Are we going to talk about Hitch's version of the "Left Wing Lock?"
- Thread starter TuukYou14
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2 Minute Minor
Hi Keeba!
thedustman
Registered User
- Jun 19, 2013
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- 1,246
Great post and reference article. It worked well last night... put blues in the position to easily win battles with room to pass to an open man as well.
griff713
Registered User
I think Petro being much more aggressive helped a ton with the Left Wing Lock (third man high) and just the team in general. I feel as if he's a new person, I remember last year he would be afraid to do the puck and even though he's taking move risks it is starting to pay off.
It was interesting that Hitch telegraphed his intention to stick with this. Seems he's either confident Wild can't counter or that their need to counter would push them off their game well enough for him even if partially effective (?) or he's lying and will counter himself anyway. Lol. I don't really know obviously but why telegraph that clearly is my point. I don't think Hitch would spout off like that in the heat of the moment... He planned that "our game" speech. Not sure what to make of it.
Klank Loves You
Registered User
- Feb 21, 2015
- 1,882
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Any thoughts on how to counter the 3rd man high? Hitch deserves a lot of credit for the strategy change. His twitter quote basicly told Yeo "Try to beat this."
Calculated risks and identifying patterns. Instead of going d to d behind the net ( because a winger is hunting ), and also not the second d following puck holder d, second d will need to cut up ice and risk a pass in front of the goalie. Defensive center support could also solve the issue a few ways.
TuukYou14
Pro: Forum Lurking
Not 100% sure of this answer.
You would imagine it would take a lot of patience, defensive/offensive player synchrony, and near flawless outlet passes. That is, of course unless there is a mistake made by the blues.
Impressive that such a small tweak threw them off their game. I cannot wait to see if it works again tonight.
I keep looking at the Reaves goal, and the tarasenko tip-in (video should auto play both back-to-back).
1. Reaves moved quickly from the cycle on the left side side to middle of the ice, high.... bodies spread out, and he was there waiting for a quick slapper.
2. Tarasenko goal - Minnesota tries to beat the third man high setup by sending two minn forwards up ice prematurely, leaving no one there for the minn defender to send an outlet pass to. Schwartz was just going for a line change, but he clogged up the middle of the ice, shatty cut the minn outlet dump off, and we had a quick break from the neutral zone into the o zone. Beautiful.
[NHL]2014030154-25-h[/NHL]
well.. that didn't work. only shows the 1st goal.
TuukYou14
Pro: Forum Lurking
This is what honestly makes me most happy about the layout. Any time Petro gets involved in the offensive zone it typically leads to a scoring chance... It may just seem that way because he picks brilliant times to get involved, but it definitely seems like he has less fear doing it with that third guy high.
2 Minute Minor
Hi Keeba!
That first goal with Reaves in the middle of the ice, head up, stick up waiting for the pass from Pietro, Ott in front of the goalie.....it just looked like that line was running a drill from practice.
I loved what Hitchcock said in his post-game press conference.
"This is our game. We changed the way we used to be. This is how we're playing it. We're not gonna chase it around the rink like we did the first 3 games."
I can't find a transcript, but I heard something where he kind of cryptically said, "We knew how we were going to play tonight. I'm not going to tell you how, that's something that stays inside the locker room."
But damn, he sounded so confident. The last time I've seen Hitchcock look this way was after the Blues had that line scrum with San Jose at the end of Game 1, where the Roman Polak door was opened for the first time, and Sobotka broke that dude's nose (prior to the Blues winning the next 4 games straight).
Based more on this interview than any other single factor, I don't expect the Blues to lose another one to Minnesota in this series.
I loved what Hitchcock said in his post-game press conference.
"This is our game. We changed the way we used to be. This is how we're playing it. We're not gonna chase it around the rink like we did the first 3 games."
I can't find a transcript, but I heard something where he kind of cryptically said, "We knew how we were going to play tonight. I'm not going to tell you how, that's something that stays inside the locker room."
But damn, he sounded so confident. The last time I've seen Hitchcock look this way was after the Blues had that line scrum with San Jose at the end of Game 1, where the Roman Polak door was opened for the first time, and Sobotka broke that dude's nose (prior to the Blues winning the next 4 games straight).
Based more on this interview than any other single factor, I don't expect the Blues to lose another one to Minnesota in this series.
trevorftw
Voice of Reason
Yeah, this opens up petro and shatty to do their thing. I think 3rd man high is ideal with our offensive d-men. Despite their strong efforts, I think they may have been ever so slightly hesitant to move in from the point because they didn't want to get exposed to breakaways. That was a killer vs. Chicago.
BlueAero
Registered User
Yep. You could always send your RW up ice along the weakside wall to get behind the D and cut to the middle for a long stretch pass, but its a risky play for sure.
I'm loving the tenacity. Can't play as if you're afraid to constantly get beat.
so I mean the real question right now is whether or not yeo is studying to ruin hitchs gameplan from game 4, and if hitch has any new tricks up his sleeve for tonight with ideologies to make yeo miserable
Well...I think they came up with a counter...Look Hitch is brilliant, but needs to learn how to adjust midstream. I said this the year before, last year and this year. He won a cup with someone else's team then dismantled it. Don't ask Gretzky how smart a coach he is...Ask Modano. He was there day after day. We won't win a cup with him. He has a full deck of cards and a wild card in Tarasenko, but can't make it happen. Cut bait...
