GDT: 12/9/14 - Isles @ Wild - 7 PM CST / 3 AM EET - FS-N

[57special]

We either chip it behind the D at the last second with speed and either beat them to the puck or get there the same time and smash them and start our cycle or carry the puck in the zone and pull it up either at the halfwall or into the corner and then they either cycle it behind the net or get it to the point...that's what i've been noticing...

It's not neccesarily bad, but we get a lot of shots from the perimeter.


The Islanders, at least last night, did a really good job of getting to the slot and piercing our defense when they got a chance.

(The Wild might finally be figuring out that if you're going to dominate the cycle game you gotta get guys to the net to crash and score rebounds and gritty goals)

It was good to see those dirty goals, with a bigger guy like Vanek right in the thick of things. Guys like Granlund, Pominville, or Haula just aren't big enough to survive in there.

I think the Wild's puck possession game tends to lower the quality of shots on net. A lot of our passes are backwards or sideways, which allows the other team time to get back and defend the front of the net, and push our players to the perimeter. I liken it to the game played by a lot of modern soccer teams(I.e. Barcelona).

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I'd rather our team has the puck than theirs, but it does tend to lessen the chance of odd man and breakaway rushes on the other team's goal. While we might be outshooting our opponents, I don't think we are necessarily out chancing them.
Let's not be too impressed with our shot totals.

 

[keppel146]

Vanek tried a little harder on that top line.