Surviving R Kelly:
Well, I think I should lay out how Orillia can mitigate the effect of Red Kelly here. He is Salt Lake’s best player, and easily their best offensive weapon. Slowing him down will be key.
Much like other offensive defensemen, the best way to limit their offensive impact is to keep them in the defensive end as much as possible. Salt Lake seems to want to want to match him against Gordie Howe’s line, which is perfect, since that’s what I want too. That line is the perfect line to forecheck and cycle the other team to death. Toews’ faceoff ability also ensures we get the puck to star more often than not. Barry Trotz’s aggressive forechecking and cycling system is a good fit here as well.
Second, it’s important that when Kelly does get the puck - and he in will - we pressure him immediately and aggressively. The faster we can get the puck off his stick, the better! Again, I think we have a good team for that. I’ve gone on about the first line, but the duo of Keon and Firsov is also really aggressive forechecking, though smaller and less imposing. They are both fast, quick, and instinctual - cutting off angles and pushing you where you don’t want to go. Jack Marshall, David Krejci, and Bobby Schmautz are also good forecheckers.
Matchups should be dictated by Trotz, even on the road. Tikhonov wasn’t a line matched, preferring to just roll his lines. As long as I can keep the Spezza-Tarasenko duo away from Kelly, I will have the bodies to execute the game plan.
Finally, the PP, where Kelly will play the point. He’s their primary puck carrier and puck distributor on that top unit. With the duo of Keon and Firsov, I think we effectively harass Kelly in open ice, and quickly angle him off in the offensive zone. Again, the plan is to get the puck off his stick. The Toews and Howe duo can do the same. My third set of PKers, Jack Marshall and Dean Prenrice, whole limited in their time killing penalties, can also execute that and plan.
Obviously, completely shutting down Red Kelly is impossible, but he can be slowed down. I feel Orillia has the plan in place and the personnel to execute that plan.
