GDT: RATS FROM SPACE IN RALEIGH

[The Faulker 27]

There's really several issues with the Canes game last night. Which is surprising considering how much time they had to prepare, watch video etc. They just didn't seem prepared, but the litmus test is done. They know exactly what to expect in game 2. If they aren't prepared then they deserve to lose simple as that. The Panthers lost games 1 and 2, they made adjustments to their lineup, and likely other adjustments and went on to win the next 3 games. That's what winning teams do. We'll see what the Canes do.

 

[Ole Gil]

It's more the idea of pairing him with Ghost that was the bigger issue. Putting a prospect dman with the most concerns about his d-zone coverage with our roster dman that has the most concerns about his own d-zone coverage. Rod, this is simple physics, you can't try to put two objects with the same polar charge together like that, it doesn't work.

Where else do you play him? You can't use top 4 guys to babysit Morrow against the 4th line. Those guys already have a massive job to do.

He played a bunch of games in the regular season. He's supposed to be an NHL defensemen. He just needed to be better, and he wasn't. And now he can spend the rest of the playoffs thinking about that in the press box.

He had all of the problems Nishikin had and worse, with none of the positives and none of the excuses.

People acting like Rod made some crazy move. That's what he has. People complain about young guys not getting a shot, and Rod sticking with veterans. Well, that's why. Now that we're here, it's a little surprising there are no reliable veteran #7's in the organization. I think we see Nikishin until Chatty is back now, and at least there felt like some upside with him.

 

[Stickpucker]

I still think the team played pretty well.

Going back to the Aho "penalty" the boys looked good but that swayed momentum.

Morrow directly led to 3? 4? GA.

Andersen wasn't at his best, the PK needs to be better and Florida capitalized on all their chances.

Swap out Morrow for Nikishin, see a bit better PK, and get the momentum first and we could be celebrating a very different result.

One positive is the Canes came out and were physical and the moment didn't look too big.

 

[Ole Gil]

Maybe we should have squeezed games in for Nikishin during the playoffs or even Morrow during the year with our depth concerns and a 40 year old D. Still don't understand how you don't go with the larger D against a team like Florida, even if he had a rough game previous.

RD is a pressing need now in the offseason.

The 40 yo dman hasn't missed a game since 2013. Of all the people on the roster, he's a pretty safe bet.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

I also question Rod's deployment of the Staal line, which is even more of an offensive deadzone with Carrier on it. When you are trailing by 2 and have an offensive zone draw and Rod sends out the Staal line again and again....someone please make it stop!! Staal had 19 minutes TOI and we were trailing the whole f***ing game. lolololol.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I also question Rod's deployment of the Staal line, which is even more of an offensive deadzone with Carrier on it. When you are trailing by 2 and have an offensive zone draw and Rod sends out the Staal line again and again....someone please make it stop!! Staal had 19 minutes TOI and we were trailing the whole f***ing game. lolololol.

Fair point but Staal's line was the only one playing well. They were a classic "4th line" hitting everyone in sight and dominating in-zone. Problem is that our second & fourth lines were awful and top line didn't capitalize on their chances.

There was enough good last night that it's Ok to not turn pessimistic yet. Team fumbled so many good passes/receipt of passes that I think was time off and perhaps nerves related. That should change going forward.

Thursday's game is the acid test.

 

[Negan4Coach]

That was disgusting to behold. And I had to watch it from the belly of the beast in Palm Beach. We're gonna get another ECF sweep, aren't we?

 

[CandyCanes]

What a melt down by this board. I’m benching you all next game. The boys are gonna come out f***ing motivated game 2. This series ain’t over, it’s one game, boys will find their game. We can complain the world is ending if we throw up another stinker.

 

[Tryamw]

I've been benched!
I'll be back tomorrow to watch the hurricanes remember how to play.

 

[AD Skinner]

I can understand the logic behind giving morrow a shot. It blew up in everyone’s face but I get the line of thinking that there probably won’t be a better time to try something. I don’t think I would have made that decision, and it compounded the issue that he got paired with ghost, but it is what it is. I’d probably go

Slavin Burns
Orlov Nikishin
Ghost Walker

In game 2 but that’s just me

 

[Chrispy]

I can understand the logic behind giving morrow a shot. It blew up in everyone’s face but I get the line of thinking that there probably won’t be a better time to try something. I don’t think I would have made that decision, and it compounded the issue that he got paired with ghost, but it is what it is. I’d probably go

Slavin Burns
Orlov Nikishin
Ghost Walker

In game 2 but that’s just me

Only change I'd make is to flip Nikishin and Orlov; let the veteran play his off side and try to keep Nikishin in as simple a role as possible. And as others have said, minimize the language barrier by putting Nikishin with Orlov.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

Here's my take.
Losing 2-5 sucks. I hate it. I wanted to win game 1 at home with rest. Let's get that out of the way.

I was dumbfounded before the game hearing smoke that Morrow would slot in. I thought that was Rod with some gamesmanship to stir up doubt to Florida for how to game plan. It felt like a dumbass idea at the time, and in hindsight it was even more dumbass. Morrow played 12:18 and was a -3. He directly contributed to / caused 4 goals against. I'm not saying Canes win without Morrow, but it's at least a 50/50. We had better scoring chances overall, but we just aren't going to win with Morrow spotting the other team 4.

From Moneypuck:

This passes the eye test from what I saw. We had a lot more chances in close, but we couldn't capitalize. A lot of why Florida was so much more efficient was Morrow leaving his man. Bob was unbelievable. His rebound control is the best I've seen in some time. I won't blame Freddie for the goals against as much as the point shot was well screened and a couple others were perfectly placed snipes.


Even though Ghost was a bit of an asshole to sling the puck towards Marchand, Ghost made it clear you have to play him. He was fantastic at moving the puck out. He played defense hard. I do fault Ghost on their 5th goal, and clearly he was playing frustrated with the game out of hand.

The biggest positive was we have been really well coached to handle Florida's forecheck. Florida did what they did - sending one man and double teams at full speed towards the puck carrier. We were patient at times and dished the puck out to an open man. We danced around in their zone and found space. Many times we were rewarded to find the open man (a fault of any high forechecking scheme) and get a shot in close.

It's an uphill battle, but we have a good chance to win this series. It starts with giving Morrow a Dad talk and sitting him for the rest of the playoffs for Chatfield, Nikishin, and Stillman in that order. The team then needs to have the belief that it can win.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

What's the latest on Jankowski? I feel like he'd probably be more useful in this series than Roslovic

 

[Chrispy]

What's the latest on Jankowski? I feel like he'd probably be more useful in this series than Roslovic

I've seen a few people suggest that Jankowski in for Blake may be a good move with Roslovic moving to RW to replace Blake. I can see the argument; Blake seemed pretty overwhelmed for the most part despite the goal.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I can understand the logic behind giving morrow a shot. It blew up in everyone’s face but I get the line of thinking that there probably won’t be a better time to try something. I don’t think I would have made that decision, and it compounded the issue that he got paired with ghost, but it is what it is. I’d probably go

Slavin Burns
Orlov Nikishin
Ghost Walker

In game 2 but that’s just me

I'm going to assume that if chatty was a game time decision for game 1, he will 100% be in for game 2.

 

[Joe McGrath]

What's the latest on Jankowski? I feel like he'd probably be more useful in this series than Roslovic

He would be, but he can’t center the 2nd line. And neither can KK apparently, so…… I don’t know what they should do(other than find an actual goddamn 2nd line center that they’ve been chasing for years)

 

[Chrispy]

I'm going to assume that if chatty was a game time decision for game 1, he will 100% be in for game 2.

The rationale makes sense, but Chatfield was also a game time scratch for game 5 against Washington after skating in the morning.

5 days later, he was a game time scratch vs Florida.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I’d like to point out in terms of shitting all over how Morrow looked vs Nikishin - one of them played against an inexperienced playoff team and the other played against a team that looks like it’s marching to its 3rd straight final.

Theres no guarantee Nikishin wouldn’t have looked like complete shit against Florida too. But at least if you paired him with Ghost he might have straight up murdered Marchand.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I also question Rod's deployment of the Staal line, which is even more of an offensive deadzone with Carrier on it. When you are trailing by 2 and have an offensive zone draw and Rod sends out the Staal line again and again....someone please make it stop!! Staal had 19 minutes TOI and we were trailing the whole f***ing game. lolololol.

The only time I had a problem with it was with 30 seconds left in the 2nd, offensive zone face off down 2 goals. I don’t give a shit what the rotation is, put out someone who might cut the lead to 1 before the 3rd.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I'm going to assume that if chatty was a game time decision for game 1, he will 100% be in for game 2.

Given his conversation with RBA, Gold in his post game was pretty negative about Chatty playing on Thursday night. He said Saturday is more probable.

If it’s a hamstring, that’s of course problematic.

 

[Lempo]

SIde note - nikishin played on the road in a potential series clincher over morrow. Morrow played at home in an opener with plenty of runway (and time for the offense to remember they need to score). If you think that usage is 'always favoring the NA guy' i don't get it.

Nikishin *needed* to be played in these playoffs for the contractual reasons. Extremely risky to leave it until the third round which was far from a certain thing.

 

[dogbazinho]

This is going to be an extremely hot take but i would have rather seen Morrow w/ Slavin than Ghost. It's just a pair that was never going to work.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

This is going to be an extremely hot take but i would have rather seen Morrow w/ Slavin than Ghost. It's just a pair that was never going to work.

Maybe. But would having the presence of Slavin make up for having to play Morrow top pairing minutes?

 

[AD Skinner]

And then wherever burns would have to slot

 

[dogbazinho]

Maybe. But would having the presence of Slavin make up for having to play Morrow top pairing minutes?

I think thats when you either even the minutes for all 3 pairs or you judiciously swap in Burns for important shifts.