Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

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Cornuck
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Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Cornuck »

This is not same team that we watched at the end of the season. To me they just seem lost out there in this series. The Hawks are a good team, but I don't think they're that good. We're making them look much better.

When has this team given up that many unanswered goals - 2 nights in a row?

Luongo's made some great saves, but where is the robbery from the STL series? Now Salo's out, Sundin may still be hurting, I'm guessing RJ will have a sore or broken hand today. Demitra and Burrows both left the game for a short while.

If this team doesn't find their rhythm and their confidence, the season will be over this week.

Can all this be attributed to the layoff? Are the Hawks on fire? Is it something else?

I'm not writing this team off and think they're capable of getting back to their game.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Arachnid »

Cornuck wrote:This is not same team that we watched at the end of the season. To me they just seem lost out there in this series. The Hawks are a good team, but I don't think they're that good. We're making them look much better.

When has this team given up that many unanswered goals - 2 nights in a row?

Luongo's made some great saves, but where is the robbery from the STL series? Now Salo's out, Sundin may still be hurting, I'm guessing RJ will have a sore or broken hand today. Demitra and Burrows both left the game for a short while.

If this team doesn't find their rhythm and their confidence, the season will be over this week.

Can all this be attributed to the layoff? Are the Hawks on fire? Is it something else?
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Linden Is God »

I'm not worried, yet. It's two bad games and they found a way to win one of them. An extended winning streak (8 was it?) has to end sometime. The way the team responds in game 3 and 4 is what will have me worried or not.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by JCardinal »

Yeah definitely wait for game 3. As long as the guys don't start outthinking themselves they should be fine.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Sid Dithers »

Attributed to the layoff? No.

But it can be attributed to the fact Chicago can really fly. They're young, fearless and confident. They don't play 'tight'. Their third and fourth-line guys are factors. Eagers is a terrific skater for a tough guy, and Buffy is a problem matchup as long as he keeps his legs moving. He's not fast, but he's a force as long as he can get to the net. Let's be honest, the Hawks are killing the Canucks 5-on-5. The Hawks don't stand around. They're always on the move. Add to that a very mobile group of Dmen and you've got a very fluid team. On top of that they get in their share of hits. They're loose, they just play, and don't seem to be the least bit bothered playing from behind.

The Canucks aren't in trouble here quite yet, but AV certainly needs to change a few things, because if the Canucks stick with the status quo, they'll be in trouble here soon. Remember: we haven't seen much out of Toews and Havlat yet. If those guys get up to speed, things become very problematic for the Canucks. The Hawks forwards have killed the Canucks forwards so far.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by displacednucksfan »

The Hawk can sure fly. I saw this coming. The Canucks need to neutralize the speed of the Hawks, and the best way that I can think of doing that, is give the 4th line a bit more time on ice to soften up the Hawks, especially their scoring lines. They got to remain disciplined and not take stupid penalties though.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Arbour »

displacednucksfan wrote:The Hawk can sure fly. I saw this coming. The Canucks need to neutralize the speed of the Hawks, and the best way that I can think of doing that, is give the 4th line a bit more time on ice to soften up the Hawks, especially their scoring lines. They got to remain disciplined and not take stupid penalties though.
I think more than just the fourth line has to start hitting. Unfortunately with the way things are called now who knows what constitutes a penalty, and cheesy calls have affected both teams. Someone should sit Bettman down and explain to him hockey is a contact sport and as such there will be incidental contact which doesn't necessarily mean a penalty should be called, and god forbid body checks are thrown that result in a player who has his head down getting smoked. Late hits, cheap shots etc. call those but when two players come together without the puck it shouldn't automatically mean that one is going to get a penalty, or that every touch with a stick is automatically hooking. Give the refs some discretion.

The Canucks when playing five on five have been less than aggressive in their own zone and for whatever reason quit fore checking completely when they get a comfortable lead. Chicago just keeps coming at them and the Canucks seem content to let them do so until eventually Chicago either gets an odd man rush or is able to capitalize off rebounds after controlling the play in the Canuck zone. If this next game continues as did the final two periods in game 2 it could mean watching some long periods of hockey in a short playoff series for Canuck fans.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by displacednucksfan »

yes, it will take more, but when the fourth line is out, we seem to do better controlling the Hawks forwards. The other lines need to hit more as well. .The D is slow, which needs to be addressed. I wonder how we will fare now that Salo's out. At first I thought that it was bad and it is, but this may be an opportunity for SOB to punish the Hawks a bit more. We sure didn't hit alot when they were skating into our end. That and knowing who your passes are going to.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by LotusBlossom »

Last time I looked a series in the NHL is seven games, not a best of three.

I don't have any panic going through me as a fan right now. Yes I am disappointed. Yes I would have rather they took the two at home, but there is no need for huge alarm.

My biggest concern isn't Luongo. My biggest concern is Salo. Another concern is the complacent play after a 2 or 3 goal lead.

Other than that, I wrote off Game 2 and looking forward to Game 3.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by nucks_girl »

I'm not worried about it. Would have been nice to take 2 at home, but I'm almost glad they lost so horribly. The game got away from them the first time, and they still ended up with a win. Maybe they jsut thought they got some bad bounces. But now they will really have to face the fact that the Hawks just walked all over them. And they'll regroup and figure out how they need to play a solid road game.

Don Cherry had a good point :wow:, he was saying that they have been home for 2 weeks, so they need to get on the road, stay together in the hotel, etc, get closer again as a team and start playing harder for each other. So it could be attributed more to the fact that they haven't had any time together, more than the layoff itself. I thought that was interesting.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Cornuck »

I didn't expect a sweep by any means, but I also didn't expect us to get dominated like we have. That is my reason for concern. They're still in it, but game 3 better show some marked improvement from the good guys, or concern will turn to panic.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Arachnid »

nucks_girl wrote:I'm not worried about it. Would have been nice to take 2 at home, but I'm almost glad they lost so horribly. The game got away from them the first time, and they still ended up with a win. Maybe they jsut thought they got some bad bounces. But now they will really have to face the fact that the Hawks just walked all over them. And they'll regroup and figure out how they need to play a solid road game.

Don Cherry had a good point :wow:, he was saying that they have been home for 2 weeks, so they need to get on the road, stay together in the hotel, etc, get closer again as a team and start playing harder for each other. So it could be attributed more to the fact that they haven't had any time together, more than the layoff itself. I thought that was interesting.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Island Nucklehead »

They need to win one of the two games in Chicago, which is not impossible by any stretch. I thought this game would go 6 or 7 games, and I'm not that pissed that we got stomped. It's much better than having a heartbreaker and an excuse.

Gut check time boys, I think they'll answer it just fine. Chicago can't expect to keep spotting us leads, eventually we'll figure out a way to stay ahead.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Sid Dithers »

nucks_girl wrote: Don Cherry had a good point :wow:, he was saying that they have been home for 2 weeks, so they need to get on the road, stay together in the hotel, etc, get closer again as a team and start playing harder for each other. So it could be attributed more to the fact that they haven't had any time together, more than the layoff itself. I thought that was interesting.
Naw, I don't go for this stuff. If the team needs 'fringe-motivators' like this at this time of year, then they aren't going anywhere anyways.
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Re: Can this be blamed on the 8 day layoff?

Post by Arbour »

Good adjustment tonight. Hawks defence had trouble with the fore check and the Hawks forwards actually had to pay the price for hacking at Luongo. Kesler and Raymond work well together and Pyatt wasn't out of place back on the third line. Cheap call on Vaananen, how long is the Hawk forward supposed to be allowed slash at the goal keeper after the whistle?
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