GDT: Game 53: LA Asmodians @ Phoenix Elyos | 7pm MST | FSA
- Thread starter Summer Rose
- Start date
Longwayfromhome
Sweden/London, UK.
- Oct 18, 2013
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In a related story, your season ticket will cost $8,000 next year.
The second half of this month has been much better than the first. Remember the 2-0 home loss to CBJ where Yandle had to fight the joker who knocked out OEL, ANA skating us off the ice at home and that ridiculous 5-1 in WPG. Think the WPG loss was the low point. Team came back the night after the WPG loss and held tight (lost 2-1 in STL) and Smith got the 1-0 shutout against Vancouver in the next one. Beat NJD and should have beaten TOR but for a crazy effort by Reimer. The recent road-trip was inconsistent again, but with this game, we've thoroughly outplayed the last 4 teams to come to Glendale.
Sabres, Penguins, Stars and Blackhawks are an exciting challenge -- 2 teams below us and 2 above us. We're 6 points behind LAK for the 6 seed, and if the team can hold serve at home ...
Feeling much better now than I was 2 weeks ago.
Longwayfromhome
Sweden/London, UK.
- Oct 18, 2013
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I'm not sure I follow. I'm one of Z's biggest supporters, he is extremely important for our team defense, I'm just not sure I understand what you mean by him influencing OEL. They play a completely different style of game. Next to nothing they do is similar.
CC96
Serious Offender
I agree. I was about to post this almost word for word, but you beat me to it.
Mosby
Registered User
- Feb 16, 2012
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CC96
Serious Offender
Longwayfromhome
Sweden/London, UK.
- Oct 18, 2013
- 708
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Longwayfromhome
Sweden/London, UK.
- Oct 18, 2013
- 708
- 0
And its just not the numbers. Greiss seems to have a calming influence on our defense and they seem to trust him. With smith you'll never know what you get. He always plays the puck and 90 % of the times the puck ends up on an opponents stick. How many times this year has miscommunication between smith and our defenders lead to a goal against? I would say at least 5 times.
Call me old fashioned but i believe that our goalie should focus on making saves instead of making plays, let our skaters handle that part.
That number isn't within 100 miles of even a little bit close to being accurate.
Can we all acknowledge that Greiss has had easier games?
08 Oct: subbed in for the last 20 mins of the 6-1 @ NYI debacle (Greiss gave up 1 in 20 mins, which projects to a 3.00 GAA)
11 Oct: 2-1 win @ PHI back when PHI sucked
24 Oct: subbed in for the last 40 mins of the 7-4 @ LAK debacle (3.00 GAA)
31 Oct: 5-4 win vs NSH
23 Nov: subbed in 20 mins vs ANA (0.00 GAA)
27 Nov: 3-1 win @ MIN
04 Dec: 4-1 loss @ CAL 18 shots, 4 GA
10 Dec: 3-1 win @ COL (this is after COL leveled off from their insane start)
28 Dec: 3-2 loss @ ANA this was a very good game from Greiss, 41-38
31 Dec: 4-3 win vs EDM (0.00 GAA)
07 Jan: 6-0 win vs CAL
11 Jan: 5-3 loss vs ANA pulled after 30 mins (8.00 GAA)
28 Jan: 3-0 win vs LAK
The 28 Dec loss @ANA is the only one of these where he went 60 against a really good offense and held up. NAS? MIN? CAL? Late-Jan LAK? Wins are wins and shutouts are always sweet, but LAK's offense is sputtering and CAL's is the second-worst offense in the league. He has played pretty well, but Greiss hasn't spent nearly as many minutes in the deep water as Smith, and his GAA looks better on the strength of comparatively-easy shutouts and mop-up minutes in the 3rd period when the other team's offense has started to coast.
Tipp saying that Greiss will start next game may just be a kick in the ass to Smith, but it'll certainly fuel the Smith haters here. Home vs BUF is the easiest assignment an NHL goaltender can draw in 2014, so there's a good chance Greiss can log another shutout there, but that doesn't mean Greiss is the man who is going to stare down Hiller and Crawford and Halak for us in April and May.
Longwayfromhome
Sweden/London, UK.
- Oct 18, 2013
- 708
- 0
What i'm trying to say is that his bad (IMO) habit of always playing the puck gets our line changes off timing, the player up ice is often alone and all he can do is dump the puck to the opponent. It confuses our defensemen and creates insecurity in the group. And i'm sure he is in the top of the league in puck outs (among goalies). Sure, he makes some great plays from time to time (his goal etc) but they are to few for me to appreciate him handling the puck all the time.
I dont argue that Greiss has faced easier opponents. But right now i trust him more then Smith. With that, I still believe Smith is the better goalie in the long run. He just needs to get his feet on the ground again.
Even if you believe that Greiss' stats are an aberration, you have to admit that we know what Mike Smith isn't right now. A starter. He just isn't getting it done, and it's starting to get comical and predictable. No one is saying that Greiss is the second coming, only that he shouldn't be second to Mike Smith.
I'd give Greiss the next four games, and Smith the game against Dallas which will be a back to back. If Greiss plays .920 2.00 hockey or better with no major hiccups or softies for those four games, he'd be my starter coming out of the break. Smith can earn back the title if he wants it bad enough. But I'm not Dave Tippett.
I wonder if the team has quit on Smith or lost faith, consciously or subconsciously. The team we saw out there tonight hasn't been seen all season. So play the hot hand you've been dealt until it doesn't work. That includes the lineup/lines.
Etch
Relegate the Oilers
All I know is Greiss stopped 30 shots against tonight in a pretty crucial game while Smith let in 5 goals on 25 shots last game against a struggling Canucks team in what was also a pretty crucial game.
Say what you want about easier starts, but I wan't Greiss in nets next game so we don't lose against the worst team in the league.
I think the team absolutely has quit on Smith. Not only did we have a great effort tonight, but sometimes we come out with great efforts when Mike's in nets and he just lets in such soft, deflating goals. Why even bother battling back when you know Smith will just mess it up like he always does?
Vinny Boombatz
formerly ctwin22
The problem with Smith is he now has security, he has his contract. There isn't anything we can do about that.
The first year here, he was being paid to show what he can do, the 2nd year he was trying to keep his 'hefty' contract demands.
Well, that is why I like the NFL and no guaranteed contracts. You continue your level of play or you get released, it is that simple.
He wasn't super impressive last season, this season he's been the 31st best goalie. I can give him 1 more season to see if it turns around (mid year mind you), but if he hasn't figured it out by then, then a "buyout" has to be considered. You can't win in this league with a sub .910 goalie, can't happen.
The first year here, he was being paid to show what he can do, the 2nd year he was trying to keep his 'hefty' contract demands.
Well, that is why I like the NFL and no guaranteed contracts. You continue your level of play or you get released, it is that simple.
He wasn't super impressive last season, this season he's been the 31st best goalie. I can give him 1 more season to see if it turns around (mid year mind you), but if he hasn't figured it out by then, then a "buyout" has to be considered. You can't win in this league with a sub .910 goalie, can't happen.
