Player Discussion Neal Pionk: Part II

aufheben

#Norris4Fox
Jan 31, 2013
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Retrieving the puck and starting the breakout and transition consistently is definitely an issue. Definitely noticeable in my early review of him in the LAK game.

Two times where he goes to retrieve the puck down low but can't really make a play or do anything with it.

What did you guys see? I though the first entry was a decent one by LA and a smart same side dump by Iafallo. Pionk sure takes a long time to pivot and turn his back for the puck (will keep an eye on this). Gets Kopitar to pursue inside but just sort of Muffs it when he turns outside. The misses Zucc wide open on the breakout and tries to chip window. I thought him trying to attack Forbort was pretty funny too.

bMTyYtR.png

I thought the second one should have been an easy corall and box out of Pearson but he muffed it again and LA got more zone time.

Hope to get more time and add to this and add commentary to the videos instead of having to type all this out and what not.
More than anything I see a not-great shift for Staal, and an excellent one for Zibanejad.
 
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DanielBrassard

It's all so tiresome
May 6, 2014
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More than anything I see a not-great shift for Staal, and an excellent one for Zibanejad.
What did Staal do wrong? He forced the dump-in, then when there was the battle in the corner he went to protect the net, and when the puck went from there, to Kopitar to Forbort he tied up Iafallo and took him out of the play. He did a good job IMO.
 

Filthy Dangles

Registered User*
Oct 23, 2014
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We also talk about him protecting the blue line and defending in transition... I thought he gapped up and controlled it pretty well to begin with but drifting out of the dot line was a mistake. I'd say Namest deserves some blame here too for letting Kempe slip him I guess but Pionk's gotta stay between the dots there.

His boy Staal bailed him out on the 2 on 1. :laugh:
 

romba

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Aug 2, 2005
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Since he was as brought up, call me crazy but when I’ve watched the games, Staal has looked light years better than last year. Probably mostly the system and new coach but he looks pretty ‘ight out there most of the time to my amateur eyes, with the occasional nice shifty play as well.
 
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Irishguy42

Mr. Preachy
Sep 11, 2015
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NJ
Since he was as brought up, call me crazy but when I’ve watched the games, Staal has looked light years better than last year. Probably mostly the system and new coach but he looks pretty ‘ight out there most of the time to my amateur eyes, with the occasional nice shifty play as well.
Staal did this last year too. Look good to start the year then coming crashing down in a flaming wreckage not long into the season.
 

GoAwayPanarin

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Since he was as brought up, call me crazy but when I’ve watched the games, Staal has looked light years better than last year. Probably mostly the system and new coach but he looks pretty ‘ight out there most of the time to my amateur eyes, with the occasional nice shifty play as well.

Staal has been on ice for a bunch of goals against and has been responsible for most of them.
 

effen

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Feb 3, 2018
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Staal has been on ice for a bunch of goals against and has been responsible for most of them.
Staal has the 6th lowest GA/60 on the team, 3rd best on defense overall and best among regular defensemen (Claesson and ADA are the other two)

he just looks like shit a lot. but so far so not that bad
 
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duhmetreE

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We also talk about him protecting the blue line and defending in transition... I thought he gapped up and controlled it pretty well to begin with but drifting out of the dot line was a mistake. I'd say Namest deserves some blame here too for letting Kempe slip him I guess but Pionk's gotta stay between the dots there.

His boy Staal bailed him out on the 2 on 1. :laugh:

Names and Staal went to the same guy
 

Filthy Dangles

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Oct 23, 2014
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Names and Staal went to the same guy

Nothing wrong with that. He got beat up the ice by Kempe so Staal is obvously gonna come over and protect the middle. Names' backpressure helped break up the play. But Pionk drifting outside the dots and allowing that pass to a streaking Kempe is what caused that whole sequence
 

nyr2k2

Can't Beat Him
Jul 30, 2005
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Watching that goal was so fun. I was like:

"Oh shit, dangerous spin move. What he's going to carry it in himself? Okay. Shit, he's gonna try to beat that guy to the outside? Oh hell he's gonna try to cut it in and take it to the net. OH HOLY f***, WHAT WAS THAT SHIT?!?! WOW!"

:laugh:
 

ThirdEye

Registered User
Nov 28, 2006
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Am the only one who sees a bit of Kris Letang in him? Letang wasn't a huge producer until his 4th season in the NHL when he was around the same age Pionk is now.

I don't know if I see any 50+ point seasons during his career, but he's also not playing regular minutes with two of the best forwards in the league.
 

Amazing Kreiderman

Registered User
Apr 11, 2011
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Watching that goal was so fun. I was like:

"Oh ****, dangerous spin move. What he's going to carry it in himself? Okay. ****, he's gonna try to beat that guy to the outside? Oh hell he's gonna try to cut it in and take it to the net. OH HOLY ****, WHAT WAS THAT ****?!?! WOW!"

:laugh:

That whole sequence shows you don't need to be the fastest on the ice. That spinorama gave him an edge, and then at the red line he faked an inside move, goes outside, picks up some pace and how he finished was just icing on the cake. That is probably the most memorable goal I've seen the Rangers score in years. And LOL @ someone crediting ADA for teaching Pionk the spinorama move :laugh:
 

Blue Blooded

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Oct 25, 2010
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That whole sequence shows you don't need to be the fastest on the ice. That spinorama gave him an edge, and then at the red line he faked an inside move, goes outside, picks up some pace and how he finished was just icing on the cake. That is probably the most memorable goal I've seen the Rangers score in years. And LOL @ someone crediting ADA for teaching Pionk the spinorama move :laugh:
Pionk has been "awkward spin-o-rama"-guy since he got here, did one to end it in OT in his very first NYR preseason game IIRC.
 

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