A few things:
1. We were the better team. But that we loose like we did last night is hardly even surprising, its basically typical for a team like us -- and -- there are plenty of teams exactly like us in the NHL and around in the hockey world.
Most people here knows the game from following this team a season or two and playing EA Sports. You know, this is hockey. Get used to it. This is exactly how games have ended all year for us, for Washington, for Philly, for NJD and so forth.
Why Ola do we look like this though? Is it because Nash should play on a 4th line in the AHL? Stepan is the worst center in the NHL? Girardi can't pass the puck? Zucc is smaller than small? Talbot was drunk? AV is the worst coach ever? No.
You need to be very confident in what you do and consistent to reap points during a regular season in the NHL. Teams like us, NJD, Philly, Washington and co, has inbuilt flaws. Our flaw has been goaltending and the defense's transition game. Hence, even if we do the "right" things, we have not been consistent. We have time and time again done the right things, but "not" won. That rubs the confidence of the team, and we end up in a rut. A rut that is not easy to get out of unless you fix those underlying problems.
2. Lets discuss Rick Nash. Due to so few in media, around the teams, and in the stands (exemplified at this place for sure lol) having a clue of what they are talking about and basically knowing nothing about the game, there is a big risk with this situation. More worrying than Staal's concussion problems and what not.
This is what you get from most scorers in hockey. Nash draws a lot of attention. He open up space around him. He can score a goal by himself and take advantage of D's. OTOH, he is playing on a line that is not clicking. Nobody on that line is helping any of its other members. Kreider is not getting the puck to Nash. Nash is not getting the puck to Stepan. Stepan is not getting the puck to Kreider or Nash. He is playing on a struggling team. He is coming of a concussion. Ohhh, he is struggling on the ice. iiiiahhahhhhaha alllllwwaaaaayyyysss in nynyynyynny iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
What did all you whiners expect???? Jesus H Christ. Were you born yesterday? Of course he is struggling.
Live with it, and he will be a difference maker at times and indifferent at times. That's what you get from players like him.
Start to F'ing boo him every single time he gets the puck and what not, and we could end up with yet another [insert name]-type of situation in NY.
3. I am also extremely fed up with the complaints on Cam Talbot. He is doing a freaking awesome job. If I was in the stands at MSG and heard someone boo him I promise that I would start swining. WTF? You want him to have the first goal, the third goal. But you know, that are exactly the type of goals we are scoring at the other type of the rink too. John Moore let Fehr rip one despite being in a 2 on 2 situation. On the other side of the rink our shooters get a stick in the way in those type of situations.
4. For all the tremendous amount of complaining and *****ing going on, -- a lot of good things are also happening right now. You do not want to ruin those things.
-JT Miller is playing freaking awesome hockey. At center ice. I love this kid. They are a bit of different players, but I think he is looking basically as good as Stepan did somewhat at the same age. Unless we manage to screw him up with classic NY pro-team self destructive behavior, we got another very strong top 6-9 homegrown core player on our hands in him.
-I know many think Chris Kreider with his 3+2 in his last 12 games is some kind of second coming of Jesus, but while he isn't quite that we should be glad the he is finding his role in the NHL. I think he is doing a great job at finding ways to get involved in the play that he couldn't last season. But his line with Stepan and Nash is not finding ways help each other, either they are given a lot of time and find ways to get through or an adjustment must be made.
-Brad Richards is playing really good hockey right now, at least for a player as capable as him. This is also important. The cap is going up, nobody will be available. People want to see a wreck on the ice, just wait and see how the players would look that we pick up this summer. Wait till you pay someone like David Clarkson 5.5m per for 5 years.
-Ryan McDonagh is on fast pace to become a tremendously special D in this league. Scott Neidermayer made the same journey in NJ.
-We are full of holes and they cost us in terms of pts, but given that we are half way into the first season with a coach that is taking us in the completely different direction than the old coach, everyone can already see -- not the results -- but what result we would get if we didn't screw up. For the first time in 4-5 years we are taking the play to the other team. Carrying the momentum. Not just rolling over and let people fire away against us and hoping for our goalie to save us. Its been the opposite.
I am not saying that AV is the man. That Ulf is the man. They gotta get it done too. There are many aspects to coaching. But I do not doubt the direction change we have made. This is how Boston is playing. This is how STL is playing. This is how all the good teams are playing, we gotta start building in that direction.
