Lol….ok….he can keep up with Chara…you’re right. He loses pretty much every single agility or quick start sequence against an opposing forward today.
If you would like to start pointing out his explosive effectiveness in-game, I’ll be all ears.
Don’t expect you’ll have much to work with.
1st shift - Ok retrieiving the puck behind the net and leading the breakout, lazy pokecheck that led to a rush the other way, not much urgency in getting back, then floated until shift change.
2nd - Led the breakout and zone entry at exact same pace as everyone else, but his dump was turned over because both Schultz and oshie peeled off to the other side instead of going deep, NB had to turn quickly to keep up with the rush and was maybe outpaced by a half step by Armia who had a 3 stride head start on him before NB was able to turn his hips and go the other way. NB forks the puck loose on the boards to start the zone exit.
3rd - Wins d-zone faceoff. Eventually pressures puck and causes turnover to lead zone exit. Later disrupts pass which leads to Schultz getting the puck and exiting the zone.
4th - Had to wait for his man to come off to get into the play, but made a beeline for the scrum in front of VV and helped stop the scoring chance on a big rebound by tying up the player as Mantha iced it. Wins faceoff so Schultz can get it out of the zone. Joins Oshie on the forecheck. Plays perfect defensive position and steals the puck after MTL enter the zone, and makes a nearly 2-line outlet pass to Oshie on the break, which draws a penalty.
(I'm not doing the power plays, they don't show transition or regular gameplay)
5th - Loses d-zone FO but retrieves puck on dump and clears it. 2nd man down the ice for Caps even throws a little check. Seems late getting back on D but is really behind the play because he had his man tied along the boards in the o-zone.
6th - Almost connects with Oshie on a mini-rush, drifts to the front of the net as the puck plays around the perimeter. Right next to Mojo as the latter tips a feed wide. Gets back on D and whiffs a steal but then blocks a shot. Mostly plays positional defense near the center until needs to pressure the puck along the boards.
2nd period
7th - Wins d-zone FO and 2 clears the zone. Joins the rush the other way and keeps it alive with a great poke of the puck near the crease directly to Mojo. Schultz again tries the center/tip play with just 19 there at the doorstep but it's defended. Zone is cleared for icing. Wins O-zone FO to set up shot on goal. Puck frozen. Loses next FO and follows the play down the ice, in good position. MTL scores on a shot from the other side of the ice, not NB's man.
8th - Teams with Oshie on backcheck as they come on the ice, forcing a turnover and rush the other way. Bad pass by Oshie reverses play. NB leads the breakout and zone entry with speed, feeding Mojo who nearly connects with Osh for a tap-in on the other wing. As MTL tries to breakout NB circles back and pokechecks the puck directly on-net for a great chance and forces a freeze.
9th - F1 on the forecheck. Almost forces a turnover. Helps clear the crease during a scrum. Gets caught going the wrong way on a strange handoff pass by MTL but recovers and then gets into a scuffle to protect VV from Anderson. Ends up in the box. Feels shame. Gets free.
10th - Exits the box just in time to follow the puck going the other way, crazy section of penalties.
11th - After Ovie goal loses FO at center ice and gets back on defense, but weird sort out with feverbeaver prevents either of them from getting the puck. Plays good defense, pressures the puck, exits the zone after Oshie gains possession, dumps for Oshie. Good movement in the o-zone, was open for an easy goal if Mantha could've gotten it to him, then changed off.
12th - Anderson/Wilson funny stuff leads to PP.
3rd period
13th - Loses O-zone FO but first fwd back on D. Interfered with on the breakout, then had to take a wide path around Schultz who turned into him during the forecheck for some reason, which took him a step away from the spot he wanted to be, and could've created a turnover. Instead Schultz gets turnstiled on a rush up the wing. VV makes initial stop but rebound is put home on opposite side of NB who rushed to get back.
14th - Loses o-zone FO, MTL ice it. Oshie takes next FO for some reason and also loses, MTL again ice the puck. NB wins next FO and a scoring chance is created with him and Osh at the net. Wins another FO, more shots and o-zone play. Screens the goaltender on Orlov's goal.
15th - Backward staking on defense as shifts change. Wins d-zone FO. Oshie with bad clearance but NB regains the puck. Again has to get back and cover the D position as play goes back and forth. Shows good striding and stop/start to get to positions he wants to be in. Puck over the boards, shift change.
16th - PP
17th - F1 on fairly passive forecheck as already up 7-3 with 8min left. Covers the center of the ice on D as usual. Keeps up perfectly with chugging Osh-babe on breakout and zone entry. Checked from behind twice but still retains puck. Covers the point as 74 pinches. Gets off long snapper that's deflected, floats between D and center slot until double teamed along the boards for a turnover that goes nowhere.
18th - Loses NZ FO. Uneventful final ES shift playing D in the center of the ice before Caps get a PP.
I did not see a "washed" old man struggling to survive. NB actually had a pretty damn good under the radar game, as is his trademark.
I think a lot of people are getting caught up in a narrative about this, or else they see him behind a play and don't know what he was just doing before that. Or they don't realize he's playing positional defense instead of just chasing the puck all over the ice.
