Ducks 4 - Jets 3 in OT

[gojetsgo]

we were 17-3 in our first 20. In our second 20 we went 10-8-2. Our current win/loss record is great, but I think it's a big mistake to pretend the first 20 games is more representative of this team than the last 20. I'd expect the remainder of the season to be more like the last 20 for sure. However, we aren't missing the playoffs. That would take a collapse the likes of which I don't think even the Jerts are capable of (although as I type that I have a vision in my head of the entire team standing up and in unison yelling "hold our beers!") How far we go in the post season is the big question.


Attending the game was fun. Bummer we couldn't pull off the win of course. To be honest though, I can get by very nicely with watching the games on TV.

we clearly aren't as good as a 17-3(nobody is) but to say this team is a .500 team is just plain wrong... we had a brutal stretch of travel and injuries where this team could hardly catch their breath.. have you not noticed that since the travel stopped ehlers/scheifele healed up the jets have been winning more games and looking a lot better doing it?

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Rare that we get goalied with Helle in net.

True, in the regular season...

 

[SensibleGuy]

we clearly aren't as good as a 17-3(nobody is) but to say this team is a .500 team is just plain wrong... we had a brutal stretch of travel and injuries where this team could hardly catch their breath.. have you not noticed that since the travel stopped ehlers/scheifele healed up the jets have been winning more games and looking a lot better doing it?

not really, no. They look a little better recently sure, but certainly within what I'd say is their norm as far as what I've seen over the past few seasons. I don't think they are a .500 team either. I think more like a .580 - .620 team.

 

[Whis]

Perfetti is a problem in the top 6. 27/40 games he has ZERO POINTS. Sorry, that’s not good enough.

Why is he a problem and Vladdy isn't? Cole is on pace to get 48 points. That's fine production from a middle 6 forward.

What were people expecting, PPG player? Does anyone do that playing with Ehlers and Vladdy? I don't even mind bumping him down to 4th line and letting him play with Kupari and Barron but if you think Chibrikov is going to come in and keep up Perfetti's pace playing with Ehler and Vladdy for 40 games you need to watch more hockey.

 

[Flair Hay]

Why is he a problem and Vladdy isn't? Cole is on pace to get 48 points. That's fine production from a middle 6 forward.

What were people expecting, PPG player? Does anyone do that playing with Ehlers and Vladdy? I don't even mind bumping him down to 4th line and letting him play with Kupari and Barron but if you think Chibrikov is going to come in and keep up Perfetti's pace playing with Ehler and Vladdy for 40 games you need to watch more hockey.

I'm with Quint on this one... 50 pts is basically replacement level production for top 6 + PP2. Or at least a negligible difference.

Chibrikov has shown no issues producing in his limited time.

Might be time to put some pressure on Cole by giving Chibrikov another taste.

 

[gojetsgo]

Why is he a problem and Vladdy isn't? Cole is on pace to get 48 points. That's fine production from a middle 6 forward.

What were people expecting, PPG player? Does anyone do that playing with Ehlers and Vladdy? I don't even mind bumping him down to 4th line and letting him play with Kupari and Barron but if you think Chibrikov is going to come in and keep up Perfetti's pace playing with Ehler and Vladdy for 40 games you need to watch more hockey.

they are both the problem(names/perfetti), perfetti has what 4 goals in his past 31 games, how many of his points came in the first few weeks? in his last 16 games he has 6 points, 3 of which came in the same game

 

[voyageur]

It's becoming more and more evident something has to happen wth the second line.

7 and 91 aren't getting it done and Nik can't do it alone

It's funny though because they were good with Chibrikov. Can't put Ehlers on Lowry's line though because as Arniel would say it, he doesn't think or attack the same way.

This is the last year of trying to build a line around Ehlers. Because Yager won't fit his game either as a pass first guy. Who is probably not built for the corners on the NHL

Nino might be the only solution here. But then you start messing with what is working, which is Lowry, Nino and the grind.

Maybe it's Al and Fetts in the middle

I'm curious though. I have seen some nice stats for the 2nd line for goal diff, but I wonder what the actual numbers are for the winger pair with all centers. It's - with Scheif, - with Lowry now. What's that saying?

 

[Jet]

It makes one wonder if pionk isn’t getting the love he deserves as he has looked good with all his partners.

Oh but the only reason he's playing well is is a contract year

 

[Inanna]

not really, no. They look a little better recently sure, but certainly within what I'd say is their norm as far as what I've seen over the past few seasons. I don't think they are a .500 team either. I think more like a .580 - .620 team.

As of this morning, the league thinks they are a .705 team.

 

[SensibleGuy]

As of this morning, the league thinks they are a .705 team.

lol. Yes. I know where they are in the standings. 20 games ago the league thought we were a .900 team.

 

[Howard Chuck]

If you’re wondering why coaches don’t play Ehlers more, just look at that turnover with an attempted cross ice pass at the offensive blueline with a bit over two minutes left.

That was the turning point of the game imo. Two minutes left and you have a one goal game, just keep the puck in their end and run out the clock, don't go trying some fancy cross ice pass at the blueline.

Nikky giveth and Nikki taketh away.

 

[Gm0ney]

we clearly aren't as good as a 17-3(nobody is) but to say this team is a .500 team is just plain wrong... we had a brutal stretch of travel and injuries where this team could hardly catch their breath.. have you not noticed that since the travel stopped ehlers/scheifele healed up the jets have been winning more games and looking a lot better doing it?

Over their last 10 games, the Jets have been pretty dangerous - 6th best xGF% in the league and 5th best in HDCF%. They've also given up the 9th fewest xGA and 7th fewest HDCA. So they're getting dangerous chances in the offensive zone, and preventing dangerous chances in their own zone.

But at the same time, they have the 3rd worst CF%, 2nd worst CA, 5th worst SF%, and given up the 7th most shots.

So giving up quantity but not quality.

Their opponents over the last 10: VGK (OTL), MTL (W), SJS (W), ANA (L), MIN (W), TOR (W), OTT (W), NSH (W), COL (L), ANA (OTL). 6-2-2, 14 points, .700. 3-1-1 vs playoff teams.

 

[buggs]

I haven't time to read the PGT or watch the highlight packages but I understand that we gave up a 2 goal lead to the Ducks and lost in overtime. And penalties not called were a major factor. But we came out of it with a point. And we're still running at the top of the pack. And tomorrow night is another game.

Tomorrow night might be when I make it home, looking at the Simcoe forecasts today, Heavy snow and 400 closed sounds like I'm in for a long day without the ride to Barrie I was promised. There's worse places to be snowed in than Pearson I suppose. Maybe Siberia?

I'm sorry, but no. Pearson is at least a level II Hellscape. You have my sympathy.

 

[TS Quint]

Why is he a problem and Vladdy isn't? Cole is on pace to get 48 points. That's fine production from a middle 6 forward.

What were people expecting, PPG player? Does anyone do that playing with Ehlers and Vladdy? I don't even mind bumping him down to 4th line and letting him play with Kupari and Barron but if you think Chibrikov is going to come in and keep up Perfetti's pace playing with Ehler and Vladdy for 40 games you need to watch more hockey.

Who said Vladdy can’t be upgraded? I think just about everyone has said that. Let’s just start with responding to things that were actually said. Can you do that?

Perfetti producing ZERO POINTS for 55 games/year isn’t good enough. Maybe you need to watch more hockey to understand that.

This is a team game. You can’t just have soft perimeter players. You need to have some guys willing to get to the dirty areas and make some room for the skill players. That’s why a guys like Vilardi works so well with Connor and Scheifele, he has a role to play in helping the line even when he isn’t scoring.

 

[WolfHouse]

Why is he a problem and Vladdy isn't? Cole is on pace to get 48 points. That's fine production from a middle 6 forward.

What were people expecting, PPG player? Does anyone do that playing with Ehlers and Vladdy? I don't even mind bumping him down to 4th line and letting him play with Kupari and Barron but if you think Chibrikov is going to come in and keep up Perfetti's pace playing with Ehler and Vladdy for 40 games you need to watch more hockey.

Haha youre blaming ehlers?

 

[Gm0ney]

I'm curious though. I have seen some nice stats for the 2nd line for goal diff, but I wonder what the actual numbers are for the winger pair with all centers. It's - with Scheif, - with Lowry now. What's that saying?

What do you mean? Scheifele plays almost exclusively with Connor and Vilardi, and Lowry plays almost exclusively with Appleton and Niederreiter so I don't think there's any meaningful information with other wingers...the sample is far too small.

 

[voyageur]

What do you mean? Scheifele plays almost exclusively with Connor and Vilardi, and Lowry plays almost exclusively with Appleton and Niederreiter so I don't think there's any meaningful information with other wingers...the sample is far too small.

I think it was one shift of a quick line change and defensive breakdowns by both wingers that ended up in the back of the net, with Scheif up the ice still. But if you drag Lowry down too? I mean how can Lowry also be the problem with that line. He fits the mold of big, hard in the corners. I'm trying to say that the line that gets the least d-zone starts is holding water, but the water in the boat might be an unsustainable winger combination.

 

[NA Hockey]

Haha youre blaming ehlers?

I don’t think anyone is “blaming” Ehlers but he is very difficult to play with. He makes wild unpredictable passes, doesn’t go the net and doesn’t forecheck much. What he does do is make a lot of solo rushes and stays to the perimeter a lot. He is supremely skilled but difficult to read on what even should be the simplest plays. The line needs one heavy forechecker. Perfetti’s forecheck has been Very good this year but you don’t want him to be the primary forechecker on a line or to be the net presence all of the time.

I like the idea of Lowry, Ehlers and Perfetti, they were really good together last night and I think the line has a bit of everything.

 

[Whis]

Haha youre blaming ehlers?

Ehlers and Perfetti chemistry has gone from meh to zero. The line will be built around Ehlers so it is Perfetti's job to keep his spot. I think Perfetti has played fine as an individual player - you can tell his focus has been on forecheck and board work and I'm not sure what the coaching staff is telling him to do.

IMO the move is to blow up the Lowry line and rebuild your middle 6. The Vladdy line is terribly built and won't produce come playoff time. I'm for bumping Cole down to the 4th line but if anyone things Chibrikov is going to produce over 40 games playing with Vladdy and Ehlers you will be the same people calling for Lambert or Perfetti to get bumped up in a month.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Wonder if you have to blow up the top line. They are the hottest line in the NHL, but, is the only way to make us a 4 line team by putting them on different lines and switching Ehlers and Connor? I think Connor would play better with Perfetti with his north to South game.
Ehlers has had success with the first line. And having two lines that can produce would give us more than one line that can score.

 

[Crocket]

Vladdy is a likeable guy. Maybe a 3C or 4th winger that can sub 2C temporarily

 

[Gm0ney]

Who said Vladdy can’t be upgraded? I think just about everyone has said that. Let’s just start with responding to things that were actually said. Can you do that?

Perfetti not producing ZERO POINTS for 55 games/year isn’t good enough. Maybe you need to watch more hockey to understand that.

This is a team game. You can’t just have soft perimeter players. You need to have some guys willing to get to the dirty areas and make some room for the skill players. That’s why a guys like Vilardi works so well with Connor and Scheifele, he has a role to play in helping the line even when he isn’t scoring.

Perfetti's 120th in forward points...141st in points/game (min 20 gp).

2nd line forwards should rank between 97-192 in points, with the median being 144. So Perfetti is a slightly above average 2nd line forward.

He's streaky...but that's how it goes. The Jets are 24-13 +11 when he's on the ice at 5v5 and 58-49 +9 when he's not.

I do not like how that 2nd line is built though. Something is off in the mix.

 

[bustamente]

…….and for anyone wondering yes it was a sell out

 

[voyageur]

Ehlers and Perfetti chemistry has gone from meh to zero. The line will be built around Ehlers so it is Perfetti's job to keep his spot. I think Perfetti has played fine as an individual player - you can tell his focus has been on forecheck and board work and I'm not sure what the coaching staff is telling him to do.

IMO the move is to blow up the Lowry line and rebuild your middle 6. The Vladdy line is terribly built and won't produce come playoff time. I'm for bumping Cole down to the 4th line but if anyone things Chibrikov is going to produce over 40 games playing with Vladdy and Ehlers you will be the same people calling for Lambert or Perfetti to get bumped up in a month.

I don't know how you blow up the Lowry line. That's your #1 matchup line. So it has to be 3 good defensive players. Now I think if Apples were healthy you could maybe get a lot of good things out of Iafallo on a checking line. He's a guy that will battle every shift. Probably same speed as Nino. And Nino could be the moving part.

I don't like the idea of Ehlers playing against other team's best if he plays soft. Which he did last night. Look at where he was covering Trouba on the GTG, standing beside him, no effort to move him out of the way of the goalie's sight. Or block a puck. Perfetti on the 4th line is just a result of that, because there were two games in December the Jets won as a result of Perfetti playing smart below the goal line hockey, battling, and changing lines with possession that created GWGs.

He's the fall guy for Ehlers. But I agree there's not a lot of chemistry there. There is still time to experiment.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Yeah it has become clear that a 2 center remains a need. Can Chevy fill this without going to the rental well is the bigger question.

I mean, all he had to do was pay up for Monahan who is having a great season. Sometimes, when a team is in it’s prime and the window is open, you have to suck it up and give the team what it needs. Now we are going to trade some of our young pieces and picks, only to be lucky to get back what we already had.