Lecavilier_4
Registered User
So this has been a pretty tough season for everyone thus far. We started extremely strong and looked like we were preparing for a strong year. We found ourselves in trouble in different aspects at different parts of the year. The one thing I think we can all agree on is that since the start of the year we just haven't had a complete effort in any games.
Game to game, something has been a problem. When the offense is playing well the goaltending and defense have struggled. Since Garon has been starting, we have been getting some good goaltending performances but we haven't been getting the offense to support it. Until this team gets a full 60-minute, full team effort consistency, we are going to continue to be a non-playoff team.
Now for some startling stats. The biggest thing I have noticed is that this team has a complete inability to win the close one-goal games. Let's take a look at some of these games. I am going to leave out goals scored in the final minute (ie. empty netters for argument's sake).
Mon, Jan 21, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Sat, Feb 2, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Tue, Feb 5, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal (SO).
Thu, Feb 14, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Sun, Feb 24, 2013 - Lose by 2 goals (one in last minute of play).
Tue, Feb 26, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Sat, Mar 2, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Mon, Mar 4, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
So we have 13 regulation losses and 8 of them were games in which we should have had a chance to at least get a point in. Now, lets take a look at our 9 wins:
WSH 6-3
CAR 4-1
OTT 6-4
PHI 5-1
FLA 5-2
WIN 8-3
FLA 6-5
TOR 4-2
CAR 5-2
In the games we have won, we outscore our opponents 49-23. If you look at the teams we have beat, 6 of our 9 wins have come from our own division. We have only beat TOR, OTT and PHI outside of our own division. This can also be looked at as a stat to tell the story as the only team from our division currently sitting in a playoff spot is Carolina and if they didn't have a guaranteed spot from the Division, they would only be sitting in 7th place just struggling to get in. The fact of the matter is that the Southeast is a terribly weak division this year.
If we are to have any hope at even getting into the playoffs the divisional games are going to become of utmost importance. Cam Ward going down, unfortunately to say, may be the best thing to happen to us this season. We need to win as many divisional games as possible to keep points away from teams in our division and we need to start winning some of these close games. If the Lightning were even taking half of these games to OT/SO, our record would be a lot differently.
So this comes to the discussion. What do YOU think our problems are? Do your feel specific individuals are to blame? Is the coaching staff (including goaltending coaching) not motivating and leading this team? Is the mediocre goaltending to blame for our woes? Is it really goaltending or is it the sub-par performance of our depth defensemen? Or is the lack of a complete package?
Post your comments, rants and burn players at the stake.
Thanks friends.
Sincerely yours,
The Amazing L4
Game to game, something has been a problem. When the offense is playing well the goaltending and defense have struggled. Since Garon has been starting, we have been getting some good goaltending performances but we haven't been getting the offense to support it. Until this team gets a full 60-minute, full team effort consistency, we are going to continue to be a non-playoff team.
Now for some startling stats. The biggest thing I have noticed is that this team has a complete inability to win the close one-goal games. Let's take a look at some of these games. I am going to leave out goals scored in the final minute (ie. empty netters for argument's sake).
Mon, Jan 21, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Sat, Feb 2, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Tue, Feb 5, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Tue, Feb 12, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal (SO).
Thu, Feb 14, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Sun, Feb 24, 2013 - Lose by 2 goals (one in last minute of play).
Tue, Feb 26, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Sat, Mar 2, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
Mon, Mar 4, 2013 - Lose by 1 goal.
So we have 13 regulation losses and 8 of them were games in which we should have had a chance to at least get a point in. Now, lets take a look at our 9 wins:
WSH 6-3
CAR 4-1
OTT 6-4
PHI 5-1
FLA 5-2
WIN 8-3
FLA 6-5
TOR 4-2
CAR 5-2
In the games we have won, we outscore our opponents 49-23. If you look at the teams we have beat, 6 of our 9 wins have come from our own division. We have only beat TOR, OTT and PHI outside of our own division. This can also be looked at as a stat to tell the story as the only team from our division currently sitting in a playoff spot is Carolina and if they didn't have a guaranteed spot from the Division, they would only be sitting in 7th place just struggling to get in. The fact of the matter is that the Southeast is a terribly weak division this year.
If we are to have any hope at even getting into the playoffs the divisional games are going to become of utmost importance. Cam Ward going down, unfortunately to say, may be the best thing to happen to us this season. We need to win as many divisional games as possible to keep points away from teams in our division and we need to start winning some of these close games. If the Lightning were even taking half of these games to OT/SO, our record would be a lot differently.
So this comes to the discussion. What do YOU think our problems are? Do your feel specific individuals are to blame? Is the coaching staff (including goaltending coaching) not motivating and leading this team? Is the mediocre goaltending to blame for our woes? Is it really goaltending or is it the sub-par performance of our depth defensemen? Or is the lack of a complete package?
Post your comments, rants and burn players at the stake.
Thanks friends.
Sincerely yours,
The Amazing L4