DarthEbriate

If they were a league mean PP% (21%), they'd currently have 27 PP goals scored instead of 19. 8 goals isn't a ton, but it's probably worth 4 more points in the standings thus far. The other issue is volume. This team is not drawing penalties. They're near the bottom of the league in PP opportunities, although fairly close to median. There are just some sickening outliers who "always get the call" -- Colorado, Detroit, Vegas, and Nashville??? are all over 160 PP opportunities already. That's where a good head coach comes into play, working the refs for advantage. It also doesn't help that Benson has had a target on his back for anything all season. He's taken at least 4 minors that don't even make sense except some ref saying "he's 18, of course it's a penalty." (I doubt Bedard gets a slashing call in the Tampa game.)

It's especially disappointing because they had ample opportunities to stick in the dagger in the fourth quarter. If Love learns how to tuck it and run for gimme first downs on 3rd-and-2, he'll add a dimension to the offense that it lacks, and they'll close out bunches of those games in the future. On the plus side, every question that needed answering this season was answered. Love can be the guy. Cleaning out Rodgers' "comfort veterans"* should've happened a year ago -- but I'm happy they waited because Wicks, Reed, and Kraft/Musgrave look really good for rookies. They still don't have a starting-caliber safety (and the defense was called much too soft for 3/4 of the year because of it). Don't trust a rookie kicker who misses extra points. The O-line jelled (if painfully slowly) even with All-Pro caliber LT on IR [losing Tom in last night's game really stung]. And Jones still stirs the drink, even at age 29. With his limited career usage... he's probably good for another season and a void year. And they did it all in a reset year with $57M in dead cap and Bakh's cap hit on the shelf except for one game. Oh... and... good luck today, Bills fans! *And if anyone wants to have some fun, just compare the 2023 and 2024 stat lines of the following for their 1:1 replacements. Sammy Watkins/Bo Melton; Randall Cobb/Jayden Reed; Allen Lazard/Dontayvion Wicks; Robert Tonyan/Luke Musgrave (minus 6 games); Marcedes Lewis (still love the Big Dog!)/Tucker Kraft.

That was a slash, eh?

Nice feed from JJP. Caught their 3rd defensive AHL pairing on the ice and made them pay. This game is a dull affair all around, but if not for 2 terrible giveaways it's probably 1-1 or still 0-0.

Thompson is playing today? I didn't notice until 3:00 remaining in the first. (Admittedly, missed the beginning of the game.)

The laundry folding is more interesting thus far.

And even worse giveaway by Tuch, just panicked with it and tried to do a ... spin-o-rama, maybe? What was he even doing?

Bah. Bad turnover, Mitts.

930 AM... all wings report in... fold some laundry.

UPL goes back-to-back. Continuing to do an excellent job in 2024.

Wow! Look at that. Chicago addresses the Greenway hit/penalty and the Girgs tap on their goalie. And they're terrible and losing by 3, but they are happy to take the penalty and confrontation.

Nice save.

No. The psychological victory of standing up for each other would have a much longer-lasting effect than running up the score on a tanking team. A line brawl might galvanize the type of win streak this team needs to go on.

So... we've established the only guy who's going to address a teammate getting wrecked is EJ?

Again. This team could really use line brawl. Just to gain the confidence in their strength, to build camaraderie, and entertain the home fans.

Take him out, Girgs! C'mon, don't let him skate away without a penalty.

OK... someone can go destroy Kurashev now. And... given how the regular PP units look, you can guess how well they did.

PP unit 3 is out.

WOOO!

OK. Score 4 goals. Then, when he steps out of the box, let someone address it with fists.

Time to do a (pending review) 5 minute PP practice session. Pass fast. Shoot faster.

Uffda. Hope he didn't break a collarbone.

JJP! Bank shot, only pocket.

My sneaky preseason prediction was VO being a + player, and... it's happening. So far.