Post-Game Talk: Panthers 4 @ Blackhawks 3 OT - 4/29 * 8pm EST - v 4.1.7

[BeezKnees]

Spencer Knight 3-0
1.67 gaa
.943 sv%
Just turned 20 about a week ago
Unreal

How do we know he's not just a product of our defense?

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

How do we know he's not just a product of our defense?

That's a tough one... nevertheless, it's refreshing to see that not only Bob and Driegs can post sub .900save% like on this game.

 

[Thomas Colavecchio]

He was great first half of the season. Got the puck out of the zone all the time, his skating even impressed me. Must be injured / Yandle effect

I'd go easy on Radko. Baby sitting KY has taken its toll on him.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

I'd go easy on Radko. Baby sitting KY has taken its toll on him.

Yup, Radko was stellar to start the season.

I think as the year has gone on, the cramped schedule along with babysitting Yandle has really worn on Gudas. I won't judge him on the latter half of this season because he's playing with a direct disadvantage with KY Jelly.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Yup, Radko was stellar to start the season.

I think as the year has gone on, the cramped schedule along with babysitting Yandle has really worn on Gudas. I won't judge him on the latter half of this season because he's playing with a direct disadvantage with KY Jelly.

Radko is a seasoned veteran, he can handle a simple babysitting assignment. Besides, playing with the Kaptain K adds +10 on chemistry while having to carry K's sorry ass is a measly -8 so the bottom line is still a solid plus two.

 

[KW]

Ignoring that Knight is a totally NHL-inexperienced rookie, and looking only at his play, he’s at this stage already definitely an NHL level goalie. Although he’s not yet playing like a superstar, I’m incredibly impressed with his poise and technique. It’s good to let him play now, when games still matter before playoffs. Then we’ll see who has the hot hand.

 

[Anakinsky]

I'd go easy on Radko. Baby sitting KY has taken its toll on him.

Agree I originally thought he was slipping, but hes playing defense for two.

 

[Pigge]

Twice has Yandle been taken off the PP1, and twice has the puck ended up in the Panthers' net the first shift without him. It was a funny sequence in this game, where he really forced Q to demote him to the PP2. The PP1 immediately did nothing productive and almost gave up a goal, while the PP2 almost scored on the first shift with Yandle. Hate all you want, but you can't blame Q for seeing something you guys don't.

I love watching Wennberg play with confidence. He could easily have doubled up his two points, the way he was winning board battles and finding his wingers open in the slot. Not too long ago there seemed to be a risk of Barkov getting frustrated because he has to carry the team too much, so it is fun that both Bennett and Wennberg are productive. Good times!

 

[RogerRoger]

I didn't think Knight had a great game until the OT. The rest of the team was mediocre. The week (or two) between the end of the season and the playoffs will be a god for Gudas&Yandle. They both slowed down considerably, both physically and mentally.

It's nice to end up with the win, but ROW will bit us in the ass and end up 3rd in the division. It's not the end of the world.

 

[WESEERED]

Yandle does not deserve to play even on the PP. He is such a disaster

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Hate all you want, but you can't blame Q for seeing something you guys don't.

Nah, we all love Yandle. This team won't win anything without Yandle. Kaptain K is so good that he doesn't even need to defend.

I love watching Wennberg play with confidence.

With Bennett in the lineup, Wennberg doesn't have the same pressure to produce and gets better assignments since he can't drive plays in the o-zone against other teams' top lines.

 

[CursedCats]

Yandle looks like a nursing patient. plagued by arthritis. I can't wait for the playoffs only to be swept by the Bolts due to the adventures of the Sonkman.

Denisenko and Heponiemi provide much needed creativity for the top6. Q should use Heponiemi instead of Hubs on that 1PP group but we all know that Q doesn't really want to improve that unit. Deni's style of play suits well with how Barkov plays.

Knight had a good game for a rookie but a bad one at this level. That Gaudette goal summarizes well in which areas he would need to improve the most.

Lomberg has created some scoring chances for the three or four games, nice to see that from him.

Montour looks good. He does make some mistakes once in a while but he can get the puck out of the d-zone and can create offense. Zito should give him a three year deal.
Hopefully Zito can get rid off Yandle, Stralman and Gudas in the next off-season.

I watched the highlights of all 3 goals against. Not sure how Knight is at fault for any of the 3 to say he was “good for a rookie but bad for this level.”

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

Feels nice to have good center depth again

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

I watched the highlights of all 3 goals against. Not sure how Knight is at fault for any of the 3 to say he was “good for a rookie but bad for this level.”

Okay, but then Bob or Driegs isn't at fault for their sub .900save% games either.

Oh yeah, gotta put the disclaimer here again in case you've forgotten... I didn't want this org to hire Bob.

 

[Ghoste]

I thought Knight had a great game. I guess you could say he slid out a little too far on the first goal but okay. I think he almost got to the second goal which was a really nice sauce. The third was practically wide open but still almost got to it. OT was money.

He looks so calm and big in net. Whereas Bob’s posture makes himself look small.

-ghoste

 

[StrangeVision]

Yandle looks like a nursing patient. plagued by arthritis. I can't wait for the playoffs only to be swept by the Bolts due to the adventures of the Sonkman.

Denisenko and Heponiemi provide much needed creativity for the top6. Q should use Heponiemi instead of Hubs on that 1PP group but we all know that Q doesn't really want to improve that unit. Deni's style of play suits well with how Barkov plays.

Knight had a good game for a rookie but a bad one at this level. That Gaudette goal summarizes well in which areas he would need to improve the most.

Lomberg has created some scoring chances for the three or four games, nice to see that from him.

Montour looks good. He does make some mistakes once in a while but he can get the puck out of the d-zone and can create offense. Zito should give him a three year deal.
Hopefully Zito can get rid off Yandle, Stralman and Gudas in the next off-season.

The bolded has little basis in reality.

Goalies have good games all the time while letting in a weak goal, and that goal was hardly weak. He played it a little too aggressively, probably under the assumption that this is the NHL and his defense would play better than the defense in a Sunday night pick-up game. He made some great saves last night and was one of the main reasons they were able to win that game.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

PP Unit 2 has 11 PP goals this season, PP1 Unit 1 has 25 PP goals.

This might look like a big difference but factor in just how little playing time the 2nd unit of the powerplay gets and it's pretty telling. I'd say it's an 80/20 split in terms of ice time.

No idea why Q doesn't trust the 2nd unit more, they are very effective because they keep it simple.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

No idea why Q doesn't trust the 2nd unit more

Yandle.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Hepo over Huby on PP1?

Good gracious

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Hepo over Huby on PP1?

Good gracious

We wanna win, right?

 

[Haj]

Q needs to get Bob ready for the playoffs, get the defense ready while balancing attacking.

And get healthy.

Not a trivial job, but he's supposed to be an elite coach.

No way we can go into the playoffs with Knight in net against the Stanley Cup Champions

 

[radkison]

Q needs to get Bob ready for the playoffs, get the defense ready while balancing attacking.

And get healthy.

Not a trivial job, but he's supposed to be an elite coach.

No way we can go into the playoffs with Knight in net against the Stanley Cup Champions

There’s nothing anyone can do to get Bob ready. He’s got the yips. Big time.

 

[zeroG]

Been reading the game thread now. It seems Yandle had a good game? His name came up a lot

yandle yandle yandle?? yandle yandle. yandle, yandle yandle yandle yandle!

yandle.... yandle.

 

[violaswallet]

PP Unit 2 has 11 PP goals this season, PP1 Unit 1 has 25 PP goals.

This might look like a big difference but factor in just how little playing time the 2nd unit of the powerplay gets and it's pretty telling. I'd say it's an 80/20 split in terms of ice time.

No idea why Q doesn't trust the 2nd unit more, they are very effective because they keep it simple.

Right now, injuries: a lot of the PP2 movement was when we weren't as injured. When we're healthy, I'd run:
Huberdeau-Barkov-Bennett/Yandle (or Weegs)-Duke

Vatrano-Verhaege-Hornqvist
Weegs/Forsling-Montour

I like Horny a lot, but I think Bennett is more useful with our entrance problems.

 

[zeroG]

with regard to Q playing 4th line down the stretch, seemed to me he was doing a couple of things (at least) - rewarding them for playing well and testing their mettle.

same thing goes for knight.

trying to get depth guys minutes under fire to prepare the playoffs.

my immediate gut response was "oh... he must not be so concerned with seeding at this point, maybe he's resigned to #3".

tho i admit it could be simply that he values that crunch time experience more than seeding and given his track record (and our lack thereof as NHL coaches), we ought to defer to him.