I honestly would say exactly the same thing as Horcoff. It doesnt take a genius to notice we are continuing to drop the game plan and run around like idiots. It happens.
My personal opinion for this season is that THAT (abandoning game plans, getting too cute when high percentage plays are available) is going to happen. I am hoping the team gets on the same page by game 8. My innitial outlook on the season is the first 8 games are going to be like mood swings of a baby. I fully expect Ralph will have made his point and had all players buy in by the 9th game. If after 8 games we are buying in, and not abandoning our system so we can try to outside/inside cough up on NHL veteran d-men, and at or above .500 than i think we will be in great shape.
This is why i like RKs approach to SJ. you guys want to run around in the offensive zone and count on your skill? ok lets see where it gets you. im not calling a time out and im not rescuing your goalie.
Here is an idea. Gain the offensive zone and then work the defence and the goalie. do this for 60 minutes. win the game. the best teams do it.
Skill will get you golfing pretty fast if you want to keep doing the ol' i got skills look at me mom.
I think there are alot of fans that need the same lesson as the kids. go watch real teams play. they work the defence and the goalie. calgary didnt break a sweat.
also if horcoff isnt screening Kipper, those 2 PP goals never happen. Here is an idea... WORK.
In a few games i expect people to stop being so cute. Im pointing mostly to Hall here, as he should know better. Hemsky hasnt been all that great in the last couple of games eeither and i am not liking what petry is bringing.
ALSO i will point out that i blame Potter for both goals against in vancouver and for 3 against SJ. Since Fistric has been in the line-up ive had less to complain about. Petry was horrific in Calgary but i am hoping that was just a bad night.
I have been watching every second of the 4 games and the 3rd line is the only line i can trust to get pucks in deep and start actually working so the other lines can counter. ALSO, the second and 3rd lines have been taking more defensive zone draws which can account for some issues when Gags only wins 40% of his draws and has a rook on his line. I have faith these things will be tightened up by the players themselves learning to buy in to be successful. I have actually been pleased with Yakupovs defensive buy in. He isnt the greatest defensive player but he is trying to stay with the plan better than Hall etc. This is why Ebs will be the future captain.
In conclusion; this is a young team, this is an emotional team, this is a skilled top 6 that needs to learn to pick their spots better at trying their gimmicks, this is a young defense that still has some possible baggage (whitney) and learning (petry) to do, and above all this is a team that needs to learn the high percentage plays. Calgary is not a better team, they arent faster... they are however players that make the puck work and make you chase. One team had brains, one team thought they could be cute. 5 on 5 we are sucking.
9th in league on PP
9th on PK despite the SJ crapfest
not bad. fix up the 5 on 5