Flowers are expensive 😔
- mr.sir

Especially this weekend and around Valentine's Day.

I think that’s partly true about collapsing the box but there’s no reason why only the fear of shots from the point will counter this. You can pull defenders out with shooters (willie and Matthews) high in the slots but they need to shoot from there to be taken seriously.

The other thing that will help is movement without the puck. It’s amazing how even the most disciplined PK breaks down against steady puck and player movement.
- Canada Cup

Admittedly the conversation becomes a mish-mash of styles, too. A shot from the point with no one in front providing a screen or acting as a deflection point becomes less useful as well. Hell, if you're not Matthews, a shot from the collapsed point is just as useless if you're not getting into the slot or shooting from a cross-ice pass. It's rare that guys are scoring from the faceoff dot or higher on anything but a one-timer, and that's still reserved for an elite few.

I was noticing that while Ovechkin used to be the real focal point for Washington (two years ago he had 18PP goals, and the next closest had 8, the two years before the skew was 17-9 and 17-8), but they have spread that out to Oshie & Ovechkin creating two different looks.

Matthews is a diverse scorer, being able to fool goalies with a shot from a lower danger place, or get off a one-timer, or what-have-you, but he moves around a lot. At times in inopportune places on the PP where he's not going to shoot. I guess the idea is to create more chaos in the zone because the D is supposed to follow Matthews, but a lot of the time his placement is still covered by a collapsed box (ie, he goes down low to the left post, cycles back left-side to the faceoff dot where his wrist shot is best, cycles up to the left point, and cuts to the right-side faceoff dot one-timer spot, and seems to circle that type of pattern), but when you watch him get the puck, it's rare that the defensive positioning has spread out. The other guys need to move that puck crisply to create room if Matthews is the guy. And they need to move the puck with purpose so that you draw the defenders to the left side when Matthews is on the right, or vice versa. If you want JT to be the shooter, then employ a feint with Matthews on the right-side, and get the puck to JT on the left side.

But they need to break the collapsed position of the D. It starts with faster puck movement, and player positioning. I think we're largely thinking the same thing, but you want there to be a reason to stretch the D out, and one of those reasons is that the guy at the point has to be a threat of some sort, otherwise you can passively pressure with an active stick and push the puck along the outside.

Question

When did Mother’s Day change from buying for only your mother, to buying for all family members that are mothers?

This is getting expensive 🤨

Mom
Wife
Mother in law
Sisters in law
Sisters
Nephews wife
Granny
- mr.sir

I used to love how our daycare would take care of it - they'd always have the kids do some arts and crafts project.

So serious question:

Can Calgary overtake Montreal?

The magic number for Montreal is one. One measly point. Montreal needs to earn one point, or Calgary drop one point.

Montreal's final three games:

Toronto
Edmonton
Edmonton

We'll be playing to win - we need one more point to clinch first place.

The question is will Edmonton be icing a full squad. If we clinch Saturday night, they are only playing to get McDavid to 100.

Calgary's final five games:

Ottawa
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver

Ottawa is actually playing well these days. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10.

But if Calgary can beat Ottawa, things might get very interesting.
- Atomic Wedgie

No chance. The Habs will get a point, and the Flames will lose a couple as well.

Flowers are expensive 😔
- mr.sir

I'm cutting tulips from my own yard this year for mom

Put the giraffe on the point for the PP, he probably has a harder back hander then Rielly’s slapper and the same defensive ineptness.


GLG

I would like to see them try Tj Brodie on pp1, just to see what he can do.

So serious question:

Can Calgary overtake Montreal?

The magic number for Montreal is one. One measly point. Montreal needs to earn one point, or Calgary drop one point.

Montreal's final three games:

Toronto
Edmonton
Edmonton

We'll be playing to win - we need one more point to clinch first place.

The question is will Edmonton be icing a full squad. If we clinch Saturday night, they are only playing to get McDavid to 100.

Calgary's final five games:

Ottawa
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver

Ottawa is actually playing well these days. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10.

But if Calgary can beat Ottawa, things might get very interesting.
- Atomic Wedgie

The problem is that Calgary is a poopty team.

PP

Simmonds Sabourin Holl
Hutton
Muzzin

No chance. The Habs will get a point, and the Flames will lose a couple as well.
- Archaic

It's an interesting thought, though - and it will obviously play itself out as it does - but Vancouver has a ridiculously exhausting schedule. I was thinking last night was the most rested they've been in a while. Maybe tomorrow night they'll have some energy, too, but after that . . .I don't know.

May 6 Edmonton
May 8 Edmonton
May 10 Winnipeg
May 11 Winnipeg
May 13 Calgary
May 15 Edmonton
May 16 Calgary
May 18 Calgary
May 19 Calgary

Everyone of the bolded games is either technically a back-to-back or a 3-in-4 situation. If Vancouver takes Calgary in any of those games, maybe it's the 13th, but I don't know what they're going to have in the tank. That's 9 games in 14 days.

I think the Habs get a point - they play Edmonton very well - but Vancouver winning games isn't something I'd be relying on, and I'm trying to slight Vancouver here - it's just a hard schedule for a tired and demotivated team.

PP

Simmonds Sabourin Holl
Hutton
Muzzin
- Canada Cup

Are you allowed to punch the puck in the net?

I'm cutting tulips from my own yard this year for mom
- TheMussel

McGillicutty’s stump?

I says “pardon me”?

I would like to see them try Tj Brodie on pp1, just to see what he can do.
- explorer

I'd like to see more of Sandin on the PP.

It's an interesting thought, though - and it will obviously play itself out as it does - but Vancouver has a ridiculously exhausting schedule. I was thinking last night was the most rested they've been in a while. Maybe tomorrow night they'll have some energy, too, but after that . . .I don't know.

May 6 Edmonton
May 8 Edmonton
May 10 Winnipeg
May 11 Winnipeg
May 13 Calgary
May 15 Edmonton
May 16 Calgary
May 18 Calgary
May 19 Calgary

Everyone of the bolded games is either technically a back-to-back or a 3-in-4 situation. If Vancouver takes Calgary in any of those games, maybe it's the 13th, but I don't know what they're going to have in the tank. That's 9 games in 14 days.

I think the Habs get a point - they play Edmonton very well - but Vancouver winning games isn't something I'd be relying on, and I'm trying to slight Vancouver here - it's just a hard schedule for a tired and demotivated team.
- Monkeypunk

Nothing short of an epic winning streak and a ridiculous collapse can put the Flames in the playoffs.

Habs will be limping in and will pray to the viking gods that Price, Weber, Tatar are back to full form for the playoffs.

Are you allowed to punch the puck in the net?
- Monkeypunk

Normally no.

But I do remember a goal from Umberger in the playoffs vs the Habs that somehow got allowed despite it being an obvious gesture from the hand to push the puck in the net.

So, as always, who (frank)ing knows?

Nah

Bruce fell off his bike many many years ago
- mr.sir

Lol

The Bears
- Zezel

Da Bearsz

So serious question:

Can Calgary overtake Montreal?

The magic number for Montreal is one. One measly point. Montreal needs to earn one point, or Calgary drop one point.

Montreal's final three games:

Toronto
Edmonton
Edmonton

We'll be playing to win - we need one more point to clinch first place.

The question is will Edmonton be icing a full squad. If we clinch Saturday night, they are only playing to get McDavid to 100.

Calgary's final five games:

Ottawa
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver

Ottawa is actually playing well these days. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10.

But if Calgary can beat Ottawa, things might get very interesting.
- Atomic Wedgie

I pretty much posted this (less words though) in the last blog last night.

PP

Simmonds Sabourin Holl
Hutton
Muzzin
- Canada Cup

Muzzin and Hutton = Mutton

Flowers are expensive 😔
- mr.sir

We buy flowers/plants for the garden - stuff we are going to buy anyway, and call them Mothers Day presents.

Put the giraffe on the point for the PP, he probably has a harder back hander then Rielly’s slapper and the same defensive ineptness.


GLG
- Garnie

Did you see Bedard’s back hander in the gold medal game last night?!!
Honestly, all of the goals in that game from both teams were snipes. Talented effin Midgets.

Nothing short of an epic winning streak and a ridiculous collapse can put the Flames in the playoffs.

Habs will be limping in and will pray to the viking gods that Price, Weber, Tatar are back to full form for the playoffs.
- Scabeh

I agree. It would require Calgary to go 5-0-0, and Montreal to go 0-3-0. Calgary has an advantage over Ottawa since they are playing back-to-back, and Calgary has an advantage over Vancouver since they're going to be exhausted. By the time Calgary plays Vancouver, they'll have gone through Edmonton & Winnipeg, and be playing in 3-in-4 or B2B mode for the rest of the year. That being said, Vancouver is 2-3-1 against Calgary, so Calgary taking all 4 is still a stretch.

Montreal won't lose all 3. Let's face it. Primeau was un-good yesterday. The Leafs certainly played better, but they were buoyed by having such an easier first period. Once Allen came in, the game stopped tilting - at least on the scoreboard. Montreal is 5-2 against Edmonton. They're not collapsing.

Nothing short of an epic winning streak and a ridiculous collapse can put the Flames in the playoffs.

Habs will be limping in and will pray to the viking gods that Price, Weber, Tatar are back to full form for the playoffs.
- Scabeh

3 losses
5 wins

It can happen

Did you see Bedard’s back gander in the gold medal game last night?!!
Honestly, all of the goals in that game from both teams were snipes. Talented effin Midgets.
- Woderwick

Bedard, Wright and Michkov are all excellent. Michkov is 16 years old, 5'10", 160lbs and has a laser for a shot. Holy crap.

Bedard is only 15, 5'9" and 180lbs. I was impressed by his on-ice intelligence. He just seemed shifty, and able to get into good shooting spots all the time.

The crazy thing is that Wright isn't even eligible for the draft until next year, and Bedard and Michkov aren't eligible until 2023.

Right now Rielly is a useless on the powerplay. Everyone knows he doesn’t shoot so they need to get him involved more somehow.
- bryant

hummm


The Kaberle syndrome