GDT: Game 1: Coyotes @ Ducks | 7:00 p.m. PDT | FS-A | 98.7 FM

[Prarievarg]

Since I usually watch replays of the games (4 AM puck drop) I tend to fast forward large parts. Not the case today! Fun game through 50 minutes.
I liked what I saw from Strome. Also glad Duclair got to score, that should do him good

 

[Jakey53]

I hope we leave the lines the same for the home opener. Raanta in net would be nice. I hope Tocchet doesn't tinker with the forward lines though. I'm happy with them.

I think you will see Tocc tinker with the lines, except maybe the first line.

 

[Tad Mikowski]

LD wasn't that bad. He only let in half the goals that the penguins did

 

[cobra427]

LD let in 2 soft goals, he wasn't very good just average. We can't be giving up 40 shots to a team with 5 starters missing. The D made some bad turnovers especially Goose, but he did have 3 assists. The forwards weren't helping out enough on D and weren't supporting the puck to be in the right position for the first pass out of the D zone. This is partly why our D were in a bad spot at times. Many forwards aren't playing a 2 way game. We look great on the rush but they still need to back check and help out our D men.

 

[Heldig]

Pretty sure it was OEL with back to back giveaways that led to the second goal against. He had a very difficult time against Perry all game.

 

[rt]

If you are a defenseman who played last night and your name is not Hjalmarsson, you should really choose two forwards to take out for steak dinners tonight. 6D, 12F, the numbers work and it's only fair.

 

[rt]

Anyway, I'm actually even more excited about the season this morning than I was yesterday morning. Seeing all those positives is really eye opening. I'm very much accustomed to the negatives. Nothing new there.

 

[AZviaNJ]

I'll take a 5-4 loss with a young exciting growing team over a 2-1 grinder loss with veterans going nowhere.

Louie may have a short leash this season.........Miska is 90 minute drive away.

 

[Jakey53]

LD let in 2 soft goals, he wasn't very good just average. We can't be giving up 40 shots to a team with 5 starters missing. The D made some bad turnovers especially Goose, but he did have 3 assists. The forwards weren't helping out enough on D and weren't supporting the puck to be in the right position for the first pass out of the D zone. This is partly why our D were in a bad spot at times. Many forwards aren't playing a 2 way game. We look great on the rush but they still need to back check and help out our D men.

I agree the forwards have to be better with their two way game, but Demers and Gogo's direct giveaways resulted in two goals, and LD could not stop the puck when he had to. With kids you will have mistakes and you have to expect that, especially this early in the season. It's the vets that have to step up.

Pretty sure it was OEL with back to back giveaways that led to the second goal against. He had a very difficult time against Perry all game.

Perry is a beast and you are right OEL had a tough time with him all night.

 

[hbk]

ending has left a bad taste in my mouth. Doesn't overshadow the positives we saw with the young forwards; especially Keller who has the "it" factor. It also unfortunately reinforced all the negative beliefs I already had in Domingue.

 

[Plub]

I'm not sure how anyone can logically put this loss on the forwards. The defense was terrible, both positionally and when it comes to getting the puck on someone's tape. Horrible passing last night and that's what lost us the game.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Nothing against Domingue, but we probably would have won with Raanta in net. Tocchet wants to "go North"? Well, "The North remembers." We darn well better have a top notch goalie to defend the South, because we are going to leave our goalie hung out to dry more times than not when the Wildlings (MN reference) blow right past us on turnovers.

 

[cobra427]

I'm not sure how anyone can logically put this loss on the forwards. The defense was terrible, both positionally and when it comes to getting the puck on someone's tape. Horrible passing last night and that's what lost us the game.

The loss is primarily on the D because of all the turnovers and Loui because of a few soft goals. We were however, outshot 41-30 by a team missing 5 of their best players, that is a team D puck possession problem. That is partly on the forwards. Not enough back checking, coverage by the forwards, or being in the right spot to take the first pass out of our zone.

 

[BUX7PHX]

LD wasn't that bad. He only let in half the goals that the penguins did

I was about to chime in with the fact that Domingue "kind of" kept us in the game, but he was not all that great. I counted about 6 or 7 point blank chances that the Ducks did not score on because they wound up just hitting Domingue with the puck. At least 2 or 3 times, I don't know if Domingue knew where the puck was - he just happened to be in the right position for saves to be made and the forwards would not be able to slide the puck past him.

Honestly, this could have been a 2-4 goal loss for the team, even with the positives that were seen. Not going to go overboard assessing anything quite yet, but we do need to figure out who we can put out on the ice to protect the lead. We haven't played with a lot of leads heading into the 3rd period the past few years, but we should also be able to understand the ramifications of knowing who the shut down line is for forwards and defensemen alike.

Some good, some bad.

 

[Heldig]

I agree the forwards have to be better with their two way game, but Demers and Gogo's direct giveaways resulted in two goals, and LD could not stop the puck when he had to. With kids you will have mistakes and you have to expect that, especially this early in the season. It's the vets that have to step up.



Perry is a beast and you are right OEL had a tough time with him all night.

Yeah, Perry kind of took over the game.

The team got up 4 - 1 and changed their game. D started hesitating with the puck. Forwards stopped skating out of the zone and instead waited for a pass. A couple bad turnovers and BAM 4- 3 game and a completely different game. The team will learn from this (I hope). It is a very difficult system to maintain over the course of a season though. There will be bad periods and bad games.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Too many positives last night to even discuss the negatives.

Keller is a witch, plain and simple.
Strome was good, too bad he got robbed by Gibson
Fischer I thought was good on the forecheck and he goes to the net, I'll take a guy that goes to the net all day long
Perlini should be our leading goal-scorer, with a laser like that any room out there on the PP he should be able to rip one in the corner
PP looked good
PK looked good
Duclair had a good game

 

[rt]

Yeah, Perry kind of took over the game.

The team got up 4 - 1 and changed their game. D started hesitating with the puck. Forwards stopped skating out of the zone and instead waited for a pass. A couple bad turnovers and BAM 4- 3 game and a completely different game. The team will learn from this (I hope). It is a very difficult system to maintain over the course of a season though. There will be bad periods and bad games.

Perry took over because our team was emotionally immature and unprepared to deal with the situation like a battle tested team would. Perry is going to Perry and it only works if you let it.

 

[Tom Polakis]

I'm not sure how anyone can logically put this loss on the forwards. The defense was terrible, both positionally and when it comes to getting the puck on someone's tape. Horrible passing last night and that's what lost us the game.

I don't think anybody is putting the loss on the forwards, but their poor back checking had something to do with many of Anaheim's chances. I like this aggressive style of play as much as anybody, but the obvious disadvantage is that you're gonna get caught up ice often. All of those 3-on-2's were not the fault of the defensemen.

Also, I wonder how sustainable this style is. Even though they're kids, can they keep playing this style of hockey through a long season without fatigue or injuries? I guess we'll find out.

 

[KG]

I might have to buy a Clayton Keller jersey

 

[Coyotedroppings]

LD let in 2 soft goals, he wasn't very good just average. We can't be giving up 40 shots to a team with 5 starters missing. The D made some bad turnovers especially Goose, but he did have 3 assists. The forwards weren't helping out enough on D and weren't supporting the puck to be in the right position for the first pass out of the D zone. This is partly why our D were in a bad spot at times. Many forwards aren't playing a 2 way game. We look great on the rush but they still need to back check and help out our D men.

Spot on and most likely (optimist in me) will improve as the players acclimate to the system and each other.

 

[Grimes]

Also, I wonder how sustainable this style is. Even though they're kids, can they keep playing this style of hockey through a long season without fatigue or injuries? I guess we'll find out.

My guess is there will eventually be some adjustments. Players will be more comfortable being in positions to make clean break outs, possibly less deep in the offensive zone, and further into our zone. Less scrambling when eve ryone gets used to the system.

Tocc sure likes to play short shifts. What I'm concerned about is his decision making in line shifts. Seems like there were times a line change happened which directly resulted in a mix match, or a change happened which took one of our tops lines off of playing against a weaker Ducks line. Again, I think some of these issues will work themselves out.

 

[rt]

I don't think anybody is putting the loss on the forwards, but their poor back checking had something to do with many of Anaheim's chances. I like this aggressive style of play as much as anybody, but the obvious disadvantage is that you're gonna get caught up ice often. All of those 3-on-2's were not the fault of the defensemen.

Also, I wonder how sustainable this style is. Even though they're kids, can they keep playing this style of hockey through a long season without fatigue or injuries? I guess we'll find out.

I think the style is fine and sustainable if execution improves. If not, Tocchet may have to adapt and take half a step back toward Tippett land.

 

[cobra427]

Spot on and most likely (optimist in me) will improve as the players accimateto the system and each other.

I'm not worried about the D. Goose won't turn the puck over as much, OEL was rusty, and Demers just got here. That will be a solid top 4D, best we have had since WCF run. They'll clean it up. Kconn/Schenn were fine and our PK was pretty good too, that is a good sign.

Once we get the puck out of our own end, the talent on the rush looks excellent. Keep in mind 5 of their best players were out though. The odd man rushes, at least 10 or more last night, and the D not having a forward in support and positioned properly for the first pass was the major problem I saw last night(outside of the obvious turnovers). This will take some time for our young forwards to know when to hustle back and pick up their man. Our talent is stunning on the rush, awesome to see, but they have to play both ways.

 

[PerpetualTankYear]

Literally couldn't care less about losing. That game was fun as hell to watch. I was 100% invested in a Coyotes game for the first time in years.

 

[TheLegend]

I think the style is fine and sustainable if execution improves. If not, Tocchet may have to adapt and take half a step back toward Tippett land.

I was going to say the defense already did that last night. Saw a few instances that reminded me off last year. May take a little more time to get that out of them.