Really glad I didn't get up at 5am for this one. That 1st period was one of the most laughably inept things I've ever seen, and it really didn't get a whole lot better. Once again we weren't ready to go from puck drop. Once again we looked like we couldn't make a single pass. Once again we failed at all the fundamentals of positioning. Once again we look like we have no concept about what 'defence' is.
They should have scored at least 8, Shesty was huge in this one. Schneider was the only D who looked solid for the whole game. Fox really struggled at times and Lindgren looks like can barely skate at times. Trouba and Miller have 6 braincells between them and that's probably being generous.
Beard struggles with his passes at times but at least he kept working. Cuylle was up and down, had probably his worst shift of the year and then immediately followed it up with the great shift that lead to the Tro goal.
What's slightly alarming is that I'm already looking at Berard and Cuylle to be the guys that make the plays and change momentum rather than our former #1 and #2 overall. If we are talking about gutting the vets and turning over this roster, when are Laf and KK going to stand up and be difference makers? Both of them are playing steady hockey, but neither of seem to be doing anything that says "I'll help drag us out of this funk". Neither seem to be the guy who can drive a line.
Laf is back to being a guy that makes a nice play or 2 but is unnoticable for large stretches of the game and indistinguishable from any random 2-line winger. KK is still just a guy who is good at getting and protecting the puck, but can't score.
As a team they are checked out.