Post-Game Talk (GBU): The hit heard round the bench...

[Gabrielor]

G:
Eichel 5 points baby
Reinhart hatty #2
OReilly his usual 2-way self
Okposo contributed! and it meant something!
Ristolainen great pp contributions, and one of the few guys who pushes back when they crash the net
The pp group stepped up and won the game when they were given a chance to. I've never seen 3 pp goals in 1 major before.
Mittelstadt is starting to show his offensive instincts are ready for this level (not so much on defense)
Rodrigues' dangle and assist was the best play of the game.
Wilson had a very good game.
The general team response to the Antipin hit, and carrying it to the third. EVERYBODY wanted it.

B:
Pre-hit, we were playing well, just couldn't finish

U:
The hit; hope Antipin is alright

The needs to be mentioned:

Wow. There were many points during this game where we rolled 3 attacking lines, who were all engaged and on at once, and it was a beauty. OReilly-Reinhart, then Eichel the 1-man show, then Rodrigues-Casey. It was masterful. Even Larsson was bringing something on the 4th line. The absence of Nolan was noticeable, for the better.

This was the best game of the year for me. We played well, but were down. Then someone made a dirty hit. Then we exploded and buried them. This is what should've happened when dumbshit Lucic hit Miller. I feel vindicated today.

Click to read more...

 

[Gabrielor]

I missed a bad, but an important bad:

B:
Girgensons

Man, I loved this guy in the tank years. I thought he was a lock for an A. It's starting to become clear to me, however, that he may just be a casualty of the 13-15 tank. Didn't develop properly, was given too much, then had it taken away when actual talent arrived.

Now, he's a disaster. His forechecking (his main asset) is looking weaker and weaker as other guys are starting to out-perform him there (wilson, rodrigues, baptiste, reinhart). The chemistry I saw with Eichel hasn't been around since the first 10 games.

Also, he might be the worst transitional player on the team. If he can't dump and chase, he can't move the puck forward. He can't hit anyone with a pass who has speed. It's getting very bad.

You talk about a change of scenery guy, he's #1.

 

[Chainshot]

Funny, I thought Girgs game last night was fine -- he and Jack did the work to set up Poms for that first goal as an example. He looks better wearing the mask honestly.

I skipped GBU'ing this last night due to the Antipin incident. After typing things out a few different ways, it always came back to putting Hartnell's guts on a stick for the crows.

I hope Antipin is ultimately okay and hearing that he was discharged last night was great news.

As for the game, maybe this is a rallying point -- somewhere the players gathered around something outside of themselves to play for someone else. Maybe it's a maturation moment they can carry forward into the next year. Or not.

 

[davej0122]

Maybe I am seeing what I want to be seeing... With Mittelsadt on the 3rd line with okoposo and Erod, it's the first time in YEARS where we have a true threat on all three lines...

If the Bots can add a quality forward in lieu of Wilson on ROR's line next year, I'd be optomistic in increasing our scoring next year.

 

[Chainshot]

Maybe I am seeing what I want to be seeing... With Mittelsadt on the 3rd line with okoposo and Erod, it's the first time in YEARS where we have a true threat on all three lines...

If the Bots can add a quality forward in lieu of Wilson on ROR's line next year, I'd be optomistic in increasing our scoring next year.

I have no issue with Wilson as the fetch-it guy on that line. It's Poms that needs upgrading.

 

[Kyndig]

Girgensons was fine up until 10 seconds of the game where he went full Nolan. A would be 2 on 0 if he didn't hit the back of Jacks skate followed by missing the entire boards/glass.

 

[explore]

Our entire core stepped up. Mittelstadt was a consistent threat. I won’t say Antipin is unlucky given the money he earns, but damn if he hasn’t earned it. This year sucked for him. I liked Falk’s response. Team looked good.

I have no issue with Wilson as the fetch-it guy on that line. It's Poms that needs upgrading.

Poms at least contributes sometimes. I would rather replace Nolan, Bealieau, and Bogo (can’t stay healthy, not playing ability). Maybe McCabe.

 

[Chainshot]

Our entire core stepped up. Mittelstadt was a consistent threat. I won’t say Antipin is unlucky given the money he earns, but damn if he hasn’t earned it. This year sucked for him. I liked Falk’s response. Team looked good.



Poms at least contributes sometimes. I would rather replace Nolan, Bealieau, and Bogo (can’t stay healthy, not playing ability). Maybe McCabe.

Wilson is capable of generating loose pucks and winning puck battles that lead to goals for both him and his linemates. Pominville does neither of those things and is as close to completely reliant on his linemates to put him into any sort of position to contribute as anyone on the team.

Apples to apples, Pouliot isn't coming back and we know that. Pominville's husk wears a letter.

 

[brian_griffin]

As others noted in the GDT, at the end of the game, when the Preds were running a 6 on 4, Subban legally seals Eichel off on the boards in the Preds d-zone, but then, <20 seconds later Eichel gets full-on tripped with no call. I don't want Eichel to turn into Crosby and whine at every non-call, but in Jack's case (unlike Sidney) they are legit non-calls. Shit's gotta stop.

And Larsson routinely takes more sticks to his face & hands than a festival of pinatas.

 

[DJN21]

I wanna randomly go on the record as being the guy who thinks mccabe turns a corner next year. Fully healthy, with hopefully a team actually dedicated to winning. I'll eat my crow when the time comes...

 

[Fearnot]

As others noted in the GDT, at the end of the game, when the Preds were running a 6 on 4, Subban legally seals Eichel off on the boards in the Preds d-zone, but then, p>

And Larsson routinely takes more sticks to his face & hands than a festival of pinatas.

Larsson being a pinata is probably his biggest strength, getting us on the PP and able to score.

 

[Kyndig]

I wanna randomly go on the record as being the guy who thinks mccabe turns a corner next year. Fully healthy, with hopefully a team actually dedicated to winning. I'll eat my crow when the time comes...

He looked good in his short stint with Guhle.

 

[Dreakon13]

I wanna randomly go on the record as being the guy who thinks mccabe turns a corner next year. Fully healthy, with hopefully a team actually dedicated to winning. I'll eat my crow when the time comes...

I've had my fingers crossed like this since he went out for the year. He had some strong play last year but played way over his head in regards to minutes, then never really showed up this year. Here's hoping it's some nagging injury that's getting adequate time to rest and heal now. Him returning to form (even if it's just legit bottom pairing level play with some snarl) would be huge for this team... assuming Guhle and Nelson stay consistent and/or grow, and there's another solid top 4 add this offseason (or added to the pipeline at least).