This is kind of a problem with Team NA (predictably), they want to shoot high all the time, problem with that is if you miss, the puck is likely going all the way down the ice. Sometimes just shooting at the pads will get an easy rebound goal, but kids being kids ...
PGT: 9/19 - Russia vs North America - Russia 4 North America 3 F
- Thread starter Fenway
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This is kind of a problem with Team NA (predictably), they want to shoot high all the time, problem with that is if you miss, the puck is likely going all the way down the ice. Sometimes just shooting at the pads will get an easy rebound goal, but kids being kids ...
I believe they tried Mac and Eich and it wasn't pretty. Mac is a bit of a puck hog and Eich really seems to have to be the center (not positionally) of his line. He needs to dictate the pace and style to be most effective. I know it's just for PP sake, but I don't see the two meshing well.
I'd put Mac on the first and put Matthews on the point and put Ghost on the second PP.
Dbrownss
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You can tell he adjusted after the 2nd high shot. The first one I remember was abysmally bad...like 5ft wide. 2nd shot was a laser but I think it wasn't too far off. After that all shots were low and on net. I just find the hyperbole strange when he only missed the net twice
Now, now kids, I want you to play nice with Eichel. He's new to this school and needs some friends.
Tough tourney so far for Eich, just seems like whatever line he's on is thrown off.
Auston Matthews was North America's best forward. His advanced numbers tonight were absurd. What a talent. Connor McDavid was great too. It's so much fun watching them play. This game was one of the best hockey games I've seen in a while. So fun
dahrougem2
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I thought the RNH-MacKinnon-Gaudreau line was the best line tonight. In fact, that should have been the line to get the 5on3 late in the 3rd period, especially after generating a PP goal earlier in the period.
Senor Catface
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Now, now kids, I want you to play nice with Eichel. He's new to this school and needs some friends.
Tough tourney so far for Eich, just seems like whatever line he's on is thrown off.
I still think he's a fantastic talent, as are ALL the players on team NA. Some players adjust to change faster/slower than others.
This board really need to ease up on the ginger.
McFlyingV
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They were only together for the last like 5 minutes of the 2nd and the 3rd period. They were definitely good, but the McDavid line was good all game. Maybe if they had thrown Gaudreau on that line from the start of the game they would have been the best. Nuge and Mack both had their best games of the tournament imo.
JarvisFunk
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Dbrownss
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Eichel will be fine. Watching him in Buffalo was great when I could tune in. He's just not having a great tournament. He's already shown what he's capable of.
McDavid while absolutely fantastic is becoming pretty predictable. He's going to have to work on driving the net harder or pull up at the circles at hit the trailing man in. The ol backhander short side at full speed isn't working. Still insane how fast he is
McDavid while absolutely fantastic is becoming pretty predictable. He's going to have to work on driving the net harder or pull up at the circles at hit the trailing man in. The ol backhander short side at full speed isn't working. Still insane how fast he is
McFlyingV
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This must be where a lot of the hate is coming from. HF must not like ginger "curly headed ****s" (step brothers joke reference for anyone who thinks I'm being offensive or vulgar).
McFlyingV
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Not overly worried about Connor, he does need to add a little more variety, but for anyone who watched him all last season, he definitely didn't rely only on that move. He'd pull up plenty and wait for big slow Maroon to catch up or hit a trailing Dman and created some offence off cheeky stick work (LAK game comes to mind when he one hand slashed the puck off Lecavalier's stick and into the net, and stole one from him at the side of the net and found Maroon backdoor for the tap in). I'm actually happy that he's shooting the puck more tbh. Last year he would hardly shoot when he was in dangerous spots and passed off a little more than he should have. His shot still needs some work, but the willingness to shoot is definitely encouraging.
Nope, its because some bright person decided to have the worst teams in the past 10 years coach/gm run the show.
Dbrownss
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That's good to hear, I'm basing my opinion off this tournament since I don't specifically remember much last outside of the highlights.(I actually made an effort to watch Oilers games because of how good he is). I'm actually impressed with his shot, from inside the dots it's damn good and given his agility and speed...he doesn't need a Tarasenko shot.
McFlyingV
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Don't get me wrong he still relies a lot on his speed as thats his bread and butter, but he does have a lot of other good aspects to his game. His shot definitely looks harder this year, probably from getting stronger this summer, but I still think its something he can use some work on so that he can beat some goalies clean more often when he's coming in wide, and so that he has another tool to use on break-aways. He definitely overuses his cut-back to forehand move when he's in all alone. It works sometimes, but being able to switch it up and beat goalies in other ways would really help him score more on breakaways (and he gets a ton of them). Its almost obvious when a goalie just guesses that he'll use the move because they don't bite at all on his fake. He honestly could take a page out of Nuge and Draisaitl's book and start going with the snap shot over the pad and outside the blocker. Those two are both really good at that and its one of the hardest saves for a goalie to make on a breakaway.
Just because you can predict it doesn't mean you can do anything to stop it, see above, the only thing that stopped that from being in the back of the net is bad luck.
We're over analyzing every shift way too much here, yes maybe he should've gone backhand on that breakaway, but how many players in this tournament can even make that play happen in the first place?
There basically is no other player in this tournament where the puck can be in there own zone, and then single handedly it's in the other team's net in 10 seconds. He's can take the puck and drive it right down the throat of the opposition 2-3 times a game no problem, it's ridiculous.
Ainec
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There basically is no other player in this tournament where the puck can be in there own zone, and then single handedly it's in the other team's net in 10 seconds. He's can take the puck and drive it right down the throat of the opposition 2-3 times a game no problem, it's ridiculous.
Kuzy has something to say to that. If he has another goal vs a McDavid lead squad then there's something to this
Kuzy has great skill but even he can't do a lot of the things McDavid can. Look at that gif, he just goes through 4 Russian defenders like he's on a morning skate and then perfectly gift wraps what should be a goal right to his teammate. Can't believe Schief didn't bury that.
KidLine93
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He turns the puck over a lot trying to do everything on his own. He really didn't create many chances when he was out there. He rode shotgun to RNH and Mack buzzing together.
He needs to use his line mates more.
RNH and Mack move the puck well to each other and cycle pretty hard. They create a lot of chances like that. Maybe Gaudreau should take a hint and join in on his line mates plays. He's shown he has the IQ 5o do that but maybe he wants to be the "Go to" guy but doesn't realize he's not good enough to go coast to coast all the time
Ainec
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neither Finland or Russia could neutralise Team NA's speed through the neutral zone and transition game but I didn't watch the 3-2 Czech Republic loss, I wonder what happened there
will be interesting to see if Sweden's best D in the world (if Lindholm is in) can neuter it
will be interesting to see if Sweden's best D in the world (if Lindholm is in) can neuter it
