GDT: Game 5: Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings, 5pm PT

[HanSolo]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1848469914841190888

Aw that's great dude. Nothing of concern until the third period? Really? Ffs at least the deer in headlights "emotional" response was accurate. It was bad enough to hear "I don't know how to get em to skate hhaaad" but for the conclusion upon unemotional reflection to be there was nothing wrong until the wheels really came off? This is beyond the pale. I'm just stunned.

 

[Static]

“This morning, after I looked at the game unemotionally, the only part I was really frustrated with was the third period."

Seriously? He thought the first two periods were just fine?

I thought they were for the most part as well. Special teams aside, we played them extremely even at full strength.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

I thought they were for the most part as well. Special teams aside, we played them extremely even at full strength.

The fact that the Kings weren't great should be irrelevant. No shots on two PPs, and 10 shots for 40 minutes, especially since this looks so much like a repeat of last year just can't be acceptable.

 

[Daz28]

“This morning, after I looked at the game unemotionally, the only part I was really frustrated with was the third period."

Seriously? He thought the first two periods were just fine?

Maybe he meant they were clinging to playing a decent defensive game, waiting for a mistake, but it seemed pretty obvious which team was going to crack first. Personally, I was already pretty aggravated by then, but was also holding onto the idea that playing that way was the right way, but it's honestly hard to believe anyone could think they do anything well or even at an AHL level. I guess watching them lose 5-2 in a run-n-gun would be funner, but they'd just end up like the Sabres a couple seasons ago having to unlearn and relearn everything if they did. It's going to be really hard to watch, but hopefully things start clicking eventually. If things don't get better I'd like to see organizational changes sooner rather than later.

As for the game, I'm sure everyone's dumping on Jackson, but it was his first game, and Gudas stupidly pinched on one goal, and Tristan was screaming for the puck on the other. Still both his fault, but I can live through his growing pains better than I can watching our 15 year veteran doing worse wearing an A. Sooo much to be frustrated/angry about, but young guys making mistakes is not it. I'm hard pressed to find any positives in the team other than Dostal and maybe Stroke(which will prob be short lived).

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Maybe he meant they were clinging to playing a decent defensive game, waiting for a mistake, but it seemed pretty obvious which team was going to crack first. Personally, I was already pretty aggravated by then, but was also holding onto the idea that playing that way was the right way, but it's honestly hard to believe anyone could think they do anything well or even at an AHL level. I guess watching them lose 5-2 in a run-n-gun would be funner, but they'd just end up like the Sabres a couple seasons ago having to unlearn and relearn everything if they did. It's going to be really hard to watch, but hopefully things start clicking eventually. If things don't get better I'd like to see organizational changes sooner rather than later.

As for the game, I'm sure everyone's dumping on Jackson, but it was his first game, and Gudas stupidly pinched on one goal, and Tristan was screaming for the puck on the other. Still both his fault, but I can live through his growing pains better than I can watching our 15 year veteran doing worse wearing an A. Sooo much to be frustrated/angry about, but young guys making mistakes is not it. I'm hard pressed to find any positives in the team other than Dostal and maybe Stroke(which will prob be short lived).

At this point in the Cronin coaching timeline, I have no interest in some pretzel logic excuse for the team continuing to look lost and confused on a regular basis. We're into the second season with the same coach and group of young players, yet it looks exactly like last year.

 

[Bender66]

It was 3 pages ago so I don't remember who said it, but it is very much like the neutering that happens to Fowler has happened to entire team. I know it's been like 4 or 5? diff coaching regimes, but it's the same complaints that we hang on Fowler year after year .


The duck players all look like they are playing with paralysis. There are no plays made on instinct or drilled execution. Where they just make plays like they've been playing hockey since they were 5 yrs old.

instead, they catch the puck, hold it for 5 sec looking for some perfect play that doesn't exist, get checked by opponent and turn puck over. Rinse and repeat.

 

[slippingsloth]

Dostal has been a glowing positive but how long can you be elite if repeated avs/kings/knights performances occur in front of you

Lacombe had a bone head play. Oops it happens

My real concerns:
Power play is still the power kill of the last 3 seasons

And even if on paper it looks like we are ok at even strength, it really eyeballs that outside of the silliness that was the first game of san jose we have not had any substantive sustained offense. Offensive creativity is near absent.

Are we doomed to 40+ sog per night again because we cant get out of dzone or sustain significant time in ozone…again

 

[Hockey Duckie]

If you are longing for the days of Z as a 60 point scorer, but little to no effort in the defensive zone, I guess that kind of coaching is for you.

You do realize you can teach defense while not taking away the offensive creativity. You gotta stop positing your ideas in a very static state. Eakins was teaching Z to be responsible, albeit at a slower rate that you desire. I'd hate for you to be my coach with that static state of mind that one cannot evolve or improve as you imitate Cronin that it's all the player's fault.

 

[Deuce22]

You do realize you can teach defense while not taking away the offensive creativity. You gotta stop positing your ideas in a very static state. Eakins was teaching Z to be responsible, albeit at a slower rate that you desire. I'd hate for you to be my coach with that static state of mind that one cannot evolve or improve as you imitate Cronin that it's all the player's fault.

Agree with the first sentence. The rest-nope. BTW, I said nothing about Cronin. But you saying Eakins was teaching defensive responsibility was pretty awesome.