Post-Game Talk: Sens @ Preds

[Micklebot]

Yup

We are going to be possession a team with not-so-great faceoff numbers

Gonna be tough

For what it's worth, Turris is generally pretty good (not so much against Nsh), Smith is good, Legwand is good, Lazar is a very small sample was good.

Just because we didn't fair well at the dot in one games (against a team that if I recall was among the best last year) doesn't mean we'll struggle all year.

 

[Quo]

Gaustad is the x factor. 82% on 17 faceoffs taken?! Ouch.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

For what it's worth, Turris is generally pretty good (not so much against Nsh), Smith is good, Legwand is good, Lazar is a very small sample was good.

Just because we didn't fair well at the dot in one games (against a team that if I recall was among the best last year) doesn't mean we'll struggle all year.

True

I wasn't aware of how good Nashville was on faceoffs

 

[stempniaksen]

Gaustad is the x factor. 82% on 17 faceoffs taken?! Ouch.

This is why I'm not too worried about faceoffs yet, the guy is an absolute freak in the faceoff circle. Will wait to see how we do over the next couple games before judging too harshly.

 

[Korpse]

If you didn't, then what did you mean by "Neither way is the incorrect way to defend, it all depends on the system that is deployed", in response to my post: every coach in the NHL tells their D to stand and guard the goal post as undefended attackers skate freely past them ?

Seems to me it is exactly what you said, but if say otherwise.

Sometimes the other defender will cut the opponent off at the side of the net or behind it rather than have the original defender be chasing so I guess momentarily the puck carrier has some room behind the net but I would t say it's allowing the puck carrier to move freely in the zone or whatever it is you said.

 

[aragorn]

Gaustad is the x factor. 82% on 17 faceoffs taken?! Ouch.

Gaustad is the 2nd best faceoff guy in the league behind Bergeron, isn't he? He would help drive possession for Ottawa as a 4th line centre & allow Smith to move over to the wing. He's around 30 yrs old, big, tough, faceoff expert, can play the PK & can score a little. He's not a sexy player like the majority on here want, but an effective role player on any team.

I still expect to see this lineup at some point, maybe once Lazar is returned to junior.
MacArthur - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - Legwand - Ryan
Michalek - Zibanejad - Chiasson
Greening - Z. Smith - Neil/Condra

 

[Xspyrit]

Where is xspyrit when you need him?

Sorry but I was kind of busy and anyway I'm getting really tired of the same crap over and over again. You spent a lot of time constructing objective posts with rational thoughts to temper both reactions and expectations (I'm not the only one to do that) but many people continue with their usual 1-liners that feed their hate and psychological needs. This board is getting redundant and tiresome. I will still hang out a bit and will try to post more in days I have more time. But thanks for thinking of me

I agree with most of what you say; however getting 37 shots against while only getting about 20 shots for is not good. Yes, it is just one game, the first game of the season, for what is expected to be a bubble team.

So far, I have not seen great skating or speed from Legwand. I was hoping to be impressed but so far I have not seen much from him.

20 shots for is not enough I agree but they had real good scoring chances (some didn't even results in shots, i.e. MacArthur and Chiasson) and I thought the Sens made a very good job defensively outside of that 10-15 mins span where the momentum shifted. Shots don't matter that much, possession and scoring chances do.

As for Legwand, you have to be patient, let him acclimate himself with his new team and system