GDT: 12/21/23 - 7:00PM EDT - Vegas vs Tampa Bay

[The Macho King]

I knew we'd win.

 

[Powerplay17]

Great game. Great win.

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

I really appreciate those bozo assclowns for ranking Kuch in the 15-20 range in the preseason lists.

 

[Lightning1995]

Needed it, hopefully that sparks a winning streak

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Well, decent night I guess around us in the standings. Leafs and Panthers lose, Devils going to lose (3rd period meltdown vs. Edmonton), Hurricanes only get 1 point, only the Capitals got two points...Leafs are only 9-8 in regulation this season, which is a hilariously low number of regulation games (12 games out of 29 have gone to OT/SO).

It wouldn't kill us if we could finally string together some consistency right now.

 

[These Are The Days]

They have got to stop doing this. But a win is a win. I am also becoming very concerned at how well we've pulled it together without Serg. Like, "Uhhh did we just get better without him?" concerned

 

[T REX]

AMEN!

 

[bigdaddio]

Refs impacting games too much. Let me count the ways.

Don't call obvious boarding on both teams early leads to fight.
Lightning get a bullshit extra 2 on the fight.
Fight leads to Lightning coming back.
Game management swallow whistles in 3rd.
Leads to Kuch getting a penalty for jawing.

Granted the refs being shit led to an exciting game so maybe they should just stay shit.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[Bartleby]

That Hagel fight sparked the comeback.

You're probably right but it's still total horseshit. The trend of guys looking for fights after perfectly clean hits is something the league really needs to start cracking down on. You're allowed to check the other players. Not to mention the fact that Hags is lucky that the extra two he got didn't cost us in a then 2-1 game that we really needed.

 

[Antiramie]

You're probably right but it's still total horseshit. The trend of guys looking for fights after perfectly clean hits is something the league really needs to start cracking down on. You're allowed to check the other players. Not to mention the fact that Hags is lucky that the extra two he got didn't cost us in a then 2-1 game that we really needed.

The NHL is WWE now. It values controversy over an actual good product.

 

[Stammertime91]

Coming in late....

Kucherov played pissed and you could tell he was a break, bounce or clean shot away from burying the game when it was 4-2. Incredible player. Fleury had a few major gaffes but overall showed himself to stick it out and thats all you can ask for. I don't think he's much of an upgrade anywhere really. Good two way, but makes some egregious mistakes defensively. Showcased himself and built confidence these last two games. CDH makes some seriously questionable decisions for a veteran defenseman.

Hagel is the man! Great tilt fighting out of his weight class and provided a huge spark. Good to see Point and Paul getting points. Vasy with the flop on the puck with 3 seconds to go was both hilarious and gut wrenching. At least we showed we can beat a good team with a mediocre back end.

This game made it more than obvious the number one need on this team and its an upgrade over CDH/Fleury on the left. One game, but not missing Sergachev against Vegas is ironic.

 

[Antiramie]

I think our PP is definitely the main reason we're staying afloat. I also think it's more likely that regresses than our defense progresses. But guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Rschmitz]

You're probably right but it's still total horseshit. The trend of guys looking for fights after perfectly clean hits is something the league really needs to start cracking down on. You're allowed to check the other players. Not to mention the fact that Hags is lucky that the extra two he got didn't cost us in a then 2-1 game that we really needed.

Those hits are massively entertaining and legal. However, I am not the one eating them, I am sure the players on the ice have a very different opinion of them. It makes sense that a team on the receiving end of one of those big ones will want to have an immediate response to dissuade future hits like that and the only guaranteed way to do that is a fight.

If fighting is still part of the game, then it makes sense that this will happen. If it were like football, and players were ejected, it would never happen.

 

[EmptyNetAssassin]

Kuch may need back surgery after this season.

Those hits are massively entertaining and legal. However, I am not the one eating them, I am sure the players on the ice have a very different opinion of them. It makes sense that a team on the receiving end of one of those big ones will want to have an immediate response to dissuade future hits like that and the only guaranteed way to do that is a fight.

If fighting is still part of the game, then it makes sense that this will happen. If it were like football, and players were ejected, it would never happen.

Easy call it instigating which is what the rule is for. If you want to get kicked and spot the other team a 5 minute powerplay then im your huckleberry. If that doesn't work pull the old detroit trick when Lemieux wonder answer for his dirty play, go to their bench and tell them Send the turtle out here for his beat down or i am just grabbing stars off your bench and beating them down one by one until he comes on the ice.

 

[Rschmitz]

Obviously Vasy is better but where is the 8.8M difference between the 2 if they post relatively the same numbers and we were in the exact same spot before and after Vasy came back?

This is something you don't realize how much you should value until it is gone, I think you're underestimating the importance of quality goaltending. Yeah Vasy hasn't played elite and there have been goals scored on him, but I've seen some obvious differences in the confidence and play of the skaters in front of him that won't show up on a goalies stat card.

Having been through the decade after Khabibulin where our goaltending was a hot mess, I don't care that he isn't living up to his contract right now, he's been good enough for us to win and that is fine by me. I expect at some point, he'll return to his elite form though.

 

[Rschmitz]

Kuch may need back surgery after this season.


Easy call it instigating which is what the rule is for. If you want to get kicked and spot the other team a 5 minute powerplay then im your huckleberry. If that doesn't work pull the old detroit trick when Lemieux wonder answer for his dirty play, go to their bench and tell them Send the turtle out here for his beat down or i am just grabbing stars off your bench and beating them down one by one until he comes on the ice.

I thought how it went down tonight is exactly how it should go down, Hagel got the extra 2 for initiating it.

 

[Bartleby]

Those hits are massively entertaining and legal. However, I am not the one eating them, I am sure the players on the ice have a very different opinion of them. It makes sense that a team on the receiving end of one of those big ones will want to have an immediate response to dissuade future hits like that and the only guaranteed way to do that is a fight.

If fighting is still part of the game, then it makes sense that this will happen. If it were like football, and players were ejected, it would never happen.

The trend towards fighting after clean hits, regardless of how big, is a pretty recent phenomenon. It is not a change for the better.

I thought how it went down tonight is exactly how it should go down, Hagel got the extra 2 for initiating it.

I'm sure everyone would be singing a different tune if that extra 2 min in a 1 goal game turned it into a 2 goal game. Stupid fight, stupid penalty.

 

[EmptyNetAssassin]

The trend towards fighting after clean hits, regardless of how big, is a pretty recent phenomenon. It is not a change for the better.

Exactly. This is why when their goon goes after your player for a clean hit, you send your goon to their bench and tell them square or up or your star is going too feel it.

 

[Rschmitz]

I'm sure everyone would be singing a different tune if that extra 2 min in a 1 goal game turned it into a 2 goal game. Stupid fight, stupid penalty.

Kind of like how Kucherov complaining basically lost us a two goal lead?

Eh, I'm not saying it was smart, I am saying we should understand why it happens and that it can be justified. There is a reason why several intelligent players line up to do it.

 

[TheFurryPickle]

bout time he backed up his mouth...

what ?

 

[Sky04]

This is something you don't realize how much you should value until it is gone, I think you're underestimating the importance of quality goaltending. Yeah Vasy hasn't played elite and there have been goals scored on him, but I've seen some obvious differences in the confidence and play of the skaters in front of him that won't show up on a goalies stat card.

Having been through the decade after Khabibulin where our goaltending was a hot mess, I don't care that he isn't living up to his contract right now, he's been good enough for us to win and that is fine by me. I expect at some point, he'll return to his elite form though.

95% of the league does not have a 9.5M or more goalie and other top teams are fine. The trend around the league is average goaltending and superior depth in the lineup for awhile now, Tampa's wins were the exception.

The post-Khabibulin excuse is getting old, those teams were bad top to bottom along with bad goaltending, bad management and bad coaching, acting like it was all on goaltending is disingenuous , we are clearly in a different spot now with the talent all around the organization.

We can play both sides, the team in front of JJ had a lot of new faces and people getting used to the system early in the season and he still gave us "good enough to win" games more often than not, the results speak for themselves, the team's W-L record is nearly identical since Vasy's return, so by your logic if they're playing better with him in net but not winning anymore games than before then what's the issue there?

 

[Bartleby]

Kind of like how Kucherov complaining basically lost us a two goal lead?

Eh, I'm not saying it was smart, I am saying we should understand why it happens and that it can be justified. There is a reason why several intelligent players line up to do it.

They line up to do it because it has become the expectation. But just look at Hagel's quote " I saw he hit Tony.......". He doesn't say, " I saw him board Tony. I saw him slew foot Tony. I saw him slash Tony". He hit him so I had to fight him. Anyone who thinks this is good for maintaining at least some level intense, but clean, physicality in the league is not seeing things clearly. It's becoming a league of whiners and crybabies. "Boo hoo, he him me cleanly. Someone go defend my honor".

 

[Steazy Doo]

They line up to do it because it has become the expectation. But just look at Hagel's quote " I saw he hit Tony.......". He doesn't say, " I saw him board Tony. I saw him slew foot Tony. I saw him slash Tony". He hit him so I had to fight him. Anyone who thinks this is good for maintaining at least some level intense, but clean, physicality in the league is not seeing things clearly. It's becoming a league of whiners and crybabies. "Boo hoo, he him me cleanly. Someone go defend my honor".

This mentality is why we won two cups, at least according to Canadian hockey media. I find it annoying too. It was a clean hit

Also give Kuch his fourth point, Hedman never touched that puck!!!

 

[bigdaddio]

This is something you don't realize how much you should value until it is gone, I think you're underestimating the importance of quality goaltending. Yeah Vasy hasn't played elite and there have been goals scored on him, but I've seen some obvious differences in the confidence and play of the skaters in front of him that won't show up on a goalies stat card.

Having been through the decade after Khabibulin where our goaltending was a hot mess, I don't care that he isn't living up to his contract right now, he's been good enough for us to win and that is fine by me. I expect at some point, he'll return to his elite form though.

I'm taking it game by game with Vasy. He's had one stand on his head, a few good and a few bad. Despite the save %, he nearly stood on his head last night. Of the 4 he let in, 3 were goals against anybody on any day. The 4th was a total screen that Vasy could have played better but was very far from a softie. He did make a ton of crucial saves on high quality scoring chances.

We need to fix our defensive structure. When the puck goes behind the other team's net in a scrum it's just normal hockey. When the puck goes behind our net in a scrum it feels like a goal about half the time. Whatever kind of zone we are trying to play breaks down whenever we lose a puck battle or a rebound. Consistantly being outnumbered in front of our net while not killing a penalty is just dildos. They either need to scrap it and do what they did for the last 5 years or get this right in a hurry.