Buffalo Rick Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I saw nothing at all that resembled defense yesterday fro Columbus but for one great play by a forward, Dubinsky to save the game temporarily by poke checking a puck from Crosby that likely would have wound top shelf where mama hides the cookies. I saw nothing but a bunch of guys skating in circles. The same goes for the Penguins to an extent but not nearly as bad as Columbus. This is a team that won 16 in a row somehow and now we know how. OFFENSE. Not defense. Torts MUST think defense to extend this series which is no doubt lost. But they need to try and take something positive from this. They made the playoffs. They did have that tremendous streak. They have Cam Atkinson who I am about to lose on my fantasy, but I expected to lose him in the first round, just wanted a few extra points after I got robbed by Justin Williams going one pick ahead of me taking him. Columbus needs to do something on D. Now Dubinsky had bad luck as he almost won the game and the puck hit Fluery in the mask. Top of it and would have gone in otherwise. It was just so disorganized the style of play. Not like the ST Louis Blues or the Wild who both played very tight and smart type hockey. One more shot to get it right. Had a 3-1 lead and blew it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Torts needs to pull the lead pipe out of his as_ first. The Blow Jackets are finished. I'm never going to pick them again in future bracket challenges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nossagog Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I don't know if there is a rabbit for Torts to pull. He went all in on "investing" in the physical game, and it hasn't worked yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said: I saw nothing at all that resembled defense yesterday fro Columbus but for one great play by a forward, Dubinsky to save the game temporarily by poke checking a puck from Crosby that likely would have wound top shelf where mama hides the cookies. I saw nothing but a bunch of guys skating in circles. The same goes for the Penguins to an extent but not nearly as bad as Columbus. This is a team that won 16 in a row somehow and now we know how. OFFENSE. Not defense. Torts MUST think defense to extend this series which is no doubt lost. But they need to try and take something positive from this. They made the playoffs. They did have that tremendous streak. They have Cam Atkinson who I am about to lose on my fantasy, but I expected to lose him in the first round, just wanted a few extra points after I got robbed by Justin Williams going one pick ahead of me taking him. Columbus needs to do something on D. Now Dubinsky had bad luck as he almost won the game and the puck hit Fluery in the mask. Top of it and would have gone in otherwise. It was just so disorganized the style of play. Not like the ST Louis Blues or the Wild who both played very tight and smart type hockey. One more shot to get it right. Had a 3-1 lead and blew it. Dubinsky was also in the box when Guentzel scored to make it 4-3 in the 3rd and was so...obsessed?...with Crosby that he stood and watched him elude two CBJ defenders before finding Guentzel in front of the net for the OT winner. the same Guentzel who had positioned himself right behind Dubinsky. Me thinks Dubinsky might be reading too much of his own press clippings about how he's somehow morphed into Crosby's arch nemesis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 6 minutes ago, nossagog said: I don't know if there is a rabbit for Torts to pull. He went all in on "investing" in the physical game, and it hasn't worked yet. Nor will it...at least not for an entire game. It's an impossible game plan to execute for a full 60 minutes. Players become to obsessed with making the extra hit or the "harder" hit and forget about the actual X's and O's. Last night was text book. It worked for CBJ for about 8 minutes. Then you saw how a veteran playoff team can slowly, methodically beat a team more hell bent on inflicting extra punishment as opposed to say....scoring goals or playing defense. So the question is....does Torts double down and maybe take a few Pens out with him? Or do the Jackets get back to actually trying to play hockey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 34 minutes ago, B21 said: Nor will it...at least not for an entire game. It's an impossible game plan to execute for a full 60 minutes. Players become to obsessed with making the extra hit or the "harder" hit and forget about the actual X's and O's. Last night was text book. It worked for CBJ for about 8 minutes. Then you saw how a veteran playoff team can slowly, methodically beat a team more hell bent on inflicting extra punishment as opposed to say....scoring goals or playing defense. So the question is....does Torts double down and maybe take a few Pens out with him? Or do the Jackets get back to actually trying to play hockey? They have to fix the defense. Guys like Jenner and Atkinson are fine players. They are not just going to go away next year IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 39 minutes ago, Hockey Junkie said: They have to fix the defense. Guys like Jenner and Atkinson are fine players. They are not just going to go away next year IMO I agree there (CBJ not going away). The problem for the Blue Jackets is that neither are the Pens or Capitals or Rangers. 9 teams topped 100 points this year. 4 were in the Metro and none look to be regressing within the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 49 minutes ago, B21 said: I agree there (CBJ not going away). The problem for the Blue Jackets is that neither are the Pens or Capitals or Rangers. 9 teams topped 100 points this year. 4 were in the Metro and none look to be regressing within the next few years. Not so sure about the Rangers. My Sabres will knock them out within the next two years. Or Montreal. Or Ottawa. The East changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 39 minutes ago, Hockey Junkie said: Not so sure about the Rangers. My Sabres will knock them out within the next two years. Or Montreal. Or Ottawa. The East changes. Metro teams in the playoffs... 16-17: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Columbus... 15-16: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders & Philadelphia... 14-15: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers & New York Islanders... 13-14: Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Columbus & Philadelphia... Division Changes but for the sake of argument, I'll list the Metro teams only (CBJ was in the Western Conference)... 12-13: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers & New York Islanders... 11-12: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New Jersey & Philadelphia... 10-11: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers & Philadelphia... That's 7 years of history. Only once did PIT, WAS or the NYR not make the playoffs (WAS in 13-14). That's 20 of 21. Sure, anything can change but the East is not the issue for CBJ. The Metro is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 1 hour ago, B21 said: Metro teams in the playoffs... 16-17: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Columbus... 15-16: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders & Philadelphia... 14-15: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers & New York Islanders... 13-14: Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Columbus & Philadelphia... Division Changes but for the sake of argument, I'll list the Metro teams only (CBJ was in the Western Conference)... 12-13: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers & New York Islanders... 11-12: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New Jersey & Philadelphia... 10-11: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers & Philadelphia... That's 7 years of history. Only once did PIT, WAS or the NYR not make the playoffs (WAS in 13-14). That's 20 of 21. Sure, anything can change but the East is not the issue for CBJ. The Metro is. I do not think the Rangers are getting better. I think they will be lucky to make it next year. Lundquist is their bigest weapon. But he cant do it alone. They may have a tough year next year. I just see it coming. And Montreal is nothing to get excited about. My Sabres are going to get better in the next year or two and I expect that the Flyers are going to be in the thick of the race also. Toronto is never a cinch to get in. I think Chicago's glory days are over for now. The Kings got knocked out. Next year maybe Chicago does. I hope Vegas is not as bad as the old Colorado Rockies or Cleveland Barons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 2 minutes ago, Hockey Junkie said: I do not think the Rangers are getting better. I think they will be lucky to make it next year. Lundquist is their bigest weapon. But he cant do it alone. They may have a tough year next year. I just see it coming. And Montreal is nothing to get excited about. My Sabres are going to get better in the next year or two and I expect that the Flyers are going to be in the thick of the race also. Toronto is never a cinch to get in. I think Chicago's glory days are over for now. The Kings got knocked out. Next year maybe Chicago does. I hope Vegas is not as bad as the old Colorado Rockies or Cleveland Barons Last I checked the Sabres and Habs weren't in the Metro which means CBJ only plays them in the first round if CBJ is not one of the top 3 teams in the Metro (possible considering the Caps, Pens and Rangers are in that division as well) and either the Habs (definitely possible) or the Sabres (highly unlikely) win the Atlantic. "Better" for the Sabres means making the playoffs. Maybe as an 8 seed. Which puts them square in the cross hairs of the aforementioned Caps and Pens. Focus, man. Focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted April 17, 2017 Author Share Posted April 17, 2017 30 minutes ago, B21 said: Last I checked the Sabres and Habs weren't in the Metro which means CBJ only plays them in the first round if CBJ is not one of the top 3 teams in the Metro (possible considering the Caps, Pens and Rangers are in that division as well) and either the Habs (definitely possible) or the Sabres (highly unlikely) win the Atlantic. "Better" for the Sabres means making the playoffs. Maybe as an 8 seed. Which puts them square in the cross hairs of the aforementioned Caps and Pens. Focus, man. Focus. So you are assuming things will always be as they are now? That is just not how hockey works. Hockey is a revolving door as far as the lower seeded teams go. Pegula is determined to build a winner, has the money, has Eichel and Ristolainen and more and we are not going to be out of the playoffs for long. We never are. Buffalo has been a good hockey team for many many years. This was a case of ripping apart a team Darcy Regier built that almost won the Cup in 06, and went to 3 Eastern conference finals. After losing to Dallas in that fiasco of a final in 99, they went in a new direction. Many articles were written about the post lockout Sabres who were a breath of fresh air for the NHL. Speed to kill and talent led by Drury and Briere and Vanek and Roy and Pommenville. You will see the remains of that team still scattered to the wind throughout the NHL. Buffalo is a very good hockey town. We will be back in the race very very soon. The Rangers and Montreal in my opinion are both very vulnerable next year. The only thing that is rock sold are the two goalies and I hear Price's contract is up. Will he want to stay there? Maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 1 hour ago, Hockey Junkie said: So you are assuming things will always be as they are now? That is just not how hockey works. Except that it kinda has as far as the top teams in the Metro. I looked at 3 teams going back 7 years. 21 possible playoff spots. 20 times in. Not just "sneaking" in, either. Ranking solely on points, one of those teams would have been the #1 seed each year except for 13-14. 1 and 2 seeds 4 of 7 years. That's what is in front of CBJ just in their division. Sure...anything can happen. Injuries aside...or sudden retirements from Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Backstron, Holtby and Lundqvist...the rest of the Metro is looking up for the next few seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 2 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said: And Montreal is nothing to get excited about They still have Price and he alone will win you games. 2 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said: Toronto is never a cinch to get in Hmm ...that is changing. they now have a bonafide star in Matthews ...strong goaltending in Andersen and a whole host of young upcoming supporting characters (Nylander, Marner, Gardnier, etc just to name a few) The Leafs are going to be a royal thorn for years to come. 2 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said: I think Chicago's glory days are over for now. The Kings got knocked out. Next year maybe Chicago does. this may be true..but has nothing to do with the Eastern Conference or Metro Division 2 hours ago, Hockey Junkie said: I hope Vegas is not as bad as the old Colorado Rockies or Cleveland Barons The expansion draft will make them competitive from the start. They will have their struggles no doubt, but not to the extent the Barons had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo1917 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 22 hours ago, B21 said: 16-17: Washington, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Columbus.. I don't think I see the Rangers "getting better" I'm no longer sold on the future of the Capitals either, they kind of loaded up for this year's run and the results so far are less than impressive. I think to reload they'll need to part with AO or Backstrom to get some "stuff" back. Kusnetsov and Burakovsky are burgeoning ++ players but that's kind of it. the rest are guys that you can find anywhere. I think the Pens remain a top team in the near term and I really think CBJ are poised to become a contender. They're young they play fast and heavy, not as fast as Pgh as we're learning, their goaltending is pretty good. I think there is room for other teams in the division to make some noise because NYR and the Caps aren't looking "stalwart" any longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJgoal Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 15 minutes ago, mojo1917 said: I think the Pens remain a top team in the near term I have Crosby on my keeper team. The Pens are done starting next year. Seriously, I agree. There is something rotten with the Caps - even should they end up winning this series, they really need to make some sort of move with their core. The Rags rebounded some this year, but I still think they're trending down. Columbus is trending up. They're not there yet, but I think most of us expected a playoff season last year from them, and I don't see any reason to anticipate them missing over the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 1 hour ago, mojo1917 said: I don't think I see the Rangers "getting better" I'm no longer sold on the future of the Capitals either, they kind of loaded up for this year's run and the results so far are less than impressive. I think to reload they'll need to part with AO or Backstrom to get some "stuff" back. Kusnetsov and Burakovsky are burgeoning ++ players but that's kind of it. the rest are guys that you can find anywhere. I think the Pens remain a top team in the near term and I really think CBJ are poised to become a contender. They're young they play fast and heavy, not as fast as Pgh as we're learning, their goaltending is pretty good. I think there is room for other teams in the division to make some noise because NYR and the Caps aren't looking "stalwart" any longer. Fair points. I'm thinking in terms of the next 3-4 years...by then Crosby, Malkin, OV & Co. will be hitting their mid 30's. In the mean time both teams have proven capable of restocking the roster year after year. I don't see why that won't continue as long as the superstars don't see huge drop offs. The Rangers, while lacking a true superstar other than maybe Lundqvist are their year after year. Maybe not as high up in the standings as regularly as the Pens or Caps but certainly someone who CBJ will have to deal with as far as seeding/getting in. No easy task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 I will take the I will take the team that won 16 in a row over the Leafs as to who has a better shot of turning to a game 7! Go Jacketa. Cam Atkinson time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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