GDT: Game 4: Phoenix Coyotes @ Bay Area Chokers |1-25-13| 8:30 PM

[mitch27]

Yeah, this loss can in no way be blamed on Yandle. He was great pretty much the entire game. Doan, however, was a -3 and choked on a clear breakaway and played bad overall.

This is just not correct.

Whoa, in no way, shape or form am I blaming the loss on Yandle. But we won the faceoff, he made a terrible pass to OEL, then missed the puck in the neutral zone, got beat, and took a penalty.

But yes, Doan was much much worse. I agree that Yandle looked soooo much better last night. That post was more out of frustration than anything. There was like 20 seconds left, I don't think it really mattered at that point.

 

[Mosby]

So frustrating to lose games like that. Up by 2 with less than 7 minutes to go!

On a positive note, I'm loving the play of Steve Sullivan over the last 2 games (but who wouldn't be?)

We're pretty banged up right now, a lot of key guys too. Any word if we'll see Smith, Hanzal, Klesla, etc. vs. the Kings?

 

[Howler Scores]

Well since Emma is 1-0, I will carry her forward.

 

[Blubba Jenkins]

1-3 to start the season and we play LA next. I'm not saying we're doomed, but if things do go raw this season, at least it will be short and the draft will be awesome.

 

[cobra427]

It seems like the higher skill teams are going to beat the coyotes until their system is in place and we are healthier. Columbus has no skill, but Dallas, Chicago, and San Jose do. Barbs has played batter then expected, Sully too. Doan and Yandle have not, and I don't get that. The younger guys being rusty or making bad plays I can see, but not out two leaders. Z seems below average so far also. Doan and Yandle are veteran leaders and should have been ready to go this season. Are Klesla and Hanzel always injured or what.... Hanzel being out hurt us in face offs and against their big line...Bods, Korpi, OEL, are on track, young guns are ready...

Tip will make some changes now, he has to, as the hole is deeper...

 

[rt]

Forgot to mention LOL. He's done well. In 2009-2010 he was an excellent back-up. Hopefully he's re-discovered that old form. Also, I hate him much less with a beard in place of the fumanchu. The drunk lumberjack look makes me hate his face much less.

 

[rt]

Any word on Lombardi? Any info. at all?

 

[Sciamachy]

Didn't watch the game, working nights. The highlights look like it was pretty exciting game. Was Chip that bad? Maybe Tips should have put Bolduc in.

I didn't mean to imply Chip was particularly bad last night, especially not at what he does. But when we start the season with him as a fourth line winger and just 3 games and a period in we are using him as a second line center because of injuries its just painful to watch. I would have liked to see Bolduc get some time there as well, if only for some fresher legs on the ice.

 

[rt]

Having only three forward lines rolling, the centers of which are Vermette, Gordon, and Chipchura is not a great way to pull out a win in the second game of a back to back, against an excellent, healthy, rested team in what is our fourth game in five nights. It's not terribly surprising that our lead evaporated, honestly. Call it an excuse if you'd like, but reasons and excuses are close cousins.

 

[Sciamachy]

^^^ Definitely not surprising that the lead evaporated under the circumstances. I'm honestly more surprised that a team missing Smith, Hanzal, Klesla and Lombardi was able to control the play for pretty much the entire second period and the beginning of the third.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Shortened season success is predicated on 2 things, IMO.

1. Staying healthy
2. Fast start to the season

#1 is fairly obvious, as the condensed schedule means that someone who is out for 3 weeks misses 10 or 11 games, rather than 7 or 8. Teams that start fast simply have a leg up b/c other teams will begin to push hard to get back on track, which can go in either direction, but the condensed schedule rmeans that if you push too hard for wins at a certain point, you may be out of gas by the end.

Plain and simple, we were tired in the 3rd. Vermette was double-shifting and I honestly thought that he was going to pass out from pure exhaustion with about 3 mins left in the game. We are not playing poorly, but when you can't move your legs, you will wind up losing out on far too many pucks, and te Sharks were able to capitalize.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Oh, and as much as I praise Labarbera's game last night, I do think that one huge issue is his reluctance to play the puck behind the goal. There were at least 4 or 5 times that I would see a dump-in that I would think we would have our goalie play (at least I would believe that Smith would play it). Maybe that was also part of the gameplan. While that should not seem like a big deal, a winded team that has to skate an additional 5-20 feet to play the puck adds up over the course of the game. It also allows the other team to play the forecheck stronger and make us fight for loose pucks.

I would almost say that we need a back-up who will be willing to play the puck, so that we don't have to gameplan differently due to a different goalie.

 

[pacerhimself]

Having only three forward lines rolling, the centers of which are Vermette, Gordon, and Chipchura is not a great way to pull out a win in the second game of a back to back, against an excellent, healthy, rested team in what is our fourth game in five nights. It's not terribly surprising that our lead evaporated, honestly. Call it an excuse if you'd like, but reasons and excuses are close cousins.

I feel like we really would've had to have banked on SJ having an all around awful game to get a win. They had a bad second period and a couple breakdowns that lead to goals, but had a pretty strong first and third.

 

[kihekah19*]

I was really hoping we would hang onto the lead and win so I could launch into a full on tirade about the horrible officiating in that game. However, it is not the reason we lost and I don't want to come off as blaming the loss on the officials ( who were HORRIBLE)

We played a fantastic 45 minutes and then the wheels fell completely off. The team was running on adrenaline, piss and vinegar until that Korpikoski goal. That goal was the worst thing that could've happened. That puck went in, and every damn player on the team let off the gas and tried to catch their breath. The one inevitable goal against goes in and the entire team suddenly realizes they are completely unable to pull themselves up by their boot straps. Like that nightmare where you run so slow and your punches are so weak. Unmanageable fatigue. No second wind.

Four games in five days. No Hanzal, no Klesla, no Smith, Lombardi goes down, Chipchura moves up, Bissonnette and Bolduc take permanent seats on the bench and you are running nine forwards in a twelve forward game. Second of a back to back and fourth in five.

This season is a joke. That lock out was so ****ing pointless and stupid. Condensed seasons are a joke.

Oh well, all teams are dealing with it.

You hit the nail squarely on the head here my friend.