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

HanSolo

DJ Crazy Times
Apr 7, 2008
98,946
34,909
Las Vegas
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.
 
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Dr Johnny Fever

Eggplant and Teal
Apr 11, 2012
21,979
6,764
Lower Left Coast
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

Registered User
Nov 1, 2010
12,743
2,212
“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? :facepalm: :shakehead
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

Eggplant and Teal
Apr 11, 2012
21,979
6,764
Lower Left Coast
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.
 
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Bender66

Send in the clowns
Oct 4, 2008
3,837
1,784
SoCal
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

Registered User
Jul 18, 2022
1,947
1,746
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

Registered User
Jul 25, 2003
18,550
13,640
southern cal
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

Registered User
Jun 17, 2013
5,830
8,167
SoCal & Idaho
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.
 
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Hey234

Registered User
Sponsor
May 7, 2010
831
1,133
Southern California
I don’t really see a lack of motivation. Everything pointed to them being pumped and ready to roll in the pre-season. And defensively they’ve had some good outings, including during the LA game. THAT’s effort. They’re not just out there not caring.

To me, it looks like they don’t really know what to do under pressure. They have to think each action through, which takes a little time, and a little time is all you have in the NHL, so then the only option is to skate away from pressure or throw it up the boards or lob it out of the zone (or throw it away, if you’re LaCombe). That’s what I see.

Just saying “hey show up” doesn’t do anything. Even if you think it’s obvious, if you’re the coach and THAT’S what your team looks like, you need to recognize that they’re not picking up what you’re putting down and figure something else out. Eakins also failed at this, it was his worst failing. The Kings broke the man on man D and every team except Utah completely stifled the offense.

I hear what you are saying but there's no evidence that Cronin isn't trying different methods to communicate his message. He even said such on that interview in the summer. It seems baffling to me that Cronin would want his players to structurally play what we are seeing. It seems much more likely that the young players are not consistent enough to follow through with what they are being asked to do.

I am in no way trying to defend Cronin. I believe there is lots of room for improvement. That being said, it's not his fault players are fumbling the puck or passing from the middle instead of shooting. IMO, the young players learned a lot of bad habits while playing for Eakins and the coaching staff is struggling to break their habits.
 

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