Observations XXXI

[drwpreds]

So it was 4 years ago today that the Preds completed the 4 game sweep of the Blackhawks in Bridgestone. Hard to believe it has been 4 years.

What a night that was- Remember it like it was yesterday. We have had some incredible moments the past 10 years or so. That entire playoff run was of course incredible, and I have said many times on here that the Game 6 Ducks WCF remains the best, most incredible sporting event I've been to probably in my entire life- and I have been to a ton of stuff.

But I am not sure I have ever had more just pure fun at any game ever than that Hawks game 4 to complete the sweep. At that time we were still in the beginning of the run, and I think at that time we were all just giddy and incredulous about what was happening. It was still new. I mean, we were about to sweep the freaking Blackhawks!!

When we scored the two quick goals in the third period it was like we all looked around at each other in Bridgestone and realized- holy crap, this is actually happening. One of the great moments I have ever experienced. Pretty much feel the same about the game 3 OT win as well- those 2 games just felt like nothing but pure fun/euphoria. The rest of it of course was great, but as we moved on to the later rounds, it was kind of different- at some point we started expecting to win and then the pressure started setting in, if that makes any sense.

Just incredible memories.......

Click to read more...

 

[drwpreds]

One more note on the Blackhawks- starting with that sweep in the 2017 cup run, we are 17-3-2 in the past 22 games against them. And even more crazy is that in those 22 games, the Hawks have scored 2 or fewer goals in 20 of the 22 games- they scored 3 in one of them and 7 in another.

Pretty incredible...

 

[adsfan]

We need Forsberg and Tolvanen back pretty bad or it's gonna be pretty rough even if we do hit the post season.

We gotta get there first and Dallas seems to be getting its act back together and may get Seguin back soon. Long as we play Chicago and Detroit we are fine but that's gonna run out soon enough.

Assuming that Keith doesn't cripple somebody because the refs were cowards and wouldn't call legit penalties AGAIN!

 

[BigFatCat999]

and Dallas is trying to make this a playoff fight...


EDIT: and we are due for a new thread

 

[hockey diva]

We will probably fall short as we usually do. Still, it has been good to see what we have our prospects.

 

[PredsV82]

So now we can do a bit of handwringing about the Stars and their games in hand....

 

[nine_inch_fang]

So now we can do a bit of handwringing about the Stars and their games in hand....

Meh, just win your games.

 

[triggrman]

We will probably fall short as we usually do. Still, it has been good to see what we have our prospects.

As usual? We make the playoffs more than most teams.

 

[herzausstein]

and Dallas is trying to make this a playoff fight...


EDIT: and we are due for a new thread

Dallas has a pretty relaxing week of beating on the Redwings 4 times. Next week they have Carolina in back 2 backs, then Tampa and Us. I wouldn't be surprised if they passed us this week and then fell back next week. It's going to be close. We have to win the game against them in regulation.

 

[Kat Predator]

We have 4 games against teams lower in the standings, 4 games against teams higher, and 1 head-to-head with Dallas.

Dallas has 4 games against teams lower in the standings, 6 games against teams higher, and 1 head-to-head with us. (The final series of Dallas/Chicago won't be a gimme exactly—Chicago has a 4-2 record over the Stars to this point despite being down in the standings.)

It is going to be quite a finish indeed.

 

[ILikeItILoveIt]

11 games left for the Stars, with 9 away and 2 at home. They are 7-8-4 on the road this year. If they 5-4 on the road, and split their two games against the Canes at home, they end up with 62 points. Assuming all wins are in regulation, they end up with RW of 22 and ROW of 23.

Then the Preds would need to go 5-3-1 for 62 points (all wins in regulation), earning a RW of 22 (tying Dallas) and ROW of 25 (beating Dallas).

May 1st is becoming the biggest game of the season.

 

[Scoresberg]

Give Granlund whatever he wants. He's amazing.

 

[Pred303]

This one hurt. You just cann't give up a 3 goal lead in the 3rd.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

This one hurt. You just cann't give up a 3 goal lead in the 3rd.

A 3 goal lead with 10 minutes left in the 3rd period at that

 

[PredsV82]

One thing about it, we will see what these guys are made of next game.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Give Granlund whatever he wants. He's amazing.

Paying him over $6M a season would be a mistake.

 

[Armourboy]

Paying him over $6M a season would be a mistake.

Only way I give him that is on a short deal. More than 2 years and I want it 5 or less.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Paying him over $6M a season would be a mistake.

Or signing him for more than 3-4 years. I probably wouldn’t go much more than $5 mil a year. He’s been good and his play is better than his numbers but he’s still a half a point per game player.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

you can’t do granlund at more than 4 million. 5 is too much. he still isn’t lighting up the stat sheet and we should be more focused on Forsberg and ekholm being locked up long term.

this wouldn’t be an issue if we didn’t have johansen and Duchene locked up for 16 million annually for poor production.

 

[Armourboy]

That last 10 minutes we quit hitting and skating. Basically we reverted back to early season blowing coverage and fishing for pucks rather than playing the game that got us the 4-1 lead.

That loss will either be a blessing or the beginning of the end imo. Some of the Vets should be embarrassed.

 

[Predsanddead24]

That last 10 minutes we quit hitting and skating. Basically we reverted back to early season blowing coverage and fishing for pucks rather than playing the game that got us the 4-1 lead.

That loss will either be a blessing or the beginning of the end imo. Some of the Vets should be embarrassed.

They clearly thought they had won it already and then once the tide turned they couldn’t get it going again quickly enough.

 

[Byrddog]

So now we can do a bit of handwringing about the Stars and their games in hand....

I have been concerned about them since they finally got to start playing. The Stars are playing well right now it is a coin flip how these last few last games play out. One thing for Sure the Hawks game tomorrow is a must win for them or there out. So can the Preds kill them off or are they going to remain a threat as well? When you look at what Dallas has done the loser point from OT compared to the Preds is what kept them in the race and the reason I deplore loser points. When it works for your team it is great and it is almost always bubble teams it effects. As the Stars played thru injuries they have still been able to pile up the loser points and could well be the reason they make the playoffs.

 

[Softball99]

It started when Josi took it off the ankle and couldn't get off. After treatment/rest by the time he was back for the 4 minute PP well... OT is always 50/50

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Also didn't get to see much of the Herd Line in Period 3. After Goal#2 by Chicago, they were sort of forced out to pasture, and then Sissons had to spend time killing the double-minor later. That line really sets the tone for us. Having Jeannot and Trenin finish at under 10 mins in a 60+ minute game hurts us.

The other mid-game adjustment that I'm not sure helped us was switching Benning and Gudbranson. I know it has never been pretty having Benning with Josi, and we've all had our misgivings about the mobility of the Harpur-Gudbranson pair. But despite our understandable misgivings, it was basically working ok. Non-ideal on paper, but functional and players were getting used to it. It seemed like a bit of an "unforced error" to mix up something in mid-game that wasn't truly broken. Maybe Hynes saw something that he thought he could proactively tweak, but it ultimately didn't help.

And then I think Josi and Ellis in particular fell into their Hero Mode traps of thinking they can do anything they want and not paying attention to detail in a game the team seemed to be dominating handily.

Now I just hope Hynes doesn't overreact to this blip. Treat it like a blip. Coaches don't have too many levers to pull in a short timeframe, and the one they tend to overuse is switching up lines and pairings. Don't do it. We were rocking for 45-50 minutes this game, everybody was clicking just fine, and we've been on a roll for over a month. Don't overcompensate for this one brief lapse.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

The other mid-game adjustment that I'm not sure helped us was switching Benning and Gudbranson. I know it has never been pretty having Benning with Josi, and we've all had our misgivings about the mobility of the Harpur-Gudbranson pair. But despite our understandable misgivings, it was basically working ok. Non-ideal on paper, but functional and players were getting used to it. It seemed like a bit of an "unforced error" to mix up something in mid-game that wasn't truly broken. Maybe Hynes saw something that he thought he could proactively tweak, but it ultimately didn't help.

Benning was a special kind of horrible at the beginning of the game with Josi. I was happy to see the switch made in the first period. There was no way you could keep him on the ice for that many minutes with Josi.