Durzi has stopped doing good Durzi things...like hitting 50 foot stretch passes to a forward about to break into the ozone....and also cutting through the ozone himself, cutting past 1 or 2 opponents and making a shot or scoring chance pass. Then he has some intensity. All of these good things have not manifested in this series. BUT, the ill performing Durzi has been intact, in full mode - oppenent watching, play developing watching and then react to it. You cannot do that, period and you certainly cannot do that against the Oilers. (there is no read and react defensive play in NHL)
Enter Clarke. He's already vastly superior to Durzi, offensively and defenesively.
If you have cloesely watched him execute, it's like Yannetti advertised - said. He sees things
most do not and he then executes it. Examples.
1. That michigan goal was the most nonchalant one EVER.
Easy pickup and put in top corner in a second...there was about 6-8 inch opening there...the goalie was already covering most of that side...most michigan goals, the goalie is unaware, or 2 feet from the post.
2. The game winning Canada gold medel game goal - a puck was coming to him in the D zone, he hit it, (wiithout first stopping it and passing - may have been too late) and he one timed it off the boards to the goal scorer. 90% of all defensemen on the planet, do not make that play. They stop it, survey things and have no play like that.
3. The assist on the Kings. Forgot who scored...but Clarke picked up the puck in his zone (after being on the ice over a minute) and saw 2 opponents go off, so he busted it and it became a 2 on 1.
He waited and was patient and timed a perfect setup pass for a goal. I think it was Fox that broke this down...how most D would have cleared the zone and go to the bench. He knows where opponents are, where the play will go....or make another play.
He's an elite talent, period. And will do these things (sans michigan, but who knows?) in an NHL playoff game, right now.
As in game 6 Saturday, he would have several opportunities to bust in the ozone and create scoring chances. Edmonton would really not expect that he would even try to do the stuff he can do.
I wish he had stayed up all year. Could have been a different series. But the Kings will win this series, 4 games to 3.
