Some thoughts on the game 1 loss and strategy for game 2......
- Game 1 .... terrible 1st period. Gave up a goal 28 sec into the 1st period when both our D-men looked like they were sleeping. Lovejoy didn't play his man close enough on the long cross ice pass allowing the left winger to get off a hard shot on Fleury who made the save but gave up a bad rebound into the slot right on the stick of a Ranger forward who inexplicably got behind Martin and one timed a shot past Fleury who had little chance to stop it ..... if Martin played his position properly he could have either cleared the rebound or tied up the Ranger player..... we had too many penalties in the 1st period (four) and they scored a PP goal when Spalling tried to block a shot from the point, it went through his legs (and I think deflected off the top of his left skate changing direction slightly), Fleury lost sight of it and it went into the net..... we have to be a lot more disciplined then we were in the 1st period and not take so many stupid penalties...... in the 2nd and 3rd period I thought we played well and even slightly outplayed the Rangers.
Fourth line played well in game 1 ..... we were pretty good 5 on 5 when we made short, quick breakout passes to negate the Rangers aggressive forecheck and when we got the puck in deep behind the Ranger D-men to negate their team speed advantage. I thought Fleury played very well in game 1.
I think we are one "1st two line winger" short ..... I just don't like Winnik on Crosby's line, he doesn't skate well enough and doesn't score .... we miss a healthy Dupuis..... obviously we miss Letang, Ehrhoff, and Maatta on defense ..... especially Letang.
Game 2 ..... keys to me are to stay out of the penalty box, short quick breakout passes to negate the Ranger forecheck, get the puck in deep behind the Rangers D-men and win the battles down low, Fleury has to continue to play well ...... Lundqvist plays deep in the net, we have to get some traffic in front of him for screens, deflections, rebound shots and go high with shots from in tight.
I'd like to see the same 4th line of Lapierre, Spalling, Comeau which played well in game 1 ...... consider moving Kunitz back to the 1st line and make it Crosby, Hornqvist, and Kunitiz ..... Kunitiz has more speed then Winnik and can score but still forechecks well .... make the 2nd line Malkin, Perron, and Bennett/Winnik with a 3rd line of Sutter, Downie, Bennett/Winnik .... we could sure use Dupuis on the 1st or 2nd line.
Just some thoughts.
- Game 1 .... terrible 1st period. Gave up a goal 28 sec into the 1st period when both our D-men looked like they were sleeping. Lovejoy didn't play his man close enough on the long cross ice pass allowing the left winger to get off a hard shot on Fleury who made the save but gave up a bad rebound into the slot right on the stick of a Ranger forward who inexplicably got behind Martin and one timed a shot past Fleury who had little chance to stop it ..... if Martin played his position properly he could have either cleared the rebound or tied up the Ranger player..... we had too many penalties in the 1st period (four) and they scored a PP goal when Spalling tried to block a shot from the point, it went through his legs (and I think deflected off the top of his left skate changing direction slightly), Fleury lost sight of it and it went into the net..... we have to be a lot more disciplined then we were in the 1st period and not take so many stupid penalties...... in the 2nd and 3rd period I thought we played well and even slightly outplayed the Rangers.
Fourth line played well in game 1 ..... we were pretty good 5 on 5 when we made short, quick breakout passes to negate the Rangers aggressive forecheck and when we got the puck in deep behind the Ranger D-men to negate their team speed advantage. I thought Fleury played very well in game 1.
I think we are one "1st two line winger" short ..... I just don't like Winnik on Crosby's line, he doesn't skate well enough and doesn't score .... we miss a healthy Dupuis..... obviously we miss Letang, Ehrhoff, and Maatta on defense ..... especially Letang.
Game 2 ..... keys to me are to stay out of the penalty box, short quick breakout passes to negate the Ranger forecheck, get the puck in deep behind the Rangers D-men and win the battles down low, Fleury has to continue to play well ...... Lundqvist plays deep in the net, we have to get some traffic in front of him for screens, deflections, rebound shots and go high with shots from in tight.
I'd like to see the same 4th line of Lapierre, Spalling, Comeau which played well in game 1 ...... consider moving Kunitz back to the 1st line and make it Crosby, Hornqvist, and Kunitiz ..... Kunitiz has more speed then Winnik and can score but still forechecks well .... make the 2nd line Malkin, Perron, and Bennett/Winnik with a 3rd line of Sutter, Downie, Bennett/Winnik .... we could sure use Dupuis on the 1st or 2nd line.
Just some thoughts.
