GDT: Game 38: Cry, Cry, Cry... | Canucks at Hawks | Dec. 20, 2013 | 7:00 PM CT | NHL-US

[thepuckmonster]

It's either a systems change, which makes absolutely zero sense, or the Hawks have been reading too much of their own press, and believe that they can outscore any problems.

It's irritating, cause every time they put up a particularly bad performance and get blown out, they come back with several great defensive efforts.... and then they start slacking again, start losing close games they should have won (or flat out put away early), before ultimately getting blown out again and repeating the cycle of arrogance.

Ugh, that's majorly frustrating. I feel for you guys.

Keith would still be the best option for the left side on the 2nd PP unit.

It's not ideal, but quite frankly nobody says he has to shoot it.

Some of his best PP highlights have been slap-passes from the point onto the stick of a guy in front, or just hard passes to the guy on the doorstep. He has the vision to get pucks through, his wrist shot just isn't great and his slap shot takes way too long to get off so it's easy for defenders to get into the lane.

Forgive my idiocy, but why wouldn't Keith be on the 1PP? He's picking up assists like a fat kid picks up candy at a piñata party, wouldn't he be the best option?

 

[Kurtosis]

Keith would still be the best option for the left side on the 2nd PP unit.

It's not ideal, but quite frankly nobody says he has to shoot it.

Some of his best PP highlights have been slap-passes from the point onto the stick of a guy in front, or just hard passes to the guy on the doorstep. He has the vision to get pucks through, his wrist shot just isn't great and his slap shot takes way too long to get off so it's easy for defenders to get into the lane.

I agree. The question was designed to elicit a response from Zac, who supports the notion that Keith should see no time on either PP unit.

 

[JSmith81x]

Kane has scored or assisted on 34.3% of their goals so far.

Some others:
43.6 - Crosby
42.2 - Tavares
36.9 - Backstrom
36.0 - Ovechkin
35.4 - Seguin
35.3 - Jagr
35.0 - Malkin
34.9 - Giroux
34.1 - Hudler
33.1 - Karlsson
32.7 - Getzlaf
31.9 - Steen

 

[CertainAffinity*]

Ugh, that's majorly frustrating. I feel for you guys.



Forgive my idiocy, but why wouldn't Keith be on the 1PP? He's picking up assists like a fat kid picks up candy at a piñata party, wouldn't he be the best option?

The Hawks play 5v5 gets a lot of it's effectiveness from transition and onto the rush.

Keith gets a lot of assists on account of the fact that he's an elite defender who is frequently the guy breaking up the play in our zone or the neutral zone, and then putting it on the stick of the guy who assists or scores the goal.

Granted, we're also a very good cycle-team, globe-trotters style, but 5v5 is a different animal than 5v4 where the other team has rigid systems and can ice the puck at will.

Anyway, 5v4, Keith doesn't do very well. He hits shinpads about 10x more often than he hits the net. His wrist shot isn't great, and his slap shot takes too long to wind up, giving the defenders enough time to get into the lane. He can still be effective on the PP, but he's not a great PP quarterback. Leddy would be better in that role on the first unit.

 

[thepuckmonster]

The Hawks play 5v5 gets a lot of it's effectiveness from transition and onto the rush.

Keith gets a lot of assists on account of the fact that he's an elite defender who is frequently the guy breaking up the play in our zone or the neutral zone, and then putting it on the stick of the guy who assists or scores the goal.

Granted, we're also a very good cycle-team, globe-trotters style, but 5v5 is a different animal than 5v4 where the other team has rigid systems and can ice the puck at will.

Anyway, 5v4, Keith doesn't do very well. He hits shinpads about 10x more often than he hits the net. His wrist shot isn't great, and his slap shot takes too long to wind up, giving the defenders enough time to get into the lane. He can still be effective on the PP, but he's not a great PP quarterback. Leddy would be better in that role on the first unit.

I feel so informed. He's like Hamhuis on the PP.

Thanks for not kicking me out, by the way. I always feel nervous commenting on other GDTs because I feel like it angers people.

 

[CertainAffinity*]

BTW, I wouldn't make any changes to the PP based on this game.

We're playing the best PK in the league. That doesn't mean out PP sucks, it means they were as advertised. Wait until the PP starts sucking against mediocre PK units before we consider changing up the units.

 

[CertainAffinity*]

I feel so informed. He's like Hamhuis on the PP.

Thanks for not kicking me out, by the way. I always feel nervous commenting on other GDTs because I feel like it angers people.

NP

Honestly, even if the Hawks hadn't played like crap for the last half of the game, I doubt the result would have been significantly different. The Hawks and Nucks always play each other close. I can't remember the last game that was decided by more than one goal.

I guess when you see a team in the playoffs 3 damn years in a row, you start to get a sense of how to play them effectively.

 

[thepuckmonster]

NP

Honestly, even if the Hawks hadn't played like crap for the last half of the game, I doubt the result would have been significantly different. The Hawks and Nucks always play each other close. I can't remember the last game that was decided by more than one goal.

I guess when you see a team in the playoffs 3 damn years in a row, you start to get a sense of how to play them effectively.

Yeah getting spanked by Dallas was embarrassing. Part of me really wants another Hawks vs Canucks round in the post season but I don't really know if my heart can handle it, haha.

Shades of Patrick Kane going high glove on Luongo haunt my dreams.

 

[Deftones]

As a 'Nucks fan, I thought our fans were hard on our team. I'm seeing a lot of negativity from Hawks fans despite being 1st in the league.

Sadly only got to see the highlights from tonight's game. Good comeback gents. Love the Chicago/Vancouver matchups!

 

[Marotte Marauder]

Keith would still be the best option for the left side on the 2nd PP unit.

It's not ideal, but quite frankly nobody says he has to shoot it.

Some of his best PP highlights have been slap-passes from the point onto the stick of a guy in front, or just hard passes to the guy on the doorstep. He has the vision to get pucks through, his wrist shot just isn't great and his slap shot takes way too long to get off so it's easy for defenders to get into the lane.

I believe Keith only has around 6 primary assists all season. PP and 5-5 play.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

God I'm glad Bickell is back.

 

[EmeticDonut]

I see the sky is falling again over here. I'll just leave you all to it.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

I especially hate it when we lose to the Canucks

 

[Nothingman*]

I feel so informed. He's like Hamhuis on the PP.

Thanks for not kicking me out, by the way. I always feel nervous commenting on other GDTs because I feel like it angers people.

Well....I stopped by your GDT thread when one of your fans said the Hawks were the better team all night. I was wondering what game he was watching. Vancouver was the better team in the 2nd and 3rd.

 

[Blue Liner]

Well....I stopped by your GDT thread when one of your fans said the Hawks were the better team all night. I was wondering what game he was . Vancouver was the better team in the 2nd and 3rd.

Agreed. I was there last night. Good first period, not so good second and third minus a shift here and there. They were just off, period. Lots of missed passes, bad decisions, way too many d-zone turnovers. I mean, just awful stuff you're taught as a Mite not to do (like Oduya throwing blind backhanders right up the middle of the slot in his own zone ) but he was far from alone. Vancouver seemed to get a lot of momentum off that PP they had at the end of the first/beginning of the second and really turned it on from there. I actually thought the Hawks were fortunate to even get it to OT and collect a point. One game. No big deal.

All that said, Mr. Kane is in another universe right now. You can't truly appreciate him fully unless you're watching him live. There are few players in this league that can make fellow NHL'ers look so foolish out there when trying to defend someone. He's one of the more entertaining players to watch out there I've seen in my lifetime.

 

[Kurtosis]

I believe Keith only has around 6 primary assists all season. PP and 5-5 play.

Link that please.

 

[BobbyJet]

Yep. It isn't the first game this season, where the team played a good first period, got a lead and then went brain dead, sitting on the lead. We were well rested nd Canucks were far from at their best. Short on man power and at the end of a road trip (and playing back-to-back as well). Q will not be happy, but at least we salvaged a point, so it could have been worse.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

Link that please.

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/GS020537.HTM

Grab your pencil and make tick marks.

 

[Kurtosis]

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20132014/GS020537.HTM

Grab your pencil and make tick marks.

I'm not going through every box score if that's what you're suggesting.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

I'm not going through every box score if that's what you're suggesting.

Then you will not know if he has 6 or 7 primary assists. Are you suggesting that I do it for you?

 

[Kurtosis]

Then you will not know if he has 6 or 7 primary assists. Are you suggesting that I do it for you?

No, I expected you got it from a website that specifically tracks that stat.

 

[hawksfan50]

Yes Q ain't gonna be happy..blow 2 goal lead at homr against a road weary VAN team that had played the night before while the Hawks were rested...Played hard one period then took the foot off the gas and let VAN hang around till they got their energy and cofidence and got their goals by outworking the Hawks over the last 2 periods...The Hawks let VAN win all the little things lkie board battles. ..hustles forbloose pucks...AND on the key faceoffs like when the Hawks had PPs in the o-zone,guess which team won those draws? Result VAN got possession and cleared forcing the Hawks to go back and thus wasre valueable time away from lengthy possessionin the VAN zine...yes they are the best PK team..block ***** and clear mire successfully on the PK than the Hawks do..BUT it does not help that the Hawks did not start their PPs with possession off the draws...a massive FAIL in the little things like that for the Hawjs..Also you cannot expect to win playing just one good period...or exoect to win when you only have 2 of the 4 lines showong up. .I thought the Hawks #1 line did not play effectively. ..nor did the Hawks #3 line...you could say the VAN lines checking those lines stymied our #1 and #3 lines to such ineffectiveness. .or you could say neither of the Hawks #1 or #3 lines played with the urgency to want it and bring an "A' effort..or a combo of both..whatever these 2 lines for the Hawks just were notvery good this night and that was a FAIL because teams with so many passengers usually do not win ahainst good teams..We will not win mamy with just half the forwards showing up.