Post-Game Talk: Game #23 - Anaheim Ducks vs Washington Capitals, 7pm PT, BSSC (Ducks lose, 4-5, Patches would be mad)

[TheGoodShepard1]

I think the org thinks a lot more of Luneau than most on this board do. It will be interesting to see him with Fowler. Glad they've given up on (for now) the Fowler/LaCombe pairing.

It's possible they think that he has nothing left to learn in juniors and that it's more valuable for him to be around the big club and practicing every day even if he's not playing in games. Ideally, he'd be in San Diego right now, but it's not feasible.

Could also just be a waiting game, as @goonsaredumb posted above me.

 

[robbieboy3686]

I think the org thinks a lot more of Luneau than most on this board do. It will be interesting to see him with Fowler. Glad they've given up on (for now) the Fowler/LaCombe pairing.

I feel he has a breakout game today

It's possible they think that he has nothing left to learn in juniors and that it's more valuable for him to be around the big club and practicing every day even if he's not playing in games. Ideally, he'd be in San Diego right now, but it's not feasible.

Could also just be a waiting game, as @goonsaredumb posted above me.

He just got a nice 6 game in 2 weeks with the gulls. He’s fine

 

[Leonardo87]

We're kinda going through a lot right now.

Makes me miss Zegras even more

Appreciate the effort as always though.

I haven‘t been posting as much here as I used to, when the team is in a funk I hate reading and posting about the negative things. You try to find the positives to talk about but there hasn’t been much in this 7 game losing stretch.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

Lines are updated, guess you guys didn’t like the Dodgeball theme, oh well.

Love that movie!

I was going to save this in case someone gets high sticked:

 

[Leonardo87]

Love that movie!

I was going to save this in case someone gets high sticked:

Speaking of that, did you see the Lucas Raymond high-sticking incident? First thing I thought of…

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Comparing where we were last year after 22 games to this year after 22 games.

Ducks	'22-23 v '23-24
Season	Game set	Games	W	L	OTL	Pts	Pts Pct		GF	GA	GD
2022-23	1 to 22	22​	6​	15​	1​	13​	29.5%​		58​	94​	-36​
2023-24	1 to 22	22​	9​	13​	0​	18​	40.9%​		59​	76​	-17​

We're an improved team because we've improved our defense. Last year, we had only one regulation win after 22 games. This year, six of our wins were regulation wins.

Ducks	'22-23 v '23-24	Special	Teams
Season	Game Set	Games	PPG	PPO	PP Eff	.	PK GA	TSH	PK Eff
2022-23	1 to 22	22​	10​	66​	15.2%​	.	28​	81​	65.4%​
2023-24	1 to 22	22​	15​	70​	21.4%​	.	20​	98​	79.6%​

Both our special teams have improved. There's a +13 goal differential combined between our special teams from this year to last year.

The PP is ranked 12th overall. A big kudos to asst Coach Brown. It was feast or famine for the first 16 games. In the last six games, we've scored one PP goal in four out of six games.

Our PK really has been a bright point, especially since we're the most penalized team in the league! The next most penalized team has 14 fewer TSH opportunities. Our PK unit is currently ranked 15th overall.

Ducks	'22-23 v '23-24	ES Goals
Season	Game Set	ES GF	ES GA	ES GD
2022-23	1 to 22	48​	66​	-18​
2023-24	1 to 22	44​	56​	-12​

At ES play, we are only a +6 in goal differential and that's thanks to our defense.

Cronin's offense isn't generating enough at ES play and it's very odd. We are running a similar offensive scheme as last year under Eakins, of pinching d-men and rotating forwards. Granted, we were missing Killorn to start the season, lost Z during the season, and Carlsson is a part-timer.

• 2022-23
  • McTavish: 22 games, 11 pts (4g + 7a), -4 rating
  • Vatrano: 22 games, 7 pts (4g +3a), -7 rating
  • Strome: 22 games, 12 pts (5g + 7a), -9 rating

• 2023-25
  • McTavish: 22 games, 21 pts (10g + 11a), -5 rating
  • Vatrano: 22 games, 21 pts (13g +8a), -1 rating
  • Strome: 22 games, 16 pts (3g + 13a), +0 rating

Last year, Mac started off at 2LW for the first 10 games. Then we shifted him over to 4C in game 11 with Jones and Leason as his wingers, playing a total of 6:31 TOI. Strome and Vatrano were not great nor good defensively last year.

This year, all three are on the same line. That line represents 44.1% of the goals scored (26 goals) for the team (out of a total of 59 goals). Our third highest goal scorer is our part-time 1C Carlsson. Cronin needs to improve that ES offense b/c it looks terrible that an Eakins ES offense was more productive.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Lines are updated, guess you guys didn’t like the Dodgeball theme, oh well.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

Speaking of that, did you see the Lucas Raymond high-sticking incident? First thing I thought of…

View attachment 775681

 

[Kcoyote3]

Is Lyubushkin playing?

 

[ADHB]

Is Lyubushkin playing?

Looks like it, yeah.

 

[Arthuros]

Sucks that Vaaks got punted. I would have wanted to see how Fowler-Vaaks worked before Luneau.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

We're slow on forward rotations when a defender dives into the Ozone, which is why we see lots of odd man situations. To add to that, Mac needs to not go behind the offensive net because he's always chasing the play to where his man is the one that's open.

On defense, our forwards cannot cheat (cough... Mac... cough), but also be available passing outlets. That cheating and trying to stretch the ice hurts our d-men if the lanes are clogged while being hounded. We still get lost playing man in our D-zone and need to communicate better when passing off players.

Maybe it's growing pains of a new HC. Although, it's difficult to setup the top-9 when the GM controls when your part-time 1C is playing. Regardless, the team needs to get back up again.

GM controls when the 1C plays and also maybe what side the D play on?

No wonder he picked a rookie head coach.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

GM controls when the 1C plays and also maybe what side the D play on?

No wonder he picked a rookie head coach.

Don't forget when a D also plays with respect to Luneau.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Calling it now, Minty gunna have 3 point night

 

[Leonardo87]

Oh cool Bryan Adams is Gonna be at the Honda Center.

It cuts like a knife, but it feels so right, na na na, na na na na

 

[Leonardo87]

Calling it now, Minty gunna have 3 point night

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

View attachment 775818

He’s got to impress ovie

 

[Leonardo87]

He’s got to impress ovie

If the league didn’t suck and the Ducks got their fair share of PP’s think we’d have a top 10 PP now, and Minty has been a contributor to that.

We have so much skill we just need something to bring it all together. This 7 game skid is from an inexperienced roster and the league who has it out for the Ducks.

 

[robbieboy3686]

Just made a sizable bet ducks +107

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Just made a sizable bet ducks +107

to win?

 

[robbieboy3686]

to win?

Yes. Hoping for an easy one, expecting a nail biter lol

 

[MMC]

 

[la patineuse]

I like those Ducks' ugly sweaters.

 

[robbieboy3686]

Shocking that Johnston isn’t playing tonight

 

[Leonardo87]

Score more goals than the other team
And you can win!