Right Direction

barry33 · Guru

Right Direction

JohnM · Guru

Let's hope. This 6 now 5 game road trip will make or break us. If we can go 3-3 we should still be ok. If not we could be in deep trouble.

One thing for sure is we need to use our picks to build a better team. Why did we pick Kosty when both Carter and Richards were available. We all know we need to get better at Center and yet we aren't drafting centermen, same goes for D. I think teams like Calgary, etc... are able to do well because they can build around key guys. So far we haven't been able to do this.

AB Habman · Guru

barry33 wrote:

No question that the team is heading in the right direction even after a loss last night. A couple weeks ago we would have lost that game 6-1. I do see a better overall effort out there. I am worried about Saks as he looks tired the last few games. As much as I have criticized Bonkers, I thought he played half decent last night. Losing Souray hurt, but I think in the long run, it is things like that that bring a team closer together and solidify the dressing room. Maybe a short term pain=long term gain thing. At least there is some spark there now and we can build on that. A few things I noticed: I would like to see IVannis up on this trip. I would dress him in place of Murray. Not that Murray has been playing poorly, but it seems to me that we have enough of that type of player now. The fact that Souray had to fight last night (could have been Rivet had he been on the ice), highlites the fact that we need someone like Ivannis in the lineup. Someone had to stand up to McCarthy last night or he would have spent the night running all over Saks and others. We cannot have that. But why not have Ivannis do that? It definately cost u sthe game last night but I still feel it had to be done. We are still making some costly mistakes and not getting near enough pucks to the net. We did not get enough to the net against Dallas but we capitalized on the ones we did have. However, a few practices is not near enough for these guys to get a new system in place. Our success to date has been on effort and adrenyln. Things will come. Kovalev- boy I still shake my head at this guy. He has SO much talent but he just seems to turn it on and off like a tap when he wants. I guess I now see what the Rangers were saying Begin looks abit fresher because I think that Gainey is using him smarter than Julien did. Same with Ribs. Bonk did not look so out of place last night which, I guess, is progress Theo was ok. He does not seem to be going down a squickly now.

Good post and observations!

Forum Fan · Veteran Member

.................good post ...yep ! we're not getting enough from Kovalev ..he's our only game breaker , but there's no consistency ....

Jonny G · Senior Member

I'm pretty sure that Rivet was on the ice. He even got between the two players (briefly) and then moved aside.

As for Kovalev, you're right. Prior to the third period, he'd show up one out of every 3 shifts.

As for McCarty, the RDS guys made an interesting comment. They said that his job has been to agitate opposing defenders. It's a good trade-off for Calgary in the event of a fight because Calgary doesn't loose much by way of offence, but the opposition is usually playing short a D-man for at least five minutes (and, as in the case last night, perhaps the whole game).

Bonk did look pretty good last night. A renewed intensity.

I going to the Leafs-Habs game next Saturday night -- I hope that Les Boys still have little juice left in their tank at the end of this road swing.