Observations XXIII

[Porter Stoutheart]

Is Freddy G a better option hoping for a repeat of his playoff performance in '17?

We don't ever seem to be able to go back to the well. I'd almost wonder more if some fresh/hungry new face like Pitlick or Helewka or somebody like that would be the better dice rolls for "next man up".

But again, really, this had better not matter either way... we need only post about it because we're bored before puck drop. It's still the bigger name guys who will ultimately win or lose it for us, of course.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

We don't ever seem to be able to go back to the well. I'd almost wonder more if some fresh/hungry new face like Pitlick or Helewka or somebody like that would be the better dice rolls for "next man up".

But again, really, this had better not matter either way... we need only post about it because we're bored before puck drop. It's still the bigger name guys who will ultimately win or lose it for us, of course.

Totally agree. Top six can go ahead and win this game if they feel so inclined then the forth line won't matter.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

CBJ brought in Martin St. Louis as a coaching consultant to help with their power play....

There are several reasons I'm not a big fan of Torts but that is some next level humility and foresight.

Now can the Preds please bring in St. Louis as an assistant coach next year?

 

[PredsV82]

CBJ brought in Martin St. Louis as a coaching consultant to help with their power play....

There are several reasons I'm not a big fan of Torts but that is some next level humility and foresight.

Now can the Preds please bring in St. Louis as an assistant coach next year?

And if hes not available maybe Paul Kariya. Our PP was absolutely lethal when he was here

 

[Mustard]

The way people speak of PK blows my mind. I get that he's an agitator at times, but the absolute hatred the man gets is worse than any player I've ever seen given his actual antics.

 

[bdub24]

The way people speak of PK blows my mind. I get that he's an agitator at times, but the absolute hatred the man gets is worse than any player I've ever seen given his actual antics.

Where this coming from? Something on the main board or something?

 

[INDhockeyfan]

Salomaki will probably be in with Boyle and Simmons out. I don't think it really matter with our PP as it wasn't like we were doing anything with them in it.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Salomaki will probably be in with Boyle and Simmons out. I don't think it really matter with our PP as it wasn't like we were doing anything with them in it.

Boyle is good down low at retrieving the puck though. It's not one of the flashier parts of the game but it is a huge difference while he is on the ice.

 

[Pred303]

hockey has taught me to expect the worse. that way if we win I will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Pred303]

stupid hf boards

 

[hockey diva]

Well Boyle had to have his appendix out so he's out for at least a week. Simmonds has been invisible so no loss there.

 

[Pred303]

wow. luck and pekka rinne won this one. we basically got steamrolled in this game, yet, thanks to two miracle goals win.

 

[predfan24]

Dallas is riding Benn, Seguin, Radulov, Klingberg, Heiskanen so hard. Even if they get past us they will hit the wall eventually.

 

[JamestheSame]

Guys,

What's the deal with Ellis? I noticed during last year's playoffs that he was really struggling. I thought then that he had a hidden injury .

Well, his play hasn't improved.

Is it the knee surgery? Lack of drive?

The guy is playing awful and I question if Weber or Irwin would be more effective.

Am I crazy here?

 

[Predsanddead24]

Dallas is riding Benn, Seguin, Radulov, Klingberg, Heiskanen so hard. Even if they get past us they will hit the wall eventually.

I think the lack of depth is what will eventually give us the series. We've played pretty evenly overall through the series and are lucky to be up a game, but we've also had pretty balanced scoring. If our top lines can get going we can put them away.

 

[Prediculous]

Guys,

What's the deal with Ellis? I noticed during last year's playoffs that he was really struggling. I thought then that he had a hidden injury .

Well, his play hasn't improved.

Is it the knee surgery? Lack of drive?

The guy is playing awful and I question if Weber or Irwin would be more effective.

Am I crazy here?

To me it looks like his skating has taken a dip, hes pretty much always slow to react defensively and offensively he doesnt seem to be making an impact.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Guys,

What's the deal with Ellis? I noticed during last year's playoffs that he was really struggling. I thought then that he had a hidden injury .

Well, his play hasn't improved.

Is it the knee surgery? Lack of drive?

The guy is playing awful and I question if Weber or Irwin would be more effective.

Am I crazy here?

That play on that center ice face off at the end of the game was kind of a microcosm of his season. Didn't really do anything wrong just couldn't get the puck out of his feet and almost cost the team the game.

 

[JamestheSame]

To me it looks like his skating has taken a dip, hes pretty much always slow to react defensively and offensively he doesnt seem to be making an impact.

He's also hesitant to take a hit which leads to loss if possession.

His effort was dismal on the zuccarrelo goal. Kind of like my effort in figuring out how to spell his last name. Lol.

What can the Preds do? I was hoping they would move him over the off-season, but they didn't .

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Stars top line each had 21 minutes, Zuc has 18 and Hintz had 17 everyone else was around 12.....that's probably not sustainable. The extra day might help them before game 5

 

[sparkle twin]

So, shot attempts were 89-47.

The line of Seguin-Benn-Radulov had 41 attempts.

That's almost as many as our entire team had the entire game!

 

[NoNecksCurse]

it's time to switch up the top 6.

turris' line with granlund and smith were just dominated in shots.

turris CF 8 CA 24 CF% 25 (that's with turris getting all his starts with faceoffs in the offensive or neutral zone). i know people seem to think he has played better but he is getting pushed around and his line was dominated.

granlund CF 8 CA 22 CF% 26

smith CF 7 CA 21 CF% 25

JOFA checking in around CF% 35 with arvidsson faring a little better by staying on longer for a couple of shifts looking to catch the stars on a change.

stars top line and top pairing dominated us all night.

laviolette has to make some adjustments. i don't see pekka being able to save us with another performance like that.

 

[GoldOnGold]

it's time to switch up the top 6.

turris' line with granlund and smith were just dominated in shots.

turris CF 8 CA 24 CF% 25 (that's with turris getting all his starts with faceoffs in the offensive or neutral zone). i know people seem to think he has played better but he is getting pushed around and his line was dominated.

granlund CF 8 CA 22 CF% 26

smith CF 7 CA 21 CF% 25

JOFA checking in around CF% 35 with arvidsson faring a little better by staying on longer for a couple of shifts looking to catch the stars on a change.

stars top line and top pairing dominated us all night.

laviolette has to make some adjustments. i don't see pekka being able to save us with another performance like that.

I agree.​

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

it's time to switch up the top 6.

turris' line with granlund and smith were just dominated in shots.

turris CF 8 CA 24 CF% 25 (that's with turris getting all his starts with faceoffs in the offensive or neutral zone). i know people seem to think he has played better but he is getting pushed around and his line was dominated.

granlund CF 8 CA 22 CF% 26

smith CF 7 CA 21 CF% 25

JOFA checking in around CF% 35 with arvidsson faring a little better by staying on longer for a couple of shifts looking to catch the stars on a change.

stars top line and top pairing dominated us all night.

laviolette has to make some adjustments. i don't see pekka being able to save us with another performance like that.

There's some of those stats I was looking for. The other problem here, with lines not working, is that now you're stuck playing your "2nd line" what 10 minutes a game - that's about all they got, and they get paid too much money to be such a non-factor, flukey goal by Granlund aside.

You're already not going to play Salomaki or Grimaldi any more than that either, so what you've got left is JoFA and the checking line out there practically all the time. Probably the checking line got killed on CF stats too, although I thought they did alright trying to contain the Stars all the same. But they aren't going to score. So now your scoring options are drastically limited. And I go and make a sandwich if the Preds get a PP, that's the best part of the game to miss. I don't know how they are going to score goals.

I have no idea what would work in terms of lines, and I acknowledge it is awfully late in the season to try to figure it out. But just for fun:
Granlund-Johansen-Grimaldi
Forsberg-Sissons-Arvidsson
Jarnkrok-Bonino-Smith
Salomaki-Turris-Watson
... there is not a matchup line there that can stand against the top Stars line, though, and you have to split guys up for special teams, so maybe that's too much of a jumble to manage, especially on the road. I don't know if there is any answer, really, other than guys like Granlund and Turris actually have to step up and earn their money and live up to the expectations that their past production levels have set. And Grimaldi deserves more icetime still.

Look at me, we're up 2-1 in the series and I'm panicking.

 

[FossilFndr]

this is #999 so Observations XXIV is below