Post-Game Talk: Game #3: Home Opener vs. Leafs

[419forever]

I could be wrong but I think a forward was supposed to pick up the guy in front of the net on that goal where McDonagh was on one side of the net and Girardi was slow getting back because he was hit with a shot.

You often see both of the defenseman flank the net facing the boards when a guy has the puck behind the net, I think this is what McDonagh was TRYING to do, but because Girardi was hobbled by a shot, he couldn't get into position in time and the forward who is supposed to cover the front wasn't there (not sure who that was...Miller was in the area but I don't know if he was playing wing at the time or center)

On the other hand, McDonagh should see that guy open and switch to covering him, but as he said later to the media, there's a lack of communication going on out there at the moment and it's something they have to fix

Yeah, it was Hayes - when Miller ran over into the corner to pick up the vacant man the winger on that side (Hayes) had to slide into the slot and cover Miller's defensive responsibility. Not a surprising mistake in the kid's first NHL game - it's a correctable mistake.

 

[blixt]

It's amazing how this team collapsed without Zucc in the lineup

Are you Norwegian?

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Why does jt miller suck? I think kevin hayes played just as well if not better and jt has been up in down from the a and NHL the past two seasons?

 

[TheTakedown]

Why does jt miller suck? I think kevin hayes played just as well if not better and jt has been up in down from the a and NHL the past two seasons?

I'm very high on miller. right now, however, this is the truth. Hayes is actually better than Miller in the NHL game at this very moment.

I'm pretty doubtful that will be the case after game 15-20... you know, when we get our top players back in the lineup?


Also Wolfy, serious question. Are you a woman?

I also LOVE how 77 seems to have disappeared after having his facts ripped to shreds lol

 

[Charlie Conway]

These are some great points.

I have been expecting growing pains. Fact is all of the prospects playing are WAY beyond expectations:

Duclair is fitting in incredibly well.
Hayes is VERY patient on the puck
Miller is making plays. Maybe some bad plays, but generally looks good
Fast is a nice catalyst on the 4th line...

Again, when you combine those 4, along with the new comers of Stempniak, Glass (sort of), Malone, and MSL playing a new position, this slow start is expected.

I will say that I'm SUPER pleased with Staal... This is why we need to resign him. When McDonagh looks like ****, Staal can pick up the slack...

Anyone that has been saying John Moore or Conner Allen can take those minutes (I admit, I made this claim regarding Allen a few times, and I'm eating crow for it) is in for a rude awakening IF management decides to trade Staal...

I am pretty happy with how the kids are doing. I know the points haven't been piling up or anything, but they are playing well, all things considered. I know people can be frustrated with Fast, but he had some nice chances, is a good guy for the 4th line, and looks like he's doing a lot of the little things right, aside from the odd mistake. We could all just use a bit of patience here.

There's a lot of shuffling going on aside from the new guys/kids coming in. Training camp itself was a lot of shuffling. I feel like the first 6 games are going to be a lot of shuffling and finding chemistry. Like I said, it's frustrating, but it is what it is--no need to cliff jump.

 

[TheTakedown]

I am pretty happy with how the kids are doing. I know the points haven't been piling up or anything, but they are playing well, all things considered. I know people can be frustrated with Fast, but he had some nice chances, is a good guy for the 4th line, and looks like he's doing a lot of the little things right, aside from the odd mistake. We could all just use a bit of patience here.

There's a lot of shuffling going on aside from the new guys/kids coming in. Training camp itself was a lot of shuffling. I feel like the first 6 games are going to be a lot of shuffling and finding chemistry. Like I said, it's frustrating, but it is what it is--no need to cliff jump.

funny thing is we already know this. AV's teams, as well as the rangers teams over the past few years are all notriously slow starters... throw those 2 together plus the injured starting players who are top 10-20 in the league in their positions (roughly speaking), and this is nothing out of the ordinary....

I'd rather start this way than end this way... Blues started ridiculously good last year, and lost the last 6-8 games of the regular season and got destroyed against the Hawks...

Devils started pretty well last year too, yet they couldn't win a shootout.

A bad start does NOT mean a bad finish, however if we look like this in game 15-20, then I will be worried.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Yeah, it was Hayes - when Miller ran over into the corner to pick up the vacant man the winger on that side (Hayes) had to slide into the slot and cover Miller's defensive responsibility. Not a surprising mistake in the kid's first NHL game - it's a correctable mistake.

Except that Hayes was the center on that line, and Miller the winger.

 

[itsPLkielbasa]

All the bounces went Toronto's way yesterday. It happens. On to the next game and forget these last two.

Is Zuccarello in against the Islanders or is it long term?

 

[Fugazy]

From what I've seen, I believe the offensive woes can be corrected. The team as a whole is faster right now, but I've seen them having issues harnessing that speed.

They seem to skate out of their positions on the defensive end and they're not positioning too well with forechecking. And the team is having problems breaking out of their zone right now. There was a case last night where every 4th line forward skated out of the zone and left the puck behind them.

However, once they correct this, I believe they'll be pretty scary to play against.

 

[Wolfy*]

Is Zuccarello in against the Islanders or is it long term?

He has a DTD sore shoulder. But they had a day off, and I'm sure he got the right connections and has received some nice massage.

So does he play tomorrow? Well this treatment should help a lot, but...shoulders can be tricky.

 

[GOAT AINEC]

He has a DTD sore shoulder. But they had a day off, and I'm sure he got the right connections and has received some nice massage.

So does he play tomorrow? Well this treatment should help a lot, but...shoulders can be tricky.

He needs to come back or we are screwed.

 

[Levitate]

On a PK, McDonagh should've stayed with his man in front as his primary concern, maybe an active stick towards the guy behind, but let Girardi take him, which Girardi did. On a PK, there's no center to slide down and pick up the man in front, so McD has to stay with him, he can't do what he did unless G switched off and picked up the guy in front.

I wasn't talking about a goal on the power play...the second goal was a bit of a fluke, going off a guy in front and right to Kessel, sometimes you can't cover everyone on the PK and no one was expecting that rebound. The one where the guy was left alone in front was an even strength goal.

Also on Franson's goal, McD gave him too much time to tee it up, not saying he should've dived in front of it, but he turned to pick up a guy in front while Franson had all day to walk in and rip it.

Point man should be a forwards responsibility, the Rangers coverage got mixed up I believe, which is an issues that McDonagh talked about in terms of communication on the ice. While he COULD have picked that up quicker, it's still more an overall team issue than one with McDonagh

What bothers me about these losses as opposed to last years bad start, was last year we lost those bad games to SJ, Anaheim and St Louis. Western powerhouses. These two were against a solid rival in CBJ, but a team we should beat, and Toronto. Not saying the sky is falling, I just don't like the comparison to last year's bad losses.

Eh, Bruins have started off poorly as well. Beginning of the season is weird and I wouldn't take early results as indicative of much. And if Toronto can do one thing it's score goals, so a bad defensive game and a bad game by the goalie and it's not surprising to see Toronto put some in the net

Except that Hayes was the center on that line, and Miller the winger.

I guess it depends on what's happening but wouldn't it usually be the centers responsibility to pick up the guy in front?