Post-Game Talk: 19 January 2016 - The Invasion of the Blackhawk Fans

[deansredhalo]

We used to have a player behind the net pass the puck to someone standing low in the slot/in front the net to get some scoring chances/goals that way. Don't see us do much of that anymore like in the past. Like to see more of that.

Several times tonight one of our forwards ended up with the puck behind the net either from a cycle or a D push and with time and space to make a pass. On all but one occasion, nobody moved to crash down the slot to the net at all. The one time it did happen, after several seconds, Neal finally cut to the net, albeit at an angle, and received the puck and took a shot to the short side. On all the other times they had to either dump it up the side wall back to the D for them to shoot or just piddle around with it until the Hawks came and took it.

I have no idea what's going on offensively anymore.

 

[klt2001]

Several times tonight one of our forwards ended up with the puck behind the net either from a cycle or a D push and with time and space to make a pass. On all but one occasion, nobody moved to crash down the slot to the net at all. The one time it did happen, after several seconds, Neal finally cut to the net, albeit at an angle, and received the puck and took a shot to the short side. On all the other times they had to either dump it up the side wall back to the D for them to shoot or just piddle around with it until the Hawks came and took it.

I have no idea what's going on offensively anymore.

I know. It's like the forwards don't know what to do when they are in their offensive zone except to pass it to the perimeter and to the blueline/defenseman. We just don't have a game plan to get into the interior or if we try we end up getting broken up or losing the puck. We should have two forwards go in front of the net when a forward is behind the net and have the forward behind the net pass it to one of them and then one of them shoot while the other can try to get rebounds or they can pass to each other to get the goalie off balance/moving side to side to score. Something. Anything is better than just passing back to the perimeter and/or blueline/defenseman every time. That might work sometime but not every time. Need to have more than one way to score.

 

[sparkle twin]

So disappointed with the effort level.

But just to find something positive......we stayed disciplined and when we did take a penalty we killed it off. That's all I've got.

 

[Armourboy]

I know. It's like the forwards don't know what to do when they are in their offensive zone except to pass it to the perimeter and to the blueline/defenseman. We just don't have a game plan to get into the interior or if we try we end up getting broken up or losing the puck. We should have two forwards go in front of the net when a forward is behind the net and have the forward behind the net pass it to one of them and then one of them shoot while the other can try to get rebounds or they can pass to each other to get the goalie off balance/moving side to side to score. Something. Anything is better than just passing back to the perimeter and/or blueline/defenseman every time. That might work sometime but not every time. Need to have more than one way to score.

Glad to know I wasn't the only one that noticed this. Several times here lately it is like the guys don't know what to do with the puck or without it. I though some of it might just be that they aren't used to a guy with Joey's skill level and it shocked them they even got the puck. That could be some of it I guess, but honestly most of it just looks like they are lost.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Biggest disappointment for me is that I thought the team was going to heat up following the Mild win. One step forward, two back.

I'm also disappointed that Johansen and Neal haven't clicked yet. It's way early, but they've had some time now. The big knock on Neal when we got him was that he needs a top center for production. Nothing there yet.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

I laughed at my friend who texted me back in early December that Lavi has lost the locker room. (He works for the Preds as an equipment intern and travels with the team). Looks like he was right.

 

[codeman00]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but this is what the entire team wanted....a coach with an offensive game plan instead of defensive. And now we have it...and that coach has lost the team? WTH?!?

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

Biggest disappointment for me is that I thought the team was going to heat up following the Mild win. One step forward, two back.

I'm also disappointed that Johansen and Neal haven't clicked yet. It's way early, but they've had some time now. The big knock on Neal when we got him was that he needs a top center for production. Nothing there yet.

I think they look pretty good on the PP together, Neal had a couple one time opportunities between the circles from Johansen who was on goal line extended.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

I think they look pretty good on the PP together, Neal had a couple one time opportunities between the circles from Johansen who was on goal line extended.

They've had some good looks, and I will say that our top line has looked best, but it's the actual production part I'm not seeing. Score sheet stuff.

 

[fiveAMpractice]

Lavi just couldn't let the lines settle for a few games.
He's over coaching.
Had to move Fillip up to the 1st line and mess that line up.
Moved Weber and Josi back to the Joey, Ribs,Neal unit. Now the puck can't be worked around low but has to be controlled by the points once again for the big boomer . You have F92 and F18 standing around for body bags again instead when D4 and D14 they moved it around the circles down low.
Couldn't leave Carter in for a couple games. No way.
Just don't understand when their is a breath of life Lavy wants to go back to what has not worked.

 

[jwhouk]

Images and Logos in part from nhl.com

EDIT: The CHI.png pic wasn't there last night; I think I was using the wrong subdirectory on my cut-and-paste reference. Sowwy.

 

[klt2001]

Most disappointing for me has been Fisher, he just hasn't done anything really.

Well in Fisher's defense he works best in the slot imo w/ someone feeding him the puck, which is why I think he worked well w/ Colin Wilson as Colin would do most of the leg work to get the puck/fight for the puck along the boards and then feed it to Fisher in the slot to shot it. This year he hasn't been in the slot area much except in the middle of the PP and when he is there nobody is feeding him the puck or if they do he does a quick pass back out to the perimeter on the PP. This year he seems to be spending most of his time fighting for the puck along the wall and then passing it to the blue line to keep it in or shoot it. Think he should be more in the slot area getting the puck from his teammates on the back wall or behind the net for a one timer and/or rebounds. Also w/ Mike's big body think he should be in front of the goalie to better screen the goalie and get rebounds rather than be in the middle like he is on the PP. Right now I think on our PP it is mainly Neal or someone else that screens the goalie. Mike is mainly in the middle/center on the PP and when a guy from the side passes to him he will just pass it right back to them as his back is usually facing the net at that point. If a guy down low however were to pass it to him cleanly when he is facing the net and in the middle of our PP he might be more likely to shoot a one timer at the net like he has in the past. Instead of passing to him though most of the guys down low will just pass it back to the perimeter or side who then just pass it to the defenseman/blueline who shot it, which again just leads to outside shots rather than inside shots. Don't think Fisher has been getting much shots on net and that in return probably makes him rusty when he does get one off. Think if his scoring is going to increase he will need his teammates to pass him the puck more while he is in the slot area. Seems this year he is doing more passing or fighting for the puck along the wall rather than shooting or being in front of the net or the play will get broken up before anything can develop.

 

[klt2001]

IMO I think our play makers should be the ones getting the puck along the wall or bring it in and our shooters/scorers/finishers should be in the interior, slot, or front of/around the net to try to score some goals and the ones that can do both or none well they can just be all over the ice I guess . I can just hope Laviolette has been here long enough to know the difference of which of our players are which to better utilize them to their strengths rather than their weaknesses cause right now it just looks like he is throwing players together until he just hopes one sticks/clicks which might be putting some of them in roles they aren't strong/comfortable in. If he is unsure he needs to ask the players themselves where they think they are a better fit/role on this team or watch past video clips of when the players or team was having/being successful and go back to that.

 

[jwhouk]

Someone else start the GDT. I don't wanna do it.