Series Discussion: Round 1: Jets vs Blues

[Jetfaninflorida]

If the problems are easily addressable...wouldn't they have been addressed at some point over the past half season?

I know I sound hopelessly pessimistic lately, and it's totally true that the Jets can still win this series - I hope they do. But I find it hard to avoid responding to comments like the above when they seem so full of logical holes. This team has been objectively pretty bad for half a season (and there is evidence that it wasn't all that good the first half either). What is there that would lead anyone to think issues that were evident in game #1 - and which have been pretty evident for some time now - are somehow "easily addressable"? From the outside it seems like they maybe should be easy to address...but so far they haven't been so who knows?

Nothing is easy with Maurice. So many things could have happened but didn't, leading to new lines going into game 83. Go figure.

But my post above, I was referring specifically right now to The Blues series. Look at Game 1. If we add the net front presence to our offensive game (tons of traffic in front of and around Binni + pucks to the net) and play fast and physical with tight gaps like periods one and two, we win. That's it IMHO.

We fail badly when we try to go into a defensive shell when leading. Our gaps widen, d men back way into our end giving up the zone, leading to all kinds of havoc and offensive zone time for our opponent. Eventually, the puck finds the back of our net.

We can be more conservative when we have a lead, with less O Zone pinching by D men for example and the centerman staying a bit higher in their zone, but still maintain our gaps and physicality. Don't completely abandon the game plan that got us the lead in the first place, and adopt the game plan that caused us to lose 10 games this year when leading after 2.

 

[SensibleGuy]

yeah you're probably right. It just seems like net-front presence has been an issue for some time now and they can't seem to figure it out. I don't know why. I feel like there are fundamental problems in a systems sense right now - especially in the D zone. It seems like there's no plan for moving the puck up the ice. I can't believe a team that was considered one of the fastest and most-skilled at the start of the season seems to have so much trouble with zone exits.

 

[Gm0ney]

Maybe the Jets should watch Torts speech before the game tonight. Of course, the Blue Jackets promptly gave up 3 goals immediately after hearing it, but once it sunk in...

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/tortorella-fires-blue-jackets-epic-pre-game-speech/

 

[voyageur]

I didn't see the game, but watching the replay I think we need wholesale changes, because we can't match St. Louis physically, other than Lowry and Buff. But in the offensive zone, the ability to sustain shifts, and offensive zone pressure is a real weakness. The other real weakness I notice is Chiarot in the top 4 and his poor gap control. St. Louis has a real top 4, a lot of people scoffed at Bowmeester but there he was on the game winning assist.

I'd like to see wholesale changes:

Defense:

Morrissey-Buff. Morrissey is injured, he can't handle Taransenko this series. With Buff he gets the physical backup, that can break the cycle. Buff can also take some risks with Morrissey backing him up.

Beaulieu-Trouba . This is at least a potential top 4 pairing. You have nothing to lose by playing Beaulieu in the top 4, he has the skillset. Let's see what he can do.

Chiarot/Kulikov-Myers. I'd say Chiarot draws in for the PK, otherwise good place to double shift Buff if you want to win, by being relentless with defensive pressure.

Forwards:

Ehlers-Scheif-Wheeler. I am not impressed by Ehlers that much because he is avoiding contact, as the secondary forechecker, but with Scheif and Wheels, he can use his speed to break down a defense and protect the defense when they attack.

Connor-Little-Laine. Remember this line. Scoring 5 goals. Play to win Paul.

Tanev-Lowry-Copp. This is the grind line. They are going to get hard matchups, and they can win them

Perreault-Hayes-Roslovic. Sadly we have acquired Hayes to be a 4th line centre, maybe Hendricks could do more. But Perreault-Roslovic have chemistry. Hopefully Hayes can feed off that to establish secondary scoring.

That's my lineup to come back. Pieces in the right place. I defend Maurice a lot, but he has to make changes to win this series, positive changes, I hope he goes on previous successful combinations, instead of searching for something that is not working.

 

[snowkiddin]

I didn't see the game, but watching the replay I think we need wholesale changes, because we can't match St. Louis physically, other than Lowry and Buff. But in the offensive zone, the ability to sustain shifts, and offensive zone pressure is a real weakness. The other real weakness I notice is Chiarot in the top 4 and his poor gap control. St. Louis has a real top 4, a lot of people scoffed at Bowmeester but there he was on the game winning assist.

I'd like to see wholesale changes:

Defense:

Morrissey-Buff. Morrissey is injured, he can't handle Taransenko this series. With Buff he gets the physical backup, that can break the cycle. Buff can also take some risks with Morrissey backing him up.

Beaulieu-Trouba . This is at least a potential top 4 pairing. You have nothing to lose by playing Beaulieu in the top 4, he has the skillset. Let's see what he can do.

Chiarot/Kulikov-Myers. I'd say Chiarot draws in for the PK, otherwise good place to double shift Buff if you want to win, by being relentless with defensive pressure.

Forwards:

Ehlers-Scheif-Wheeler. I am not impressed by Ehlers that much because he is avoiding contact, as the secondary forechecker, but with Scheif and Wheels, he can use his speed to break down a defense and protect the defense when they attack.

Connor-Little-Laine. Remember this line. Scoring 5 goals. Play to win Paul.

Tanev-Lowry-Copp. This is the grind line. They are going to get hard matchups, and they can win them

Perreault-Hayes-Roslovic. Sadly we have acquired Hayes to be a 4th line centre, maybe Hendricks could do more. But Perreault-Roslovic have chemistry. Hopefully Hayes can feed off that to establish secondary scoring.

That's my lineup to come back. Pieces in the right place. I defend Maurice a lot, but he has to make changes to win this series, positive changes, I hope he goes on previous successful combinations, instead of searching for something that is not working.

I’m definitely in favour of this. Somebody send it to Mo.

 

[Jets4Life]

Maybe the Jets should watch Torts speech before the game tonight. Of course, the Blue Jackets promptly gave up 3 goals immediately after hearing it, but once it sunk in...

Tortorella fires up Blue Jackets with epic pre-game speech - Sportsnet.ca

I heard Torts made that speech after Columbus was down 3-0.

Edit....nevermind. It looks like he made it during the pre-game.

 

[Jets4Life]

I don't understand why it seems everyone on social media is calling for Hellebuyck's head. True he had a bad game, and was a factor on why the Jets lost. However, Helle has had a strong second half, and often bailed the team out. He will bounce back in Game 3.

It's not like we still have Pavelec in net.

 

[rndmHockey]

I don't understand why it seems everyone on social media is calling for Hellebuyck's head. True he had a bad game, and was a factor on why the Jets lost. However, Helle has had a strong second half, and often bailed the team out. He will bounce back in Game 3.

It's not like we still have Pavelec in net.

Because people on social media exaggerate Helly wasn’t disaster, but not great either. Team needs tighten up their 5v5. No room for error.

 

[kanadalainen]

I didn't see the game, but watching the replay I think we need wholesale changes, because we can't match St. Louis physically, other than Lowry and Buff. But in the offensive zone, the ability to sustain shifts, and offensive zone pressure is a real weakness. The other real weakness I notice is Chiarot in the top 4 and his poor gap control. St. Louis has a real top 4, a lot of people scoffed at Bowmeester but there he was on the game winning assist.

I'd like to see wholesale changes:

Defense:

Morrissey-Buff. Morrissey is injured, he can't handle Taransenko this series. With Buff he gets the physical backup, that can break the cycle. Buff can also take some risks with Morrissey backing him up.

Beaulieu-Trouba . This is at least a potential top 4 pairing. You have nothing to lose by playing Beaulieu in the top 4, he has the skillset. Let's see what he can do.

Chiarot/Kulikov-Myers. I'd say Chiarot draws in for the PK, otherwise good place to double shift Buff if you want to win, by being relentless with defensive pressure.

Forwards:

Ehlers-Scheif-Wheeler. I am not impressed by Ehlers that much because he is avoiding contact, as the secondary forechecker, but with Scheif and Wheels, he can use his speed to break down a defense and protect the defense when they attack.

Connor-Little-Laine. Remember this line. Scoring 5 goals. Play to win Paul.

Tanev-Lowry-Copp. This is the grind line. They are going to get hard matchups, and they can win them

Perreault-Hayes-Roslovic. Sadly we have acquired Hayes to be a 4th line centre, maybe Hendricks could do more. But Perreault-Roslovic have chemistry. Hopefully Hayes can feed off that to establish secondary scoring.

That's my lineup to come back. Pieces in the right place. I defend Maurice a lot, but he has to make changes to win this series, positive changes, I hope he goes on previous successful combinations, instead of searching for something that is not working.

I have respect for these suggestions, but for the Hayes placement. Some say that he's not fast enough vs the Blues. Surely the dude is better than a fourth line centre/someone getting low minutes.

 

[dpw]

Sens fan chiming in.

I think its gonna be one of those series where the home team loses every game except the last one.

Jets in 7.

 

[MyLoveIsBlue]

Hayes just over 8 min of ice time last night. Was he that bad or an injury?

 

[Jet]

Serious question - what is the Jets' game this year? I really don't know what exactly is Jets Hockey this year.

I think their game is what it's always been - they just haven't played it much.

I thought they played a lot more of it last night but all the damage was done in that sag in the second - plus Helle wasn't as good as he needed to be

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

I think their game is what it's always been - they just haven't played it much.

I thought they played a lot more of it last night but all the damage was done in that sag in the second - plus Helle wasn't as good as he needed to be

Well, what is it?

 

[Gm0ney]

Hayes just over 8 min of ice time last night. Was he that bad or an injury?

I think it was just line-juggling. Maurice moved Ehlers to Little and Laine's line when he put Copp with Lowry and Tanev - so that left Hayes, Roslovic and Lindholm on the bench after St. Louis' go-ahead goal in the 3rd.

 

[Jet]

Well, what is it?

You know what it is and I went so far as to write it out earlier in this thread - not going to do it again.

See the first 2 periods of this series.

 

[ATLbound]

I think the worst thing is, despite what you are blaming, goaltending or coaching or team defence or what ever. When we have been skating and buzzing, like the first period of game 1, and the second half of last nights first period and the second period until the deflating goal, we look a lot better then them. We are beating them to every puck, just look plain too fast and quick. Yet when they are outplaying us they are just playing smart and using a stupid man on man system against us to keep outside pressure until the slot pass opens up. IMO it just shows that beneath everything when we are going there is no doubt who the faster and more talented team is, which we all knew. But at the end of the day there is to much other crap wrong costing us

 

[Jet]

I think it was just line-juggling. Maurice moved Ehlers to Little and Laine's line when he put Copp with Lowry and Tanev - so that left Hayes, Roslovic and Lindholm on the bench after St. Louis' go-ahead goal in the 3rd.

Hayes has been invisible so far. Injury?

 

[Gm0ney]

Hayes has been invisible so far. Injury?

Maurice has been line matching - and he didn't seem to want Hayes out there against STL's top 6.

 

[Jet]

Maurice has been line matching - and he didn't seem to want Hayes out there against STL's top 6.

I was more talking about when he actually was out there. He didn't do anything to force Maurice to play him more.

I'm not crazy about Maurice's player usage but I think it's somewhat overstated.

 

[surixon]

Its not all that surprising what is happening this series. The Jets have not been all that engaged in following their system this year. Its one thing to up the effort level but its hard to get back into the habit of executing the system properly. This is where all those bad habits that were allowed to get ingrained over the season hurt us. As mentioned St. Louis who has been engaged and playing a solid game plan for months now is looking very much in sync. They are doing a much better job supporting each other on the ice then us.

Not sure where we go from this if we exit early, a lot of things haven't worked out very well:

• Hayes has been a disappointment, but that is how it goes with rentals sometimes
• Ice time allocations are not optimal
• Team leadership seems fragile

I think the team will learn a very hard lesson this year in that you can't half ass your way to the playoffs. You need to be engaged and playing the right way, adhearing to your system right from game one of the year. The question will also need to be asked if Maurice is still the right person to get them to buy in. It will be an interesting off season this summer.

 

[WPGChief]

5v5 over two games, score and venue adjusted, according to NaturalStatTrick:

The Good: Copp, Little, Lowry, Laine, Byfuglien, Chiarot
The Bad/Mediocre: Ehlers, Wheeler, Perreault, Scheifele, Trouba, Morrissey
The Ugly: Connor, Hayes, Roslovic, Kulikov

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

You know what it is and I went so far as to write it out earlier in this thread - not going to do it again.

See the first 2 periods of this series.

I actually have no idea what Jets hockey is supposed to be this year. Dump and Chase?

I'd like to get your take. Rather than have to reread the entire thread, can you at least give me a clue as to how long ago you wrote it out?

 

[ATLbound]

5v5 over two games, score and venue adjusted, according to NaturalStatTrick:

The Good: Copp, Little, Lowry, Laine, Byfuglien, Chiarot
The Bad/Mediocre: Ehlers, Wheeler, Perreault, Scheifele, Trouba, Morrissey
The Ugly: Connor, Hayes, Roslovic, Kulikov

Actually lines up per eye test. Roslo, Hayes, Ehlers, Kulikov, and Connor all invisible or bad. Have liked Lowry, Copp, Laine, Little, Buff

I liked 55/26 in the late first and early second. They gave up stuff still but you could at least tell they were giving it everything they had trying to create something. And the PP was money obviously

 

[ATLbound]

Interested to see these "changes" hopefully Perreault is in for either Lindholm or Roslo. Kulikov out for anyone. And make a few changes as Hayes and ehlers need to be better and get something going.

Pretty clear its a must win. They know that and will be nervous and have minimal confidence. As do most of us fans. But like I said, if they get the win and its 2-1 at least we can get excited and pumped for game 4 for a chance to head home 2-2. In saying that I will not hold my breath

 

[ATLbound]

11-6 for Winnipeg in high danger scoring chances last night. And there was people who after the game were going off about how much better the Blues were and deserved to win, etc.