WARNING - I'm a pro-tanker, so some of the comments might make some posters angry
I was scared during the preseason as they showed multiple games that they had breakout plays and were successful. Thankfully, they didn't use them.
The same problems we saw last year surfaced again last night. For someone that is pro-tanking that's great, but for someone who also wants to see them competitive and improve, that's not a good sign. We are waaaaaay too weak on the puck, we are constantly being out muscled for the puck or easily knocked down.
Good: Stewart, Myers for the most part(Had way more positive plays than negative), Weber(simple easy plays; stuck up for Reinhart)
Bad: Everyone else. Every line had issues, you really can't say any lines SHOULD stay together. Very underwhelmed with 1st Line of MES, 2nd Line had no jam, easily pushed off the puck in offensive zone to kill any time in their zone, 3rd line was best, not saying much as outside certain shifts where Stewart was the catalyst they really did nothing with cycling and possessing the puck 4th line needs to be blown up with Nick was the only bright spot.
Ugly: Them throwing everything positive they did in preseason away for the first game. Also, their faceoff ability. Wow, I've never seen a team so bad at faceoffs. It seems the only way we win faceoffs is if the centerman wins it clean.
I was a little worried about how their effort would improve the team, but after watching last night, IF it's a sign of things to come, I shouldn't worry as if you combine last year's team with a decline in goaltending abilities, and add a defense that is trying to learn to play with one another, as I don't think theres a defense pairing that played together last year, then we should be in the hunt for #1 or #2 overall.
