GDT: Game 5 - Anaheim Ducks vs Boston Bruins, 5:30 PT

[slippingsloth]

I promised myself I wont get angry about loses this season because well its not good for my health.. I think we gotta be patient and see what happens when we get drysdale and killhorn back

More power to u if u can.

I got too optimistic after carolina.

 

[Reveille1984]

I'd rather be angry about losing close games like this than apathetic like last year.

If anything, these games have shown that the rebuild is going well and that we actually have the potential to be a pretty good team sooner rather than later.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

More power to u if u can.

I got too optimistic after carolina.

I was optimistic before I learned about this load management shit show of a plan.

Team isn’t deep enough to mess around and wait until January to pick up the pace.

 

[Emerald Duck]

Troy Terry played tonight like the Terry before he actually broke out and started scoring. He held the puck too long without trying to pass, kept skating in circles on the outside until he lost the puck. He was a black hole with the puck tonight.

I agree with the earlier comments regarding Zegras and Mintyukov. Both played well. Zegras has really increased his effort on the forecheck and pressuring the puck. Minty looks like he's the real deal while he keeps improving every game.

 

[Rybread86]

Did he wear the A tonight?

I know he did In the home opener. Can't actually recall other games

 

[Reveille1984]

Troy Terry played tonight like the Terry before he actually broke out and started scoring. He held the puck too long without trying to pass, kept skating in circles on the outside until he lost the puck. He was a black hole with the puck tonight.

I agree with the earlier comments regarding Zegras and Mintyukov.

Terry always goes through stretches like this where he holds the stick too tight and seems to lose his confidence a bit, especially when the team is desperate for goals. Last year he went on like a 1G in 23 games dreadful run.

He's just not a pure goal scorer overall, more of a 20-25 guy than a 35-40 guy barring his crazy outlier 20% shooting season.

 

[Rybread86]

Terry always goes through stretches like this where he holds the stick too tight and seems to lose his confidence a bit, especially when the team is desperate for goals. Last year he went on like a 1G in 23 games dreadful run.

He's just not a pure goal scorer overall, more of a 20-25 guy than a 35-40 guy barring his crazy outlier 20% shooting season.

I think we have seen peak Terry (Prove me Wrong Terry). I think he's a 60-70 point guy who will likely end up around a 25-30g avg. But yes, we probably all need to understand he will go through stretches being snake bitten.

That said, I think Eakins at one point in Terry's 37g season, he stressed shot volume. Cronin sounds like he's going to revisit that idea.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Terry isn't a shoot-first guy at his core. Of our big 4, only McTavish might have a shooting bias, but even for him it isn't by a lot. organizationally it's a huge need, gotta find guys who can finish even if it means moving some Dmen out at some point. I don't think it'll be as easy just 'shoot the puck more.'

What i don't like seeing though is them trying to pass the puck into the net, which was happening a lot this weekend, especially yesterday. The Carlsson/Zegras/Terry line probably needs to be broken up

 

[Reveille1984]

Terry isn't a shoot-first guy at his core. Of our big 4, only McTavish might have a shooting bias, but even for him it isn't by a lot. organizationally it's a huge need, gotta find guys who can finish even if it means moving some Dmen out at some point. I don't think it'll be as easy just 'shoot the puck more'

Yeah, I agree.

Luckily we have a couple years to figure it out while all these kids get up to speed and reach some more of their potential. Verbeek has some work to do since that guy isn't coming from within.

 

[Rybread86]

Terry isn't a shoot-first guy at his core. Of our big 4, only McTavish might have a shooting bias, but even for him it isn't by a lot. organizationally it's a huge need, gotta find guys who can finish even if it means moving some Dmen out at some point. I don't think it'll be as easy just 'shoot the puck more.'

Prospect D men who might be lower on the depth chart and guys like Henrique at the deadline.

 

[70sSanO]

People forget that Terry broke out with Getzlaf. Terry needs that type of center to feed him. For some reason Zegras does not fit the bill, but Carlsson does.

Troy will always have some stretches of over skating, but I think Carlsson, like Getzlaf, has Terry’s confidence to give up the puck.

I’m not sure Troy would have made the pass to Zegras that he made to assist on Carlsson’s goal.

John

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Yeah, I agree.

Luckily we have a couple years to figure it out while all these kids get up to speed and reach some more of their potential. Verbeek has some work to do since that guy isn't coming from within.

I think that carolina game gave us a glimpse of what this team can accomplish.. But we gotta see the small steps they have been taking... Cronin hammered it out in his interview. The main thing he is upset about is.. the players are trying to be to fancy... Not enough gritty goals.. That needs to change.. We dont have enough finesse for that

 

[70sSanO]

I think Verbeek finds a shooter next off season. I don’t think he wanted to commit the dollars to get DeBrincat until he could see how the team is coming together.

We probably get a top 10 pick in 2024 no matter how close we are to winning games.

This year everyone is auditioning so Cronin will probably keep them engaged to a greater extent than previous years.

Next year will be our playoff push.

John

 

[Rybread86]

People forget that Terry broke out with Getzlaf. Terry needs that type of center to feed him. For some reason Zegras does not fit the bill, but Carlsson does.

Troy will always have some stretches of over skating, but I think Carlsson, like Getzlaf, has Terry’s confidence to give up the puck.

I’m not sure Troy would have made the pass to Zegras that he made to assist on Carlsson’s goal.

John

Possible when Killer is back that you could also find that with McT.

As much as I like the 1st line of Z-Carl-Ters, I think its more important finding the duos as opposed to the full trio. Z and Carlsson, Mac and T... could be the way to go long term.

 

[snowave]

What i don't like seeing though is them trying to pass the puck into the net, which was happening a lot this weekend, especially yesterday. The Carlsson/Zegras/Terry line probably needs to be broken up

Yep, too much passing and fancy stick handling down low causing loss of puck and/or few quality scoring chances. Seems like we're also still missing the net a lot though, too.

Otherwise, lots of good signs on other things.

 

[pbgoalie]

After the last couple years, it’s nice to be complaining they are winning given the efforts.

Better compete.
Some better fundamentals (passing, coverage, positioning).
How on earth we still have the same PP coach is stunning. Guy has to have hidden info on insider trading or something. It’s a joke.

Still a new system with a lot of new guys. It’s been impressive

 

[Bergey37]

Possible when Killer is back that you could also find that with McT.

As much as I like the 1st line of Z-Carl-Ters, I think its more important finding the duos as opposed to the full trio. Z and Carlsson, Mac and T... could be the way to go long term.

No; the duos are Terry and Carlsson, then Z and McT. But I actually want to keep Vatrano and McT together. Maybe Z plays with someone else; when he was with C and T, it was C and T that were making things happen. And Z and T have ZERO chemistry together, and when they ARE together, each tries to do it all on his own. That's not good, and it's something the coaches will have to figure out.

 

[Reveille1984]

I think that carolina game gave us a glimpse of what this team can accomplish.. But we gotta see the small steps they have been taking... Cronin hammered it out in his interview. The main thing he is upset about is.. the players are trying to be to fancy... Not enough gritty goals.. That needs to change.. We dont have enough finesse for that

Yeah, things have been overall positive this year so far despite the record.

I think eventually we'll be a team that's a very balanced scoring threat from both forwards and dmen along with a relentless forecheck and a lot of depth down the middle. Similar to the current VGK roster, a bunch of defensively responsible, 60-75 point guys that buy into the gameplan.

 

[ADHB]

If anyone's watched the Cronin media availability, you can tell how upset he is about guys passing up chances. It's definitely been a mindset this season, and it's not just guys like Terry. It's everyone. Just tonight, Fowler, Minty, Lacombe, Zegras, all had the puck dead in the middle of the ice driving down the slot and passed it off the side.

He's 100% right, because he emphasized it's not even that they're looking for the perfect play, because they're passing it from dangerous areas to non-dangerous areas.

 

[anezthes]

Official "it would've been a penalty if we did that" counter:
1x Pasta trip
3x McAvoy interference
1x Carlo holding
1x Coyle interference
2x Lindholm interference
1x Shattenkirk interference
1x Zacha slash
1x Grzelcyk holding

All in all, a solid 11 penalties missed.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Although it's only five games played, I think the org is moving ahead of schedule with four new rookies appearing on this year's roster in C Carlsson, D Minchy, D LaCombe, and D Luneau. (I dunno if Groulx is a rookie since he's has only a total of 20 NHL games under his belt.) Carlsson is here to stay in the NHL, but with load mgmt. Minchy and LaCombe are getting top-4 minutes, looking like mainstays for the whole season. Luneau is getting a look, but not yet NHL-ready.

Down in the AHL, we have a couple more D-men as rookies in Zellweger and Hinds. C Gaucher is also a rookie there.

I was expecting only one rookie to make the NHL roster in a d-man. The org is laying down a huge foundation with this year's Three Musketeers + D'Artagnan (Luneau). Then we have depth being developed in the AHL as well.

We're trending in the correct direction. PV needs to find a new asst coach for the PP for next season. We have more offensive talent this year than we did two seasons ago, but the PP is worthless this year.

 

[duckpuck]

Compared to yesterday's game, I thought the ducks did a better job of having a net front presence. But still not good enough to make a good goalie uncomfortable. Cronin's point about shooting more is of course correct, but part of scoring on the types of shots he wants to take is getting rebounds and scoring them.

Z seems to be rounding into form - that will be a big help. Henrique and Fowler can only get better. And Leo will play most games. So there is upside left in this team.

Also, I am very encouraged by the young D-Men and the overall improved structure of the team, particularly on defense. Even if the wins are not there, it is so much better than last year and is a much better brand of hockey to watch.

I will be a bit contrarian. Lyubushkin has been just ok in my view. It is crazy to say, but Minty is really carrying him - and they do seem to play well together which obviously helps. But Lyubushkin seems a bit slow and often caught in no man's land (i.e., out of position).

And to beat a dead horse, the Tracey over Kaliyev (or for that matter Shane Pinto) pick is really a killer. Kaliyev in particular would be a huge upgrade.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Cronin does not seem to be a guy who's much for the moral victory. I like him... a lot.

 

[Rybread86]

No; the duos are Terry and Carlsson, then Z and McT. But I actually want to keep Vatrano and McT together. Maybe Z plays with someone else; when he was with C and T, it was C and T that were making things happen. And Z and T have ZERO chemistry together, and when they ARE together, each tries to do it all on his own. That's not good, and it's something the coaches will have to figure out.

That's fair. More of a chance for them to work it out when Killer is able to go. I see positives and negative in both our suggestions but let's see how things shake out when we have a full roster. Hopefully Cronin juggles them a bit to see which pairings have the best chemistry

 

[Rybread86]

Compared to yesterday's game, I thought the ducks did a better job of having a net front presence. But still not good enough to make a good goalie uncomfortable. Cronin's point about shooting more is of course correct, but part of scoring on the types of shots he wants to take is getting rebounds and scoring them.

Z seems to be rounding into form - that will be a big help. Henrique and Fowler can only get better. And Leo will play most games. So there is upside left in this team.

Also, I am very encouraged by the young D-Men and the overall improved structure of the team, particularly on defense. Even if the wins are not there, it is so much better than last year and is a much better brand of hockey to watch.

I will be a bit contrarian. Lyubushkin has been just ok in my view. It is crazy to say, but Minty is really carrying him - and they do seem to play well together which obviously helps. But Lyubushkin seems a bit slow and often caught in no man's land (i.e., out of position).

And to beat a dead horse, the Tracey over Kaliyev (or for that matter Shane Pinto) pick is really a killer. Kaliyev in particular would be a huge upgrade.

Buch is still very new and like the other vets, it's quite possible he is protecting (over protecting) his line mate. Everyone still needs to learn eachother and settle in.