GDT: 4/6/18 - 7:30PM EDT - Buffalo vs Tampa Bay

[LightningStrikes]

I still think there's a system issue going on right now. Our D are screening Vasi too much. And it's gotten worse since McDonagh came in.

One of the early goals where Girardi basically screened Vasi perfectly because it looked like he was trying to block it. Like - there's a time and place to block a shot, but your job isn't to be a goalie it's to be a defender.

Strals, McD and G tend to try and play goalie themselves. Guys we’re fine, we have the 2nd best goalie in the league in the net. Get out of his way!

 

[LonLon Lei]

Strals, McD and G tend to try and play goalie themselves. Guys we’re fine, we have the 2nd best goalie in the league in the net. Get out of his way!

They are all ex Rangers and the Rangers D has been notorious for that...

 

[LonLon Lei]

well so I left after the second, read everyone's posts now and had some laugh. I know if I had been in the ride, I must have freaked out but you know, am happy for the win! Go Bolts!!

 

[Matt Watson]

I don't like any PK's chances against 5 power plays. But it didn't look the way it did against Boston. I can't account for that. Unlike some, I actually don't like how aggressive we are. A lot of our PK guys aren't fast enough to recover when they're too aggressive. Teams seem to be baiting us into losing our shape around the net and then exploiting the holes that get created. To me it really looks like other coaches are just snookering our coaches. For whatever reason, we played the PK differently against Boston (or seemed to). For the most part we just staked out the ice in front net and hunkered down. We reacted aggressively, but we weren't pressing. We let Boston come to us.

I certainly agree that we are being out-coached. And snookered. And it isn't just about the 5 chances we gave up tonight. We're 28th in the league over the course of a season. I don't know about you, but my default has become that I am surprised when we don't give up a goal. Yes, our box and/or triangle down low seems to always break down if that is what you mean by too aggressive, but out high, we don't pressure the blue line enough. However, at this point I don't think it is as much about scheme as it is just a lack of confidence in what we are doing in a short-handed situation. Everyone gripping their sticks too tight and running around trying to do too much. Whatever the reasons, it sure is frustrating to watch.

 

[CupsOverCash]

These games are tougher than people give them credit for. While Buffalo was last in the league, they were still a dangerous team last night. Because they didn’t have anything to lose. They are just trying to beat the top team in the east. Impress their coaches and GM, if not their gm and coaches someone else’s. They want to prove they can play with the top team in the east. A measure stick.

For us we want the division but we also don’t want to overcompensate to the point where guys are getting banged up. Take your feet off the gas against a team like that and the results will be like that. Anytime you take your foot off the gas in this league you will get burned. Doesn’t matter who you are playing. All teams have enough talent to beat anybody. Especially when the other team checks out of it.

 

[These Are The Days]

I'm going to take a wild guess that Buffalo's record against top teams is one of the better records. I think they always have it in their minds that they have something to prove when playing top teams

 

[gg720fla]

I know some fans here think we are better off on the PK playing low around the net but from what I've seen lately, that seems to be our downfall in killing penalties. We seem to be better at it when we attack the guys on the blue line and make them hurry passes and not be able to set up all day with getting better and close in shots on Vasi. I would be curious to see what Columbus's PK is compared to ours is as they seem to put non stop pressure on the guys at blue line. I love when Point and Cirelli are on the PK because they are in the opponents faces constantly. Also, though it wears them down more for when they are on regular shifts.

 

[MattM92]

You can have an aggressive PK and force the PP to make mistakes. Or you can be a passive PK and block all shooting and passing lanes. You have to do one or the other. We get stuck in this passive mentality but we don't block shots or passes. It's like we're not even out there.

 

[Sky04]

Aggressive PKing has always killed us, yet we don't try it? Especially with our speed, few teams will be able to move the puck well enough to get around it. Marchand destroys us on the PP because he attackes the point so well, our guys give them space and hope nothing happens.

 

[Werewolf]

Attacking the blue line leaves the cross pass wide open ... and has us scrambling around. Aka it’s a shitty option. It’s about knowing when and where to apply pressure not about “attacking / pressuring the blue line”. Our PKrs are too aggressive at the wrong times.

 

[DFC]

Vasy's play has been a bit concerning, I think. There seems to be a questionable goal or two nearly every game now, and he seems to have lost the progress he'd made with rebound control.

 

[Bolt 45]

Interesting thoughts on the PK. I do think we're sort of getting stuck in the middle, as far as how to play it. I would prefer an aggressive PK, but a lot of our better shot-blocking PK guys are slow. Sending those guys to attack the point is a bit of a gamble. Even if they pressure a mistake, they don't always have the speed to really capitalize on it. We're honestly pretty sh*t at anticipating where the puck's going, too. And I can't help but think the reason we haven't seen Gourde or Point with many breakaways/SHers lately means we've changed something.

Ultimately we're going to have to stay out of the box.

 

[Bolt 45]

I certainly agree that we are being out-coached. And snookered. And it isn't just about the 5 chances we gave up tonight. We're 28th in the league over the course of a season. I don't know about you, but my default has become that I am surprised when we don't give up a goal. Yes, our box and/or triangle down low seems to always break down if that is what you mean by too aggressive, but out high, we don't pressure the blue line enough. However, at this point I don't think it is as much about scheme as it is just a lack of confidence in what we are doing in a short-handed situation. Everyone gripping their sticks too tight and running around trying to do too much. Whatever the reasons, it sure is frustrating to watch.

The longer I watch this team, the more I'm convinced that when they play the way you've just described it's because they're being told to play a scheme or whatever that they're not sold on. This team seems to resist questionable coaching more than any other team I've watched. If they don't buy in, it's written on their faces, and noticeable in the way they play. We saw it for most of the last two seasons when Coop thought he could mold them into a defensive team. The players know what they do best, and they've never failed to deliver when they're used in the right way.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Vasy's play has been a bit concerning, I think. There seems to be a questionable goal or two nearly every game now, and he seems to have lost the progress he'd made with rebound control.

I agree with you but it might only be a gut feeling from his body language that his head is already in the playoffs. Game 1 will give us plenty of answers, I expect him to be sharp as hell tbh, we'll see.

 

[Matt Watson]

The longer I watch this team, the more I'm convinced that when they play the way you've just described it's because they're being told to play a scheme or whatever that they're not sold on. This team seems to resist questionable coaching more than any other team I've watched. If they don't buy in, it's written on their faces, and noticeable in the way they play. We saw it for most of the last two seasons when Coop thought he could mold them into a defensive team. The players know what they do best, and they've never failed to deliver when they're used in the right way.

Interesting. You may be on to something there.

 

[Matt Watson]

Attacking the blue line leaves the cross pass wide open ... and has us scrambling around. Aka it’s a ****ty option. It’s about knowing when and where to apply pressure not about “attacking / pressuring the blue line”. Our PKrs are too aggressive at the wrong times.

There is no one right way to play the PK. Obviously, much of it depends on what the other team is trying to set up, but in general I disagree. We are one of the least aggressive teams I have seen when it comes to allowing our opponents all day to look for the best option down low from the point, and much of that has to do with sitting back and not pressuring the pass out higher in those situations where it is called for. The two other things that have killed us are not winning D zone faceoffs at a better rate and not clearing the puck when the opportunity to do so is there. Maybe the last point about clearing the puck has been the most infuriating this season.