Concerns about our recent goals allowed?

[PuckInTheNards]

Wondering if I'm the only one who's more than a little concerned about our recent trend of allowing 3-4 goals per game. So far, the Wild have been able to outscore their opponents but I doubt that trend can continue. Seems like the D has been a lot less tight (and losing Brodin is really going to sting) and that Dubnyk has been cooling off considerably. I realize that with most teams, I'd be stupid for worrying about it because the team continues to win but in the past few years, it seems like the team managing to win while falling off of its game a bit was the precursor to long losing streaks.

Valid concern or am I simply conjuring ghosts from seasons past?

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[Lapa]

As long as we're winning games, I'm not concerned.

 

[HollaHaula]

When the Wild aren't playing well, they are giving up goals right after they score. It seems like they kinda relax a little too much, lose focus, and don't play aggressively. This leads to them not having the puck. I know the line that just scored is usually left on the ice but I wonder if making a line change right after a goal for would help? The players on the bench should be more motivated after seeing their teammates score.

 

[PuckInTheNards]

As long as we're winning games, I'm not concerned.

Yeah - I hear you, but there's this little voice in the back of my head that reminds me they were finding ways to win in years past... just before the wheels came off. The difference, to me, seems to be that in years past they stopped scoring and were finding ways to win 2-1 or 1-0. This year it's the opposite.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

It's definitely a concern, but I think some of it is just the numbers balancing out. Dubnyk was putting up other-worldly numbers there for a while that just wouldn't/couldn't continue. I think our PDO was 2nd or 1st highest in the league and probably still is, it was kind of an inevitability that the opponents would start shooting a little bit higher percentage.

Still, tough to allow some of the goals he let in lately. Hurts to get beat from sharp angles...Palmieri on Tues and McGinn yesterday. I think they'll get back into form with limiting chances against though.

 

[gphr513]

I don't know if "concerned is the right word", but I would like to see them clamp down a bit. The defense seems to have gotten a little loose lately (and I think it goes back before Brodin went out).

We're 3rd in goals scored in the league, so it's nice to see that we can survive a spell where we're allowing more goals, but I think our path to success will be built on sound defensive play.

 

[MNhockey19]

When the Wild aren't playing well, they are giving up goals right after they score. It seems like they kinda relax a little too much, lose focus, and don't play aggressively. This leads to them not having the puck. I know the line that just scored is usually left on the ice but I wonder if making a line change right after a goal for would help? The players on the bench should be more motivated after seeing their teammates score.

Agreed. In reference to yesterdays game - After the Stewart goal we had our 4th line and 3rd pairing out there which is always a risk.

 

[MuckOG]

I'm definitely concerned.....mostly about what I'm seeing from Dubnyk. To my untrained eye, it looks like he is fighting the puck a bit and doesn't seem to be tracking it very well.

I'm confident that he'll right the ship, I just hope he does this soon and doesn't cost us any more games. I think winning the division and conference are important for seeding and home ice and we don't want to be leaving any points on the table.

I'm also concerned about Parise's play of late because it seems as if he's been on the ice for quite of few of these goals against.

 

[Engebretson]

Regarding last night's game, I like how they can allow those two quick goals, refocus, and then shut the other team down the rest of the game. I would certainly not like that to become habit, but I am a bit more relieved with how we're responding to these situations.

 

[gphr513]

Regarding last night's game, I like how they can allow those two quick goals, refocus, and then shut the other team down the rest of the game. I would certainly not like that to become habit, but I am a bit more relieved with how we're responding to these situations.

That is something I think has markedly improved with Boudreau. The team's mental toughness seems to be really strong.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Mildly, but Dubnyk was very likely not going to have a season that would've bested the greatest goalie of all time (Hasek). We're probably just seeing a bit of statistical correction; we might even lose 2 or 3 in a row at some point. It won't be the end of the world.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

^Exactly. It's weird/funny that it comes against some of the worst teams in the league sometimes, but that's how the chips fall sometimes.

 

[DANOZ28]

to start the year our stud D & terrific goalie we're keeping us in games but now we are regularly blowing 2G leads. im concerned , is the D playing the same & goaltending is back to avg? are the D playing worse or not blocking as many shots? are the forwards too offensive minded & not helping D as much? i feel something is wrong i just cant see exactly whats the root of the problem.

 

[BagHead]

If we were playing Common Man's "Concerned or Confident?" game, I'd say I'm neither concerned nor confident, but instead somewhere right in between. We're winning, so I'm not concerned yet, but they do need to tighten up a little defensively. Mostly, it seems to be about keeping focus. A lot of teams that win consistently go through little stretches where they get a little too confident and start playing loosey-goosey because of it. Usually that leads to a two or three game skid, in which serves as a wake-up call to get their heads back in the game, and get playing the way they're supposed to on both sides of the puck. As of yet, they haven't actually hit that skid, so... my guess is they keep playing this way until it happens. Now, if they hit that skid, and don't come out of it after 3-4 games, there's cause to be concerned.

 

[Minnesota]

Well, when those contoured breezer regulations kick in soon I'm sure we'll see GAA% creep up across the league.

 

[Wild11MN]

Very concerning, but it's still a relatively small sample size. I said yesterday that I wonder if they're all cheating a little more because they're so eager to score. I'm not a great enough hockey mind to watch for that all game long, but I think it's a possibility.

 

[57special]

I'm concerned.

 

[TaLoN]

As long as we're winning games, I'm not concerned.

Agreed, if the slump this year is statistical only, and we still win...nothing to see here. Win is a win, you can still learn from it what you need to correct moving forward.

I'll be concerned if we lose 3-4 in a row.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Yes.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Dubnyk hasnt looked great, some forwards are gettting real lazy, and Dumba, Scandella, and Folin are still working on that consistency.

So mildly concerned as you can be in the middle of a winning tear.

 

[TaLoN]

I think those who are concerned were spoiled by the otherworldly numbers the team was putting up defensively for a while. We're still producing amongst the best offensively, but have just hit a speedbump on defense. It's not something that can't be corrected, and as long as the team keeps winning, there should be no cause for concern.

The only concern is wins and losses.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I don't quite agree with the "nothing is wrong as long as we're winning" type thing. You're only one week long offensive "slump" from being swept out of the 1st round.

 

[TaLoN]

I don't quite agree with the "nothing is wrong as long as we're winning" type thing. You're only one week long offensive "slump" from being swept out of the 1st round.

I never said nothing is wrong as long as we're winning.. I said nothing is concerning as long as we're winning. If you read my post earlier in the thread, I said you can learn and correct mistakes even when you're winning... so obviously something CAN be wrong and still win... it's only concerning if you start stringing together losses whilst not fixing your problems as well.

Thus as I said earlier... if we lose 3-4 games in a row, then I'll be concerned.

 

[hirawl]

Sure I'm concerned. Mainly because I've seen this team play long stretches of excellent hockey just to fall into an unbelievable slump right about this time of year. To me Jonas Brodin is a superstar in making and losing him now naturally adds to my concern.

Well I believe we are about to see some of the magic why BB has been so successful in his coaching career. No to slumping!

 

[Nharris31]

Well, when those contoured breezer regulations kick in soon I'm sure we'll see GAA% creep up across the league.

Just look at the score of the games this week.