GDT: Despite what it looks like outside, we are not playing in Raleigh tonight, it’s in Chicago

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
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Not to hockey noobs like me lol. But I’ll take your word for it (no sarcasm, I’m still learning about following hockey beyond a casual level)

Basically, we get the last line change at home so we can wait for the other team to put out their trash and then send SAT against it. Whereas on the road, we send SAT out and the home team gets to send their best shutdown players against it.

Break up the line, and now the other team has to decide whether they want their shutdown guys against Svech or Aho, but not both.

It’s one of those games the coaches play against each other. Over the course of the season, all those little matchups playing out will mean we likely have a better road record.
 

Navin R Slavin

Fifth line center
Jan 1, 2011
16,206
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Durrm NC
Not to hockey noobs like me lol. But I’ll take your word for it (no sarcasm, I’m still learning about following hockey beyond a casual level)

Second change matters a lot. It's the biggest real home team advantage.

When you're the home team, you wait to see who the visitors send out, and then you send out your guys. If they send out the fourth line or their third pairing, you can send out your top line. It's much easier to exploit mismatches.

Conversely, when you're the away team, they get the second change -- so when you put out your top line, they can choose to put out their top line, or their shutdown line, or their top defensive pairing. Which makes it more important not to put all your scoring on one line if you can avoid it.
 

Nikishin Go Boom

Russian Bulldozer Consultent
Jul 31, 2017
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Honestly? We watch Svech and Aho together create out there. The coaches find a way to mess with that? Svech with Staal and Foegele?!?!? They are trolling us for some reason.

Blend o rama during the game or not, this just doesnt make sense.
 

Nikishin Go Boom

Russian Bulldozer Consultent
Jul 31, 2017
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51,099
Counterpoint: yes it does, for the reasons THH and I both just described.
counter to the counterpoint

Against Chicago, it really doesnt as they dont have a checking line that is going to shut it down.

Against most teams, it really doesnt. They are a top 5 line in the league for creating chances together. Svech away from Aho- 1 EN. Svech has 2 goals with Aho (1 PP goal as well with Aho on the ice but I wont count that one). Aho has his one with Svech as well.

The whole substituting advantage isnt gained when you have lost your offensive advantage.

I was for dividing up the offense at the beginning of the season but after seeing Svech back with Aho, it needs to only be that way.
 

3CanesInTheBox

Bunch of (Actual) Jerks
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Feb 22, 2019
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Thanks @tarheelhockey @Navin R Slavin ! This is one of the friendliest forums I've ever been on. And, I've learned a lot.

I remember people mentioning the importance of last change, but I hadn't thought of the implications of it with SAT line on the road.

Also, I think I'm basically okay with splitting up the SAT line, but I'm not a huge fan of the alternative lines they've been running. I guess they are hoping Svech can 'Svech up" pretty much any line he is going on? And I know that N-T-N has shown great potential, so maybe that doesn't leave a lot of other options for the other lines. Who knows. Season is still early.

Either way, thanks for your patient and informative answers!
 

Chrispy

Salakuljettaja's Blues
Feb 25, 2009
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Thanks @tarheelhockey @Navin R Slavin ! This is one of the friendliest forums I've ever been on. And, I've learned a lot.

tenor.gif
 

A Star is Burns

Formerly Azor Aho
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Dec 6, 2011
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I'm glad we have good depth and competition. I think Lorentz played quite well. But I think the players should be looking over their shoulder thing is a bit overdone. Take a guy like Foegele. First of all, he played like a bat out of hell his first call up and even the beginning of his first full year. It wasn't really a sustainable play style. The same will probably happen to Lorentz as he settles in at the NHL level. Also, again taking a guy like Foegele, he scored 30 points in a shortened season with a somewhat limited role/ice time. All while still providing many of the other elements a guy like Lorentz can provide. Guys will certainly need to play well, and I definitely think guys like Foegele, Marty, or McGinn can be pushed out by Lorentz in the long term. However, I don't think it's much of a factor in this season barring injuries or trades.
 

TheReelChuckFletcher

Former TheRillestPaulFenton; Harverd Alum
Jun 30, 2011
10,149
22,650
Raleigh and Chapel Hill, NC
I didn’t see anything from Lorentz in terms of style of play that could be categorized as “unsustainable”. He wasn’t playing like it was Game 7 of the SCF, he was just poised and good.

I'm not worried about Lorentz. He probably just won a spot in next year's lineup, which IMO gives the FO considerable flexibility next year and at the trade deadline. Ned will get his opportunities in the next few weeks, and Cotton may as well be the next guy that gets a taxi squad opportunity, depending on how well he performs in the AHL. We already can basically say that Bean and Geekie are shoe-ins.
 
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Navin R Slavin

Fifth line center
Jan 1, 2011
16,206
63,564
Durrm NC
counter to the counterpoint

Against Chicago, it really doesnt as they dont have a checking line that is going to shut it down.

Against most teams, it really doesnt. They are a top 5 line in the league for creating chances together. Svech away from Aho- 1 EN. Svech has 2 goals with Aho (1 PP goal as well with Aho on the ice but I wont count that one). Aho has his one with Svech as well.

The whole substituting advantage isnt gained when you have lost your offensive advantage.

I was for dividing up the offense at the beginning of the season but after seeing Svech back with Aho, it needs to only be that way.

I mean, you may disagree with the decision, and that may be fair, but the logic behind it is crystal clear.
 

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