SHORTHANDED GOALS! What's going on???

What the heck is the PP doing that we have given up so many SH goals this season. I can't figure it out. If it's not the points, it's simple giveaways, or ill-advised passing. Who is missing their assignments? Doesn't it seem like we've given up more SH'ers this season than in like all the last 5 seasons combined?

Hey Julien, can you please work on this?

Carelessness with the puck.

Poor coverage and lazy passes can also attribute to that problem.

Carelessness with the puck.

yeah but if that were the case, wouldn't we be giving up a ton of breakaways and odd man rushed when we are at even strength? Our D and forwards are usually pretty solid.........at least at even strength.

yeah but if that were the case, wouldn't we be giving up a ton of breakaways and odd man rushed when we are at even strength? Our D and forwards are usually pretty solid.........at least at even strength.

Yeah, but this isn't even strength. On the powerplay the players tend to try to get more creative, and a lot of times elect to make pretty passes over the simple, safer ones. Additionally, because they are one man up, laziness and carelessness can begin to set in.

The real problem: On the Power Play our defense pushes too far in. They play 2 up top and 3 down. But the two up top are spaced too far apart (especially when deep in the zone). One D-man needs to be near the middle of the ice at the point at any given time depending on who has the puck.

Its because of the lack of defensive coverage in the middle that gives the other team a wide avenue to take the puck downtown.

Passing is not an issue. Passes mess up, get caught, etc. But when you have the man-advantage, it shouldnt be an issue at all. There was one PP where the Devils couldnt set up in the other teams' zone, but were able to maintain puck control.

Summary: Defense needs better positioning. They are too spread apart and leave the middle wide open. In addition to this, you need a fast D-man at point (who can also shoot) so that he can regain control of the puck ASAP before the other team does.

Also, when your up a goal, or tied, you need to play conservative on the PP. The reason SHGs are scored is because the attacking team assumes that the man-advantage alone will win it.

Possible solution: disband the PP for a game or two and roll lines normally.

i think langs on the point is the main reason for all the SH goals

i think langs on the point is the main reason for all the SH goals

Neither of the goals last night I would really deem his fault. The first time he had his stick chopped out of his hands, and the second time he wasn't on the ice. I don't really think they're at all his fault.

I've got a question about shorthanded goals and PP percentage. Do shorthanded goals "count against" the power play, so to speak, or does it not matter?

For example, if a power play scored 20 goals on 100 power plays, it would have an efficiency of 20%. But say that same power play also allowed 5 shorthanded goals - would it's percentage still be 20%, or would it drop to 15% (20 goals scored - 5 goals allowed per hundred chances)?

If they don't, I think the league should count them in somehow. Because if your powerplay scores a lot but also gives up a lot of shorties, well, that's not very helpful.

Although, we are doing well using the triangle on the PP, if a shot gets blocked or a pass intercepted, bang, it's a 2 on 1. High reward, high risk.

Although, we are doing well using the triangle on the PP, if a shot gets blocked or a pass intercepted, bang, it's a 2 on 1. High reward, high risk.

Exactly. The "umbrella" PP setup has only one man at the blueline. Get the puck past him and it's a footrace - usually with a forward being the 2nd man trying to catch up.

Exactly. The "umbrella" PP setup has only one man at the blueline. Get the puck past him and it's a footrace - usually with a forward being the 2nd man trying to catch up.

Thanks for knowing what I was trying to say. (Umbrella). And having one man in the center of the blue line
is exactly what is causing all the shorties.

Agressive pinching by the D men -- sometimes with only one actual defenseman on the ice -- adds to the risk. But there are rewards to that as well. Recently Gionta potted one from the point on the PP, while covering for one of the D men who pinched... It is just when the forwards neglect to cover during the pinch it can lead to an instant odd man rush. If we want to continue to be this agrresive (which I like, as our PP can get boring and impotent FAST), then the forwards have to be aware and responsible at all times as to what the D is doing.

I've got a question about shorthanded goals and PP percentage. Do shorthanded goals "count against" the power play, so to speak, or does it not matter?No. The PP% is just power play goals for/power play chances.

If they don't, I think the league should count them in somehow. Because if your powerplay scores a lot but also gives up a lot of shorties, well, that's not very helpful.I devised a rating for special teams along time ago. It simply takes all the goals for on the power play and short-handed and subtracts goals against while killing penalties and short-handed goals for the other team. Here is how the NHL teams rank:

RANK |TEAM|PPGF|SHGF|PKGA|SHGA|RATING

1|SJS|41|4|20|1|24|
2|ANA|44|3|25|0|22|
2|MTL|36|9|20|3|22|
4|MIN|30|6|20|4|12|
4|NSH|33|5|24|2|12|
6|NJD|32|1|16|8|9|
7|EDM|23|1|17|2|5 |
8|DAL|32|2|25|5|4 |
8|NYR|36|5|36|1|4 |
10|BUF|31|4|30|2|3 |
10|COL|33|2|29|3|3 |
12|CBJ|33|3|30|6|0|
12|DET|27|7|31|3|0 |
12|TOR|37|2|35|4|0 |
12|WSH|31|5|33|3|0 |
16|VAN|28|0|25|4|-1 |
17|FLA|34|2|36|2|-2 |
18|ATL|34|6|38|5|-3 |
18|CAR|29|6|33|5|-3 |
18|CGY|27|6|36|3|-3 |
18|LAK|36|3|40|2|-3 |
22|BOS|32|3|37|3|-5 |
23|PHI|23|4|24|8|-5 |
24|TBL|33|4|35|7|-5 |
25|PIT|34|7|40|7|-6 |
26|OTT|31|4|34|8|-7 |
27|CHI|19|4|33|1|-11 |
28|NYI|26|2|38|4|-14 |
29|STL|18|3|36|4|-19 |
30|PHX|19|3|46|6|-30

PPGF - Power Play Goals For
SHGF - Short-Handed Goals For
PKGA - Penalty Kill Goals Allowed (goals surrendered while short-handed.)
SHGA - Short-Handed Goals Allowed (goals surrendered while on the power play.)

It's amazing that the team has allowed half as many shorthanded goals against as it has powerplay goals against. Wow!

It's amazing that the team has allowed half as many shorthanded goals against as it has powerplay goals against. Wow!

That's due in part to the fact that the Devils are by far the least penalized team in the league. <insert crazed anti-NJ conspiracy here>