While I in no way support the way they played last night. I think they played very poorly. However I also think they could have won the game. They had some unlucky bounces. The game is one of inches. Had a few bounces gone our way I think we win the game. Then were all talking about Montreal in the next series. A few shots hit the post. TJ wiffed on a pass that was a shot at the open net.
The problem is that were weren't winning the battles we needed to win. We did it in the first two games. The first game was won by the goaltenders. Mrazek played great in two of the three games so far. Bishop has only played well in one. So that is also a difference maker. If we can get on the scoreboard early it's hard to stop our team because we get confident quick.
Detroit did a great job in frustrating us. If we can just play our game and win battles we won't be stopped. They can't get frustrated. Especially after the last game. We need to come out on fire next game. But poised.
And about Stamkos. A lot of people are blaming him. He's not playing with guys who really fit his game. Don't get me wrong I really like Callahan and Killorn but they aren't fit for a run and gun line. That line plays a lot more grind than it does playmaking offense. We need Drouin to play with Stamkos and we need somebody else who can score and make plays with them too. Killorn and Callahan are not those kind of players. I wouldn't mind making some kind of trade that would get us another guy who could play with Stamkos but that isn't an easy thing to do.
Need a mix of both, the line of Drouin - Stamkos - Callahan had a nice balance of players. You underrate Callahan who is good at making plays, he is no elite playmaker but he makes up for it by winning those puck battles on the boards and can crash the net and get to those rebounds Stamkos shoots on goal.
Cally was winning board battles last night, Stamkos was no where to be found to accept a pass or once a play started he took a dumb penalty. Believe both of his penalties were in the offensive zone.
Stamkos is playing like crap, I grow tired of Stamkos' struggles being blamed on lack of chemisty with his linemates. Stamkos had nearly every single player on that line. It's more like a lack of energy or lack of motivation from him that I see. Killorn is playing above his head on the top line, he has been good in this series, and that top line production has really come from the efforts of him and Callahan with Stamkos being a passenger.
Now if Drouin is not playing, then go with KFC and TKO and give Stamkos the leftovers to figure things out and if he does not can just be a decoy for the other teams top D.
That was kind of based off game 2 and me being generous. You are full right on all counts though. Detroit has prevented us, or perhaps we have not tried, to truly attack with speed and you can see that in every period.
