Post-Game Talk: #27| Vegas Golden Knights @ New York Islanders | December 5th | 7:00 PM | F/OTW 3-2

[Strummergas]

Anyone else love this fisherman Face logo ? I like it. Looks slick. Wouldn’t mind a modern fisherman alternate that featured this logo with “islanders” underneath

Gross.

The lighthouse ain't half though.

 

[Strummergas]

I wouldn't mind that. Also more stuff:

Double gross.

 

[Strummergas]

And I should have worded it differently, because I mean that hardly a team in NHL history has rolled off 17 wins in the first 22 games and missed the playoffs. Going .500 from here on out will be sufficient in at least making the show.

Don't worry Chapin, it was Obvious to me what you were getting at in your post.

 

[Strummergas]

I was going to say the same thing. Beau looks so confident with the puck this year...even a little (I said little) harder to knock off the puck. I'll also add, if Lou could ever bring in a Taylor Hall type winger to play with Barzal, I could see Big Ross play on the other wing....remind anyone of a good line we use to have. Little easier for Barzal to play with an edge with 6'5 Ross flanking him haha

I'm due for a new jersey very soon. Leaning heavily towards a Beau jersey; as long as they don't charge by the letter

 

[crasherino]

I was going to say the same thing. Beau looks so confident with the puck this year...even a little (I said little) harder to knock off the puck. I'll also add, if Lou could ever bring in a Taylor Hall type winger to play with Barzal, I could see Big Ross play on the other wing....remind anyone of a good line we use to have. Little easier for Barzal to play with an edge with 6'5 Ross flanking him haha

After Kotkaniemieimieimi worked Barzal over the other night, I was thinking that it would be nice if there was a little muscle on Barzy's line to dissuade things like that. I don't expect that this will be Barzal's line for the whole season, but there's nothing wrong with rolling something like this out every so often and see how it goes. As it turns out, Ross played the most he's played this year and was pretty productive.

I f'n love Trotz. He actually reacts to reality and makes sensible, rational moves that we haven't seen from our Coaching Staff in a long, long time. He may not be as reactionary as us fans - which is fine, he shouldn't - but he pretty much sees what we see. MDC is not a productive player. He may give him a game or three more than we would otherwise do, but he makes an appropriate change. He looks for stability but also looks for players to be put in positions to succeed. The plan at the beginning of the season was probably to have Dobson play more. But guess what? Our D is looking pretty damn good and it the situation is not lending itself to getting him in the line up right now. That's OK. There will be plenty of time to get him in but right now, he's dancing with the guys that brought him.

Prior to last night, Ross didn't look very good recently (IMO). He got minimal ice time and looked tentative and almost afraid to make a mistake knowing that one wrong move would get him benched. But last night Trotz put him in a more aggressive position and let him open up and played 13 minutes overall including some time in the third. That will give a guy like him some confidence. Hopefully he plays in Dallas and he can build on that as well. I'm a big Ross Johnston fan. Partially because I like the physical aspect of hockey but I also like guys who can fight but also play. There's definitely that in him and the more he gets a chance to play when the game is in question, the more he'll develop. We were all talking about skating Ross yesterday because of the inevitable Reaves/Ross matchup. But the fact that he did skate and didn't actually drop them with Reaves says a lot about his development. He wasn't out there only to punch his card - he was out there to play. Good on him (despite us missing the tilt we wanted to see).

 

[crashthenet]

An important win. Makes up for the porr effort versus the Habs.

 

[IslesCLT]

After Kotkaniemieimieimi worked Barzal over the other night, I was thinking that it would be nice if there was a little muscle on Barzy's line to dissuade things like that. I don't expect that this will be Barzal's line for the whole season, but there's nothing wrong with rolling something like this out every so often and see how it goes. As it turns out, Ross played the most he's played this year and was pretty productive.

I f'n love Trotz. He actually reacts to reality and makes sensible, rational moves that we haven't seen from our Coaching Staff in a long, long time. He may not be as reactionary as us fans - which is fine, he shouldn't - but he pretty much sees what we see. MDC is not a productive player. He may give him a game or three more than we would otherwise do, but he makes an appropriate change. He looks for stability but also looks for players to be put in positions to succeed. The plan at the beginning of the season was probably to have Dobson play more. But guess what? Our D is looking pretty damn good and it the situation is not lending itself to getting him in the line up right now. That's OK. There will be plenty of time to get him in but right now, he's dancing with the guys that brought him.

Prior to last night, Ross didn't look very good recently (IMO). He got minimal ice time and looked tentative and almost afraid to make a mistake knowing that one wrong move would get him benched. But last night Trotz put him in a more aggressive position and let him open up and played 13 minutes overall including some time in the third. That will give a guy like him some confidence. Hopefully he plays in Dallas and he can build on that as well. I'm a big Ross Johnston fan. Partially because I like the physical aspect of hockey but I also like guys who can fight but also play. There's definitely that in him and the more he gets a chance to play when the game is in question, the more he'll develop. We were all talking about skating Ross yesterday because of the inevitable Reaves/Ross matchup. But the fact that he did skate and didn't actually drop them with Reaves says a lot about his development. He wasn't out there only to punch his card - he was out there to play. Good on him (despite us missing the tilt we wanted to see).

Excellent post. I think we've all been guilty of looking at Ross as a sub for Martin and that's it. Having them both in the lineup last night didn't hurt us at all, and IMO helped us balance our lines and right the ship (so to speak). I made the comment yesterday afternoon that I'm fine with Ross being on Barzy's wing as his bodyguard considering the recent bounty that appears to be on Barzal's head. Ross not only played the role of bodyguard but had his best game of the season and earned another game in that slot (again, my opinion). If he sits for MDC I'll be pissed.

 

[Tres Peleches]

Yessiree Bob. Still needed carnival hockey to do it though.

The score didn’t reflect it in regulation time, but I was there and the Isles were the better team last night

 

[majormet]

I was going to say the same thing. Beau looks so confident with the puck this year...even a little (I said little) harder to knock off the puck. I'll also add, if Lou could ever bring in a Taylor Hall type winger to play with Barzal, I could see Big Ross play on the other wing....remind anyone of a good line we use to have. Little easier for Barzal to play with an edge with 6'5 Ross flanking him haha

Well Ross won't score goals like Gillies but still the concept works... I am surprised Trotz did not try this earlier as he had Tom Wilson (more skill) on top line in Washington. I think Eberle is getting his act together and that RW spot would be his. Team needs to find a center for Lee and Bailey if they move the lines that way and Brassard has to be with Beau and Nelson.

Johnston/Barzal/Eberle
Brassard/Nelson/Beau
Lee/<acquisition>/Bailey
Martin/Cizikas/Clutter

They would probably have to get rid of one of MDC, Leo or Kuhnackl

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Oh no. Here comes the "put an enforcer on the top line" brigade.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I'm due for a new jersey very soon. Leaning heavily towards a Beau jersey; as long as they don't charge by the letter

Coolest name on the Islanders. On a team with a lot of cool names.

Beauvillier
Cal Clutterbuck
Casey Cizikas
Kuhnackl
Boychuk

 

[crasherino]

Oh no. Here comes the "put an enforcer on the top line" brigade.

You mean Barry Trotz?

It worked ok last night. Lets see what happens again. I'll trust this CS to mix things up to see what works. MDC certainly wasn't the answer.

 

[majormet]

Oh no. Here comes the "put an enforcer on the top line" brigade.

It is not as much as putting him there as an enforcer, more as a net presence up front and he is a good skater... I think with Eberle on that line it could hold us for a stretch until teams fade and we can make a trade or two

And I saw more rationale for it in the Vegas game. Barzal holds the puck and does not pass much in the open areas. Ross is very bad at catching a puck and skating with it, he does not have to do that with Barzal. Ross stays put in front of the net a lot, that is where the bounces are, seems like Lee is always too slow to catch up to the play, Ross gets there where Lee does not.

 

[The Real JT]

Well Ross won't score goals like Gillies but still the concept works... I am surprised Trotz did not try this earlier as he had Tom Wilson (more skill) on top line in Washington. I think Eberle is getting his act together and that RW spot would be his. Team needs to find a center for Lee and Bailey if they move the lines that way and Brassard has to be with Beau and Nelson.

Johnston/Barzal/Eberle
Brassard/Nelson/Beau
Lee/<acquisition>/Bailey
Martin/Cizikas/Clutter

They would probably have to get rid of one of MDC, Leo or Kuhnackl

Only one?

 

[Uncle Duke]

The score didn’t reflect it in regulation time, but I was there and the Isles were the better team last night

I know we were, but that's my point, we are the better team on many nights and yet need OT to close the deal too often to suit me.

 

[mm11]

anyone see Tuch's goal last night and thought about Wahlstrom being that guy one day? That was a beaut of a shot .

 

[The Real JT]

I know we were, but that's my point, we are the better team on many nights and yet need OT to close the deal too often to suit me.

Some may disagree but while we were generally the better team vs Detroit (who may be the worst team in the league), they severely outplayed us in the second period.
If they potted a couple of goals there, we could have lost that game.

These type of things even up over the course of the season.

 

[Strummergas]

Oh no. Here comes the "put an enforcer on the top line" brigade.

Hey, it worked 40 years ago.....

 

[IslesCLT]

Oh no. Here comes the "put an enforcer on the top line" brigade.

Yeah, because being softer than a baby's ass is working so well for certain other teams

 

[Lek]

I have and do see Ross as more than an enforcer. I truly think with playing time and the building of his confidence as player, he will be. I have wanted to see him play with Barzal for some time now and overall, liked what i saw.

 

[PK Cronin]

Different opponents require different solutions sometimes, and with the way Barzal has been targeted recently having Johnston on his wing made sense. Johnston played fine in the role but that doesn't mean I want him to be a staple on that line going forward. Nice to know he can fit there if needed though.

 

[MJF]

After Kotkaniemieimieimi worked Barzal over the other night, I was thinking that it would be nice if there was a little muscle on Barzy's line to dissuade things like that. I don't expect that this will be Barzal's line for the whole season, but there's nothing wrong with rolling something like this out every so often and see how it goes. As it turns out, Ross played the most he's played this year and was pretty productive.

I f'n love Trotz. He actually reacts to reality and makes sensible, rational moves that we haven't seen from our Coaching Staff in a long, long time. He may not be as reactionary as us fans - which is fine, he shouldn't - but he pretty much sees what we see. MDC is not a productive player. He may give him a game or three more than we would otherwise do, but he makes an appropriate change. He looks for stability but also looks for players to be put in positions to succeed. The plan at the beginning of the season was probably to have Dobson play more. But guess what? Our D is looking pretty damn good and it the situation is not lending itself to getting him in the line up right now. That's OK. There will be plenty of time to get him in but right now, he's dancing with the guys that brought him.

Prior to last night, Ross didn't look very good recently (IMO). He got minimal ice time and looked tentative and almost afraid to make a mistake knowing that one wrong move would get him benched. But last night Trotz put him in a more aggressive position and let him open up and played 13 minutes overall including some time in the third. That will give a guy like him some confidence. Hopefully he plays in Dallas and he can build on that as well. I'm a big Ross Johnston fan. Partially because I like the physical aspect of hockey but I also like guys who can fight but also play. There's definitely that in him and the more he gets a chance to play when the game is in question, the more he'll develop. We were all talking about skating Ross yesterday because of the inevitable Reaves/Ross matchup. But the fact that he did skate and didn't actually drop them with Reaves says a lot about his development. He wasn't out there only to punch his card - he was out there to play. Good on him (despite us missing the tilt we wanted to see).

I refer back to what we said yesterday about Johnston and what Trotz said in his post game presser about him, that Johsnton can skate well enough and he gets to the net. Right now RJ should be in the lineup every game over one of Dal Colle, Martin, or Komarov.

 

[PK Cronin]

I know we were, but that's my point, we are the better team on many nights and yet need OT to close the deal too often to suit me.

Just an FYI, the Islanders have the seventh most regulation wins in the league right now and everyone ahead of them has played more games.

 

[MJF]

Oh no. Here comes the "put an enforcer on the top line" brigade.

No, not necessarily, but the best lineup we dressed this season had Johnston and Bardreau in it.

 

[PK Cronin]

I refer back to what we said yesterday about Johnston and what Trotz said in his post game presser about him, that Johsnton can skate well enough and he gets to the net. Right now RJ should be in the lineup every game over one of Dal Colle, Martin, or Komarov.

Komarov has played pretty well, I wouldn't be taking him out. Dal Colle has been given a long enough leash and hasn't succeeded in any situation really. He was an okay Martin replacement on the fourth line, but that's not enough.