this game was absolutely bonkers.
the first half of the game, we alternated carrying the play 1/3 of the time and being totally caved in by edmonton the other 2/3 of the time. but that team looked totally beatable at every point and obviously silovs had a rough game.
but then midway through the second, either we flipped a switch or edmonton did and we just dominated them the rest of the way.
my takeaways:
- motherf***ers need to hit the motherf***ing net.
- lindholm has no idea what his role is on the PP
- hoglander needs to be on the fourth line, both because he is playing like crap but also because taking the pressure off him to make offensive plays will simplify his game and hopefully that gets him back to contributing energy and causing turnovers
- i thought hronek looked godawful to start and really really good defensively to finish the game; one shift he just handled mcjesus like it was nothing
- we have to do something about petey’s wingers, but we also need to keep lindholm on his own line. having miller, petey, and lindholm down the middle is going to win us this series.
- lindholm was an absolute beast. that was a trevor linden in ’94 game by him. just trucking guys and carrying the play.
- but conversely, while petey had a really good game i thought, especially defensively, you can see that one of his wingers is always completely open and they’re collapsing on petey because there’s no need to cover them. that needs to change somehow.
- suter had a really really good game and was integral to anything that boeser and miller accomplished. 50/50battles he usually would lose or saw off, he won last night.
- mikheyev also had a really really good game, although obviously hands of stone and of zero offensive consequence.
- with skinner so shaky, we actually should start shooting it from everywhere, although obviously hit the motherf***ing net.
but ultimately, this was a game of pleasant surprises.
goal #1 i was like, jesus f***ing christ cole, hit the net. but obviously then joshua put it away. i think right there, it showed the team where skinner’s weakness is. he doesn’t track pucks well when it’s too far to the side and close to the goal line.
goal #3, after miller (i think) made a great play at the line to keep it in, soucy makes the quick read to boeser and i’m like, boeser’s trapped. wtf is jt doing behind the goal line? but he had found skinner’s weakness.
goal #5, that hughes-esque stretch pass by zadorov, that sedin-esque set play by joshua to pick/spring garland, and then i’m like, ugh, garland being garland, skating himself into nowhere... and then, another whiff by skinner on a wide angle shot from basically the goal line.
also, that was the worst game i’ve seen hughes play in years. the fact that we won anyway is huge.