Pre-Game Talk: Sabres @ Senators thurs night

Ice-Tray

Registered User
Jan 31, 2006
16,288
8,100
Victoria
I don't know, I enjoyed the game from start to finish, things got hairy in the third but that's to be expected really.

I find that when we have the lead going into the third the other team has spent the last 20 minutes getting riled up and ready for a push. If/when they score they build confidence and momentum. It truly is a bend but don't break moment and we did just fine. We're not changing our system in the third, one team is just burning everything the have left, pushing from the get go, while we have to maintain to some degree so that we have fuel to fend off the pushes and eventual extra man situation at the end.

The team doesn't play turtle from what I see, they aren't trying sit back and defend, what happens is that when the opposite team put on some pressure while trying to catch up we end up spending a full shift trying to get the puck out, this forces that line to dump it out for a change when they finally get it, and the new line starts without the puck defending against a team pushing to tie up the game again. If they are able to get into the zone then we again have to dump it out and change and we don't often get a chance to set up.

This isn't a defensive plan, it's the result of us being up in the game and not having to launch an all out assault, it's not a system, it's mental and happens to all teams. No team plays with the petal to the floor all night with a three goal lead. Guys were still forechecking and pushing the play when we had fresh legs, and the coach was trying to keep the guys focused on being aggressive, but you always have to expect a push back in the third and this is what it looks like when you have a young and inexperienced team.

The good news is that our goaltending kept in it, and our kids were able to weather the storm until Stone and Ryan were able to salt the game away.
 

Nac Mac Feegle

wee & free
Jun 10, 2011
34,828
9,251
Andy is one of those netminders that plays better with a lot of shots. The trick for the defense is limiting the quality of the shots, not the quantity.
 
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