Post-Game Talk: Habs win in SO 4-3

[DRW204]

Morrissey has not been playing like Norrissey so far this year. Hopefully he gets it together.

i think he still shows flashes on offense. defensively, as far as actually playing defense i think this team still needs improvement. id say their best defense has been their offense so far this year as in maintaining possession in the offensive zone. IMO notably the 2nd line who is really good at this - when they do give up a chance-against there's no additional ones. usually the puck is out of the dzone and back up ice quickly

 

[Jack7222]

i think he still shows flashes on offense. defensively, as far as actually playing defense i think this team still needs improvement. id say their best defense has been their offense so far this year as in maintaining possession in the offensive zone. IMO notably the 2nd line who is really good at this - when they do give up a chance-against there's no additional ones. usually the puck is out of the dzone and back up ice quickly

Yeah; we've been winning but it's pretty obvious the first line has been getting buried a lot, they really need to figure something out. Schief Connor obviously need a really strong player (Vilardi / prime Wheeler along with Buff) to move them out of the dzone...

 

[Jets 31]

Figured out Ehlers issue, he misses Sarah.

 

[DRW204]

Our PP seems to be still based on having Laine on the team. We set up around the perimeter and keep passing looking for that elusive one timer. We really never have anyone screening the goalie. We have the bumper position but that isn’t the same.

It’s frustrating but maybe I’m old school, to never see any traffic in front of the net at all. Every player is along the wall or the blue line.

Having said that….. I thought it was a very good game by most jets and it was enjoyable.

yeah i agree with your comments on the PP. the laine threat also opened things up for scheifele in the middle too. but now it's just perimeter passing w/ no big shooting threats. we also don't have someone like wheeler dishing either.

our special teams really haven't been great to start the year. 27th overall in both PK GA/60 and PP GF/60 and an overall -3 on special teams (net of PP GF and GA + SH GF and GA)

 

[GeorgeJETson]

That was a disappointing loss.

Ehlers defensive deficiencies were exposed as was our power play.

Actually, that's too generous. It's more like this.

 

[surixon]

Yeah I'm trying to think about what could work on the top 2 lines.

I'd move Cole back to the middle and maybe swap Namestnikov and Ehlers with Conner and Iafallo:

Namestnikov Scheifele Ehlers
Conner Perfetti Iafallo

I think that balances things a bit more. You have a sniper on each line, a two/way guy on each line and a playdriver on each line.

 

[Maukkis]

Yeah I'm trying to think about what could work on the top 2 lines.

I'd move Cole back to the middle and maybe swap Namestnikov and Ehlers with Conner and Iafallo:

Namestnikov Scheifele Ehlers
Conner Perfetti Iafallo

I think that balances things a bit more. You have a sniper on each line, a two/way guy on each line and a playdriver on each line.

An alternative idea: we have Kupari and Barron on the 4th - promote them for a while.

If the top 6 isn't working as a whole, at least one of them could use a reminder that even on the Jets, a place in the two scoring units is not to be taken for granted.

 

[surixon]

An alternative idea: we have Kupari and Barron on the 4th - promote them for a while.

If the top 6 isn't working as a whole, at least one of them could use a reminder that even on the Jets, a place in the two scoring units is not to be taken for granted.

Possibly, but I don't think anyone outside of really Ehlers is individually playing poorly. I think it's more a question of line construction then poor play. I guess you could demote Ehelrs for a spell but not sure that would be the best idea. I'd be ok switching Kupari for Namestnikov in the top 6 but Namestnikov has played well, he just doesn't have enough talent.

 

[MardyBum]

Yeah I'm trying to think about what could work on the top 2 lines.

I'd move Cole back to the middle and maybe swap Namestnikov and Ehlers with Conner and Iafallo:

Namestnikov Scheifele Ehlers
Conner Perfetti Iafallo

I think that balances things a bit more. You have a sniper on each line, a two/way guy on each line and a playdriver on each line.

Connor and Scheifele like playing together. Arniel and Bowness will baby them.

 

[surixon]

Connor and Scheifele like playing together. Arniel and Bowness will baby them.

Yeah I know what they like but when things aren't working and it's been a good 5 plus games you need to make changes.

 

[MardyBum]

An alternative idea: we have Kupari and Barron on the 4th - promote them for a while.

If the top 6 isn't working as a whole, at least one of them could use a reminder that even on the Jets, a place in the two scoring units is not to be taken for granted.

Kupari and Barron don't do much on the 4th line with similar 5v5 minutes to the 2nd. They show flashes but they generally lose their matchups. There are two good Jets lines right now as far as simply outplaying their matchups, the 2nd and the 3rd. The 3rd is finishing above their ability, the 2nd below, but they're both outplaying their competition.

How do you fix the 1st line without screwing up the rest? Vilardi coming in out of nowhere would help

 

[Jack7222]

If we're going to run Perfetti at wing I'd like to see him with Schief.

Perfetti - Schief - Iafallo (or Kupari)
Connor - Namestnikov - Ehlers

2nd might be rough with Ehlers in a funk, though.

 

[Maukkis]

Possibly, but I don't think anyone outside of really Ehlers is individually playing poorly. I think it's more a question of line construction then poor play. I guess you could demote Ehelrs for a spell but not sure that would be the best idea. I'd be ok switching Kupari for Namestnikov in the top 6 but Namestnikov has played well, he just doesn't have enough talent.

You're correct. And the way you help your construction process is by opening up the top two lines to everybody, and not just the guys who happen to be there at any given time.

Kupari and Barron don't do much on the 4th line with similar 5v5 minutes to the 2nd. They show flashes but they generally lose their matchups. There are two good Jets lines right now as far as simply outplaying their matchups, the 2nd and the 3rd. The 3rd is finishing above their ability, the 2nd below, but they're both outplaying their competition.

How do you fix the 1st line without screwing up the rest? Vilardi coming in out of nowhere would help

Nobody does much with fourth line minutes. And as if that wasn't enough, the Jets are shooting under 4% with Kupari on the ice (7.4% with Barron). Unlucky as ever.

As for your question, you could swap Iafallo with Niederreiter and see if a quick fix like that helps with keeping possession. Scheifele has often been at his best with true possession monsters as his wingers (e.g. Perreault). If it didn't mean Connor playing with Lowry or not at all (read: 4th line), I'd even entertain an Iafallo-Scheif-Nino line. But yeah, it gets kind of tricky with our lack of a solid 2nd line center that can comfortably carry any two wingers.

 

[Duke749]

Goalied again. Uuugghhh

Also losing the special teams battle can make it really tough. We’re still outplaying teams pretty consistently so that’s good.

 

[GeorgeJETson]

Goalied again. Uuugghhh

Also losing the special teams battle can make it really tough. We’re still outplaying teams pretty consistently so that’s good.

Eh, both goalies weren't very good. Maybe Allen was a bit better than Broissot, and if the Jets' offense was just a little more engaged, we probably would have won.

 

[GNP]

Thought Schmidt had his best game buried in an overall very frustrating experience. I thought the Jets had the edge in being better 5x5 but LB needs to make those key saves to keep it going. Riding the pedigree of being a Stanley Cup champ won't win you games.

Also, I have no idea what Pearson was thinking in going up against Dillon.

I don't think Helle would have let that 1st goal get by him. If he was in net, we win that game imo. Brossoit did not look confident in that game. We well outshot, and outplayed the Habs, but those types of games happen. We move on now.

 

[Stumbledore]

Figured out Ehlers issue, he misses Sarah.

Yeah, don't we all. And Plain Jane is gone, too.

 

[DRW204]

Yeah; we've been winning but it's pretty obvious the first line has been getting buried a lot, they really need to figure something out. Schief Connor obviously need a really strong player (Vilardi / prime Wheeler along with Buff) to move them out of the dzone...

Based on what I sort of tallied- 1st and 3rd line play similar level of competition. Then 2nd and 4th play similar level but in a lower tier.

on xGA / CA side our top line is giving up alot, 3rd line is around average.

2nd /4th lines are doing well.

 

[WolfHouse]

Yeah I know what they like but when things aren't working and it's been a good 5 plus games you need to make changes.

How do you present this when you're on a 4 game point streak though...

Eh, both goalies weren't very good. Maybe Allen was a bit better than Broissot, and if the Jets' offense was just a little more engaged, we probably would have won.

The Jets seem to never be able to escape their own egos... we win a bit and then take a weaker team for granted or are totally unprepared for a strong checking team. Its always been like this...

 

[surixon]

How do you present this when you're on a 4 game point streak though...


The Jets seem to never be able to escape their own egos... we win a bit and then take a weaker team for granted or are totally unprepared for a strong checking team. Its always been like this...

Definitely not easy, but I think you have to address problem areas as they arise because if they aren't corrected they will often lead to losses in the future.

Our crappy special teams cost us the win last night and will continue to make things much more difficult until it's corrected. Our first line will eventually bleed goals and cost us much like it did last year the back half of the year. It's too late to make changes when things go out of control. Much easier to make changed when a team is winning imo.

 

[Eyeseeing]

Eh, both goalies weren't very good. Maybe Allen was a bit better than Broissot, and if the Jets' offense was just a little more engaged, we probably would have won.

I thought Allen was very solid myself

 

[Buffdog]

Figured out Ehlers issue, he misses Sarah.

Don't we all

*sigh*

 

[WolfHouse]

Definitely not easy, but I think you have to address problem areas as they arise because if they aren't corrected they will often lead to losses in the future.

Our crappy special teams cost us the win last night and will continue to make things much more difficult until it's corrected. Our first line will eventually bleed goals and cost us much like it did last year the back half of the year. It's too late to make changes when things go out of control. Much easier to make changed when a team is winning imo.

I guess the challenging part is that the first 20 games really set the tone for whether you make the playoffs or not... so I'd assume they are afraid to tinker too much.

The easiest fix right now is falling out of love with Pionk... he's playing 20+ mins a game while Samberg hovers around 15? Like somehow Pionk is on BOTH PP and PK and he's one of our worst D.

I agree with the power play assessment - maybe you run something like
Unit 1
Iafallo-Scheif-Nino
Jomo-Ehlers
Unit 2
Connor-Kupari-Perfetti
Schmidt-DeMelo

Get Pionk completely off special teams and let him focus on 5v5

I'd also try the combo of KFC/Apples on PK again.... they were good and it forced Connor to play D - that trickled into his 5v5 game

 

[LowLefty]

Definitely not easy, but I think you have to address problem areas as they arise because if they aren't corrected they will often lead to losses in the future.

Our crappy special teams cost us the win last night and will continue to make things much more difficult until it's corrected. Our first line will eventually bleed goals and cost us much like it did last year the back half of the year. It's too late to make changes when things go out of control. Much easier to make changed when a team is winning imo.

I don't think our first line should be compared to LY - 55 is playing a better 2 way game and Vilardi (once back) is a much better two way player than Wheeler. The only thing that is really the same is KC who will always be a problem defensively. Other than the last game, they are getting their chances - and have the skill to score a lot of goals - and they will.
I suppose it is possible that they could revert back to how they looked LY - but there is no reason to assume it.

I agree on special teams as being a major problem - and one that we should be able to sort out.
If I was to look at one factor that will likely look similar to LY, it will be our blueline - it isn't very good.

 

[surixon]

I don't think our first line should be compared to LY - 55 is playing a better 2 way game and Vilardi (once back) is a much better two way player than Wheeler. The only thing that is really the same is KC who will always be a problem defensively. Other than the last game, they are getting their chances - and have the skill to score a lot of goals - and they will.
I suppose it is possible that they could revert back to how they looked LY - but there is no reason to assume it.

I agree on special teams as being a major problem - and one that we should be able to sort out.
If I was to look at one factor that will likely look similar to LY, it will be our blueline - it isn't very good.

Scheifele is playing a better two/way game but it's not enough to offset KC's issues without Vilardi's help imo. Maybe they choose to try to weather that storm until he's back. My point was more so that of you keep giving up the amount of 5 bell chances that line has given up lately you will eventually be on the ice for more goals against. For the record I loved the line with Vilardi and he was able to really do a lot of defensive heavy lifting as well as he was able to win the puck in the offensive zone for Mark and KC. Those things allowed Mark and KC to do what they do best with puck possesion in the ozone.