Johabs Thumbs Up Thumbs Down of the Week~!

Johab · Guru

Johabs Thumbs Up Thumbs Down of the Week~!

heet_150 · Guru

Johab,

Plekanec is doing just fine between Samsonov and Kovalev. The two of them play a type of game where anyone on their line has to be an opportunist and be in the right place at the right time. Refer to Kovalev's goal against Colorado. Samsonov picked up a bounce off the boards, threw it in front and Kovalev was there are waiting. Samsonov's goal - I am pretty sure that was Plekanec going hard to the net in front of Samsonov drawing the defense in deep. I can't imagine Plekanec is doing that poorly, as I have seen him out as the forward when the Habs were down 5 on 3.

Thumbs down to Avalanche for leaving Theodore in?? Please refer to your post "Props to Quenville." Which is it in your opinion?

I agree totally with the Niinimaa coment. He may not be flashy, but at least we're not saying "Did you see Niinimaa get burned for that goal?"

Zulrath · Senior Member

heet_150 wrote:

Johab,

Thumbs down to Avalanche for leaving Theodore in?? Please refer to your post "Props to Quenville." Which is it in your opinion?

That confused me at first too. I gather what he meant was he's glad Theo was in for the game, but the Avs should have played a better game for him.

-- Edited by Zulrath at 22:17, 2006-10-22

heet_150 · Guru

Zulrath wrote:

That confused me at first too. I gather what he meant was he's glad Theo was in for the game, but the Avs should have played a better game for him.

-- Edited by Zulrath at 22:17, 2006-10-22

Ah, a comment on the players abandonning him. I understand. Thanks Zulrath.

rwp2le · Guru

Johab wrote:

THUMBS DOWN- Tomas Plekanec for contributing almost nothing to the habs second line. Until he gets his defensive mindset out of his head and looks at the game offensively again, he will be useless on the 2nd line. But dont be too hard on the guy. He was a checking player ALL last year, you cant expect him to just flip a switch and start scoring goals. LEts just hope it doesnt take TOO long for the change to happen.

I agree 100% I don't think he does anything poorly, and he will be very good in a few years, but he lacks something. I don't even know what to call it, or how to explain it. I can't say it is instincts, or vision. But the things I notice are that he doesn't head man the puck at the proper times. The people who were at the game Saturday heard me screaming when he drew the penalty in the 1st. When Pleks stepped over our blue line, Samsonov had 1/2 a step on the Avs D, and Pleks should recognize the fact that Sammy 1/2 a step ahead is not going to be caught. You don't make that pass to Kovalev, but when its Sammy, you have to give him the chance to win the foot race, 99 times out of 100 he will. The other things I notice are that when he is buzzing around the net, he tends to get caught up ice. Thank goodness his linemates have been good in the defensive end this year. (Before you guys freak out, go back and watch some games, don't look at the TV with a blank stare on your face, but watch. Sammy and Kovy have broken up more odd man rushes this year then Pleks has) He will often overlook the open man to get the puck to Kovalev, I know he is the one we want to have the puck, but look around, don't just panic and throw it where you think Alex will be.

I think Pleks will come around, maybe he just needs some time to adjust. I have to admit that over the last 3 games that line has looked better, our biggest problem is that if these 3 don't click we may get stuck with a guy like Jason Allison, and I don't think anyone wants that.