Way to go Andy! Maybe the Panthers should have traded Vokoun and kept Anderson, haha! So Boston continues to struggle, especially at home. What has gone wrong for this team so far? I say defense, but especially goaltending. What is up with Thomas?
Avalanche are keeping their work ethic consistent and doing the little things that Sacco wants them to do in order to create goals. Good for them.
Kings at Islanders:
The Isle's are not sucking one bit. In fact, they are playing good hockey. The main problem is that they lack a real scorer on the team. Frankly Tavares has not impressed me one bit, but Hedman has (definitely would have picked him over Tavares). This guy Moulson is trying hard.
The Kings continue to impress after a horrible first game. They are taking advantage of teams playing poor hockey and being slow in playing good hockey. The real test for the Kings comes when the other teams start playing up to their standards against them. Jon Quick making a case for the US team?
Leafs at Rangers:
Man.....i was hoping Toskala was going to rebound this season but it really does not seem to be the case. They weren't necessarily soft goals allowed, but savable? Yeah. I still laugh at Pierre McGuire when he called him a world class goalie when the Leafs acquired him. Unbelievable. If the Leafs really want to compete, then it's time to look for goaltending help. Toskala's confidence is shrinking and his game is suffering on a consistent basis. I think the Leafs should send him down, see how he can maybe adjust his performance in the AHL. I'd make it a conditioning stint rather than a demotion.
Rangers skated hard for 60 minutes the previous night and they showed up again tonight. The second period was challenging, but Lundqvist held his own as did the Rangers as a whole. They simply outplayed the Leafs. Toronto could not match the depth of the Rangers. Redden played a hell of a game. He's been doing well with Torts, so maybe his season is brighter than expected. Eleven Rangers scored points tonight; eight of those players scored two or more points. Avery played great hockey as well. It is pleasing to see back-to-back wins in two nights, and even better when you see five different players scoring goals.
Devils at Capitals:
Brodeur finally played his first solid game of the season. Took him some time, but he is not the only goalie to have a slow start. Devils defense frustrated the Caps offense a lot, and the worst thing to have against the Devils are defensive breakdowns when their main guys are on the ice looking for an equalizer. Theodore played quite well too, but the Devils managed to play 60 minutes, and win it in SO.
Caps looked average again. I think they are too over confident with their skills and are thinking that skills alone will win games. Nooooooooo..... it's hard work. Too much dependence on Ovechkin and Semin. The other guys need to step it up as well. Mike Green, where the hell are you?
Penguins at Senators:
Penguins played a good game. Stuck with their plan and it rewarded them with a nice win. Tyler Kennedy flirting with 20+ goals this season?
The Sens really stink. Man do they stink. Amazing but true, they are 2nd in the East with a 3-2 record, but also have a -2 goal differential. How could they be leading the NE? Well, Toronto still has not won a game yet and our being outscored 2 to 1. Sabres have only played three games. The Bruins are confused. And Montreal was a flukey start and haven't come close to victory for three straight games.
Panthers at Lightning:
Panthers are one of the slow starting teams. They still looked out of sync and a step behind the other team. Vokoun has been inconsistent in net making some great saving, but allowing some softies. They really should have won tonight with the chances they got, and Nitty really stood out, but with some luck as well. Kreps missed a gaping net....and yeah, it was wide open. Seems like they are playing better with each game, so....things should fall into place soon. Moore is still not playing.
Lightning should thank Nitty as he pretty much won this game for them. The offense did well and Stamkos is becoming a threat on the PP, but teams will learn not to leave him open at the hashmarks for one-timers. Tampa's defense still looks out of place, but Hedman and Ohlund have been very good, i think. Tampa will need good goaltending to sniff the playoffs this year.
Oilers at Predators:
Oilers came out hard and Grebeshkov is showing his worth. Wow, were the Isle's ever so good in trading him. Nashville didn't show up to play. Edmonton did. Not much more to comment.
Flames at Blackhawks:
Welcome to the NHL, welcome to the Windy City, welcome to an ice rink where the home team is quite talented and skilled enough to score goals in bunches. You need to play 60 minutes. Hawks played 40 minutes, Flames played 20 minutes. Inexcusable for both teams, but obviously the Hawks get the thumbs up for having the skill and character to make such a major comeback. Their goaltending appears to be a big issue, though. Huet just isn't cutting it and while Niemi held his own, he wasn't too promising either. The Flames should get an early morning practice tomorrow with a lot of hard drills. You just can't allow six unanswered goals to happen when you're up by five.
Coyotes at Sharks:
Man, i watched the whole game and it was dull in a sense that it finished 0-0, and not a lot of offensive chances, but it was intriguing because it felt as if it was a chess game. Coyotes played so hard for the win and they did a good job getting their sticks in Heatley's way. Their poke checks disallowed the Sharks big guns to do anything offensively. Tippet had a big smile on his face after the SO was over and he definitely should be smiling. His players played honest hockey and deserved it. Good for them.
Hottest team in the East:
New York Rangers winning five in a row.
Coldest team in the East:
Maple Leafs losing five in a row.
Hottest team in the West:
LA Kings winning four in a row.
Coldest team in the West:
No specific team as no one has lost more than two games in a row, but if i had to pick one i'd say the Minnesota Wild.
Posted on 10/12 11:21 PM | IP: 65.9.83.141
Tim Thomas is being Tim Thomas - he's a journeyman goaltender who played out of his mind last year. He's regressing towards the mean.
Sorry - the Isles suck, that's all there is to it. They should finish 30th this year. Maybe we want to give Tavares and Hedman more than 5 games before we decide who will be the better pick.
Leafs need to get Toskala out of the nets - unfortunately his backup, Monster, has a groin problem. Monster will get to play a string of games once he's healthy and hopefully he'll show better than Vesa. Rangers look like a decent team, though I can't help but think that defense is held together with Scotch tape. Del Zotto is playing out of his mind - hopefully he can keep it up but I'm not holding my breath. Gaborik has about another 50 games in him this season, he'll miss his regular 30 games, but he's a hell of a player when healthy. Still - Rangers will be in tough to make the playoffs, but they are playing really well right now.
I didn't see the Caps/Devs or Pens/Sens so I can't comment.
Panthers have looked awful from what I've seen so far this season - can't generate offense to save their lives.
Oil played well, Preds didn't show up at all.
Flames haven't played even close to 60 minutes this season - they've won by outplaying their opponents badly for 10 or 20 minutes of each game, then sitting back and hoping Kipper can hold on. It worked against the Nucks, didn't work against the Hawks. Flames need to tighten up their game as they can't ride a hot Kipper and Rene Bourque the whole season.
Posted on 10/13 7:18 AM | IP: 203.18.176.243
Thomas has had a few good years though. I think Rask played last night, though. Bruins as a team are playing poorly.
The Isle's play well, but can't score. So far they have given trouble to every team they faced. If someone starts lighting up the lamp, then i think they will be more challenging than people expect. It is early to tell who is the better pick between Tavares and Hedman, but so far one has looked like a first pair d-man, and the other like a 3rd liner.
Gusty should be better than Toskala, but that goes without saying. I think many average goalies could be better than Toskala right now. When Gusty is healthy to play, i'd really consider sending Toskala down to the minors for conditioning.
I'm still not sold on the Rangers defense as well, but so far it hasn't looked too bad. No doubt that Torts will have defense sacrificing odd-men rushes, that's his style. He used to play the trap with Tampa until he realized that he had a world class goalie in Khabi and he changed the style to be much more offensive. It could be costly, but i think the Rangers also have a group of forwards that are very good defensively as well. Del Zotto isn't really playing out of his mind. Defensively he has been fine, and offensively he is making a lot of great passes, especially on the PP. That seems like normal stuff to me.
SHHHHHHHHHHHHH about Gaborik!!!!!!!
I think many teams will have a tough time making the playoffs.
Panthers have looked awful, but at least they lost due to Nitty's out of his mind goaltending, and a bit of luck too. Florida is a slow team joining a group of slow teams this season.
I agree with the Oilers-Preds game.
I definitely agree with the Flames. They too play inconsistently throughout a game, like the Canucks. This is the coach's responsibility, though. AV and Sutter need to make these guys work from start to finish.
Posted on 10/13 8:06 AM | IP: 98.64.21.240
I missed last night's Leafs/Rags game completely so can't comment much but from the games I've seen so far for Toronto, Toskala has stunk or if he's been ok he saves the ones he should but just won't make a save or two that they "shouldn't" make to keep them in the game.
The offense is playing like a bunch of individuals trying to make stuff happen and failing miserably. the PK is at 58% which tells the rest of the story.
This team is in dire need of a really solid playmaker or two.. Bozak is coming up for tonight's game and that's his game so it will be a big help.
Posted on 10/13 8:23 AM | IP: 24.114.255.83
Agreed - to me it looks like they are trying too hard to play an up tempo skill game - they just don't have the horses up front for that.
Add to that Toskala letting it at least one bad goal a game and it's a recipe for disaster.
They need a solid playmaker and a sniper or two - perhaps Bozak and Kessel will get some chemistry together.
Posted on 10/13 9:01 AM | IP: 203.18.176.243
Isles are a young team - they'll play hard and lose most games just because they don't have the skill and don't know how to win yet.
Canucks and Flames look similar right now but there's one big difference - Nucks are missing their #1 forward (Daniel), #1 d-man (Salo), #2 LW (Demitra), a 1st unit PP guy (Schneider) and a solid 4th liner who is a really good penalty killer(Hansen). Considering half the goal scored against them have been on the PK, and most of those with Rypien and Johnson on the ice, Hansen has been missed.
Contrast that to the Flames who are 100% healthy - Nucks will be just fine when they get their team back.
Posted on 10/13 9:07 AM | IP: 203.18.176.243
The backend and the forwards remind me of oil and water...
Very soft and skilled up front and just the opposite at the back...
The forwards want/need to play the game at a pace the blueline can't keep up to, in some ways I think Burkey is guilty of not realizing how much skill he has within the forward group, if he did he would not have signed some of the slugs he did on the blueline...
Take care...
Posted on 10/13 9:27 AM | IP: 69.196.72.101
A good point was made by a poster I know... that in pre-season the offense was dominated by the kids who DID have the skill and speed to play up tempo, or at the very least were playing high energy and working their butts off. So when they demoted several of the kids, the effort level dropped off substantially.
When the reg. season came along our top six was almost all veterans who aren't keeping up and are playing as individuals. I think it speaks to the fact that a number of forward vets on this team aren't very teachable, are rather selfish players and couldn't make a play to save their lives.
Stajan, Blake and Poni are three that for sure fall into one or more of those categories but they aren't alone. Its not that they aren't trying, its that they aren't playing smart at all when they do try. All I see in the offensive zone is a lot of attempts to dipsy doodle and a lot of waving their sticks at the puck to try and get it..
Bozak is a playmaker (who can still finish ok too) and Kessel brings the big shot and the guy who should back off defenders. The rest of them need to learn to play as a line and work together - none of them have the skills to do it on their own.
Posted on 10/13 9:30 AM | IP: 24.114.255.83
Seriously, if I have to read another "Burke did his job wrong" post from you I will throw up and mail it to you.
edit... seriously the bias is unbelievable, and I completely disagree with that assessment of our forwards. they really aren't "small and skilled" as a unit .. they are sort of skilled but completely lack playmaking ability.. everyone wants to lug the puck and everyone wants to try to take it to the net - someone needs to set plays and they lack that.
There is plenty of skill on the defense in the top four. Komi and Beauch aren't slugs at all - not even remotely close to it - neither is Schenn or White.
This post was edited on 10/13 9:58 AM by Ian D
Posted on 10/13 9:37 AM | IP: 24.114.255.83
Coach DeBoer said that was the best game the Panthers have played so far this season.
There's way more wrong with the Leafs right now than an extra save or two, and an extra goal here and there can fix.
Opposing teams are doing a good job of keeping the play away from Chara. He looks confused out there. Bruins also need an enforcer. Sturm isn't all the way back by any means. They are out of sync. Playing like a bunch of Frank Clank's on skates. Frank Clank is my nickname for a bad mechanic.
To a man, players are crediting Tortarella's conditioning demands for the fast start.
Flames are over rated. The comeback by the Hawks was the best in team history. The previous mark was winning 7-4 after giving up the first 4 goals. 1989 I think but forget against who.
Posted on 10/13 10:55 AM | IP: 24.205.180.38
I don't think that the Nucks losses have been related to lack of depth or skill with their injuries. They still have a solid line-up. The issue with them is that whenever they play well and either lead or tie, they start to sit back too much. It's a matter of keeping up the forechecking and not be lazy when backchecking.
AV has to push them harder.
Posted on 10/13 12:33 PM | IP: 98.77.175.186
So nobody besides M Peroni are going to mention anything about the Rangers? I am it's the forecheck.
Posted on 10/13 2:23 PM | IP: 66.25.43.146
Only when there is something negative to talk about the Rangers you will get a discussion ;)
Posted on 10/13 2:59 PM | IP: 98.77.175.186
Win a couple games and it's all send us the Cup ;)
Of the 5 wins, 2 came against non-playoff teams, Ottawa & Toronto; 1 came against a gassed team playing it's 3rd road game in 4 days. Despite all the hype the Caps are just a .500 team with a horrible GAA. Those are games Rangers are expected to win, if they're a playoff team.
Plus, the Rangers have enjoyed a favorable schedule in that they haven't played back2back road games yet.
The sole impressive win and the only win that came against a team with a winning record was a 3-2 edging of the Devils. Nice going.
While nobody is yelling "break up the Rangers," nobody is arguing the #1 power rating either.
Posted on 10/13 6:27 PM | IP: 75.128.51.39
Thrash, nobody said anything about the cup, you have been talking about your Ducks all summer and now what, you forgot the Rangers played the Penguins and lost 3-2, by your tone you would have been happier if they lost 6-0.
Fair, enough! The tampering issue is old because there wasn't one in the first place...."attack the post not the poster". Ya happy!!!!
This post was edited on 10/13 6:59 PM by upice
Posted on 10/13 6:48 PM | IP: 66.25.43.146
upice, see the wink? That means yer being teased, rook. You and mperoni whine because nobody is talking about yer Rags yet. When somebody does, you slam the post?
Posted on 10/13 7:38 PM | IP: 75.128.51.39
I think by the tone of his post he was playing around too...
Posted on 10/14 7:17 AM | IP: 65.9.82.239
That bad, eh?...
Given how wide open Burkey has left himself I thought I was going easy on the guy...
I'll do my best to go easy on the critism, heck I'd love to throw a compliment or two his way if and when he earns them...
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