I think one of the biggest advantages we have in the playoffs is OT. We can roll four lines with impunity (or hockey sticks), while most teams have to shelter their bottom three or even six. The longer a game and a series go on, the more fatigue becomes a factor.
The last few games in particular, it seems that our bottom six spend more time in the offensive zone than our top six.
So a question: we're usually rolling lines as 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3.... (Assuming, of course, no penalty kill or powerless play.) Since lines 3 and 4 are more physical, and also seem to do a lot of forechecking/grinding/wearing down, what do you think of staggering them, and going 4, 1, 3, 2?
Sometimes it seems that we lose momentum by the time the #2 line finishes a shift, and I wonder if alternating the hard lines and the finesse lines might make for more sustained pressure.
