Honestly Barkowski's been denigrated more than i think he deserves lately... i thought he had a solid game overall. He was involved all over the ice, and he is not afraid to mix it up behind EITHER net.
The ease with which Bart skates the puck from Tuukka/Chad's end, and worms through all the way to the offensive zone -- sometimes deep in the zone all the way to the corner (upon which he usually absorbs a big hit rather well) -- can be very impressive.
In fact, after Warsofsky's goal it had me thinking that Bartkowski should be working on that type of shot from that area. Bart gets to those same spots by himself with relative ease... the kid (both of them, really) is a great skater.
Warsofsky looked
just like Bart the way he carried the puck past the offensive blue line, skating that serpentine-ish route through the neutral zone. Only instead of dumping it to one of the corners to set-up a cycle, or skating it down to the corner himself, Warsofsky simply pulled up and ripped an absolute bomb.
Someone has said this before... but right now it seems to be the case. Bartkowski's got all the tools but at times it seems like he just doesn't have the toolbox.
I still think Bart is better defensively and stronger on the puck (he's a significantly bigger body, so he should be... but still) than either Krug or Warsofsky seems to be.
Maybe i am in the minority but when Krug is not scoring, i am more comfortable with Barkowski on the blueline. But Krug isn't the liablity some pretend he is... i just think Bart is the better defensive D-man.
Krug's offensive ability is already fairly well-proven. He hit a wall but i think he will finish the season either 1st in D-man goals or 2nd behind Chara... i know, bold prediction
If Bart can work on his shot... he has the physical/skating tools to be a force offensively too. He needs to get a better slapper but i was impressed with the way he handled the additional action he got last night.
The goal he was on for was as flukey and as "no one's fault" as a goal could possibly be. He may have been on for another but i didn't notice. I did notice Bart was all over the place last night, very active physically and had an active stick.
I think some people are too quick to dismiss Bart, or McQuaid for that matter, and what both bring to the table. That being said, i was extremely impressed with Warsofsky's lateral movement on the power play.
He is every bit as a good of a lateral skater (on the PP in particular) as Krug has shown himself to be.
OK i am done with my rant now