GDT: 1/27 - Canes vs Jackets - Tighten Up

[Vagrant]

If we are to be a playoff team and possibly more we need nights like last night to happen. Good teams win games they shouldn't, they just find a way. No need to over analyze and break it down, count the pts and move on.

I didn't want to overstate the importance of the win last night based on a knee jerk reaction, but this was my exact sentiment. This team scrapped to get back into a game that in other seasons they normally would have just allowed to roll over them. Eric deserves some credit for really keeping that drive to make plays late in the 3rd in a close game. Just as you said, you have to win games when perhaps your goalie doesn't have his best stuff or when the early bounces don't go your way. Realizing it's a sixty minute game is half the work for a team as talented as this one. They didn't start on time, but they made up for it.

I think we all knew that as the shooting percentages started to balance out that this team was going to get some goals. What we didn't know was if those goals would mean anything if we couldn't turn them into wins. Now that we have Staal and Semin going again and Skinner staying involved on the second line, we're starting to look like a team that actually has some offensive punch. Contributions from depth players have been ridiculously important during this stretch as well.

I also think it can't be overstated how much the addition of JM Liles has helped to balance this defensive group. +10 in ...11 games? 12 games? Even if the offense isn't coming, that's still an impressive stat.

This team is finding itself at the right time. It's not too late to save this season. We don't have to win every game, but we need to be in every game.

 

[bluedevil58*]

As I watched the game last night(as I do with all games) before the 3rd there was a shot of Staal on the bench talking to Semin and basically it looked as if Staal said "we are winning this one" and Semin nodded in agreement. Next thing I know Semin had a sick drop pass that was very deceiving to the eye and bam Staal scores.

I tell me fiance' at the time: "You know judging by what I see in Staal we are going to tie this." Next thing I know, bam Staal scores again. That was a great game and one of the first games that I saw STaal actually carry the team. It's becoming evident that he is tired of losing. That was a great final 10 minutes. The first 20..... not so much. Hope is starting to be re-established but I am still cautiously optimistic....

 

[Lucky Lindy]

Sorry to hear about your dog hank. Know the feeling.

Great win last night, even if I only saw half the first. When I have to get up 6am, it's not the best to watch a game that starts 1am.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

As I watched the game last night(as I do with all games) before the 3rd there was a shot of Staal on the bench talking to Semin and basically it looked as if Staal said "we are winning this one" and Semin nodded in agreement. Next thing I know Semin had a sick drop pass that was very deceiving to the eye and bam Staal scores.

I tell me fiance' at the time: "You know judging by what I see in Staal we are going to tie this." Next thing I know, bam Staal scores again. That was a great game and one of the first games that I saw STaal actually carry the team. It's becoming evident that he is tired of losing. That was a great final 10 minutes. The first 20..... not so much. Hope is starting to be re-established but I am still cautiously optimistic....

That wasn't a drop pass, Semin tried to move into the center of the ice and the puck was poked off his stick...and directly to Eric.

Puck luck certainly. But hey, they deserve some once in a while.

 

[Vagrant]

That wasn't a drop pass, Semin tried to move into the center of the ice and the puck was poked off his stick...and directly to Eric.

Puck luck certainly. But hey, they deserve some once in a while.

You forgot "as he was skating east-west", to satisfy the Tripp gods.

 

[Stickpucker]

No question he's been the best this season. But his save percentage has been below his average for the last five games, despite pulling out wins in the last four for us. Tomorrow would be his fifth start in seven days. Having a suitable tandem would be ideal is all.

Big Russian machine strong Neverbreak

 

[jstaal]

hmmm

As I watched the game last night(as I do with all games) before the 3rd there was a shot of Staal on the bench talking to Semin and basically it looked as if Staal said "we are winning this one" and Semin nodded in agreement. Next thing I know Semin had a sick drop pass that was very deceiving to the eye and bam Staal scores.

I tell me fiance' at the time: "You know judging by what I see in Staal we are going to tie this." Next thing I know, bam Staal scores again. That was a great game and one of the first games that I saw STaal actually carry the team. It's becoming evident that he is tired of losing. That was a great final 10 minutes. The first 20..... not so much. Hope is starting to be re-established but I am still cautiously optimistic....

Bluedevil, Didnt you have us dead and buried at 2-0 in the 2nd?? Not busting ya, seriously, but where do you really stand on the Canes?

 

[bluedevil58*]

After 4 years of pure disappointment I am starting to become cautiously optimistic. Last year trolled me hard especially at the beginning of the season where I started to have high hopes and then..... At least we are peaking now rather than at the start of the season so we will see. I am still not convinced that we will not go on a 4-5 game losing streak as I have grown accustomed to over the years.

After seeing Eric on the bench I had a feeling we were going to win at the start of the 3rd as my posts indicated earlier in the thread. Those first 20 minutes though were god awful.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

- If you expect the worst, you'll never be disappointed
- An unaimed arrow never misses its target.
- The man who is a pessimist before 48 knows too much; if he is an optimist after it he knows too little.
- Pessimists may be shunned, but they're the ones putting life jackets on the boats.
- There are moments when everything is going well. Don't be frightened...it won't last.
- In a life without limits, things can always get much worse.

There. Now the hockey gods hopefully won't smite the team for all the optimism this board has shown of late. Shame on all of you

 

[PaulProteus]

Not for nothing and I don't mean to bump this pointlessly, but if anyone wants to see a board that takes our levels of hype, high expectations, and over-reaction then turns the dial up to e1eventy, go and check out the Columbus GDT from last night. I just went there to see if the guy sitting in my row posts (he does, and he took a jab at the size of our crowd!), and couldn't stop reading.

I guess what I'm saying is that it makes our period-to-period meltdowns and hyperventilating seem relatively low-key.

 

[What the Faulk]

Well, to be fair, there were only like 13.5k last night and the crowd was pretty quiet almost all game. But when they started scoring, man it got loud.

 

[PaulProteus]

Well, to be fair, there were only like 13.5k last night and the crowd was pretty quiet almost all game. But when they started scoring, man it got loud.

Agreed. Monday nights are on the small side. Most people do whatever they want to do for fun on the weekend, I think, so those games tend to be pretty lightly attended. And, well, it's us.

And it was certainly the loudest small crowd I've heard in a while. It even gave the Montreal comeback a run for its money.

 

[Clark Gillies]

Monday crowd's are tough. It is a tough way to start the week, if you have any sort of travel to the arena, My 2 HS aged kids were just plain beat, and could have easily passed on going last night and they are huge fans.

The Fan Zone seats which we know for a fact are sold out and usually full were probably only at about 60% filled.

It is funny that just like NYE, we had an exit strategy planned for the third - third goal we are leaving and no goals for us at 10 minutes we were leaving.
The people next to us left about 7 minutes into the third. We had a whistle at 10:01 on the clock and my daughter turned to me and said "It's not minutes yet, let's stay a little longer"

What a game, this team is definitely giving us some memorable moments this year, and all in all that is why we go to the games.

 

[PaulProteus]

Monday crowd's are tough. It is a tough way to start the week, if you have any sort of travel to the arena, My 2 HS aged kids were just plain beat, and could have easily passed on going last night and they are huge fans.

The Fan Zone seats which we know for a fact are sold out and usually full were probably only at about 60% filled.

It is funny that just like NYE, we had an exit strategy planned for the third - third goal we are leaving and no goals for us at 10 minutes we were leaving.
The people next to us left about 7 minutes into the third. We had a whistle at 10:01 on the clock and my daughter turned to me and said "It's not minutes yet, let's stay a little longer"

What a game, this team is definitely giving us some memorable moments this year, and all in all that is why we go to the games.

The only game I seriously considered leaving early this year was the Montreal comeback, but my wife SERIOUSLY leaned on me to stay. I knew I married her for a reason!

One thing that I've noticed this season, and it might just be me or new people in our section, but it seems like more people are leaving at the 2nd intermission or fairly early in the 3rd, even in games that we're winning or are tight. Strange.