Disappointing loss, but it was the 2nd game of b2b, and the flu has been going around the room. No need to panic yet, but I do have some concerns:
- As others have suggested, ROR is not right. I suspect a nagging injury, perhaps groin or ribs.
- Perron has disappeared. This is not a big surprise to me, as he has periodically done this throughout his career. He just chose a bad time to go AWOL.
- 2 games without Justin Faulk, no PP goals against. Faulk back on PK, PP goal against.
- Faulk on the ice for both Florida goals
- Dunn had a rough night too. At least he is young enough to improve his defensive game.
- Dear Lord, what is up with our PP? The first unit in particular just looks out of sync.
- The team in general just looks tired. Perhaps it is just recovering from the flu, maybe they were just gassed after playing last night. Still, it was close and it was a one goal game.
I teach children with far better analytical reasoning than this. This is just hysterically stupid. Chicago and New Jersey have two of the worst PPs in the league, Florida is top 10. Huh, maybe that has something to do with it? No way. Not possible. All Faulk.
Look at the sequence of events. Barbashev breaks up a pass, Sundqvist fails to get the puck out on what should've been a 2 on 1 for us. Then they pass the puck directly through our box, which is a failure on every player, Faulk included, and then Hoffman snipes the shot low blocker as Faulk attempts to block the shot(though it probably would've gone in anyway even if Faulk wasn't there. It was labeled). How that entire sequence of events gets pinned on Faulk is hysterical.
On the second goal, Dunn chases the puck carrier behind the net, gets bodied off the puck in what probably should've been interference, but whatever, Faulk ties his man up in front of the net, pass goes back door where Dunn should be, but he's on the ice from said interference, and it goes in. Again this is pinned on Faulk. That goal had as much to do with Faulk as it did Perron, ROR, and Sanford. They all did their job, Dunn didn't. Yet Faulk takes the blame.
I will never understand this irrational hatred of one of our best Dmen. It's reminiscent of the crowd that wanted Petro traded in favor of keeping Shattenkirk and bitched about Petro's shot even though he's scored as many goals as damn near every Dman in the league since the beginning of his career. It just doesn't make any sense.
