2 penalties and jmo going down killed the flow of the 1st (still had the better chances despite getting out shot), pk/pp needed to be better tonight, really need perfetti to start doing something
edit: ofc mardybum is back now adding what he does best....
Who is mardybum?
Annnnyways... both games the teams were hot, and their goalies played really well, while ours - wasn't up to his normal standard.
Still, it highlights that if our first line isn't producing, we cannot count on our second line to pick them up. Ehlers can't do it alone.
I keep seeing people saying "Perfetti is playing well, hes creating, if so and so would have finished he would have x points" While this argument has some merit, there comes a time where Perfetti just has to score. These huge slumps that are starting to become his MO are worrisome. Being a good offensive producer isn't simply raw scoring, it's situational scoring, like scoring when the team really needs it (late in a game when we need a goal, games when the 1st line isn't going, etc.).
I'm absolutely not putting this all on Perfetti, as Ehlers also doesn't seem to be a guy who can up his level when the team needs him and put the puck in the net with any consistency. Namestnikov is trying really hard but A> hes definitely banged up, and B> he's just a step below what we need on the second line. All his missed chances lately kind of confirm that.
I'd really like to see a bit of an internal shake up to try to get the boys going. Bring up Chibrikov and try something like:
27 55 81: We've seen in small sample sizes that this line performs well. Ehlers is good at breaking up plays and clearing the puck which could result in less time hemmed in
13 90 91: I think Perfetti could really benefit from some beef on that line, someone to work the boards and with great hands in tight. Chibrikov can help by being the speedy forechecker on that line, and hes not lacking grit or intensity on the wall. All of them are good passers
9 17 62: Iafallo is fine on this line, not quite as offensively consistent as Appleton (did I actually say that?) but not a big step down at all
15 7 19: All of these guys are good defensively. Kupari gets in on the forecheck and I see this line being able to stay even when they are on the ice, which is what you need from a fourth line.
I'm down to try this, lets see what happens? Give it a good amount of time, and if it doesn't work we can look externally near the TDL
Wings are hot. Winnipeg is cold.
This is lowkey amazing.