2007-2008 NHL Catch All Thread

[kwolf68]

 

A couple goals on Khabi were just bad breaks...it happens. tough loss.

[CWSGuy406]

Zyuzin is starting to get on my nerves quite a bit, BTW. He holds onto the puck too long, he's not particularly effective on the PP or in his own zone. When this team gets fully healthy, I hope Byfuglien is the one who's staying on the ice and Zyuzin joins MagJo in the press-box.

[kwolf68]

 

agree...this is why the Blackhawks were linked to McCabe a week or two ago...we need a veteran player(s) that can stabilize the blueline. I thought Seabs played well tonight, he was really hitting.

[IlliniKrush]

Just got back

 

Savard had some weird lines going halfway through the game or so, I'm sure you noticed Keith but for those that didn't hear it, he had Buff up with Havlat and Lang. He said on the postgame that he had to adjust and be more physical up front, but I don't think putting Buff on that line is the answer because he is big. The guy is a defenseman (as of now) with little forward experience and you are going to put him on a line with Havlat and Lang, your '1st' line? I don't like it one bit. He's not good offensively and doens't have hands. I understand the philosophy, but if you want a grinder out there, either throw Ruutu up there and put someone (Sharp, Sammy, Perrault) with Kane/Toews or put someone like Burish or LaPointe up top. He said after the game he will think about that line tomorrow, but seriously, you can't play a defenseman turned forward on your first line, just like that, because he's big and 'grindy,' for lack of a better word. Buff is still a bad, er, BRUTAL skater, and was not very good tonight. Please don't turn him into a first line winger right now. Furthermore, though he has a big shot, he's not a good PP qb, at least not yet. No one bring up the hat trick game, as 2/3 goals were open nets and the 3rd was just a decent shot, which is what he possesses. He is not a good puck mover and he's slow, and any turnover turns into a neutral zone adventure with him.

 

Beyond that, tonight was a game of ridiculous bounces for both teams. Keith I'm gonna disagree with you on Habby because 2/3 goals he had basically no chance on. The one he had the chance on, the backhander, was a wicked shot and that was Kane's blown coverage. The other one off the back boards was brutal defense by 3 diff guys, including Seabrook without a stick, and the shot was immediately put back off him after it was sent wide. The 3rd one was off Zyuzin's leg, no chance there. He was fine tonight and not the reason we lost. Luongo was pretty good but nothing spectacular really. A ton of shots were easy glove saves. Havlat's goal was certainly a ridiculous break, off Luongo off a skate and back into the net. Of course 2 of their 3 were fluke goals, so yeah, just a really odd game from that stand point.

 

Kane almost tied it at the end with a sick move but he didn't have enough room or momentum going in the correct direction to either stuff it home or actually shelf it somehow. The Hawks played a decent game, certainly not a bad game, but Vancouver just matched them shift for shift for the most part. It was tough to get anything going 5 on 5 minus a few shifts because their dmen played physical and were pretty good positionally.

 

Keith I see what you are saying about Zyuzin...and Sopel had some problems with the puck tonight as well. Zyuzin had a better 3rd period on the PP and pinching in a few times but early on he was pretty mediocre. The pickings, however, are slim back there, and someone's gotta play. I don't know who should be getting the 5/6 spots right now...but it'd sure be nice to grab some sort of impact dman sooner than later. And if MagJo ever touches the ice again I will go promptly go down there and bring him back to the press box.

 

Would have been nice to get a point, but let's rebound Friday and we'll be fine.

[whitesoxfan101]

I hate Roberto Luongo, damnit.

[kwolf68]

Article in the DH today says Hawks are after a #1 D man.

 

 

Our blueline is what will prevent this team from doing anything great this year. We have some scorers, we have depth, we have more than 1 good attacking line, our specials teams is coming on, and both goalies are playing well lately.

 

However, the amount of garbage goals, odd man rushes, stupid passes across the crease, turnovers will do this team in. I'd wager at least half our losses are the direct result of poor play on the blueline.

 

I don't have the stats in front of me, but I know the Hawks are way up there in goals scored...we can put the puck in the net, but need to get tighter on defense. I don't know what we'd have to deal to get some help on the blueline, but we sure could use that help. McCabe is too expensive + Toronto is coming on a bit. We'll see.

[IlliniKrush]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=91020&src=149

 

Buff will play on the first line tonight. I don't like it.

[The Critic]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=91020&src=149

 

Buff will play on the first line tonight. I don't like it.

Neither do I.

Assign the guy a set role to play on this team and keep him there.

Bouncing from D to F and back again will only hamper his growth as a defenseman.

Bring up a forward from Rockford and play him. Keep Buff on the backline.

 

....just in case, I still want him on D even if he scores 4 goals tonight....

[kwolf68]

 

Personally, I liked Sharp on the first line.

 

And what's this news I glanced over this morning? Jason Williams could miss 3 months? Geezus H...

[IlliniKrush]

Neither do I.

Assign the guy a set role to play on this team and keep him there.

Bouncing from D to F and back again will only hamper his growth as a defenseman.

Bring up a forward from Rockford and play him. Keep Buff on the backline.

 

....just in case, I still want him on D even if he scores 4 goals tonight....

They are having trouble doing that with all the injuries. If they think he is a forward, that's fine, try to keep him up there. Personally, I don't really like him on defense for his lack of skating ability and coverage errors, I don't project him to be a decent defensively.

 

Anyways, if you are going to put him up at forward don't put him on the 1st freakin line, as I said after Wed's game. Being big and physical and having a nice slap shot doesn't suit you to play on a team's first line. He can't keep up with Lang and Havlat and doesn't have a good idea of how to play forward. I can see his skating and passing ability hampering any sort of rushes through the neutral zone, as well as his ability to cycle down low and make passes and good decisions.

 

He's better suited on a line that almost always has to dump and chase and forecheck really hard, as well as check the other team's big guns (because one thing Buff will do is finish his checks). It's ridiculously obvious, but put Ruutu (or a less talented Burish) on that line if you really want a physical guy up there. Buff should not be in the top 2 lines. I'll be shocked if Buff has a good game tonight. To me, this isn't putting your players (or team) in the best position to succeed.

Edited December 7, 2007 by IlliniKrush

[kwolf68]

 

^ Great analysis

[The Critic]

They are having trouble doing that with all the injuries. If they think he is a forward, that's fine, try to keep him up there. Personally, I don't really like him on defense for his lack of skating ability and coverage errors, I don't project him to be a decent defensively.

 

Anyways, if you are going to put him up at forward don't put him on the 1st freakin line, as I said after Wed's game. Being big and physical and having a nice slap shot doesn't suit you to play on a team's first line. He can't keep up with Lang and Havlat and doesn't have a good idea of how to play forward. I can see his skating and passing ability hampering any sort of rushes through the neutral zone, as well as his ability to cycle down low and make passes and good decisions.

 

He's better suited on a line that almost always has to dump and chase and forecheck really hard, as well as check the other team's big guns (because one thing Buff will do is finish his checks). It's ridiculously obvious, but put Ruutu (or a less talented Burish) on that line if you really want a physical guy up there. Buff should not be in the top 2 lines. I'll be shocked if Buff has a good game tonight. To me, this isn't putting your players (or team) in the best position to succeed.

That IS great analysis (I expect nothing less from The Krush), and I agree with all points.

It just seems like they want him to be a D-man, so if that's where they project him, I want them to give him the best chance to succeed back there.

I do think, as you do, that he'd be a decent low-line forward, a bang-and-crash kind of guy.

Ruutu would give them a physical presence on the top line, and he can put it in the back of the net as well.

I want them to leave Sharp, Kane and Toews alone no matter what. I think that line can do some great things if they're not tinkered with.

[CWSGuy406]

Scratch Samsonov AND Perrault for tonight.

 

And Brian, I agree with everything you said above but did I read that you said Buff has bad hands? If so, that's the only thing I'd disagree with -- I think he's got some of the best on the team, in all honesty, or at the very least, some very good hands for a defenseman.

[CWSGuy406]

Damn. I'm sure there were several people who were at the game tonight who will comment, but I thought the effort was pretty f***ing good tonight. I know nobody wants to hear this, but I'd say they got extremely unlucky -- Havlat had that one that was inches away from going over the goal-line and Ruutu hit the iron again. Anahiem had what, five goals on 22 shots? Khabby hasn't been in top-form the past couple games.

 

Zyuzin is really, really getting on my nerves . He just doesn't seem like he does anything well and on-top of that he makes a lot of head-scratching decisions with the puck. If there's one 'goat' on this team it's him IMO.

 

This is tough. We've last the past couple in a row even though I don't think we've played terribly (although my attention was averted during much of the St Louis game so I can't comment on that one). The West is a real b**** -- obviously there's still a ways to go but as of now I think the Hawks are on the outside looking in. I'm not terribly worried as two wins in a row potentially puts the Hawks back into fourth place, that's how close it is.

 

It sucks to lose these games but I'm confident. The crowds have been getting better and the team seems to playing with a lot more energy at home -- we just gotta end up on the other side of these one-goal losses.

[IlliniKrush]

That was a frustrating game. 40+ shots and we can't get a victory. JS was solid in net. Basically all three of the goals were flukes. He was really the difference tonight as the Hawks carried play 5 on 5 the entire night.

 

Savvy didn't go with Buff on the first line, instead going with Kane-Toews-Havlat. While this line is super talented, the 2nd line of Ruutu/Lang/Buff is kind of mediocre. They weren't brutal tonight but I'm hoping this isn't permanent. I'd like to see sharp on the 2nd line somewhere.

 

Getzlaf was pretty solid tonight. His 'sneaky' breakaway goal was sick and he had 2 assists. The goal that really hurt was Schneider's, as we gave it up to their 4th line (with our 4th line out there getting torched defensively).

 

Props to Burish for that fight with Dipenta. It was the right time to do it, and he held his own in that one. It seemed to work, as the Hawks came out flying after it. It's a shame we were down 2 at that point, as you just knew we'd eventually get one. Two was just one too many to get in the 3rd period.

 

The Buff turnover was beyond brutal, we would have had 30 more seconds to tie it up, but that's that. It was just one of those games. I'm not too worried about this loss as the Hawks played a damn good game and just couldn't solve JS. They bring that energy and effort every night and they will win way more games than they will lose. I was proud of the effort tonight.

 

Also, Tony, that puck was not in the net. The replay showed the puck squarely on the goal line and then pulled out. The entire puck has to cross the goal line, and that wasn't even close to happening. They could have maybe reviewed it, but it wasn't even a question in my mind. Sure it was close, but it wasn't a goal.

 

Finally, props to Ian (Mr Showtime) for the hospitality tonight.

[IlliniKrush]

I beat you by a few minutes, sounds like we saw the same thing.

 

Couple things. 1. Did you think the Hawks scored on the no goal?

2. Did you think the Ducks goal a few minutes later was legit? I thought Bulin got crosschecked.

3. I don't know if you noticed tonight, but it seems like Kane has really hit a wall. I think we knew it would happen, but at least to me, you are really starting to see it,

2. I can't remember who it was, maybe Seabrook....but he was the one who threw the Ducks player into Habby, from what I remember. I honestly was fine with the no call.

[IlliniKrush]

To not send it upstairs was awful to me. It was certainly close enough to take a few looks. They spent 3 or 4 minutes looking at the Hawks last goal, and didn't give that one a second look.

 

I thought it was a bad call.

Well I think the ref was in good position to see it once and not need a 2nd look. And again, we're seeing diff things, but the puck was squarely on the goal line IMO and not very close to the whole thing being over. I could take or leave a review, but the overall call of no goal was correct.

[santo=dorf]

I'm going to put it here just so it gets more attention, but the Iowa-Iowa St. game tonight was really entertaining. Iowa scored first but ended up losing 8-1. With almost a minute left to play, and Iwoa State player completely laid out the goalie (behind the net) which resulted in an Iowa defender pushing him from behind up against the goal. While the goalie was out, my friend for Iowa St. jumped in to break it up but got caught in a headlock by the original pissed off Iowa player. Well he picked him up and reserved suplexed him on the ice and threw some punches. So those three were thrown out, and that was after another Iowa and Iowa St. player were thrown out for fighting much earlier in the third period.

 

I must said I can't stand the NHL, but college hockey is pretty entertaining.

[CWSGuy406]

Couple things. 1. Did you think the Hawks scored on the no goal?

2. Did you think the Ducks goal a few minutes later was legit? I thought Bulin got crosschecked.

3. I don't know if you noticed tonight, but it seems like Kane has really hit a wall. I think we knew it would happen, but at least to me, you are really starting to see it,

 

1. No goal, Brian's got it. Puck was on the red line but not completely over it, several Anahiem-feed replays (overhead shots) confirmed it. Sure, maybe they should've went upstairs but it wasn't a goal.

 

2. Yeah that one was a fine 'no-call' too. I'm pretty sure it was Duncan Keith who knocked Bertuzzi into Khabi. That was another lucky goal -- kudos to Anahiem for crashing the net, sure, but for the puck to bounce right on his tape like that? Damn.

 

3. Yeah, Kane's seemingly having a tough go at things. He's turning the puck over a little more than I'd like. Still, he's dangerous any time he has the puck. Havlat came back at exactly the right time, though, as it seems both Toews and Kane are slowing down a bit.

 

BTW, crowd seemed fantastic from a TV standpoint tonight and the Anahiem commentators made sure to point that out immediately after the anthem. I liked the well-timed "Let's go Hawks!" (Not "Let's go Blackhawks!", f***in' newbs ) chants, the crowd got into it at the right times.

 

I also think it's a shame Byfuglien is being jerked around like this, as he's played some great (okay, 'great' is a bit too strong -- he's still played pretty well, though) hockey. When he sets his mind that he wants to hit someone, that guy is probably going down. He absolutely dropped that one Anahiem defenseman tonight. I'd still rather see him at defenseman and I hope he's not forgotten when Bourque comes back. Buff is the only semblance of a PP QB this team has right now and despite his gaff at the end of the game tonight, I'm glad Savvy hasn't been gun-shy about putting him on the first-unit at the point. It's really too bad Cam Barker is stagnating or taking so long to stick in the NHL.

Edited December 8, 2007 by CWSGuy406

[Mr. Showtime]

I don't have much to add from an analysis standpoint. Everyone here has it covered. Attended the game this evening with Brian which was good times, the outcome of course not so much.

 

Tony, we had a few D-Bags in the two seats in front of me this evening, I think you would've punched both of them. Perhaps I missed it while reading the thread, but thoughts on Lang's play this evening, and his play as of late? Also Tony, yeah, that goal that was close to going over the line wasn't in. From my seats we got a pretty good view of it. I wasn't very surprised that they didn't take a look, I'm pretty sure there is an official upstairs who could've called down if it was in. There was a bit of a delay between the whistle and draw.

 

As others have said, need to make a trade for a D-Man, Zyuzin has gotta go.

 

 

[IlliniKrush]

I don't have much to add from an analysis standpoint. Everyone here has it covered. Attended the game this evening with Brian which was good times, the outcome of course not so much.

 

Tony, we had a few D-Bags in the two seats in front of me this evening, I think you would've punched both of them. Perhaps I missed it while reading the thread, but thoughts on Lang's play this evening, and his play as of late? Also Tony, yeah, that goal that was close to going over the line wasn't in. From my seats we got a pretty good view of it. I wasn't very surprised that they didn't take a look, I'm pretty sure there is an official upstairs who could've called down if it was in. There was a bit of a delay between the whistle and draw.

 

As others have said, need to make a trade for a D-Man, Zyuzin has gotta go.

They were dressed to hit the clubs after the game, which is fitting because they took off with 5 minutes left (after showing up late and not waiting for a whistle).

 

I think my favorite part about them was the one guy constantly yelling "play some defense already" when we were penalty killing and they had control of the puck, which is generally how a power play works if the other team gets it set up. He wanted the nearest player to immediately rush the player with the puck in this situation.

 

As we noted during the game, Lang couldn't keep the damn puck on his stick. He couldn't catch a pass to save his life, and there was one neutral zone turnover that led to a goal.

[Mr. Showtime]

They were dressed to hit the clubs after the game, which is fitting because they took off with 5 minutes left (after showing up late and not waiting for a whistle).

 

I think my favorite part about them was the one guy constantly yelling "play some defense already" when we were penalty killing and they had control of the puck, which is generally how a power play works if the other team gets it set up. He wanted the nearest player to immediately rush the player with the puck in this situation.

 

As we noted during the game, Lang couldn't keep the damn puck on his stick. He couldn't catch a pass to save his life, and there was one neutral zone turnover that led to a goal.

 

Hopefully we'll have a better selection of people tomorrow night.

 

I'll say this again for the record, TommyHawk did not wait for the whistle. If he's at the game for the kids, then he is setting a piss poor example on hockey etiquette.

[IlliniKrush]

Off to the game. Reminder that it is on CSN tonight, 6:00.

 

Time to stop this slide.

[DBAHO]

Yeah the Hawks have been playing well lately, but they need to actually get a result and pick up a win.

 

And they should get it against Calgary. That Keenan hire really worked wonders didn't it.

[CWSGuy406]

Gosh damn Byfuglien's got some hands.