the formula with less than 10 games left in the season?

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Not sure how they turn the powerplay around, it looks dreadful. There was always the pending risk of 5-on-5 scoring reversion with this team given its over-reliance on the top guys and lack of scoring depth. I just didn't think the PP would also take an absolute nose dive alongside a dry spell. I think I heard they've been basically near the bottom of the league in offense since the all-star break.

Unfortunate, as the defensive side of the game has looked pretty solid, and DeSmith has been pretty good. They've had good control of play for periods over the last two games, but doesn't matter if you can't finish and the PP sucks.

Lindholm trade looks like a massive miss at this point.

PP1 is sputtering down this last stretch a bit..There’s no reason they can’t right the ship there..They have the players to do it..

Maybe a combination of Lindholm and Joshua could be a thing..?..Could be the basis of a great 3rd line..?

 

[AD16]

Tocchet has to bear equal parts of blame for this recent stretch. Galaxy braining the lines at this point. The PP has actually looked ok at times despite our dreadful conversion rate. Just some bad luck and probably a bit of regression given how everything was going in earlier in the season.

Forward group will be fine. We need to stick to some set lines for a while and give the players chance to develop more chemistry. Lindholm has been underwhelming but can still be useful with Petey. It’s probably an unpopular opinion but I actually think they should shift Petey to the wing. Let him focus on generating offense and Lindy can pick up the slack defensively for that line since he’s been pretty inept offensively. Otherwise I do like the depth of our forward group and the two way ability of most of our forwards. We don’t really have any defensive liabilities. With Demko back in the fold and the way we’ve been playing defense at even strength of late we will be a tough match for anyone in the playoffs if we can find a way to get timely scoring.

Personally would like to see

Mikheyev-Milller-Boeser
Pettersson-Lindholm-Hoglander
Joshua-Blueger-Garland
Podkolzin-Suter-Lafferty
PDG, Aman

 

[PG Canuck]

I didn't get to watch after Miller tied it but these lines were not conductive to winning. He's been awful, but you really need to get Lindholm into the top 6 and hope he can start doing something again for awhile heading into the playoffs, even if its just to be the face-off man to ensure possession. In all realism, if we're icing these types of throw sh!t at a wall and hope it sticks type coaching decisions, we're going to be out in 5 games.

With Lindholm’s injury being a question mark as to what it even is, I am not relying on him for much moving forward. Seems like something he may need surgery/extensive rehab for. Dhali said he was hearing its hand/wrist but couldn’t confirm…not ideal for a faceoff guy.

 

[VanJack]

You knew a 'correction' was coming for the Canucks, and it's definitely happened since the all-star break, where they've basically been a .500 team.

I guess the encouraging thing is that in a lot of their losses, they've actually been the better team 5 on 5. But their PP and PK has let them down big-time.

But all of these things are correctable. And I suspect the Canucks will ultimately benefit from their slack schedule in March. Rest is a great weapon entering the playoffs.

It also encouraging that kids like Bains, Karlsson and Podkolzin are getting reps in big games down the stretch. They're going to need young guys like that to step up next season.