Go Oilers tonite! Too bad Hopkins is out, i'll have fun watching Datsyuk play though. He gives the best interviews i've ever seen, and is so slick out there on the ice.
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Official 2011-2012 NHL Regular Season Thread; Second Period
- Thread starter MJ5150
- Start date
What is the neutral zone trap? And why is it frowned upon? Am I right to assume it's a bit like the hate people give zone blocking?
I picked those teams because they seem like fun and will probably give me some playoff runs to cheer for in the future.
Plus it's not like save your best shooter for the #3 slot when you often don't even get there. Revers the order Lavvy, PLEASE!!! Put your best FIRST!!! Giroux goes FIRST!!!
Maybe the Flyers should protest the shootout next. Put out Sestito, Shelley, Rinaldo and tell Bryzgalov he has to face the glass instead of the shooter!!!
I could've sworn at one point it was Weber.
Well, most teams in the NHL leave one or two forwards in the offensive zone to pressure the D guys and cause turnovers. The trap calls for you to plug up center ice instead of chasing guys down in their end. A lot of teams employ variations of the trap with their third or fourth line, basically the athletic guys that can dump and chase and grind down the other team.
What the Lightening did, was basically not try to do anything in the offensive zone and only try to trap and counter at center. Instead of trying to score goals, it looked and felt like they intended on winning every game 1-0 or 2-1. It isn't really dirty, but it can be extremely frustrating and boring.
Neutral zone trap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Red Wings players critical of Tampa Bay's trapping, saying it's not 'fan-friendly' style | MLive.com
Link Removed
Future being the operative word here. Of the three teams you mention, The Jets have the best chance of making the playoffs this season. And let me tell you, if you are enjoying hockey now, just wait until the post-season. In the playoffs, hockey ramps up to a level of intensity that is unmatched by any competitive endeavor, in my book.
As for qualifying for the playoffs, there are no minimum win total requirements, it's simply based on total regular season points with the top 8 teams in each conference moving on. Regulation and overtime/shootout wins are 2 points, overtime/shootout losses are 1 point, and regulation losses are 0 points. If you go to nhl.com and check the standings and view by conference, you can go back through previous seasons to see what point totals represent the cut-off between 8th and 9th positions in each conference. This should give you an idea of how many points are needed to make the playoffs in a given year.
There are two reasons why making up ground from the basement after December is so difficult:
1. The schedule is heavily-weighted to division and conference matchups; thus almost every game that involves a team you need to have lose to make up ground is playing against another team you need to have lose.
2. There are a significant number of OT/shootout games, so even if a team you are chasing loses, there's a decent chance that they picked up 1 point in a loss.
Really, they don't practice shootouts often? I remember during the only shootout that they actually WON this year, the announcers were talking about it. I think it was Giroux who had reportedly said something to the effect of, "During practices, none of us can score on him" (talking about Bobrovsky). Of course he might have been talking about generally, rather than penalty shots.
But I think the shootout woes are more traceable to the poor performances of the goalies than the shooters. The goalies seem to have a mental block. They've been conditioned to think, "Oh crap, if this goes to a shootout, we're screwed!" And at this point, knowing of the Flyers' poor shootout record, the opposing team goes in with a confident attitude (ie, "Well, if we can get this thing to a shootout, we'll get the win"). A positive attitude and confidence is paramount. Unfortunately, this team doesn't seem to have either when it comes to shootouts.
And the Flyers have blown some good opportunities lately to pick up points (specifically in the losses to the Isles [twice], Winnipeg, and New Jersey). Pretty soon they'll be up against the Rangers (who they can't seem to beat anymore) and the Red Wings. Two tough games there. I think if Giroux can put a few in the net, things will start picking up again. If not, it's gonna' be (yet another) disappointing season.
And the way Nabokov has played against the Flyers, maybe they should have plucked HIM from the KHL instead of giving Bryzgalov the big contract. Bryzgalov has been a very average goaltender. Definitely not "The Answer" that Holmgren and Flyers fans were hoping for...
That's really lame, doesn't seem in the spirit of the game. I liked the Flyers vid. I would want a refund after attending a Lightning game.
I tried to get into hockey last year in the playoffs and had fun until the Lightning were ousted, just didn't know enough about the game.
Right now I'm just enjoying good hockey so I have no problem rooting for teams that won't be good for awhile. It's almost more fun just rooting for a good game than a particular team.
One last question, what happened in that Rangers/Devils game? In general how do hockey fans feel about fighting and that particular fight?
Personally, I feel like fighting is an important aspect in the North American form of the game. I didn't see that fight (to hockeyfights.com for me!), but they usually all go the same way.
I had a post in here a little while back on the instigator rule. If you're interested in how fighting in hockey came to be and has evolved, that might be some good reading.
Plenty of articles about it in the philly sports press. Practice would not only help the shooters but the goaltenders as well. The Bruins are 5-1 in shootouts - I can't tell you what their overall strategy is but I have read that they practice it once or twice a week. Certainly having Thomas or Rask out there in net makes the coach a lot smarter.
For shooters - Seguin is always out there - then some combination of Krecji, Bergeron, Marchand, Peverely and Pouloit depending on who has the hot hand that game. Feel free to forward this post to Lavvy.
Dod you see they released a statement this morning about Pronger coming by the rink and how the Flyers were practicing SO today. lol.
Better late than never. The Bruins were not that great in shootouts the last couple of years and started to refocus on it last year. Similar to the advantage of running Thomas and Rask out there - the addition/maturation of Seguin and Marchand probably had as much to do with the improvement in shootouts as any coaching/practice.
Wow, commissioner just announced the winter classic will be the redwings vs maple leafs, in the big house. They say it will be the largest hockey game ever. 115,000 seats. They are also going to play the great lakes invitational there.
That is very cool - a great matchup. I'm not sure how much you'll see from the nosebleed seats, but the atmosphere alone would be worth it.
The Sox liked how well the Winter Classic worked out in 2010 at Fenway Park that they built the rink again this year and had a bunch of college and high school games there as well as public skating.
The Sox liked how well the Winter Classic worked out in 2010 at Fenway Park that they built the rink again this year and had a bunch of college and high school games there as well as public skating.
Well yes and no, the Big House will host the winter Classic and as part of the festivities the Old timers game and the Great Lakes Invitational will both in Commerica Park. Illitch wanted to get some additional revenue (he owns Commerica-home of the Tigers). Let's hope it isn't 60 degrees next New Years day.
I thought the Flyers actually played a solid game tonight against the Leafs. They really worked hard the entire game. Hartnell had a Gordie Howe hat trick; Giroux had a nice goal; and Brayden Schenn scored the eventual game-winner. Nice effort by all, including Bobrovsky in net. (Bryzgalov was out with the flu.)
I read where Bryzgalov, discussing the shootout woes, said, "It's all in my head. I feel like there's a soccer goal behind me during shootouts." Not good...
I read where Bryzgalov, discussing the shootout woes, said, "It's all in my head. I feel like there's a soccer goal behind me during shootouts." Not good...
Well yes and no, the Big House will host the winter Classic and as part of the festivities the Old timers game and the Great Lakes Invitational will both in Commerica Park. Illitch wanted to get some additional revenue (he owns Commerica-home of the Tigers). Let's hope it isn't 60 degrees next New Years day.
And did you hear about the additional revenues at the Big House? Alcohol will be served there for the first time ever.
We need to organize a GTG the day before it. There are enough of you Detroit area guys who like the NHL to have one. I'll be flying in for the game.
-Mike
-Mike
