LTS

Keep in mind that the Devils Neutral Zone Trap was implemented during the era of the two-line pass (at least I think that's the case). So, the design would be to clog everything between the top of the zone and before the red line. Once the two line pass was removed the neutral zone became bigger so the collapsing area had to be focused to include blue-line to blue-line. If you slide up more and press your two defenders up to the red line more you are playing the angles and hoping that a guy doesn't slide behind you on a timing play (see Moulson's opportunity in the WPG game - also, the first time I've really seen the Sabres use the troll the blue line get the pass tactic in awhile). Also commonly used and of course remembered is the left wing lock tactic which uses the LW as a 3rd D and focuses the forecheck from the RW and C. You can use it the opposite way as well of course and I would suspect you would do that depending on the opponent stronger wing. All in all, anything but aggressively forechecking two forwards in the offensive zone is going to lead to clogged ice in the neutral zone...

This reminded me of an article on The Players Tribune. It was OEL's article and he references a small thing Lidstrom did on a play. It's not by accident. It blew my mind because it made me think of all the other little things that you don't ever notice without that high end hockey sense. http://www.theplayerstribune.com/oliver-ekman-larsson-nhl-arizona-coyotes/ Look part way down to the description of the OT winner PHX vs. DET and his description and evidence of what Lidstrom does on the play. It's pretty cool.

One thing that I have advised kids to do is get a shooting mat (or use a stick handling ball) and practice stick handling while watching TV. They have a tendency to get glued to the TV and after awhile the feel becomes more natural. If they stop looking at the TV when its on and only stare at the ball/puck then it's a win.. not for hockey skills but at least they aren't glued to the damn screen anymore. :)

Next season perhaps, but Eichel carrying the puck is likely to either drive the net or he'll pull up wide and hit a trailing winger in which case the slower speed will help out! :) But I see this as a lineup to gain possession and get it to Jack to score. Gio will probably cycle a lot in front of the net (he's pretty good with deflections) and Foligno will work the walls and those two have worked together pretty well lately I think. I'll be watching...can't wait for more hockey.

I'm not sure that I would agree with saying they are equal. They are defensive schemes though. There are variations of each but a 2-1-2 puts two forwards in on the puck carrier, definitely not a trap system. The first forward's job is tie up the carrier and the 2nd forward's job is to retrieve it. The 1-2-2 which the Sabres switched to immediately following Gionta's goal can be aggressive or passive. This puts 2 players back near the offensive blue line in an attempt to cause a turnover on the break out pass or squeeze the rush into the neutral zone where 4 defenders are standing. The passive 1-2-2 is very much a trap style. You also have to account for the positioning and whether they are looking to hold the puck in the opponent end or cause the turnover in the neutral zone. In the case of the 3rd period they were content letting the breakout pass get up the ice but they used their 4 defenders to cause the recipient to begin going east-west and slow the attack. Of course they didn't do a great job of playing the style... they never do. That was my observation from the game.. I still would love to see an "all-22" style video site for hockey.

Finally back in town and able to comment on the game... The 3rd period, easily one of the best periods I have witnessed live. And I was there when Barnaby fought Garth Snow... awesome at the time although not a fan of it now. The first and second periods were absolutely brutal and the 2nd was the worst of it. How the Sabres came back to get that many shots is beyond me. Lehner's 3rd goal was terrible. I would have scored on that play. The Sabres can trade Kane.. they have Bailey who is similar to Kane but can really fly. ROR is a magician. No idea how he does it but wow, watching him play live is incredible. For as much as Jack can be fun to watch I'll take ROR just stealing pucks from people and holding onto it against significant numbers. Insane. Girgensons is a new player. There's no other way to think of it other than he saw himself below Larsson and had given up. Since Larsson went out he's had a ton of intensity. The fans definitely did not like the Sabres not using the Laine hit as the Carubba Collision. I understand it's a show of respect by the organization but the fans really undo a lot of that when they reign down that many boos... (I was booing). It was a clean hit... and holy hell did you feel it in the arena. Laine got a good ovation from the crowd when they got him up though. It made my trip to Erie, PA after the game in the friggin lake effect snow worth it.

:thumbsup:

It's a great point. I think professionals play with a emotion but it's not as unfettered as you see in the amateur ranks. Perhaps you can chalk it up to the fact that while they are playing a game it is their job now and even if their job is their passion it's different than when it's only just passion. The Canadians should root for anyone playing the US just as I root for anyone (except Russia) playing Canada. The enemy of my enemy is my friend! :)

I'll be there... as luck has it ROR returned and so my son and I get to see Reinhart, Eichel, Okposo, Ristolainen (his favorite), and ROR along with Scheifele, Laine, and Trouba... dang... Can't wait...

Hmmm.. he was able to get me a ticket. MIght have been Hoss'? So I'm good as far as I know. :)

If you are buying i would do so in the VERY near future. However, you are going to run up a few trends. 1. You're going into the prime buying season. This means more competition and less odds of negotiating a better deal. 2. Interest rates are going to go up. This will change the financials of the deal quite a bit. I would always want to buy over rent but unless you are going to be there over 5 years it's tricky. Use the dinkytown.net calculators to do some preliminary estimations on your payback period, etc. You also need to factor in wanting to buy a house when the interest rate is back at 7% as opposed to it's current level. So, weight it out and change your plans if need be for how long you'll stay. I can reach out to get the name of an agent in Buffalo. I'm sure the agent I rely upon in Rochester knows someone. Try to find a month to month arrangement ahead of time and then use a few months when you CAN look at the area to find what you really want?

Done. And thank you to all. A thread like this can really make your day... even if I hadn't been the beneficiary.

Sorry, stepped out for lunch. If you want to concede it TBB that's up to you. I'm fine either way. You've posted twice on it that i can have it but I was not able to respond. Just let me know. I'm not going to hold it against you. It's for a good cause and I can go to another game at some point as well. Cygnus - Hehe, I would but in this case my end point after the game is Erie, PA and not back in Rochester. This is a stop along the way before coaching a double-header hockey game on Sunday in Erie. That and my son would probably have to stay in the trunk of the car or something. :)

If we count 12:00 then I go to $90 Well... you know. :) It's for charity..

I'll bid $80.

It was.. I meant to comment. I hate the shootout to decide this. Of course the World Cup (Soccer) is decided this way too if need be isn't it? By the end of the OT those kids looked exhausted. It was similar to watching NHL playoffs when teams get to late 2OT or into 3OT. They leave everything they have out there.

It was interesting to watch that neutral zone formation. The Rangers did the same thing a few times and caught the Sabres D man moving up to stop the puck carrier at the blue line so the chip went in behind him and the second attacker gained possession. Could be something that teams can deploy against the Sabres or it could be their overall style. Guess you have to watch games against other teams to know.

Should be... it's 12 degrees out overnight and still frigid.. you are good to go! Well done sir!

Sounds about right... a whole six pack eh? I do not envy how you must have felt the next day. :beer: - Awesome.

Well, I'll admit that after a few of those calls last night I was muttering BS about the refs wanting to make it out of the arena unscathed by the fans (I may have said F Canada but that might have been the whiskey talking). The timing of the call or no-call and the subsequent result can also impact the egregiousness of the mistake. How the referee did not call full on tackling behind the Canada net is beyond me. The fact that it led directly to a goal is what makes it worse. Then the timing of the "cross-check" penalty also plays into its magnitude. That and the fact that it was just an absolutely horrendous call. I'm not going to analyze the game but I do know that in the 3rd and especially in OT the infractions were not called on the US either and I saw a few of them. Still, a HELL of a game. It was fun to watch even though I missed some of it because I was flipping back and forth and at one point my cable box locked up leading to me missing 10 minutes of both games. (GRRRR).

Heard about that being available. How was it? I'm an oak fan and I like it in IPAs as well. Been awhile since I had Jubilee. Friday night's are always a good night for a 750ml 12% beer... I'll probably do that tonight even. I'll just guess... there was one time when he had 2 and decided he was the Storm King? :P

Please, we all know the fans will be Canadian there as well. The officiating was horrible and early on there were some seriously screwed up no calls or calls. The first goal should never have happened due to the tackle that occurred behind the Canada net. The "cross-check" was also quite obviously a horrible call. Jaffe wanted to admit it but had to cage his statement. They blew calls everywhere.. some were much more obvious than others. Great game overall though... man.

Mostly watched USA v Canada last night.. Gold Medal games... you know. Nice to have 3 players from Buffalo on the ice in a game. Says a lot about the city itself. Jack looked really good. Zemgus looks like he has some fire, perhaps the renewed hope of proving himself with Larsson out is doing it. When you get out shot that badly in a game you are lucky to do as well as they did.

You didn't have to do that you know. :)

If that were true Vesey would be less sore today. But yea.. other than that.. useless. :)