TBN: Rolston wants Sabres to pick up the pace and stop blinking first

[joshjull]

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres...pick-up-the-pace-and-stop-blinking-first.html

Ron Rolston has been watching video of NHL games all season despite coaching down in Rochester, so the Sabres' interim bench boss already had a good feel for what Buffalo needs to improve.

"We have to play at a different pace right now," Rolston said today in Northtown Center at Amherst after his first formal practice. "We don’t put enough pressure on teams right now, just playing a little bit too slow. If you lined all the players up on the goal line across the league, it’d be a pretty close race from end to end, but a lot of teams play faster than other teams with puck movement and guys knowing what other guys are doing on the ice.

"We’ve got to make a concerted effort at doing that, just putting teams in pressure situations more than we do."

"What happens right now with our hockey team is we’re the team that blinks first when you have a staredown. In other words, if the faceoff’s in the zone and we make a mistake in execution, the next thing you know it’s a 2-1 game going into the third.

"That’s part of the reason why things aren’t going the way we want them to go is because there’s times in the game we execute for a long period of time, and then in this league if you have even a short span of a couple of shifts where you don’t execute, that can be the difference in the game. A lot of times it’s been the case here, and it was last night for us."

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[Jame]

completely agree

 

[vcv]

I definitely like his observations. Now let's see what he does to address it.

 

[Woodhouse]

Don't we all?

***

Edit: 2.22 – Ron Rolston speaks with the media following Buffalo's practice. <9:58>

 

[HockeyH3aven]

Rolston complicated the team on how well they were able to handle playing on shuffled lines constructed on the fly.

Well Ron, they've had a lot of practice.

"We have to play at a different pace right now," Rolston said today in Northtown Center at Amherst after his first formal practice. "We don’t put enough pressure on teams right now, just playing a little bit too slow.

Glad to see he's recognized this already. This team has been playing a really passive style of hockey under Lindy.

 

[slip]

Getting to the crux of the message: skate harder, and play to win.

 

[Daz28]

There's one problem, tho. He wants to increase the tempo, but the team only skated for 20 minutes last night. I think you have to get them up to a full 60 minute game before you try to turn up the tempo.

 

[jBuds]

I mean... I agree and I like seeing it... But you really needed one eye and a fraction of half a hockey brain to surmise the above, no?

 

[Myllz]

Pretty much dead on. The real question is can he make these guys execute it?

 

[Chainshot]

Does this lead to the next logical question: are they generally out of shape? I suppose we'll see soon enough if they have enough legs to pick up the pace or not.

 

[Daz28]

Does this lead to the next logical question: are they generally out of shape? I suppose we'll see soon enough if they have enough legs to pick up the pace or not.

Maybe they were hanging out with Stevie Johnson during their time off. lol

To answer you seriously, I don't think they will be able to do it this year. If he wants better effort, he's going to have to install better off-season conditioning, then try next year. weird thing is, I doubt he'll be behind the bench next year.

 

[Myllz]

Maybe they were hanging out with Stevie Johnson during their time off. lol

To answer you seriously, I don't think they will be able to do it this year. If he wants better effort, he's going to have to install better off-season conditioning, then try next year. weird thing is, I doubt he'll be behind the bench next year.

Still a nice setup for whoever takes over. Thanks Ron!

 

[hizzoner]

His observations were self evident and I am glad he said this publicly.

 

[Daz28]

Still a nice setup for whoever takes over. Thanks Ron!

Haha, at least he'll have somewhere to got to.

 

[Newcastlesabre]

we need to start games quicker and set the tone for the game early. Sick of sloppy starts and feeling depressed 3 minutes in....

 

[Der Jaeger]

I mean... I agree and I like seeing it... But you really needed one eye and a fraction of half a hockey brain to surmise the above, no?

Agree, but there's value in saying this to the media. Rolston's saying what everyone knows already, but now the media and fans know that he understands the problem.

He's also set a baseline for the future. Gotta play fast and get mentally tougher. . . or players that aren't need to move on.

 

[start winnin]

Our team is a team with the biggest ******* in the league.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

At least he knows what needs some fixing. Now, how will he try to do it...

 

[Newcastlesabre]

Hes basically saying what we all have, but like mentioned earlier, its nice to hear the coach admitting the problems are there to be fixed.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Does this lead to the next logical question: are they generally out of shape? I suppose we'll see soon enough if they have enough legs to pick up the pace or not.

I don't think this is a physical thing so much as it's mental: making decisions quicker on the ice, knowing what your linemates are doing and not needing to hesitate to check, committing to the play your making, etc. I mean, part of it is certainly just keeping their legs moving more, but I feel like the bigger part of what Rolston's getting at is mental.

 

[Newcastlesabre]

I have got to say, I think it's more mental then anything physical. Although the team isnt the strongest there is no reason why we shouldnt be competing at a higher level and matching more teams then we have been. i just think the players weren't responding to Lindy anymore and not giving all they could (in some cases), maybe they will respond to a new coach. All we can loook for now is to salvage some pride for the remainder of the short season.

 

[Chainshot]

I don't think this is a physical thing so much as it's mental: making decisions quicker on the ice, knowing what your linemates are doing and not needing to hesitate to check, committing to the play your making, etc. I mean, part of it is certainly just keeping their legs moving more, but I feel like the bigger part of what Rolston's getting at is mental.

True, there is that as well. It does seem they're over-thinking everything everywhere and not executing.

 

[CrankyJay]

Does this lead to the next logical question: are they generally out of shape? I suppose we'll see soon enough if they have enough legs to pick up the pace or not.

I've been asking this for years and have been laughed at...

I think their conditioning is suspect.

 

[PanicItsVanek26]

Lindy couldn't come up with a reason as to why the team was playing so bad, but our AHL coach could. I like that he is the type of coach that teaches players instead just telling them they messed up.

 

[Cirris]

Lindy couldn't come up with a reason as to why the team was playing so bad, but our AHL coach could. I like that he is the type of coach that teaches players instead just telling them they messed up.

It's hard to admit that your team is slugging it around on you. which pretty much means they've quit on you.