GDT: 1/3 the Effort. Tampa vs. Carolina

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Wolfpuck

Chefnikov
Jun 25, 2006
38,851
86,442
The 919
That was agony.

Jets win

Lords of the SouthBEAST dethroned

Feels-bad-man.jpg
 

Novacane

Registered User
Jan 25, 2012
24,992
9,048
Raleigh, NC
Not gonna lie. Somewhat glad this team is finally chasing the division lead after holding it for so long. Now they are facing a little adversity.
 

vwg*

Registered User
Nov 16, 2005
20,425
6
Krasnoyarsk
I honestly don't care if we make it as the 8th seed, just really don't want to face the Habs in the first round
I wouldn't worry. We'll probably lose out on the 8th seed on the final day of the season. That's more likely than making the playoffs if recent history is any kind of indication. As long as we keep a revolving door of bottom 6ers as our roster "shake ups" we're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
 

Roboturner913

Registered User
Jul 3, 2012
25,853
55,526
The good news is, at least nobody is breathing down our necks for the 8th spot. For now. The Islanders are 3 points back but have played 1 more game.

Pitiful performance tonight.
 

Roboturner913

Registered User
Jul 3, 2012
25,853
55,526
The other good news is, I got my Stanley cup DVD today so my post-work beer and pizza won't go completely to waste. :laugh:
 

geehaad

HFBoards Sponsor
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Aug 24, 2006
7,518
18,924
When I talk about the way the game of hockey is played, I always feel the need to first disclaim that I have no delusions of knowing much about the way the game is played. Everything I know about the game is from having spectated and picked up on nuances. It's one reason that I don't like Tripp Tracy as a color guy, because I want more than what he delivers in his analysis.

Anyway, getting back to the attempt to make a fool of myself...

It seems to me that the Hurricanes neutral zone play is their achilles heel. Or perhaps it's better stated that their (in)ability to move the puck through the neutral zone is a quick indicator of whether they are a threat to win a game or not. I also think that this is the first part of their game that disappears in the 3rd period when they attempt to hold onto a lead. I might be able to make a better argument for this inclination if I'd had it for some time, but it more or less occurred to me during this game last night. The Canes just could not seem to move the puck through the neutral zone worth a crap, and they never figured out how to beat Tampa's system.

I don't know how to be any more articulate than that about the subject, but (I think) I know this: it is precisely this area of the game that determines who wins/loses playoff hockey games, so if they have any designs on taking this thing farther than a blowout series loss, they'd better figure it out.
 

Blueline Bomber

AI Generated Minnesota Wild
Sponsor
Oct 31, 2007
40,242
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Maybe I'm just conditioned for this, but this team is on a tipping point.. I'm nervous

Shouldn't be nervous. It should be expected by this point. This team rarely, if ever, makes it easy on themselves.

Would anyone be really surprised to see them falter down the stretch and miss playoffs? Honestly, given the history of this team, I think it'd be more surprising for them to right the ship and cruise into a divisional championship.
 

Joe McGrath

Registered User
Oct 29, 2009
18,409
39,428
Shouldn't be nervous. It should be expected by this point. This team rarely, if ever, makes it easy on themselves.

Would anyone be really surprised to see them falter down the stretch and miss playoffs? Honestly, given the history of this team, I think it'd be more surprising for them to right the ship and cruise into a divisional championship.

I would say that with the way the team is built (i.e. without much concern for their own end), it would be rather remarkable for them to cruise to winning the division with a career backup and basically a career AHLer in net for the duration.

As for the game itself, I might be wrong about this but it seems Muller diagnosed the issues that this team was having with Tampa the wrong way. Early in the broadcast Tripp was going on and on about the way they practiced for Tampa's forecheck. Didn't work, as their forecheck was still effective. The problem that they really had in the first two games, and this one, was getting anything going through the neutral zone. That was the key issue in the Capitals final two periods as well. The book would appear to be out on how to slow the team down, time to come up with something new. It's just like the PP that worked with the strech pass to Jokinen for about a 2 weeks, and everyone caught on and it never worked again.
 

Ole Gil

Registered User
May 9, 2009
5,737
9,054
Tampa's bottom 6 beat the tar out of our bottom 6.

A lot of good chances for our top 6, just didn't bury them tonight. Hopefully, they pot a few against the Rangers.
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
86,116
142,133
Bojangles Parking Lot
When I talk about the way the game of hockey is played, I always feel the need to first disclaim that I have no delusions of knowing much about the way the game is played. Everything I know about the game is from having spectated and picked up on nuances. It's one reason that I don't like Tripp Tracy as a color guy, because I want more than what he delivers in his analysis.

Anyway, getting back to the attempt to make a fool of myself...

It seems to me that the Hurricanes neutral zone play is their achilles heel. Or perhaps it's better stated that their (in)ability to move the puck through the neutral zone is a quick indicator of whether they are a threat to win a game or not. I also think that this is the first part of their game that disappears in the 3rd period when they attempt to hold onto a lead. I might be able to make a better argument for this inclination if I'd had it for some time, but it more or less occurred to me during this game last night. The Canes just could not seem to move the puck through the neutral zone worth a crap, and they never figured out how to beat Tampa's system.

I don't know how to be any more articulate than that about the subject, but (I think) I know this: it is precisely this area of the game that determines who wins/loses playoff hockey games, so if they have any designs on taking this thing farther than a blowout series loss, they'd better figure it out.


That's all pretty much spot on. Considering the defensemen and top-9 we're bringing to the table, you'd think we would be one of the better teams at getting through the neutral zone with speed. But lately it's pretty clear that the book is out on our breakout system. I really thought it would get better with Joni in the lineup, and it still might, but it's not pretty to watch right now.
 

Roboturner913

Registered User
Jul 3, 2012
25,853
55,526
That's all pretty much spot on. Considering the defensemen and top-9 we're bringing to the table, you'd think we would be one of the better teams at getting through the neutral zone with speed. But lately it's pretty clear that the book is out on our breakout system. I really thought it would get better with Joni in the lineup, and it still might, but it's not pretty to watch right now.

This team's main strength on offense is its forecheck/cycle game and the forwards creating turnovers in the neutral zone. Those aren't really things that can be negated by the other team's "system," they just need to get back to the basic game plan, do some more dump and chase stuff and mix it up a little bit more. They're too predictable right now.
 

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