Owen Sound Attack 2018 Offseason Thread

[Pond Hockey]

While I'm definitely one of the fans that has had to eat crow regarding the team's turnaround (just read the thread on Electric Ice from the Northern Road Trip), there was every reason to doubt this squad.

Through the brutal November/December/January slide this team had, nothing worked, even with an admittedly decimated Top 6. The team still badly outshot its opponents, and the core guys we did have in the lineup (like Suzuki) struggled to produce anything at all.

The Northern Road Trip where the boys went 0/3 had a full lineup minus Durzi if memory serves. It was a pathetic display and it looked like the boys had lost confidence in each other.

That they've turned it around and rebuilt that confidence has been nothing short of a miracle I think. Also helps that in the playoffs teams tighten up that much more and it helps limit the defensive breakdowns. Throw in a goaltender who has finally figured it out and hitting that coveted .900 save percentage, and suddenly the boys are where they are.

But make no mistake, the core of this team was playing through those bad months, and they were atrocious. Good on them for building that belief back up.

Win or lose this series, sweeping the Knights and pushing the #1 team in the country makes it a successful season in my eyes from playoffs alone. But win Game 4 tomorrow and suddenly a whole lot more becomes possible. A lot of if's though.

This captures the essence of the team's first-half play and subsequent turnaround quite nicely. Well said.

For me, the biggest factor behind the team's turnaround has been the overall level of team play. It's less about who is in the lineup and much more about the way the team is playing. To his credit, Gill has this team playing at another level now. This level of team play was absent well before the injuries struck; even when the Attack started the year 6-1-0-2, it looked like they were not entirely gelling as a team. Regarding the injuries...was there such little talent in the lineup in December that they should have gone 1-13? I personally think not. And it's not like we're completely healthy now. Gadj looks to be playing at less than 100% for a little while now, yet the team keeps rolling.

The first half of the season was a long time ago, and I'm going to wait until the offseason to revisit that further (if so inclined). Right now, this team is playing a completely different game, and it's been awesome to watch. One goal away from being up 3-0 on the Soo.

GO ATTACK GO!!!

 

[Noofgoof]

Are you 28-5-1.................lasted 34 games?
Impressive Owen Sound!!

Yes we sure are.. Its been a great run lets hope it continues . We are definitely trending in the right direction and faced lots of adversity all year to get to this point.

 

[OSA]

What’s up with 21?

 

[BrunoDaBear]

No bourque on gadj

 

[BrunoDaBear]

Or*

 

[HLLYWD99]

You cannot beat a team when you give up 2 soft goals it sucks the life out of the team and makes your opponent chuckle!

 

[OHLFan90]

You cannot beat a team when you give up 2 soft goals it sucks the life out of the team and makes your opponent chuckle!

Felt that was a huge difference.

Howedshell and Vilalta where rocks for the soo but it was fairly even. Except in net.

Oli has been great but was like 8 feet out of the net on one and the other he had a clear lane on. I thought there might have been a bit of a screen from Lyle i believe but there wasn't.

It was a fairly even game but in the end Soo deserved the win. Now for a best of 3 and honestly this series still feels far from over.

 

[Millpond]

Felt that was a huge difference.

Howedshell and Vilalta where rocks for the soo but it was fairly even. Except in net.

Oli has been great but was like 8 feet out of the net on one and the other he had a clear lane on. I thought there might have been a bit of a screen from Lyle i believe but there wasn't.

It was a fairly even game but in the end Soo deserved the win. Now for a best of 3 and honestly this series still feels far from over.

The ice was terrible. Puck bouncing all night.
After the 2nd period there was a lake behind the north net.

With Gadjo out, it was mix and match all night. And Suzuki isn't the same player without him .

Missing Bourque left a big hole on defense. He is best able to box out the big Soo forwards. Cipher dressed but never played.

I could say I'm a bit dissapointed we didn't win at home .

But the Attack have split with the Soo and it's two wins for the series now.

More desperation required on Friday.

Soo deserved the win .It's taken them four games to look like a 100 point team.
Lots of hockey left folks.
And another home on Sunday !!

 

[Pond Hockey]

With Gadjo out, it was mix and match all night. And Suzuki isn't the same player without him .

Agreed. We've tried a number of guys up on that top line with #21 out (Lazer, Zippy, and Sushko come to mind) without major success. Just throwing this out there, but I wouldn't mind seeing Robinson have a shot with Suzuki and Hancock if Gadj misses Game 5. He's got size and some speed, is strong on his skates, works hard, and has a good shot. I could see him finishing chances created by #37 and #16.

 

[Millpond]

Agreed. We've tried a number of guys up on that top line with #21 out (Lazer, Zippy, and Sushko come to mind) without major success. Just throwing this out there, but I wouldn't mind seeing Robinson have a shot with Suzuki and Hancock if Gadj misses Game 5. He's got size and some speed, is strong on his skates, works hard, and has a decent shot. I could see him finishing chances created by #37 and #16.

Why not ? He's a big body, in 3 playoff games 1 g 1 a.
Leave the other lines intact.

 

[OSMike]

Bourque has been our top shutdown guy with Friend. Not surprised that the Soo won with him out. If we can't get him back for the rest of the series it's going to be a tough go.

 

[Pond Hockey]

Why not ? He's a big body, in 3 playoff games 1 g 1 a.
Leave the other lines intact.

Yeah, exactly. The Mackenzie-Lazer-Szypula line could stay together, and Sushko could be reunited with Dudas who have had great success together this year. 3 legitimate scoring lines.

 

[Noofgoof]

Tough call.. I thought Lazer looked real good up there just before playoffs while gadj was out also..But you dont want to throw off the lines who have gelled

 

[TO Attack Fan]

Deja vu? This series reminds me of last season's final vs. Erie. We were up 2 games to 1 against the top team in the OHL then lost game 4 at home. We all know what happened after that. Hopefully it's a different script this season.

 

[ohloutsider]

I like Owen Sound - the city - Its team and its fans ( also don't mind the Soo). As an outside observer if a player from the other team can take a weak wrist shot from inside the blue line with no sight line issues and it goes in your days are numbered. You have had a problem all year and it was never solved - you have had other issues as well as do other teams - injuries, line juggling, intensity but for the most part they have been addressed in the last couple of months - you have one problem that won't be fixed. If you have to score 5 or 6 goals a game to win in the playoffs - tough ask. I hope for the best for your team but the Soo is starting to wake-up.

 

[leafsrdue]

I like Owen Sound - the city - Its team and its fans ( also don't mind the Soo). As an outside observer if a player from the other team can take a weak wrist shot from inside the blue line with no sight line issues and it goes in your days are numbered. You have had a problem all year and it was never solved - you have had other issues as well as do other teams - injuries, line juggling, intensity but for the most part they have been addressed in the last couple of months - you have one problem that won't be fixed. If you have to score 5 or 6 goals a game to win in the playoffs - tough ask. I hope for the best for your team but the Soo is starting to wake-up.

Yup, you might just be right. The goaltending problem was not solved and might be the fatal flaw with this team. They are capable of scoring in bunches, but the loss of #21 has really messed up the lines. The other big problem is the lack of depth on defence.

 

[HLLYWD99]

Gadjovich has been struggling with a bad back for weeks now and is not himself. he was not missed.
Your best players have to be your best players, time for Suzuki to step it up.

Nothing the Attack does will matter if OL can't stop a puck!!!

 

[leafsrdue]

Gadjovich has been struggling with a bad back for weeks now and is not himself. he was not missed.
Your best players have to be your best players, time for Suzuki to step it up.

Nothing the Attack does will matter if OL can't stop a puck!!!

Missing Trent Bourque will have a bigger impact. I agree that Suzuki needs to make something happen. I'm afraid that Ollie will continue to be Ollie.

 

[soo hound girl]

Missing Trent Bourque will have a bigger impact. I agree that Suzuki needs to make something happen. I'm afraid that Ollie will continue to be Ollie.

Come on he has 1bad game in this series and everyone wants to throw him under the bus he needs another big game tomorrow night at the Essar Center won’t be easy it is gonna be sold out close to 5000 fans. I actually sit behind him and a couple of young girls held up a sign right behind him that said Grand Opening he seen it and just smiled at them thought that was pretty cool I kind of am cheering for him now ,I hate to see 1 player get all the blame after all it is a team game

 

[Millpond]

Come on he has 1bad game in this series and everyone wants to throw him under the bus he needs another big game tomorrow night at the Essar Center won’t be easy it is gonna be sold out close to 5000 fans. I actually sit behind him and a couple of young girls held up a sign right behind him that said Grand Opening he seen it and just smiled at them thought that was pretty cool I kind of am cheering for him now ,I hate to see 1 player get all the blame after all it is a team game

Thx.

 

[three dog night]

Good luck tomorrow night in the Sault

 

[Millpond]

With Bourque out, the blue line was taxed too much. Gill never played Chibrikov one shift.

Then he started line juggling.

In starting to notice again, Suzuki doesn't play the same without Gadjo.
Not sure if that's because he is getting g a lot more attention , or Gadjo opens the ice for him .

We will see Friday if the Attack have a pushback .

 

[Fischhaber]

Felt that was a huge difference.

Howedshell and Vilalta where rocks for the soo but it was fairly even. Except in net.

Oli has been great but was like 8 feet out of the net on one and the other he had a clear lane on. I thought there might have been a bit of a screen from Lyle i believe but there wasn't.

It was a fairly even game but in the end Soo deserved the win. Now for a best of 3 and honestly this series still feels far from over.

It's about time that Villalta had a good game, as he was not very good at all in the first 3 games. Lafreniere was absolutely spectacular in games one and three, no doubt the best player on the ice for the Attack. Game one was one of the better playoff performances that I have ever seen from a goalie. I was sitting right next to him for two periods.

It just shows how evenly the teams are matched when goaltending was the overwhelming deciding factor in every game except game 2.

 

[AttackSound]

I like Owen Sound - the city - Its team and its fans ( also don't mind the Soo). As an outside observer if a player from the other team can take a weak wrist shot from inside the blue line with no sight line issues and it goes in your days are numbered. You have had a problem all year and it was never solved - you have had other issues as well as do other teams - injuries, line juggling, intensity but for the most part they have been addressed in the last couple of months - you have one problem that won't be fixed. If you have to score 5 or 6 goals a game to win in the playoffs - tough ask. I hope for the best for your team but the Soo is starting to wake-up.

Owen Sound certainly has been playing with fire all season and into the post-season.

As a longtime fan of the team is certainly be the first to say that this season certainly hasn't been textbook that's a certain fact. Although the team isn't done yet until the final buzzer sounds.

Thankfully this team has enough offense and heart to play even strength with anyone. Just have to put the effort in and the results will be there. The Soo is a good team no doubt and no one said the Attack would take the easy road this year and they haven't that's for sure but one of the final 8 seeds still playing is something that any fan can respect in the league

 

[Noofgoof]

Its game day! Heres hoping the boys come out hungry tonight! This is by far the biggest game of the season now! Go Attack Go!