Player Discussion Neal Pionk: Part II
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ReggieDunlop68
hey hanrahan!
strong support when considering weaker links of a trio [Renberg]
Poor support for the carry not playing well.
- Oct 23, 2014
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Odd sequence in the neutral zone that leads to an easy entry for Drouin and two attempts against but not anything dangerous. Staal puts Pionk in a tough spot, IMO. Gets caught inbetween the indirect pass for Hudon vs tracking Drouin. And Hayes gambled with the pickpocket of Drouin. Staal and Pionk gotta handle that better.
That perfectly shows Pionk just giving up on defending the blueline, he just gives him the free entry… I get that's a pretty tough spot to defend on the rush but he has to use a better gap Control to atleast put SOME pressure on.
Off Sides
Registered User
- Sep 8, 2008
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I think that is fair, he could have had a better gap or had his stick in a better position, yet if he gets burned by doing so perhaps that equates to a higher scoring chance against right then and there? The Rangers had numbers back, maybe he thought he'd over commit?
After the shot was taken and it caroms around the boards, the view is blocked but whoever that was (I think Hayes) seemed to not really commit to winning that puck there either
- Oct 23, 2014
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Pionk is gapped up pretty well actually. He's sort of playing center field but he's got Hudon if Drouin chips it off the glass.
We never seem to blame forwards defensively here. Hayes as F1 initally looked to angle Drouin off to the boards and Staal read that and sort of stepped up to block a pass or poke Drouin. But then Hayes jumps around him and goes for the pick pocket and whiffs. Now Staal is flatfooted and Pionk has to back off.
The more I rewatch, the more blame I give Hayes.
This is not an excuse for Pionk though. These same kind of breakdowns team/system wide happen when other Ranger defensemen are out there obviously.
Drouin has a head of steam, and is coming from deep in the zone. If Pionk has a tighter gap here he gets walked and Staal is not in a position to back him up, but not out of position. If Staal is further back drouin just challenges him instead. This is a very good rush by a very talented player. @Filthy Dangles is correct. The time to break up this play was at the Habs blue line, not the NYR. Once Drouin is coming at full speed there is no way you are going to hold the blueline.
This play was defended very well by both Staal and Pionk.
Off Sides
Registered User
- Sep 8, 2008
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I get that too, which is why I am saying perhaps he thought he'd over commit. Yet that is usually when the stick comes into play. It's not like it's the biggest deal in the world but if one pauses the video right as the puck is going over the line his stick is not there, once it crosses then the small poke/swipe check comes about, that poke check probably should have come right as, or right before the puck was crossing the line which would have been an option if the gap were a little less.
Oh, don't get me wrong… There's plenty to blame on that play, Staal is all over the Place... But this is the Pionk thread, that's why i focused on him, his gap needs to be tighter there, not like super tight but he needs to put atleast some pressure on, not just give up the blueline completely free.
Hudon (or whoever it was) flying the zone forced Staal and Pionk to back out. If one of them attempts to gap up on Drouin that play becomes a 2 on 1 very quickly.
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
Exactly, he's way too passive defending the blueline, that's one of his major flaws and it hurts him badly in the shot metrics.
ReggieDunlop68
hey hanrahan!
- Oct 23, 2014
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Pionk gave MTL 3 easy exits in the 1st period not getting the shot through or putting it in a place someone can retrieve it.
And more X's and O's issues lead to a breakdown and 4 attempts against Pionk. I blame a forward again, Zibby for that entry. JK was his guy and he let him slip.
And more X's and O's issues lead to a breakdown and 4 attempts against Pionk. I blame a forward again, Zibby for that entry. JK was his guy and he let him slip.
Larrybiv
We're CLEAN, we PROMISE!
It is the Pionk thread but echo the words of nyr1994. There is so much anyone can dissect, but given that Drouin had a head of steam, seemed Neal played that pretty well. Cant step up too much in fear he stickhandles around him.
Larrybiv
We're CLEAN, we PROMISE!
So here it is 3 days later, and I still cannot get over that individual effort he made. Not just the play, which was amazing in itself......but WHEN it was made. Clutch man, and he absolutely took it to the limit!
Oh how surprised I am. I did not trash two articles, one by a math professor, I trashed you taking one conclusion made in them and applying it on something else. On average in the NHL QoC doesn’t have a major impact — that is was stated in the article. I described why that isn’t the case in individual cases.
But I know, you zoned out. Have you ever read any of my posts? Lol didn’t think so. You should because you are pretty lost at times.
Yeah I am sorry about that, it was late and I worded those three posts pretty sloppy. My apologize, sometimes I think we all forget that everyone have a ‘real life’ going on and nobody care that much about phrasing what we write here.
I am just fed up with the head in the sand approach on some subjects. I have followed this topic for several years and I didn’t respond fairly, just jumped out and threw my objections. Didn’t mean to be rude!
Irishguy42
Mr. Preachy
It's okay. I apologize too. We all get testy. My work schedule doesn't help either but that's on me.Yeah I am sorry about that, it was late and I worded those three posts pretty sloppy. My apologize, sometimes I think we all forget that everyone have a ‘real life’ going on and nobody care that much about phrasing what we write here.
I am just fed up with the head in the sand approach on some subjects. I have followed this topic for several years and I didn’t respond fairly, just jumped out and threw my objections. Didn’t mean to be rude!
effen
Registered User
- Jun 27, 2003
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This is a pretty bad take. The other team gets paid to do stuff too, like block shots. None of them were the egregious blast it into the shin pads of a charging player, he was moving to change his angle on all 3.
- Oct 23, 2014
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It's not a 'take'....it's a description of what happened...
ReggieDunlop68
hey hanrahan!
In all fairness, my reply was less funny than your explanation for what was missing in his game.
