Nitpick, but you have a power play with 4 minutes left and trailing by one: PULL THE GOALIE THEN!
That was where Roy shined.
So the exact thing that happened two minutes later.I dunno. There's good reasons not to do this. You have some amazing players one the ice that don't necessarily need another player on the ice to score. Also, if a Blues player gets the puck, and gets lucky, the game is over right there and then. Ideally though, you control the play during the powerplay, then towards the end you pull the goalie so you can keep the man advantage going.
The real issue is that they couldn't keep the puck in the offensive side long enough - it really didn't matter when the pulled the goalie. They wouldn't have won anyway I don't think.
But that's exactly why you pull the goalie in that situation in order to get the extra man while the Blues are shorthanded so you do keep the puck in the offensive zone.I dunno. There's good reasons not to do this. You have some amazing players one the ice that don't necessarily need another player on the ice to score. Also, if a Blues player gets the puck, and gets lucky, the game is over right there and then. Ideally though, you control the play during the powerplay, then towards the end you pull the goalie so you can keep the man advantage going.
The real issue is that they couldn't keep the puck in the offensive side long enough - it really didn't matter when the pulled the goalie. They wouldn't have won anyway I don't think.
But that's exactly why you pull the goalie in that situation in order to get the extra man while the Blues are shorthanded so you do keep the puck in the offensive zone.
The single most impressive part of Bednar’s coaching the last two years has been his ability to coach through injuries.
Along with player leadership, I think he’s done a really good job of never letting the players use injuries as an excuse. He also seems to be able to put the call-ups in a position to succeed.
Do we even know that Bryam was game ready. Everyone is assuming because he was in a regular jersey that he was good to go, but he might have had fitness issues or something else that kept him out of the lineup. If Byram is not ready then who are you putting in if you're pulling out Nemeth? A lot of the hate for Bednar right now is based on the assumption that Byram was game ready. Bednar can only ice who he can ice. Nemeth being in this squad is not bednars decision, but if he doesn't have anyone else to go with then he has to play him.
Bednar insisted on feeding Graves and Nemeth ice time even though they were literally making series changing mistakes. It’s time to move on.
Who knows, all I know is Byram should've been in in game 4. Team was caved in for two games straight and Bednar refused to make adjustments. Graves and Nemeth gone for EJ/Byram/Barron will go a long way for this team.Honest question, is that really Bednars role? Or is there a D coach who calls out the next pairing.
Who knows, all I know is Byram should've been in in game 4. Team was caved in for two games straight and Bednar refused to make adjustments. Graves and Nemeth gone for EJ/Byram/Barron will go a long way for this team.
Were either Byram or EJ really ready to play in the NHL PO game? Serious question. I agree, playing Nemeth was a terrible decision. But I could see JB not playing him if he felt Byram wasn't physically ready to play or throw him in an elimination game after being off for months. Don't want to screw up the kid's psyche. Simple as that.
Even if Byram wasn't ready (but if he wasn't why did they very publicly say he was cleared to play?) they still had MacDonald, who is still better at moving the puck AND winning puck battles than Nemeth ever was.
Much as Dater is getting shat on right now, he just tweeted that Sakic's deadline acquisitions were a big fat zero, and honestly, he's right. Both of those players were net negatives anytime they took the ice.