Post-Game Talk: First period sinks Jets, lose 5-2

[surixon]

A really nice positive so far has been Gustafsson, he's been one of the best forwards so far.

Yeah after a ruff camp he's played very well as the 4C and is showing a bit of that offence he had on the Moose. Still think he can be a more modern 3C that can put up some points in a fee seasons.

Lowry has juat been ok to start the year and many if his offensive weaknesses are still on display. So hopefully Gus will be ready for that role in a year or two.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

All things considered, playing the Rangers, Stars, Avalanche and Vegas in the first 4, it could be a lot worse.

We all knew there would be an adjustment period to the new style. I'm trying to wait 10 games before reaching any conclusions.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Another game where there are lessons to be learned but also some positives to take out of it.

There were some system/understanding issues that lead to us giving up a couple of grade A chances that ended up in our net. But once we settled and got back into our systems we played well the back half of the game.

In a game like this you need your top line to step up and they were MIA tonight. I feel like Mark has played much better this year but he has to be able to saw off his matchup against Echiel. Conner was too much on the perimeter and was overhandling the puck. Apelton didn't add much tonight. They need Fly back to drive the puck out of and into the ozone.

Second line played well and could have had another goal or two. Thought Wheeler looked a bit gassed tonight and it lead to some poor puck decisions. Dubois was buzzing all over tonight and Cole continues to look much more comfortable and assertive. He probably should have shot a bit more though.

JoMo was back to last years JoMo tonight. Assertive all over the ice. Pionk with another good night jumping into the play.

Fourth line looks like a line that can generate some chances and possibly some tertiary offense while being responsible.

I still struggle with the third line checking concept in today's game. I'll give them some more time but they aren't checking that well and produce little.

I'll be honest I was expecting a .500 team the first 10 games given the strength of our schedule while learning new schemes. We are tracking right around that Mark.

They need Fly back with Scheifele and KC back with Dubois. Connor had the best year of his career last year, playing with Dubois.

As you have pointed out, we have all shooters on one line and all playmakers on the other. We have been a 1 line team at best with the current arrangement. The rest of the time, our top 6 has been AWOL and we have had to rely on our bottom 6 (read Gagner) and D (read Pionk) for scoring. These lines just aren't working. Of course, missing Ehlers isn't helping.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

arneil just said he had a lower body injury and jomo was apparently the question mark

 

[surixon]

They need Fly back with Scheifele and KC back with Dubois. Connor had the best year of his career last year, playing with Dubois.

As you have pointed out, we have all shooters on one line and all playmakers on the other. We have been a 1 line team at best with the current arrangement. The rest of the time, our top 6 has been AWOL and we have had to rely on our bottom 6 (read Gagner) and D (read Pionk) for scoring. These lines just aren't working. Of course, missing Ehlers isn't helping.

Line two has started to control games and has goals in b2b games. I like what I see but I agree the the finish could be a bit better.

I just dont like Conner and Scheifele together when they don't have someone pushing the pace. I think both need someone to push the pace to force them to play a quicker and more direct game. When they don't have that they slow things down and get to hyper focused on playing that low cycle perimeter game and it's not really that effective.

I'd swap Perfetti and Conner. Perfetti doesn't need size to protect him and his skill is a better fit with Mark. Conner as you said plays a much better game with Dubois pushing the pace for him.

 

[Stumbledore]

The Comrie debacle is just so inexplicable - plus we had more than enough cap space to sign him.

It's a long season. Let's wait 30-40 games before we pronounce this a debacle.

 

[Flyby]

Line two has started to control games and has goals in b2b games. I like what I see but I agree the the finish could be a bit better.

I just dont like Conner and Scheifele together when they don't have someone pushing the pace. I think both need someone to push the pace to force them to play a quicker and more direct game. When they don't have that they slow things down and get to hyper focused on playing that low cycle perimeter game and it's not really that effective.

I'd swap Perfetti and Conner. Perfetti doesn't need size to protect him and his skill is a better fit with Mark. Conner as you said plays a much better game with Dubois pushing the pace for him.

“Direct Game”? Is that you, Sawyer?

 

[Jets]

We all knew there would be an adjustment period to the new style. I'm trying to wait 10 games before reaching any conclusions.

Even 3-3 through 6 would be pretty solid honestly. We got Toronto and STL up next.

That's like 6 of the top 10 teams in the league to start the season.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Is Comrie really playing so well? Or is he playing for a Buffalo team which has an established system for helping the goaltender and is not adjusting to a new "unleash the offensive defence" system and a new, largely absentee coach?

91 shots against in 2 games doesn't sound like he is playing behind good defense. He's stopped 86 of them. He is playing well. You can maybe debate what superlative to attach to that. Really well, or super well, or just well, etc. but he is playing well.

 

[sipowicz]

Move Schmidt back to his natural LHD position?

Moot point though, as obviously it was not an option. Just trying to blow off some steam after a bad game...

Ideally I'd move Schmshit right off the roster, guy is taking a spot that Heinola could occupy, I get that Tiny Heiny isn't great defensively but neither is Schmshit!

I was a bit baffled by that but he was pursuing the puck down the wall, a forward who's not involved has to recognize that and fall back.

In order for the d to be aggressive and make that decision quickly they have to trust that the forwards have their back.

I wouldn't blame demelo for that.

Just a really unlucky first with some poor decisions.

After that the Jets seemed to settle in and play a solid road game, especially 3 in 4 on the road and a b2b.

I haven't liked Schiefele and Connor much the past couple of games, they really didn't do much last night.


You have to be joking

Last nights Jets looked exactly like Maurice's dysfunctional Jets!

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The massive swings on this board make me chuckle. Every team in the league is gonna have good nights and bad nights, especially one playing the second game of a back to back with a new coach (who isn't there) and trying to implement new systems

Many of you went from elated when we beat the rangers, to crushed when we lost to Dallas, to elated when we beat the avs, back to crushed after last night

That must be an exhausting way to watch a bunch of guys playing a game

Yes it is, damnit!

I was less than elated when we beat NYR. It was a good game and I enjoyed watching - but that 2nd period, oof. Took the crowd right out of the game. I nearly fell asleep.

I was crushed by the Dallas game because Jets were seriously bad. Really, deeply, seriously bad. They stunk.

But I was, not exactly elated but, very encouraged by the Avs game. They were not perfect, but they played a complete game and showed some talent and teamwork.

I was not crushed by last nights game. It was the back half of a b2b. They made a couple of mistakes early and Rittich was a little shaky. But even in that awful 1st period, there was some good play. Jets missed the net on several scoring chances. The score and the shot count both flattered F**k Vegas. The rest of the game was influenced by score effects but Jets were not bad under the circumstances.

So ...... I might appear to you to be oscillating wildly, but I'm not really. Can't speak for anyone else. I haven't been either very high or very low on 3 of the 4 games. The Dallas game, I wanted to trade everybody I couldn't fire and fire everybody I couldn't trade.

Beyond that? I'm not unhappy at 2-2, all things considered. I hope we are playing consistently better after another 6-8 games.

 

[DRW204]

i stopped watching after the 1st last night but

what is our third line adding? i haven't been impressed w/ barron so far despite all the pre-season hype. i think we still need more skill there.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Even 3-3 through 6 would be pretty solid honestly. We got Toronto and STL up next.

That's like 6 of the top 10 teams in the league to start the season.

Yup. Lets see how they look in the 6 games after that. Not just the W's and L's, but how they are getting them.

 

[surixon]

“Direct Game”? Is that you, Sawyer?

Nope but the two need to play faster whether direct or indirect. They slow it down way too much.

 

[DRW204]

The massive swings on this board make me chuckle. Every team in the league is gonna have good nights and bad nights, especially one playing the second game of a back to back with a new coach (who isn't there) and trying to implement new systems

Many of you went from elated when we beat the rangers, to crushed when we lost to Dallas, to elated when we beat the avs, back to crushed after last night

That must be an exhausting way to watch a bunch of guys playing a game

coming from the poster that switched their tune game-to-game on brad lambert being w/ the big club.

fans dissapointed after an L, fans elated after a W. shocking. absolutely shocking.

 

[Duke749]

I can live with a split in a back2bsck on the road in Colorado and Vegas. Wasn’t an ideal game though.

 

[Jack7222]

i stopped watching after the 1st last night but

what is our third line adding? i haven't been impressed w/ barron so far despite all the pre-season hype. i think we still need more skill there.

Exactly. Guess we're still hoping for the big Lowry offense bounce-back but I feel like that was more Perreault than anything. Feels bad hoping for your third line to play to 'evens'.

 

[surixon]

Exactly. Guess we're still hoping for the big Lowry offense bounce-back but I feel like that was more Perreault than anything. Feels bad hoping for your third line to play to 'evens'.

While early Lowry is back scoring at 4th line rates so far this year at 5 on 5. So hopefully he picks that up but his history would indicate we shouldn't be expecting much more then that.

Barron has gotten some good looks but looks to have limited finishing ability so far. Not sure what we should be expecting long term there. He may actually be a better fit with the fourth line and that new guy may fit better with Lowry as his speed and forechecking is what has historically worked on that line.

But I agree that having a third line that plays a lot of minutes but doesn't score is problematic unless they can get back to the elite suppression numbers they posted circa 16-19.

 

[DRW204]

Exactly. Guess we're still hoping for the big Lowry offense bounce-back but I feel like that was more Perreault than anything. Feels bad hoping for your third line to play to 'evens'.

I haven't been All that surprised in the way the lines have operated. It isn't all that different than what he had in Dallas. Stacked /all-world top line. Big defensive 3c (faksa/Lowry). Meh 2nd line.

I've been comparing our 5v5 TOI distribution to Maurice's FLA panthers too, since lots gets made about Maurice not playing lines. and really there isn't that much difference in % of TOI our fwds are getting to them atleast.

 

[Buffdog]

coming from the poster that switched their tune game-to-game on brad lambert being w/ the big club.

fans dissapointed after an L, fans elated after a W. shocking. absolutely shocking.

You're right, I never should have been open to the idea of being wrong about something. I went from "maybe he's ready to play in the league" to "it doesn't look like he's ready to play in the league". Not "he's gonna be a superstar" to "he's gonna be a complete bust". It's those kinds of swings I'm talking about here.

It's one thing to be confused about where our team stands and puzzled why we play well one period/game and not the next. But I'm talking about extreme "we're gonna be awesome, playoffs here we come" to "holy shit, we suck ass".

 

[LowLefty]

Exactly. Guess we're still hoping for the big Lowry offense bounce-back but I feel like that was more Perreault than anything. Feels bad hoping for your third line to play to 'evens'.

Depends on who the third is matched up against -
If he's playing against top opposition and coming out even, I'm OK with it.
If he's opening up a top 6 line to play against weaker opposition, I'm OK with that too.

 

[Jet]

Sure they have to be able to trust the forwards to cover but they also need to recognize when the right time to activate is as well and with three forwards already in deep and no forward in an obvious spot to switch with him he should have elected to make a different play.

That happens in 2 seconds. If you are asking your D to hesitate you are going to lose a lot of those pinches

 

[surixon]

That happens in 2 seconds. If you are asking your D to hesitate you are going to lose a lot of those pinches

I might have to go back and watch the play. I could be remembering it wrong.

 

[None]

Depends on who the third is matched up against -
If he's playing against top opposition and coming out even, I'm OK with it.
If he's opening up a top 6 line to play against weaker opposition, I'm OK with that too.

Looking back through the games to see his matchups and his line doesn't fare well against top competition. With more even line distribution by opponents he mostly breaks even or slightly behind his line's competition.

Against Vegas he was getting primarily 2nd/3rd line competition, the Marchessault-Karlsson line. Kind of tough to judge with Vegas because they've spread their talent around to have 3 roughly even lines. Kessel-Eichel, Stephenson-Stone, Marchessault-Karlsson.
He came away basically even with the only goal against (ignoring the EN GA) being the Pionk pass to Rittich who gave it away to Eichel.

It's an entirely different story against Colorado however, being primarily hard matched against Rantanen-Mackinnon-Lehkonen and Makar. Lowry's line got completely caved in metrics against them, unsurprisingly. Looking back it seems even more incredible that we started Lowry against their top line in OT intentionally because it appears to have been dumb luck that they even got a shot away

The Stars TOI matchups against Lowry were all over the place but Lowry came away mostly even even against top competition. The only player he might've struggled with was Jason Robertson but with only 4:05 TOI against Robertson it's tough to say

And finally against the Rangers it was more similar to the Avs game. Hard matchups against the Rangers top players 5 on 5 in Lafrenière-Trochek-Panarin and Trouba where Lowry's line got their shit kicked in.

In summary - Lowry's line probably shouldn't be matched against top lines if we can help it with last change ie. the Rangers game.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

Enjoyed watching the 4th line and apples on the top line.

Seems Apples will get +40 points playing on first this year? Ehlers should move to second line. Dare I say we trade PLD sooner than later to get a pirates booty for him.