Post-Game Talk (GBU): The Kids, The Vets, and the Powerplay

[dotcommunism]

They didn't have much offensive flow tonight, but the Kid Line did some good things in the Wings zone on more than just the Girgensons' goal.

I haven't watched the third period yet, but so far they've definitely stood out compared to the rest of the sorry o-zone play

 

[Jame]

ok, i'll say it...

Vanek only has to lead by example on the ice in Home games... right?

 

[wunderpanda]

I don't think anything was really good or bad or ugly, but I had hoped for more from Stafford, Ennis and Hodgson at the end of the 3rd. First game, we can win the next 81, not worried at all.

 

[VaporTrail]

B: McCormick (because it should have been Larsson playing)

Though I was only half watching these clowns, I can't ever even remember his name being called...He ended up finishing last year in Rochester for a reason. Apparently he has significantly improved his skills to make the opening day roster for the Buffalo Sabres.....Odd how I didn't hear much about him in the offseason, and how we was improving his play...Guess it was a secret that only organizational insiders knew about.

 

[msm29]

G: Getting to watch Detroit's powerplay. Tic-tac-toe, thing of beauty.

FU: Having to compare Buffalo's horrifying excuse of a PP to that.

 

[Bure]

Hey guys. Impressed with Girgensons. And I thought either than a few weak plays on that one pp and one play were he was knocked down like a feather, that grigorenko like he belonged.

You guy should keep that kid line together.

 

[HP00]

Good:

-Girgs looked so good tonight, he hustled every second he was on the ice, looked vey quick as well as solid on the puck.

-Miller looked good and I don't really put the two goals completely on his head, he looked good for the remainder of the game aside from when Weiss beat him.

-Flynn looked good as well as I was impressed with Risto as well, a few rookie mistakes but I expect them to somewhat grow out of that.

-Ott looked really good to me, not amazing but I was impressed with our away Captain


Bad:

-Vanek and Stafford do not play well together, Ennis was invisible when not making inaccurate passes.

-Lack of hustle, if everyone worked as hard as Girgensons this game we would have a MUCH higher chance of being in the game.


Ugly:

The Powerplay...

Tyler Myers: Due to work I was not able to watch any pre-seaosn games but I heard positive things about him and hjow he seems to be growing out of his brain farts but almost every time I noticed Myers he did something wrong. The first goal could have been prevented had Myers kept his stick on the ice instead of going for a cross check. he still fumbles around with the puck and looks to be a bit shaky decision making wise.

He seems to have improved on his positioning in general, had Ennis' pass been on point it would have been a good chance for a PPG.

 

[ZZamboni]

G- hockey's back

B- NBC

U- impatience

 

[HP00]

G: Cal Peterson is apparently going to save this franchise.

In all seriousness Hodgson and Vanek are going to put up a lot of points against teams that aren't Detroit.

I loved when the other announcer brought up Hackett the other one just reverted right back to Peterson

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Great:
Girgensons - Future Captain. I'm calling him "Ziggy" for short. Holy mackinaw, that dude is going to be so ****ing good. You could already feel the energy he brings to this team after he scored. I can't wait till this is his team.
The deflection goal.

G:
GGF
Pysyk
Hodgson showing improvement at the dot and defensively
Ott
Risto post 1st period
Miller
PK
The physicality

B:
Passing
Neutral zone penetration
Turnovers
Ennis
Not knowing what we're going to get from Myers shift to shift. He had some real good ones and some real turds.

U:
Stafford
Powerplay

Summary: a growing pains game from a young team that kept it closer than it should have been. 81 more of these with a few character wins and growth moments for the kids sprinkled in and come April, I'll be happier than a puppy on a pork chop.

 

[Myllz]

Leino was by far the worst player on the ice tonight. I'm fairly sure he thought he was still playing for Detroit tonight.

 

[Luceni]

I want:

Vanek - Hodgson - Foligno/Tropp
Ennis - Larsson - Ott
G-G-F
Tropp/Foligno - Leino - Stafford

Good:
- hockey's back
- Millr. Kept us in the game
- GGF
- losing just by one goal vs. the wings, but....

Bad:
-.....getting outshot and dominated hard
-i never felt that we're going to have a chance to win this even with Miller good play

ugly
- Vanek -2
- Stafford & Leino continue to float around. I really hope if they don't put it together the next games their roster spots should go to the youth.
- Larsson sitting in the press box.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I had hockey practice tonight so I only caught the 3rd period. Don't know if the effort was indicative of the whole game or not.

And this is the 1st time I've seen the team this season so I don't have a baseline to work from (other than your guys observations).

G: Miller
Third line - Girgs/Grigs/Flynn effort and style of play
Good effort from Kaleta and Porter (as usual)
Tallinder - minus the penalty in the 3rd (Staffords fault). I thought he was decent
Wings forecheck..... 1-2-2 had Sabres D looking for but not finding outlets and options

B: I didn't think Erhoff had a great 3rd. Caught out of position a few times and struggled a bit
Sabres breakout (no breakout)
Sabres passing
Leino - useless
Hodgson - I'm a fan but his lack of speed, poor decision making, poor puckhandling (in the 3rd) has me disappointed.
Vanek - nice poster but I didn't see much else.
Coach putting 1st line out with Miller pulled.. I was hoping he'd put some of the 3rd line guys out there (since they seemed to be the only talent that was really trying...)

Undecided:
Risto... hesitation on going to the corner on D-zone faceoff won by Sabres almost cost us a goal. Otherwise he looked OK
Stafford - bad board play versus a couple of decent forecheck opportunities. So I don't know what to make of him right now. But he isn't top line material.

Ugly: from the high (low) lights, the PP looks awful.


P.S. Like Risto and Z but I wish we had tanked for McKinnon. I'm watching him make outstanding plays (2 A's tonight) vs. the Ducks. Helps that he's playing against 3rd line but man the talent is just so obvious.... Avs demolishing the Ducks 6 -0

Update... Lovejoy just took out McKinnon with a knee on knee with 10 seconds left.

Roy goes ballistic on Bruce for sending out goons in the last minute and running talented players... Almost shoves the glass between the benches over on top of Bruce's head

 

[VaporTrail]

U: Stafford two turnovers on his first shift...He needs to be shipped out...I think we've all had enough of him.

 

[jBuds]

GBU to come. But first:

I'm immediately alarmed by this coachig staff. Don't care if it was one game.

You cannot. CAN NOTTTTT. Come out in game one of the season, in Detroit, in a game against a team like the Red Wings, in a high, passive 1-2-2 forecheck that is so passive it could pose as a trap.

Is that serious? In what alternate universe are we considered to be sound defensively as a team? Nevermind against a team like Detroit; we don't have the personnel to run that against ANY team, really. Detroit has skilled puck carriers who know how to find lanes, and defensemen that make solid first passes if given ample time. In no way would a high 1-2-2 forecheck come close to "correct forecheck deployment".

COME ON.

no coincidence that as soon as we pressured them we started to create offense.

What a terrible way to start as a coaching staff in my eyes. A brutal display of poor preparation.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

That too.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

GBU to come. But first:

I'm immediately alarmed by this coachig staff. Don't care if it was one game.

You cannot. CAN NOTTTTT. Come out in game one of the season, in Detroit, in a game against a team like the Red Wings, in a high, passive 1-2-2 forecheck that is so passive it could pose as a trap.

Is that serious? In what alternate universe are we considered to be sound defensively as a team? Nevermind against a team like Detroit; we don't have the personnel to run that against ANY team, really. Detroit has skilled puck carriers who know how to find lanes, and defensemen that make solid first passes if given ample time. In no way would a high 1-2-2 forecheck come close to "correct forecheck deployment".

COME ON.

no coincidence that as soon as we pressured them we started to create offense.

What a terrible way to start as a coaching staff in my eyes. A brutal display of poor preparation.

That means you wanted a forecheck along the lines of what Detriot did to us..... totally hemming us in - at least in the 3rd

 

[ogoaltrop]

U- Rolston and his crack pot staff !

What he h"""" kinda line up was that anyways ?

Just saw Patrick Roy go crazy, almost breaking down the glass between the benches to get at fatboy boudreu !!!!

But we will get another year of excuse me gentlemen hockey in Buffalo.

 

[jBuds]

That means you wanted a forecheck along the lines of what Detriot did to us..... totally hemming us in - at least in the 3rd

Something you'd expect with a lineup containing Flynn, Porter, Grigs, Stafford, Kaleta, McCormick, Ott, etc.

Or give that first guy more of a green light to go lower and put a TAD BIT of pressure on Detroit's D.

That was mind blowing.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

For how young and inexperienced we are and considering we have practically a rookie coach, only losing 2-1 to a cup contender isn't too bad. They played mediocre and still had a chance of snatching a point. I don't think we finish in the bottom 10 this year, I think our 1st rounder will be in the 11-16 range. We will either just miss the playoffs or sneak in.

If we can play ~.500 hockey in October then I can see us playing much better after that once the youngings get a few games under their belt. I mean one of our dmen is an 18 year old in his first NHL game and we also have 2 19 year olds playing prominently up front. Sprinkle in AHL/NHL tweener players like Flynn, McCormick and Porter I don't think we can expect too much at first.

 

[jBuds]

Babcock spoke about it in his on ice interview with Pierre (who's still talking, mind you)

They'll fly through the middle, or get behind it and cross up to get stretch passes. Right in Detroit's bailiwick - which is why it was awful.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Something you'd expect with a lineup containing Flynn, Porter, Grigs, Stafford, Kaleta, McCormick, Ott, etc.

Or give that first guy more of a green light to go lower and put a TAD BIT of pressure on Detroit's D.

That was mind blowing.

Agreed. I thought the "respect" shown by the Sabres for the Wings passing and speed pretty much gave them way too much open ice to work with.

I was happy with Rolston's work last season but this whole coach gig is a work experiment in progress. Now we will see if Ron-Ron is really up to the task.

 

[jBuds]

Good:

- kid line was fine. Grigs was the only guy putting pucks to the net the first half of the game, Flynn was everywhere, and ZG's feet didn't stop

- Pysyk

- Ehrhoff

Bad:

- lack of pressure to start

- seemed nervous and slow to start

- Rolston not adjusting earlier

Ugly:

- Christ the pp is brutal. Big problem

- like I said ... To come out in a passively high 1-2-2 was incredibly poor preparation, or lack of any whatsoever. Allowing skilled players to gain a head of steam, then let them fly through the neutral zone without any body contact is a recipe for disaster. I was shocked it wasn't a bigger deficit after two, but credit to the team in that regard, I guess.

- I fear our coaching staff is too inexperienced to take the next step with these guys. We might need someone at the total opposite end of the spectrum coaching wise in order to show the true professional game. I know that's a lot to say after game one of 82, but it's never too early to speak what you immediately react with.
_______________________

With a power play that is half decent, it's a totally different game. They didn't roll over and die even though they were manhandled for the first 33 minutes. To see positives from the youth is a good thing, but we won't score many goals this year.

And I may have been wrong in not wanting another vet forward; still undecided.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Babcock spoke about it in his on ice interview with Pierre (who's still talking, mind you)

They'll fly through the middle, or get behind it and cross up to get stretch passes. Right in Detroit's bailiwick - which is why it was awful.

Yeah, that's what they do well..... isn't the idea then to try and take away what the other team does well? (Not give them the opportunity to excel against you!)

Wait, maybe the pre game prep message was to go out and play our game (and let the Wings worry about their own...)

 

[Prospector74]

Did Pierre grow or did that box he stand in get smaller? Fairly pleased for the first game I saw. If Vanek and 1 other can get rolling, we would do much better. I'll take it for a start to the season.