Observations XXIV

[FossilFndr]

Regular season compilations

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[Aardvarksson]

 

[Pred303]

I feel like a whipped puppy this morning... and here we are leading 2 games to 1.

 

[predfan24]

Fabbro is playing with poise beyond his years. Probably will never happen but I can't help but think about him taking some of Ellis's minutes.

 

[predfan24]

I feel like a whipped puppy this morning... and here we are leading 2 games to 1.

Lol!

That is exactly what it feels like. Feels like we got beat up for 10 rounds but landed a lucky haymaker at the last second.

 

[LCPreds]

What is Fabbro’s upside expectation (player comparable)? He is so much better than I expected this soon.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Rocco, Arvy, Tootoo and Sullivan. The Preds Mt. Rushmore of players with more significantly more heart and tenacity than size.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

What is Fabbro’s upside expectation (player comparable)? He is so much better than I expected this soon.

Can I go Duncan Keith? He's not big or physical, but very smooth and poised, he could help us make controlled breakouts a lot better than we do - I find our D can sometimes carry the puck themselves, or they make lobs that our forwards have to reach for, but crisp, consistent plays where the D strikes just the right balance between skating the puck a few strides and passing it up accurately are sometimes lacking. Not electrifying breakouts, just competent, effective ones. I don't know how much PP time Fabbro can get with the current roster so his points might have to lag for a little while, of course. But he looks promising. I'm not sure yet what to expect from him defensively. I don't expect physicality, but he is mobile and if his overall poise extends to positioning himself well and using his stick smartly, I don't think we'll have to worry about him defensively at all either.

Guys like Giordano and Keith I guess have shown an ability to play with a degree of hunger/competitiveness that allows them to take their skillset to a Norris level, however... Fabbro has some of the same skills, but he'll have to show that kind of hunger too if those comparisons aren't going to be prefaced with "a poor man's"... so hopefully the comparison doesn't seem too extreme, given that caveat. I have no idea yet what his shot is like.

But that's some years away. I'm happy with him on the 3rd pair and the utilization he's getting now. I think we do need that extra mobility and poise on the right side. When Subban is going gangbusters like now, he mostly covers for his innate lack of mobility just through sheer rambunctiousness. But he's the polar opposite of "poised". Ellis doesn't seem to have any way at all to cover for his lack. I wouldn't want to rush things, but I like the idea so far of seeing Fabbro slide up there one day. It doesn't have to be next season or even the one after, but things are looking good so far. Protect Josi, Ekholm, Fabbro in the expansion draft, if all goes according to plan.

 

[PredsV82]

We have been dominant for short spans even in the two games where we were outplayed. We owned the first period of game 1 and Bishop robbed us several times. Cant help but think that game is entirely different if we score two goals in that first period instead of one.

Last night I think we started strong, then Dallas started dominating, yet we scored twice, which caused us to be extra cautious and them to be extra aggressive.

Need to bear down and match their intensity for a whole game. I still think when both teams play to their capabilities we are the better team

 

[bdub24]

Rocco, Arvy, Tootoo and Sullivan. The Preds Mt. Rushmore of players with more significantly more heart and tenacity than size.

Motion to add Hornqvist

 

[drwpreds]

There is no doubt that was an ugly win. And there is a part of me that feels disappointed in the game as ridiculous as that sounds. It gets exhausting as a fan when every single win for the Preds is such a monumental, epic struggle. I will go so far as saying sometimes a win like that one almost makes me mad- sometimes even when you win it feels like you lost.

BUT- if you want some perspective just take a look around the league right now at how the other division winners are doing against the wild cards:

Tampa- down 3-0 to WC 2 Jackets, have been completely dominated
Washington- up 2-1 over WC 1 Canes but could easily be down 3-0. And suffered about as big a beat down as you will ever see in a playoff game. 5-0 loss, outshot 43-14!
Calgary- down 2-1 to WC 2 Avs and were absolutely destroyed last night 6-2 allowing 56 shots on goal.

So yeah, I will gladly take a 3-2 road playoff win no matter how ugly it was. It is so hard to win in the playoffs, period.

Having said all of that, are we going to have a dominating, easy win EVER AGAIN?? Not to beat a dead horse on this but we haven’t had one in over 3 months.

To show how frustrating it is- just in the past four days, SIX playoff teams have had a blowout win in the freaking playoffs- Carolina, Colorado, Vegas, Boston, Columbus and Calgary.

It is absolutely mind boggling that we haven’t had one (not even in the regular season against crap opponents) since January 15.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Motion to add Hornqvist

Hornqvist is dead to me after scoring the Cup winning goal against us. Used to love the guy but no more.

 

[PredsV82]

Hornqvist is dead to me after scoring the Cup winning goal against us. Used to love the guy but no more.

This x 1000. Horns is a Penguin, not a Pred.

 

[drwpreds]

Preds are 5-1 in their last 6 road playoff games.

5-1 record
5 total goals allowed in the 5 wins. Two or fewer allowed in all 5 including 2 shutouts
Overall, 21 goals scored/12 against. +9 goal differential.

And that includes that awful game 3 loss in Winnipeg where we gave up 4 goals in the 2nd period and 2 empty net goals
Basically one bad period in 6 road playoff games- that is pretty dang strong.

Makes our home play all the more puzzling- at home during the same stretch:
2-5 record
25 goals allowed in the 7 games
Minus 11 goal differential.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

What is Fabbro’s upside expectation (player comparable)? He is so much better than I expected this soon.

Can I go Duncan Keith? He's not big or physical, but very smooth and poised, he could help us make controlled breakouts a lot better than we do - I find our D can sometimes carry the puck themselves, or they make lobs that our forwards have to reach for, but crisp, consistent plays where the D strikes just the right balance between skating the puck a few strides and passing it up accurately are sometimes lacking. Not electrifying breakouts, just competent, effective ones. I don't know how much PP time Fabbro can get with the current roster so his points might have to lag for a little while, of course. But he looks promising. I'm not sure yet what to expect from him defensively. I don't expect physicality, but he is mobile and if his overall poise extends to positioning himself well and using his stick smartly, I don't think we'll have to worry about him defensively at all either.

Guys like Giordano and Keith I guess have shown an ability to play with a degree of hunger/competitiveness that allows them to take their skillset to a Norris level, however... Fabbro has some of the same skills, but he'll have to show that kind of hunger too if those comparisons aren't going to be prefaced with "a poor man's"... so hopefully the comparison doesn't seem too extreme, given that caveat. I have no idea yet what his shot is like.

But that's some years away. I'm happy with him on the 3rd pair and the utilization he's getting now. I think we do need that extra mobility and poise on the right side. When Subban is going gangbusters like now, he mostly covers for his innate lack of mobility just through sheer rambunctiousness. But he's the polar opposite of "poised". Ellis doesn't seem to have any way at all to cover for his lack. I wouldn't want to rush things, but I like the idea so far of seeing Fabbro slide up there one day. It doesn't have to be next season or even the one after, but things are looking good so far. Protect Josi, Ekholm, Fabbro in the expansion draft, if all goes according to plan.

Good analysis.

I would throw a name like Suter out there as a comparable. Great skater that understands gap control and passing lanes in the D-zone well enough to always be in the way and around the puck. Big enough to be physical but not hulking/over powering like a Victor Hedman. Controlled and composed with the puck and able to make a quick accurate first pass out of the zone.
We'll have to wait to see if he can get to an elite level by adding the offense to his game that Suter never quiet could.

 

[ILikeItILoveIt]

There is no doubt that was an ugly win. And there is a part of me that feels disappointed in the game as ridiculous as that sounds. It gets exhausting as a fan when every single win for the Preds is such a monumental, epic struggle. I will go so far as saying sometimes a win like that one almost makes me mad- sometimes even when you win it feels like you lost.

BUT- if you want some perspective just take a look around the league right now at how the other division winners are doing against the wild cards:

Tampa- down 3-0 to WC 2 Jackets, have been completely dominated
Washington- up 2-1 over WC 1 Canes but could easily be down 3-0. And suffered about as big a beat down as you will ever see in a playoff game. 5-0 loss, outshot 43-14!
Calgary- down 2-1 to WC 2 Avs and were absolutely destroyed last night 6-2 allowing 56 shots on goal.

So yeah, I will gladly take a 3-2 road playoff win no matter how ugly it was. It is so hard to win in the playoffs, period.

Having said all of that, are we going to have a dominating, easy win EVER AGAIN?? Not to beat a dead horse on this but we haven’t had one in over 3 months.

To show how frustrating it is- just in the past four days, SIX playoff teams have had a blowout win in the freaking playoffs- Carolina, Colorado, Vegas, Boston, Columbus and Calgary.

It is absolutely mind boggling that we haven’t had one (not even in the regular season against crap opponents) since January 15.

Embrace the struggle, man. Winning tight games is human drama at its most raw. The episodic anticipation of certain disaster as the Stars keep the puck in our zone and pepper Pekka. The exhaustion of mentally navigating thru trouble seemingly all night. No relaxation. No calm. That's Pred hockey right now.

Throw in the holy-spit unexpected moments where we manage to score, and you almost never see it coming. Rocco's goal was as soft as Charmin and Grannie's goal was harmless until it wasn't. They were both found money.

Imagine the discouragement of the Star's fans. They out-everythinged us except goaltending, which as we know both ways, is a biggie. They have to wonder whether they can work up the mojo to go out there Wednesday and do it again.

As far as I'm concerned, you have your blowouts. I'll take the cardiac wins 14 more times.

I can only imagine Turris parading the Cup over his shoulders after we win it, only to have many on this Board say he looks slow and out-of-position doing it.

 

[bdub24]

Hornqvist is dead to me after scoring the Cup winning goal against us. Used to love the guy but no more.

I get that for sure. Its not like he asked to leave or anything though. He was doing his job and playing the game the way he knows. You wouldn't want him back? We're still looking for that net front presence consistently.

 

[Jonesey]

I get that for sure. Its not like he asked to leave or anything though. He was doing his job and playing the game the way he knows. You wouldn't want him back? We're still looking for that net front presence consistently.

I'd take him back right now.

 

[101st_fan]

Advanced stats are wonderful things but always secondary to the numbers on the scoreboard.

 

[drwpreds]

Embrace the struggle, man. Winning tight games is human drama at its most raw. The episodic anticipation of certain disaster as the Stars keep the puck in our zone and pepper Pekka. The exhaustion of mentally navigating thru trouble seemingly all night. No relaxation. No calm. That's Pred hockey right now.

Throw in the holy-spit unexpected moments where we manage to score, and you almost never see it coming. Rocco's goal was as soft as Charmin and Grannie's goal was harmless until it wasn't. They were both found money.

Imagine the discouragement of the Star's fans. They out-everythinged us except goaltending, which as we know both ways, is a biggie. They have to wonder whether they can work up the mojo to go out there Wednesday and do it again.

As far as I'm concerned, you have your blowouts. I'll take the cardiac wins 14 more times.

I can only imagine Turris parading the Cup over his shoulders after we win it, only to have many on this Board say he looks slow and out-of-position doing it.

Agree with every word of that........

But I still want just ONE laugher- lol

 

[Predsanddead24]

I get that for sure. Its not like he asked to leave or anything though. He was doing his job and playing the game the way he knows. You wouldn't want him back? We're still looking for that net front presence consistently.

It was meant to be tongue in cheek. I don't actually dislike the guy personally. However, the irrational part of my brain that is sports fandom also just can't be a fan of a guy that scored a Cup winning goal against us regardless of his history with our team.

 

[drwpreds]

(Trying to pass the time till game 4)
In the past 4 years, the Preds have played in 52 playoff games, the 2nd most in the entire league. Almost as many as the franchise's previous 16 years combined- 56

30-22 record the last 4 years.
21-35 record the first 16 years.
51-57 all-time playoff record.

I know us die hards on this board get pretty cranky, but the last 4 years have been pretty dang good………..

Here is the full list of playoff games by team last 4 years:
Pittsburgh 64
Nashville 52
Washington 52
San Jose 43
Tampa Bay 37
St Louis 34
Anaheim 28
Vegas 23
Boston 21
Winnipeg 20
Ottawa 19
NYR 17
Toronto 16
Dallas 16
Minnesota 16
NYI 14
Columbus 14
Edmonton 13
Philly 12
Chicago 11
Colorado 9
LA 9
Calgary 7
Montreal 6
Florida 6
Detroit 5
New Jersey 5
Carolina 3
Buffalo 0
Arizona 0
Vancouver 0

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I know this is incredibly selfish but I would easily take just one cup win for a decade of darkness. I don't care how many playoff games we have been in over a long period of history.

Just one cup.

Yes, sustained success probably helped grow the sport, but the cup run put us over the edge. Imagine what a cup win would do.

 

[FossilFndr]

This season put me close enough to the edge already thank you, or maybe THAT edge isn't the one of which you speak.

 

[Pred303]

how about we win this one and put the hammer down on this series.