GDT: Game 18: Coyotes @ Blues - 6PM - FSAZ

[TheLegend]

Anyone still on the fence about Raanta?

He’s been AWOL lately.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

That's if the Blues lose interest. More like 8-1.

My prognostication skills suck.

 

[TheLegend]

Best effort yet. OT was a treat all to itself.

 

[Mosby]

I want to see our record, GAA, and SV% before waiving Domingue versus post waiving Domingue.

Before: 0-10-1, 4.36 GAA, .861 SV%

After: 2-3-2, 3.14 GAA, .913%

GAA isn't exact, but should be fairly close.

 

[rt]

I think we're more like the 2-3-2 team than the 0-10-1 team.

 

[rt]

Before: 0-10-1, 4.36 GAA, .861 SV%

After: 2-3-2, 3.14 GAA, .913%

GAA isn't exact, but should be fairly close.

Thanks!

 

[Jakey53]

I'll probably jinx it, but OEL has looked a lot better tonight. He's still missing power in his shots, but at least he's shooting. Nothing terrible defensively, either.

Oel never had a great shot to begin with.

3rd tough road games in 4 days, 1 D down and all the guys are working as hard as ever. I can't fault the effort in this game.

Best game of the year for the team. The vets came to play, except maybe Stepan, yet he gets the most TOI. What I'am I missing? I thought the D overall played very well including Schenn. When can this Kempe experiment be over?

That was about the most uninspired shootout attempt I've ever seen by Stepan.

That is putting it lightly. I only had time to watch bits and pieces, but I didn't notice Stepan until the 3rd period. I thought he was hurt.

Panger said on the St. Louis feed that he spoke to Stepan and he admitted he's being forced to play a very different game than what he's used to. Rangers had him taking the majority of defensive zone draws and a heavy focus on his defense, while Tocc is pushing him to be a far more offense based guy in AZ. Maybe it's just taking him awhile to adjust..

or maybe he just sucks

Or maybe RT is trying to put a square peg in a round hole. He's crappy in the dot so why would the Rangers let him take the majority of the defensive zone draws?

The team looked good again in net and on D for the most part. I also didn't see a ton of turnovers. We got a point against a top team on the road, I'll take it. Stepan is adjusting a little and has not played great offensively but he has been solid on D. I am glad duke scored but he had some lapses on D and a few turnovers. Many of Toccs decisions like giving Stepan more minutes and benching Duke are for defensive reasons. I'm glad our GA has been coming down the last handful of games. We might be getting to having a competitive team now, hope it continues.

Yup, best effort of the year, but I'm tired of hearing players are still adjusting to the system. Stepan is great on D, but I want more than that from our so called 1st line center. Raanta is giving everyone a jolt here, so the rest of the players better notice and keep playing like last night.

Keller, Hjalmarsson and Raanta are our only good hockey players. Dvorak and Perlini are getting there.

A little harsh I would say. You have to include Domi and OEL.

 

[rt]

A little harsh I would say. You have to include Domi and OEL.

Domi has followed Stepan halfway into the hole. OEL has been the tied with Stepan for most disappointing player.

 

[Jakey53]

Domi has followed Stepan halfway into the hole. OEL has been the tied with Stepan for most disappointing player.

Domi has had bad luck but the effort is there. I guess we are all a bit disappointed with OEL but he is getting better every game. He had a great game last night. Other teams are still paying all their attention to him as he is our best D. Once we get Hammer and Chick back I hope to see a much better showing from all our D.

 

[RemoAZ]

Panger said on the St. Louis feed that he spoke to Stepan and he admitted he's being forced to play a very different game than what he's used to. Rangers had him taking the majority of defensive zone draws and a heavy focus on his defense, while Tocc is pushing him to be a far more offense based guy in AZ. Maybe it's just taking him awhile to adjust..

or maybe he just sucks

I was listening to that as well. Love Pang! First thing I thought was maybe he's not the guy we are trying to make him. He might just be a better defense first center. That won't be so bad once Strome is up and taking the prime offensive minutes like he should be.

 

[BigMac1212]

I got a feeling this season's Coyotes might be worse than the expansion Capitals. There's not enough hard liquor to get through this season...

 

[Matias Maccete]

Oel never had a great shot to begin with.

OEL had an absolutely great shot. He scored 20 goals twice, many of which were ridiculous wristers with velocity, accuracy, and a lightning quick release. It's not like he banged in garbage goals, he wired shots top corner frequently. After his wrist injury it hasn't looked quite the same sadly, so it's easy to forget how good it really was.

Check out these goals.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

I got a feeling this season's Coyotes might be worse than the expansion Capitals. There's not enough hard liquor to get through this season...

Nah, I agree with the sentiment that we're more the 2-3-2 team. That pace the rest of this season projects out to be in the low 60s points-wise. Bad, yes, really really bad, and certainly a disappointing thing to look forward to, but not 2016-17 Avs or expansion Capitals bad. As bad as it's been, we've been in the last, what, 8 games running in the 3rd period now?

 

[moosemeister]

Agreed. Definitely more the 2-3-2 team. A few healthy bodies back and I think we can continue to improve. This is a good sign.

 

[AZviaNJ]

Agreed. Definitely more the 2-3-2 team. A few healthy bodies back and I think we can continue to improve. This is a good sign.

The schedule breaks after Dec 10 (21 of first 33 on the road), Coyotes have also played the most games (18) in the league......heavy travel schedule + most games = lack of practice time. This team needs practice time.

 

[Neighborhood Coyote]

That game was a much better game than the Pitt game. Team was in it the whole way through and even could have pulled out the W... and it would have been earned/not all luck. I feel a bit better after seeing that effort. Echoing the sentiment from everyone else, also not a fan of how some of this ice time is being managed. This team does need to see more from Stepan (in general) and Domi needs to find the net (the effort is good but he needs to bury his chances at least some times). Once those things happen, the team is much more dangerous.

Also agree this team is closer to the 2-3-2 version. Hopefully they can get healthy.

 

[BlazingBlueAnt]

The schedule breaks after Dec 10 (21 of first 33 on the road), Coyotes have also played the most games (18) in the league......heavy travel schedule + most games = lack of practice time. This team needs practice time.

Between the travel and mandated rest days, we likely get among the least amount of practice time in the league

 

[Sinurgy]

Domi has followed Stepan halfway into the hole. OEL has been the tied with Stepan for most disappointing player.

I disagree, he's snake bitten for sure but he's very noticeable on the ice mostly in a good way. He and Keller are the only 2 forwards worth watching on a nightly basis. So far this season the Coyotes have basically been a 2 forward team, Domi and Keller. I agree on Stepan and OEL though, pretty brutal starts although the past couple of games OEL has been looking a lot better. Stepan still seems pretty lackluster though, hope he figures it out sooner than later.

 

[rt]

I was being too harsh. Domi's hustle and skill are both evident and consistently so. Results have been spotty. If anything, we may be glad when he finally heats up, which if we're lucky will coincide with OEL removing his head from his ass, Chychrun and Hjalmarsson shaking the rust of and Stepan realizing we can again participate in competitive hockey games. If that happens, we might be a .500P% team for a respectable stretch. We suffered the perfect storm of bad already, we might get the inverse at some point in the next month.

 

[Matias Maccete]

I disagree, he's snake bitten for sure but he's very noticeable on the ice mostly in a good way. He and Keller are the only 2 forwards worth watching on a nightly basis. So far this season the Coyotes have basically been a 2 forward team, Domi and Keller. I agree on Stepan and OEL though, pretty brutal starts although the past couple of games OEL has been looking a lot better. Stepan still seems pretty lackluster though, hope he figures it out sooner than later.

Agree completely with the exception that I think domi is still a little bit "off" by his very high standards. He's still generating a lot of offense, but he's forcing things a bit. Compared to everyone else he's still damn good, but I don't think he's quite himself.

 

[Plub]

If he is used to playing a more defensive role, why not put Dvo as 1 c and Stepan as 2c? Seems like an easy thing to tryout. Dvo has been known for his offense his entire career. They might want to try that out between domi and keller.

 

[Plub]

Oel never had a great shot to begin with.



Best game of the year for the team. The vets came to play, except maybe Stepan, yet he gets the most TOI. What I'am I missing? I thought the D overall played very well including Schenn. When can this Kempe experiment be over?



That is putting it lightly. I only had time to watch bits and pieces, but I didn't notice Stepan until the 3rd period. I thought he was hurt.



Or maybe RT is trying to put a square peg in a round hole. He's crappy in the dot so why would the Rangers let him take the majority of the defensive zone draws?



Yup, best effort of the year, but I'm tired of hearing players are still adjusting to the system. Stepan is great on D, but I want more than that from our so called 1st line center. Raanta is giving everyone a jolt here, so the rest of the players better notice and keep playing like last night.



A little harsh I would say. You have to include Domi and OEL.

Oel was absolutely known for his lethal shot.

 

[rt]

Oel was absolutely known for his lethal shot.

100%.

 

[TheLegend]

Oel was absolutely known for his lethal shot.

Some folks can't differentiate was a shot-pass is. Watched one replay where OEL snapped one just wide of the goal and many would think he just flat missed, but the replay angle was directly behind him and it was clear there was no open lane to the net and he was picking a spot just off the net for a deflection.

 

[Jakey53]

OEL had an absolutely great shot. He scored 20 goals twice, many of which were ridiculous wristers with velocity, accuracy, and a lightning quick release. It's not like he banged in garbage goals, he wired shots top corner frequently. After his wrist injury it hasn't looked quite the same sadly, so it's easy to forget how good it really was.

Check out these goals.

OEL has an accurate shot, but not a lethal shot, in my mind anyways. I would consider Perlini as a great shot.