Post-Game Talk: Another OTL

[aar000n]

When scorers don't score it looks like they're doing nothing. I know he hasn't been a standout but I feel like Anthony Mantha has still been doing well. He's really good along on the boards and actually set up a few scoring players. I get the Mule comparisons but I think Mantha is a much better passer and being so young and unproven, quite hungry.

Looking back, there's always a consistent pattern of Zetterberg and his linemates slowing down around the All-Star break. Mentioned this a few games ago post game, I think Zetterberg goes cold now. I hope to god Thomas Vanek is okay and that one of Tatar/Larkin/AA can just go nuts offensively.

With Larkin, his NHL play has been **** poor defensively, specifically this season. I'm seriously okay with benching him next game.

The feed to z in front of the net was sick

 

[Wood Stick]

The feed to z in front of the net was sick

Yeah that was the specific pass that stuck out to me. Hate Z's finish though. He's not a great finisher at all. I'm seriously surprised he has 9 goals.

 

[TheMule93]

When scorers don't score it looks like they're doing nothing. I know he hasn't been a standout but I feel like Anthony Mantha has still been doing well. He's really good along on the boards and actually set up a few scoring players. I get the Mule comparisons but I think Mantha is a much better passer and being so young and unproven, quite hungry

Meh, I disagree. During his 12 game hot streak he was consistently moving his legs, rushing down the ice with puck on his stick, generating tons of scoring chances

Right now he's doing none of that. He had one decent play all game - the setup to Z. Similar to the past couple games. One decent play here or there, not a real threat on the ice like he used to be.

He'll get going again, hopefully sooner than later. Needs to move his feet.

 

[14ari13]

Alternate facts.

Yup it was basically a 2-0. Coreau should have just up ended the net and took the penalty.lol

good point, great idea.

If ur gonna put a defensive defenseman like dekeyser on the 3 on 3 it should be with aa or Larkin. They are burners that will skate the puck down the ice really fast and try to do everything by themselves so dekeyser would be a good choice because he can be ready to defend

Agree.

If I was an NHL goalie facing a 2 on 0 I'd pull a Hasek, just rush out to slide tackle the puck carrier ASAP.

The Dom would kronwall him at the red line.

 

[14ari13]

How was Coreau?

3 SOs in 11 starts. He gets the job done.

 

[Bench]

3 SOs in 11 starts. He gets the job done.

I actually saw Coreau when he played college quite a few times. I was never that impressed, because his athleticism was, well, average. Big body defined him. I had seen far better performing goalies from the same university try their hand at the NHL and not stick, so hopes for Coreau have never been high.

But hey, when these big bodies really hone in their technique, it can work. Are you going to get gamebreaking saves from Coreau routinely? I don't think so. But if he can stay square to the puck, hold shots to his body, and move laterally? He can be an NHL goalie. Maybe even a good one. Look at the success Ben Bishop has carved out by basically playing big body mistake free hockey as much as possible.

 

[Ulysses31]

some bright spots:
Great 1st period, wings came out swinging
Good goalie
Boston lost!
Feel asleep and missed 3rd and overtime but 1 point keeps wings not far behind in playoff race

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Alternate facts..

Unreal. Love it

 

[Dotter]

BOSTON keeps losing in regulation, Red Wings getting points. Prefer Wings win in regulation, but points are starting to add up as BOSTON keeps falling.

Wings are ahead of Tampa Bay Lighting and SFY's team is bottom 5 in the entire LEAGUE!!

Wings have 3 games in hand to BOSTON, and are only sitting 4 points back. Claude Julien is probably getting fired this week.

 

[Frk It]

3 SOs in 11 starts. He gets the job done.

He has 2. And his save % is bad.

 

[Wood Stick]

He has 2. And his save % is bad.

Pretttttty much this.. He hasn't been spectacular.

 

[jkutswings]

BOSTON keeps losing in regulation, Red Wings getting points. Prefer Wings win in regulation, but points are starting to add up as BOSTON keeps falling.

Wings have 3 games in hand to BOSTON, and are only sitting 4 points back. Claude Julien is probably getting fired this week.

Boston is in real trouble, but Toronto is right there to take the third spot in the division, and there are other teams closer to the wild card.

Loser points won't be enough to continue the streak.

 

[Mijatovic]

Pretttttty much this.. He hasn't been spectacular.

Better than Mrazeks SV%

 

[14ari13]

I actually saw Coreau when he played college quite a few times. I was never that impressed, because his athleticism was, well, average. Big body defined him. I had seen far better performing goalies from the same university try their hand at the NHL and not stick, so hopes for Coreau have never been high.

But hey, when these big bodies really hone in their technique, it can work. Are you going to get gamebreaking saves from Coreau routinely? I don't think so. But if he can stay square to the puck, hold shots to his body, and move laterally? He can be an NHL goalie. Maybe even a good one. Look at the success Ben Bishop has carved out by basically playing big body mistake free hockey as much as possible.

Goalies are tricky. Look at Hasek, Thomas...

some bright spots:
Great 1st period, wings came out swinging
Good goalie
Boston lost!
Feel asleep and missed 3rd and overtime but 1 point keeps wings not far behind in playoff race

The best period we played all season long, limited them to 3 shots.

BOSTON keeps losing in regulation, Red Wings getting points. Prefer Wings win in regulation, but points are starting to add up as BOSTON keeps falling.

Wings are ahead of Tampa Bay Lighting and SFY's team is bottom 5 in the entire LEAGUE!!

Wings have 3 games in hand to BOSTON, and are only sitting 4 points back. Claude Julien is probably getting fired this week.

Flyers are losing too.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Coreau looks better because he's got two shutouts but he's not been very busy in those shutouts.

However, I don't think he's been bad either. His sv% would have gotten tanked bad by 3 goals on 7 shots against Boston on plays where the Detroit D actively hung him out to dry.

He's in more of a middle ground. He's doing okay. When Howard comes back, if no moves are made , he's back to GR and rightfully so. If they deal Howie or Petr, he's a capable backup for the other one.

 

[Reddwit]

When scorers don't score it looks like they're doing nothing. I know he hasn't been a standout but I feel like Anthony Mantha has still been doing well. He's really good along on the boards and actually set up a few scoring players. I get the Mule comparisons but I think Mantha is a much better passer and being so young and unproven, quite hungry.

Looking back, there's always a consistent pattern of Zetterberg and his linemates slowing down around the All-Star break. Mentioned this a few games ago post game, I think Zetterberg goes cold now. I hope to god Thomas Vanek is okay and that one of Tatar/Larkin/AA can just go nuts offensively.[/B]

Agree on both accounts. Mantha's play has been fine - great even, if you're paying attention. But that line has really literally slowed down lately. As much as people like to question Mantha's speed/skating/drive, he thrives with quick thinkers, and his mates on the ice haven't been up to speed lately.

And that argument dovetails nicely with what I've noticed about Z as well. He's still smart, prepared, and working hard, but the strength and particularly the fuel just aren't there right now.

With Larkin, his NHL play has been **** poor defensively, specifically this season. I'm seriously okay with benching him next game.

Not sure benching is the right idea, but I wouldn't decry it.

On the other hand, I have serious concerns about Blashill's ability to develop a defensive side to anyone's game when its not already there or when its in its infancy. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I really feel Larkin's defensive game was much better last year - not great, but better than what has been presented this read (i.e. rough-at-best). And it seems Nyquist and Abby have digressed in that respect as well. Then there's Larkin, AA, Sheahan, and Jurco who were supposed to have made strides defensively in the off-season and in camp, but it seems nothing has happened, if not the exact opposite.

My other concern is that, with guys like Larkin, Sheahan, AA, and Abby, the definitive nature of their roles just isn't there. Maybe that is what Helm was complaining about to the press last year when he had reservations about re-signing with the Wings. I'm paraphrasing, but he said he didn't care what line he was on as long as he had a respected role. I'd imagine its hard to be jerked between being a secondary winger on Datsyuk's side and a 3rd line energy center weekly, if not more. Personally, I'd lose my focus that way. And I think that's a big thing for a lot of guys right now - are they scoring wingers? Are they grinders? Are they afterthoughts? Seems like a lot of guys who have had long-term struggles at times this year are also the ones where no one seems to really know what their role is...

 

[Reddwit]

Coreau looks better because he's got two shutouts but he's not been very busy in those shutouts.

However, I don't think he's been bad either. His sv% would have gotten tanked bad by 3 goals on 7 shots against Boston on plays where the Detroit D actively hung him out to dry.

He's in more of a middle ground. He's doing okay. When Howard comes back, if no moves are made , he's back to GR and rightfully so. If they deal Howie or Petr, he's a capable backup for the other one.

Exactly how I feel about him. Glad others aren't buying into the shutout hype. Nothing bothers me more than people fawning over goalies for posting a goose egg in games where they barely had to work. And if you're a long-time NHL fan, you know that isn't that uncommon for new goalies who are unheralded. The team tends to take extra care to encapsulate them.

That said, he hasn't been bad at all. He doesn't seem to have much mental fortitude but he's decent. Would be fine with him as a backup.

 

[Reddwit]

I actually saw Coreau when he played college quite a few times. I was never that impressed, because his athleticism was, well, average. Big body defined him. I had seen far better performing goalies from the same university try their hand at the NHL and not stick, so hopes for Coreau have never been high.

But hey, when these big bodies really hone in their technique, it can work. Are you going to get gamebreaking saves from Coreau routinely? I don't think so. But if he can stay square to the puck, hold shots to his body, and move laterally? He can be an NHL goalie. Maybe even a good one. Look at the success Ben Bishop has carved out by basically playing big body mistake free hockey as much as possible.

I mostly agree, but Bishop is surprisingly athletic. And I question Coreau's lateral movement.

 

[Dotter]

Boston is in real trouble, but Toronto is right there to take the third spot in the division, and there are other teams closer to the wild card.

Loser points won't be enough to continue the streak.

I'm looking at Wings win % improving when the 3rd string gets sent down and arguably (one of) the top goalie in the NHL comes back and takes back his starter position.

However, if Vanek is injured, that could throw a monkey wrench in their offense.

 

[chances14]

the suckage of the atlantic division continues to amuse me

only team on a winning streak right is buffalo

 

[TheMule93]

the suckage of the atlantic division continues to amuse me

only team on a winning streak right is buffalo

All you can do when you look at that standings chart is laugh. We don't deserve to be anywhere near the playoffs, yet here we are. Still within reach, just barely.

 

[Syckle78]

I'm looking at Wings win % improving when the 3rd string gets sent down and arguably (one of) the top goalie in the NHL comes back and takes back his starter position.

However, if Vanek is injured, that could throw a monkey wrench in their offense.

The top goalie nonsense aside. When has Howard ever come back from injury and not played like crap? That's one of his issues.

 

[Winger98]

How was Coreau?

Did what he had to do. The moments when NYR had some real heat on him he looked unsteady, though. I think he doesn't have his basics down strong enough to carry him through rough patches, and he's not athletic enough to bail his rear out of trouble when the other team exposes him.

the suckage of the atlantic division continues to amuse me

only team on a winning streak right is buffalo

the division is god awful. Florida is now without Huberdeau and Barkov, so I think they'll pretty well screwed. TBL has just been a disaster, as I think the wheels have fallen off their blueline a bit.

What sucks, though, is that drafting in the top5 won't exactly be a bad thing for them. People are having fun with it right now, but it's not hard seeing Tampa step into next season a stronger team with a better cap structure.

Going back to the division as a whole, considering the goal differentials, and the games in hand, I think Toronto has to be an odds on favorite to grab that third spot at this point.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

The top goalie nonsense aside. When has Howard ever come back from injury and not played like crap? That's one of his issues.

I am very glad that someone else is willing to point this out. Hillbilly meth is known to cloud the judgment of certain posters. Howard was absolute garbage coming off of the injury last year. Clearly there are more goldfish around here than elephants.

 

[Dotter]

The top goalie nonsense aside. When has Howard ever come back from injury and not played like crap? That's one of his issues.

Track record proves not good if the injury is a pulled groin. We don't know what this injury is, but certainly he can't return and be worse than Mrazek or Coreu.