Game Analysis: #1 - 10/3/13 | New York Rangers @ Phoenix Coyotes Analysis

[NYROrtsFan]

Hopefully people will start backing off that dumb idea that Torts was stifling some offensive juggernaut.

We had a good coach, we just didn't have the players. And we still don't. We have a good team, but it's offensively challenged and that is the problem. We'll make playoffs again without a doubt, but we'll finish similarly to the past few years.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Progress takes time. Something as fans that we have no patience for. It's a new system, something that we haven't had to deal with for over five years. This team is in an adjustment phase.

As for the intensity, I think it also comes with time when they are still learning a new system. They are trying to play this system and I think that's what they are focusing on at the moment.

I can deal with this for a game. Maybe even for five. But after ten or fifteen games I expect to see some improvement. Look what happened to Adam Oates in Washington. It took them a good 20 games to get hot and barely make the playoffs

Ill give the team the benefit of the doubt when it comes to learning and adapting to a new system. The utter lack of intensity and compete level we've seen going back to last season is unforgivable. At least last season you could use Torts' message going stale as an excuse -- whats the excuse for such a pedestrian effort level under a brand new coach?

 

[Samuel Culper III]

Both Nash and McDonagh didn't play nearly enough. Definitely confused by this.

Well McD only played 3 minutes in the first because he went off to get stitches. Nash, on the other hand had about 8:50 of ice time after two periods. THAT does not make sense. He finished with 15:13. Why would Vigneault give him so little ice time and shift Boyle/Pyatt so much at even strength? This isn't the preseason anymore. We're not "saving" him for when it matters. I hated Nash's game last night but I think a guy like him also wants to be on the ice for 22 minutes and get way more touches with the puck in order to get engaged and get his motor going.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Well McD only played 3 minutes in the first because he went off to get stitches. Nash, on the other hand had about 8:50 of ice time after two periods. THAT does not make sense. He finished with 15:13. Why would Vigneault give him so little ice time and shift Boyle/Pyatt so much at even strength? This isn't the preseason anymore. We're not "saving" him for when it matters. I hated Nash's game last night but I think a guy like him also wants to be on the ice for 22 minutes and get way more touches with the puck in order to get engaged and get his motor going.

Hopefully he was showcasing those two. Well Boyle has his positives, you just have to put up with a lot of negatives to get there. The positives are pretty big though, he really does step it up a couple notches in the post season. Hard to determine if it outweighs all the regular season frustration. Pyatt is effective most of the time but his speed is a big issue.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Progress takes time. Something as fans that we have no patience for. It's a new system, something that we haven't had to deal with for over five years. This team is in an adjustment phase.

As for the intensity, I think it also comes with time when they are still learning a new system. They are trying to play this system and I think that's what they are focusing on at the moment.

I can deal with this for a game. Maybe even for five. But after ten or fifteen games I expect to see some improvement. Look what happened to Adam Oates in Washington. It took them a good 20 games to get hot and barely make the playoffs

You don't need to full understanding of a system to play with intensity.

 

[Hire Sather]

Only concerning thing is the upcoming schedule.

Really, really need to get some points, and facing these teams in their barn early in the season is very concerning.

 

[cbjgirl]

Well McD only played 3 minutes in the first because he went off to get stitches. Nash, on the other hand had about 8:50 of ice time after two periods. THAT does not make sense. He finished with 15:13. Why would Vigneault give him so little ice time and shift Boyle/Pyatt so much at even strength? This isn't the preseason anymore. We're not "saving" him for when it matters. I hated Nash's game last night but I think a guy like him also wants to be on the ice for 22 minutes and get way more touches with the puck in order to get engaged and get his motor going.

Based on his years in Columbus, Nash does best when in the 18-20 minute range. Too many minutes for him doesn't work that well either. 15 does seem really low though.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

You don't need to full understanding of a system to play with intensity.

Cue the canned "overthinking" excuse, aka the Kreider effect.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Based on his years in Columbus, Nash does best when in the 18-20 minute range. Too many minutes for him doesn't work that well either. 15 does seem really low though.

AV might have been trying to limit his ice due to his foot. Might still be a bit sore, who knows.

 

[TUQ]

This situation reminds me of Washington Capitals form the beginning of last season. They were brutal first and after 20 or so games (after they learner the new system and got it under their skins) they just launched of. In the playoffs they hit the wall ... ee Lundqvist ... but they were the better team in PO than us.

We need to be patient, it will take some time, we won't have puck possesion game like Detroit in 5 games, this is a long term run in the end of which we, hopefuly, emerge stronger.

And SBOB, although it seems their play is really luckluster and disinterested, experience says it is always like that when something new is learned on the fly, they just have to think more and don't act as quick as when they don't have to think about their moves and positioning.

 

[PavelBure9]

You don't need to full understanding of a system to play with intensity.

I would argue that intensity comes when you have full confidence in a system. They obviously do not and they are In a transition period. Look at Phoenix. Why are they able to play so authoritatively. Because they are locked into a system that they fully buy into. They know their assignments back and forth. Without confidence, you can't play with intensity.

 

[Hire Sather]

Probably cause its early in the season, but with our lineup already missing two top 6 wingers.. the bottom 6 really got a lot of ice time last night.

Nash/Pyatt was mentioned.. Pyatt with 1 second more ice time but the 4th line also got almost 12 minutes each.

 

[PavelBure9]

This situation reminds me of Washington Capitals form the beginning of last season. They were brutal first and after 20 or so games (after they learner the new system and got it under their skins) they just launched of. In the playoffs they hit the wall ... ee Lundqvist ... but they were the better team in PO than us.

We need to be patient, it will take some time, we won't have puck possesion game like Detroit in 5 games, this is a long term run in the end of which we, hopefuly, emerge stronger.

And SBOB, although it seems their play is really luckluster and disinterested, experience says it is always like that when something new is learned on the fly, they just have to think more and don't act as quick as when they don't have to think about their moves and positioning.

Fully agree 100%

 

[sark76]

Progress takes time. Something as fans that we have no patience for. It's a new system, something that we haven't had to deal with for over five years. This team is in an adjustment phase.

As for the intensity, I think it also comes with time when they are still learning a new system. They are trying to play this system and I think that's what they are focusing on at the moment.

I can deal with this for a game. Maybe even for five. But after ten or fifteen games I expect to see some improvement. Look what happened to Adam Oates in Washington. It took them a good 20 games to get hot and barely make the playoffs

I agree with this, but there is one thing you can tell right from the getgo...They are not going to be a tough, gritty team and that's disheartening even after just one game.

I still say this team is in desperate need of a high energy 2nd or 3rd liner. I wish I could say that I believed Dorrestt was gonna be that guy.

 

[Callagraves]

I like how the D men joined in with the offense.

I hated everything else.

I'm not going to like AV, i think.

 

[Callagraves]

Also, did he really start off the season, and every period with the Boyle/Pyatt line? Is he out of his god damn mind?

 

[Garv23]

All these judgements after one game hahaha wow! Maybe I'm just too much the optimist, but I saw some potential, positive creativity brewing. I'm not saying they played good by any means! I just saw some flashes of good passing, puck movement and shots. Sure this new gameplan needs some WD-40, but the potential is there.

My main concern is on D. (Staal was fantastic btw) The bodies in front of Hank HAS to be dealt with. This is a glaring problem. That crease should be protected like a child. Teams will take advantage of this all game long if something doesn't change..

 

[OverTheCap]

Missing assignments and general confusion/indecision are not surprising when learning a new system. Hell, I expect indecisiveness no matter what system they are accustomed to.

However, barely making an effort to battle in the corners and protect the puck are not really things that need to be thought about, it should be instinctual. Overall, the team did not play with a lot of energy. The forechecking was abysmal and Callahan and Hags will help with that when they return. But some of the other players are going to have to battle a lot harder and be stronger on the puck if they want to play a possession game.

 

[Inferno]

one you go from 1 system to its complete 180, its going to take a long time before we get it....as i said on my blog, it wouldnt surprise me if we got off to a REALLY slow start...it could take months for them to "get" it. I mean, look at how drastically different the system is in all 3 zones...their own zone is where they look the worst...and it shows... AV wants pressure, Torts always wanted collapsing. they almost always look caught in between. thats no mans land.

and, when they DO pressure, 3 guys will go and pressure the same player, leaving 4 on 2 everywhere else.

it's gonna take time.

 

[sark76]

Missing assignments and general confusion/indecision are not surprising when learning a new system. Hell, I expect indecisiveness no matter what system they are accustomed to.

However, barely making an effort to battle in the corners and protect the puck are not really things that need to be thought about, it should be instinctual. Overall, the team did not play with a lot of energy. The forechecking was abysmal and Callahan and Hags will help with that when they return. But some of the other players are going to have to battle a lot harder and be stronger on the puck if they want to play a possession game.

 

[Fitzy]

The Coyotes were forechecking hard and fast early in the game. All it would have taken was better execution on the counter attack to score a few more goals. However, Stepan looked like a guy playing his first game, and we were fumbling with the puck more than was necessary. John Moore, Miller, Derek Stepan, Brassard, and Brian Boyle being the primary offenders.

Pouliot looks as though he has difficulty understanding how the offensives rule works. A guy with his size and speed, it is understandable why he was a 4th overall pick, but he should score a lot more with that package than he has in his career.

We played badly but I saw some promising signs for this team. Richards was not as poor on the wing as I anticipated. I don't know how Staal can see the net through that robocop visor, but he pulls it off. Dorsett looks strong off the bat this year.

 

[pld459666]

I like how the D men joined in with the offense.

I hated everything else.

I'm not going to like AV, i think.

at some point (and some would argue we are past that point - I would agree) that we need to stop looking at the guys behind the bench and look at the guys on the bench for what is really wrong with the Rangers.

Soft perimeter pass first players.

not surprising they can't score.

 

[In Disgust]

Well McD only played 3 minutes in the first because he went off to get stitches. Nash, on the other hand had about 8:50 of ice time after two periods. THAT does not make sense. He finished with 15:13. Why would Vigneault give him so little ice time and shift Boyle/Pyatt so much at even strength? This isn't the preseason anymore. We're not "saving" him for when it matters. I hated Nash's game last night but I think a guy like him also wants to be on the ice for 22 minutes and get way more touches with the puck in order to get engaged and get his motor going.

we were in our own zone A LOT, hence Nash's lack of time on the ice. As you could see when he poke checked in Vbrata's 3rd goal, you don't want him in your own zone. I think that's why Pyatt had so many minutes was AV didn't want our "best offensive weapon" operating in our own zone.

But to agree with nearly everyone else, the team just looked like they were still getting used to a brand new system. Although the constant dump-ins were what worried me the most. Oh, the penalties were terrible too.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Don't forget that Smith absolutely robbed us of two goals, 8/10 times they go in.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Don't forget that Smith absolutely robbed us of two goals, 8/10 times they go in.

So they lose 4-3?