Post-Game Talk: GAME # 14 - Blues def. Canucks: 4-3 (SO) (Kesler, Henrik, Raymond)

[Jyrki]

BTW guys - don't tell anyone, but Garrison leads our blueline in +/- while facing the toughest competition out of them all.

Okay, his Corsi numbers aren't very flattering but at least they're better than Bieksa's.

 

[604]

I hope the coach is actively trying to play Kesler to help him catch-up to the pace of the game.

The guy has been on for 4 goals against 5 on 5 which obviously aren't all his fault but he has been guilty of not getting the puck out and missing chances to win possession when he normally would.

People are quick to blame the goalies and the defenseman, etc. but realistically Kesler has jumped back into our lineup, been thrown in hard and has not had a bunch of success. The goals he has been on for have cost us points in the standings.

Kes' goals against /60 is three times worse than any other forward on the team that hasn't been asked to semi-retire (and still worse than twice as bad as Manny's).

Kesler has now been on for more goals against 5 on 5 than any of our other natural centres (H. Sedin, Lapierre, Schroeder...and tied with Maholtra).

 

[BerSTUzzi]

I hope the coach is actively trying to play Kesler to help him catch-up to the pace of the game.

The guy has been on for 4 goals against 5 on 5 which obviously aren't all his fault but he has been guilty of not getting the puck out and missing chances to win possession when he normally would.

People are quick to blame the goalies and the defenseman, etc. but realistically Kesler has jumped back into our lineup, been thrown in hard and has not had a bunch of success. The goals he has been on for have cost us points in the standings.

Kes' goals against /60 is three times worse than any other forward on the team that hasn't been asked to semi-retire (and still worse than twice as bad as Manny's).

He was clearly behind the pay in the defensive zone. I'm glad AV switched the lines, as Raymond and Hansen are far for defensively sound than Kassian/Higgins.

Anyone else think Kassian is hurt? He isn't moving around the ice as fast and he has fallen a few times trying to hit someone (seems tentative).

 

[Tobi Wan Kenobi]

I thought Luongo wasn't as sharp as he has been this season. He wasn't on that Vezina level that he had been in his previous games. You could sense it even from the shootouts, those are a good indication of how the goalie is playing. Remember that shootout against Chicago when Luongo stopped every shooter? It was like night and day compared to this one and you can see it during the game too. Just a little bit off, the focus and confidence wasn't quite there. Positioning errors, not reading the play properly.

Kassian is playing like crap. Doesn't move his feet, doesn't make strong plays on the wall and tries to be too cute with the puck. Could see him scratched if Booth is ready to play in Chicago. Directly responsible for the first goal, horrible pass that led to a turnover.

Like mentioned, Garrison had his best game as a Canuck. Skating better, making stronger plays and taking control of the game instead of letting opponent do it and chasing the play.

Agreed, Kassian needs to be more assertive. The press box won't hurt. It'll open his eyes a bit.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Anyone else think Kassian is hurt? He isn't moving around the ice as fast and he has fallen a few times trying to hit someone (seems tentative).

seems like he's just running out of gas after busting out of the gates. happens to young players, especially ones who play that kind of physical game.

before resorting to the press box, i'd give him a stint with lappy on the fourth line to wake him up. lappy seems to bring out the physical beast in him.

 

[Pip]

I'd like to simply because Chicago is up and you have to know Lu wants to play well against them. Granted, he started against them the last time. So I wouldn't be surprised to see Schneider get it. Eventually we have to ride one of them through a dry spell, lest they lose an edge. Constantly flip flopping makes it difficult to stay set on the game and not worry about playing again.

but don't you think Schneider is also itching for a start? AV seemed to not give him any real room of error so I would think the same standard would be applied to Luongo

 

[Jyrki21]

There are three reactions in this thread that I find positively hilarious.

1. That the Canucks "lost this game because"... The Canucks played 65 minutes of tie-game hockey then lost the shootout, which they just as easily could have won without having played any differently. So how could any factors in their play whatsoever be responsible for "losing" the game? Shootout results are ties when evaluating the team's play, no matter what happens.

2. That miscues in the second period (or any point really) are because of the failure to put forth a 60-minute effort. Why is it the Canucks have human agency, but other teams don't? Is the rationale seriously that if only they tried for 60 straight minutes every game they would win all of them? Does the other team's attempts to play hockey on the same ice surface not come into the equation at all? Is our team really that much better than every opponent (hint: no). When a player makes a mistake, is it seriously because he isn't "trying hard enough"?

3. That the Canucks "blew a lead". Apart from the absurdity of pinning this term to a one-goal difference earned late in the first period (when "leads" such as this are blown repeatedly every night of the season by almost every team, because, you know, sometimes the game gets knotted at 1 or 2 as part of the fact that both teams are trying to score), are you seriously blaming the Canucks for blowing a lead when it was St. Louis who took three successive penalties late in the game to hand Vancouver a dying-moments tie? How does this escape the analysis? If any team blew a lead tonight, it wasn't Vancouver.

 

[Pip]

Lapierre and Kassian worked well together last season from what I remember. Perhaps it was just because it was a new environment and he wanted to impress, but he was hitting everything in sight and the fans loved it. I tend to agree though: while he's on the 4th line he could stand to work on those parts of his game that are conducive to the way that line is expected to play, i.e hitting, dump-and-chase, defense, getting the puck out. The simple things that anyone can do when the offence dries up and they aren't scoring. 'Cos then at least you're still contributing to the team.

One thing I've noticed about pretty much all our forwards is that AV teaches them how to get the puck out of the zone - whether that be chopping at the puck, firing it off the boards, flipping it up high or using whatever means to chip or muscle it out when it's near the blueline. Learning how to do those things repeatedly when needed is something he expects out of them in his system, I suspect.

ZK seems to have had some trouble with that recently so a stint on the 4th line may help him more than he realizes even if it does bring his confidence down for a bit. It's not as if it'll be a permanent demotion. Learning that aspect of the game so he can rely on it one day as a Top 6 guy for the times when he hits a cold streak would go a long way in making him a more consistent power forward.

I agree that he looked really good with Lappy, but unfortunately he didn't keep up his play and if he can't be consistent in a limited fourth line role then I don't see how he will be able to in a top 6 role. I just don't want Kassian to be a player that is invisible if he doesn't do great offensively.

 

[m9]

Playing Kassian on the 4th line only works if you have 9 forwards who should be playing ahead of him. Right now, we don't. Maybe that changes when Booth is back. He isn't playing well but I think he's still 6th out of our forwards in points and deserves a longer leash to get back on track.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

Maybe Kass needs some electroshock "therapy" or maybe the rack? 2 bad games.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

There are three reactions in this thread that I find positively hilarious.

1. That the Canucks "lost this game because"... The Canucks played 65 minutes of tie-game hockey then lost the shootout, which they just as easily could have won without having played any differently. So how could any factors in their play whatsoever be responsible for "losing" the game? Shootout results are ties when evaluating the team's play, no matter what happens.

2. That miscues in the second period (or any point really) are because of the failure to put forth a 60-minute effort. Why is it the Canucks have human agency, but other teams don't? Is the rationale seriously that if only they tried for 60 straight minutes every game they would win all of them? Does the other team's attempts to play hockey on the same ice surface not come into the equation at all? Is our team really that much better than every opponent (hint: no). When a player makes a mistake, is it seriously because he isn't "trying hard enough"?

3. That the Canucks "blew a lead". Apart from the absurdity of pinning this term to a one-goal difference earned late in the first period (when "leads" such as this are blown repeatedly every night of the season by almost every team, because, you know, sometimes the game gets knotted at 1 or 2 as part of the fact that both teams are trying to score), are you seriously blaming the Canucks for blowing a lead when it was St. Louis who took three successive penalties late in the game to hand Vancouver a dying-moments tie? How does this escape the analysis? If any team blew a lead tonight, it wasn't Vancouver.

+++

I loled when i read some of the 60 minutes comments.

As ive said before some of fans do not respect other teams.

 

[Pip]

Playing Kassian on the 4th line only works if you have 9 forwards who should be playing ahead of him. Right now, we don't. Maybe that changes when Booth is back. He isn't playing well but I think he's still 6th out of our forwards in points and deserves a longer leash to get back on track.

I dunno, we had 11 forwards playing better than him last night....

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Next pre-game thread is up.

Closed.