Why are we doing so much better without Panarin & Trouba?

[FoxyClean]

Sure it's probably merely coincidental, but we've been on a roll without them. Hoping it's just a matter of other guys finally waking up.

If they end up coming back and we start slumping again, that would be concerning.

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[Fitzy]

Well everyone was saying we were having bad puck luck early in the season, getting lots of shots and not a lot of goals.

I think the universe is just equilibrating a little bit. We certainly didn't deserve to win the first game against the Devils.

Whether guys like Kreider and Strome actively 'stepped up' in Panarin's absence is a debate that I don't have the answer to.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Sure it's probably merely coincidental, but we've been on a roll without them. Hoping it's just a matter of other guys finally waking up.

If they end up coming back and we start slumping again, that would be concerning.

Level of competition.

Buffalo and NJ are terrible teams and the Rangers honestly deserved to lose 2 of the 3 games they played against those teams. Boston is good, but they were also slumping and we got them on the second half of b2b's after they got smoked by the Isles (they won the 2nd game.)

 

[Crease]

Sometimes guys are just energized by the idea of stepping up.

 

[Leonardo87]

Guys are starting to get hot like Kreider so they are having better chances to win. Plus, facing struggling teams like Buffalo and NJ like Uninstaaled said above. Tonight will be a slightly bigger test. It’s too small of a sample size to make anything of it. They are certainly a better team when Panarin and Trouba are in the line up, so wouldn’t make too much of this.

 

[True Blue]

Or maybe eventually the puck was bound to start to bounce the other way is more logical than seeming to want to hang the season on Panarin and Trouba?

 

[darko]

Puck luck

 

[Irishguy42]

16.89 SH% since Panarin has been out (1st in that range), and sub-50% CF/FF/SF/xGF across the board with a 60+ GF%. A 91.79 SV% (8th in that time range) too with a 1.087 PDO

Kreider running hot as the sun too.

The BUF/NJD effect seems weird to bring up as they only make up half the teams faced, with BOS/PHI being the other half.

Some players are playing really well during the stretch, but some are overperforming.

Howden continues to be doing just cardio, like he has been the entire season.

 

[LokiDog]

It’s coincidental. Kreider stepped up nicely. We got Chytil back. Overall some very poor puck luck started to turn the other way. We still don’t look like “a good team” most nights, but we do look like a team that can score now and it looks like we’re starting to come together better. Games have been much more entertaining at least.

 

[CasusBelli]

We will never know: The sample size is far too small to draw any meaningful conclusions, and any coaching or other roster changes would throw off an analysis. Let’s just rejoice in our change of fortunes. Who knows how long they’ll last.

 

[Kords]

In addition to what's already been pointed out, we have alot of new faces. Last year's slow start was largely in part to the terribly sparse schedule we had the first month, and lack of chemistry between a pretty new roster (this is from pretty much the entire staff last year). Guys are learning each other's tendencies so passes aren't going past sticks or in skates as much.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

We beat the Sabres (barely) and the Devils. Relax.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

We played 2 garbage games that we managed to win against Buffalo and NJ, and NJ played a horrendous game on Saturday and we took advantage. Lets see how we do against a real team tonight. But yes we actually started finishing some chances which is why we won.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

More ice time for Fox and Kreider beast mode.

 

[Ola]

It is largely coincidental. And it always seems to be like this, but I am sure it’s just confirmation bias. Didn’t we do great last year when Ziba was injured? There are many stretches teams collapse when they lose key players — but we don’t take note of that to the same extent since it’s the norm.

NHL teams are streaky and NHL teams have players injured. It’s just to be expected that teams will do well with players injured.

 

[Bluto]

Chytilmania has arrived.

 

[Machinehead]

-Chytil came back
-We're playing the Devils
-Zibanejad still isn't all there but he's been better then he was
-Regression on some of the worst shooting luck in the league

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Because hockey, more than most sports, relies on momentum and bounces going your way. The worst team in the league can beat the best team in the league any night. I remember I think Ottawa beating Tampa 2 out of their last 3 times in one season where Tampa was a juggernaut and Ottawa was absolute shit

 

[zlev]

it mostly bc we played the devils and sabres

 

[NYR]

The less complex the player is, the more simple the game..

Only problem is DQ is too simple and doesn't know how to add that top end talent into the total equation..

 

[NYR]

The less complex the player is, the more simple the game..

Simple gets the job done more often than not.

Only problem is DQ is too simple and doesn't know how to add that top end talent into the total equation..

 

[egelband]

Most controversial take, but mayyyyyybe the coach has kept the ship sailing and moving in the right direction.

 

[Daves a mess]

They're not right now

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Damn is this a Jinx thread OR WHAT?!?! Good job, OP.

 

[True Blue]

All Trouba’s , Gortons & Quinn’s fault