Positives

barry33 · Guru

Positives

JohnM · Guru

It's no time to jump ship boys and girls, we aren't Leafs fans. This is a long season and their will be ups and downs. This team is a fifth place team in the conference tops come playoff time. Who really cares how high we are in the standings as long as we make it in and use these valuable lessons come playoff time.

Theo has plenty of games left to get back into top game form. Something is wrong with Souray, he just is off in every aspect of his game. Rick Green needs to do some real work with him. Ribs is my main concern come playoff time, we've seen what he cannot do during crunch time and that needs to be addressed. For the rest I think we will be ok.

I would like to see the following line combinations in the next game:

Zed Sak Perez

Ryder Pleks Higgs

Sunny Bonk Bulis

Dags Begin Ribs

We don't need to win a shootout against the Thrashers. With those lines we can play a good defensive game limiting Dags and Ribs to little icetime. They have a 6th string goalie in nets so let's get a couple early and shut them down after that.

Muller93 · Guru

I agree. This team played better than that 5-1 loss reflected. The main problem last night was what I have been saying all along:

1. we are thin on D. Streit really has no "bidness" playing at this level. But I don't like Komi or sourray either. So this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

2. I'm sorry but Ribero is Horrific. Barry33, I'v just got to disagree with you abour Ryder. That guy is playing pretty dam good. 9 goals and sometimes he gets shots off from pretty awkward positions. If he keeps getting himself open like that--he could end the season with 35-40 goals. What is wrong with that?? Plus he is throwing the body around way more this year compared to last.

Those are the two main problems that I can guarentee will be addressed before too long. That is the need for a defensman and the need for something other than Ribero. As for goaltending, we are stuck here. Its Theo or bust. So hold on for a bumpy ride and hope Theo finds his form from one playoff performance past.

But I think last night kinda showed that Dannis is no Theo. At least Theo is average most nights( we just all demand more from him because of the 5.5mil---as we should).

AB Habman · Guru

Ryder hasn't been as brilliant as you think! Making poor choices carrying the puck: skating into traffic rather than passing to the open man and not passing off to the open man on two on ones which has become predictable to the goalies. I do agree though that he has a great shot but doesn't always play well between the ears!

All the second line players need to take some blame for poor unproductive play!

Muller93 · Guru

He has 9 goals. Most on the team. Depite playing with Ribero.

If its so predictable, then why does he have 9 goals? Almost all of them generated on his own or through getting a shot off when most would not.

9 goals on an otherwise dumb line. It seems some people just don't want to admit the obvious on that line. Better to distribute the blame around then come to the actual, real conclusion.

Nil d · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Ok. So it is the day after and most of us have vented all the things we had to regarding our recent woes. As a coach, I always try to move onto the positives as quickly as possible. And I believe that we have many positives (although it may be hard to see them right now). Last night we outshot the Caps 40-20. Most nights that deserves a better than 5-1 loss. I felt we deserved better in Jersey as well. Uncle Mo (Momentum) is a fickle thing.

So you say we have many positives, but in a lengthy post you mention that we outshot Washington 40-20, and that's it. I've re-read your post, but don't see any more positives being mentioned. You even seem to be second-guessing your buddy Claude Julien! What are the other positives, in your opinion? We could all use a bit of a boost at the moment!

barry33 · Guru

Nil d wrote:

barry33 wrote: Ok. So it is the day after and most of us have vented all the things we had to regarding our recent woes. As a coach, I always try to move onto the positives as quickly as possible. And I believe that we have many positives (although it may be hard to see them right now). Last night we outshot the Caps 40-20. Most nights that deserves a better than 5-1 loss. I felt we deserved better in Jersey as well. Uncle Mo (Momentum) is a fickle thing. So you say we have many positives, but in a lengthy post you mention that we outshot Washington 40-20, and that's it. I've re-read your post, but don't see any more positives being mentioned. You even seem to be second-guessing your buddy Claude Julien! What are the other positives, in your opinion? We could all use a bit of a boost at the moment!

Sorry nilsey- I guess my early morning post was clouded a bit by my post Captain Morgan hangover. The fact that we outshot them 40-20 shows that we clearly had effort. Alot here have claimed that effrort is lacking. I did not see that last night. I saw poor execution at times, shoddy goaltending and some bad mistakes..but not lack of effort for the most part. We only play Tusday night this week. This means alot of time to practice. Definately CJ will work on our PP and PK as those are killing us right now. I truly feel that we have just lost momentum and that happens in an 80 plus game schedule. And fo rthe life of me I cant explain why.