Randall Flagg Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 The penalty kill is consistently deflating this team. It gets totally picked apart by the worst power plays in the league, with regularity. What are they doing to fix it? It's been this bad all season. Has anyone heard anything, seen things changed in an attempt to fix it? It's the same guys out there as the beginning of the season, continuing to allow the same percentage of goals. Gionta is too small, his reach hinders things. He doesn't even try to get to his point man sometimes, because of how fruitless it is. The only difference from a top 10 PK last year is David Legwand. Who was a good PKer, but that does not explain to me the drop from 9 to 30. Sometimes it's Lehner, many times it's not. I just don't know but it needs to change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Putting Jack out at the end should be crossed off the list of things to try... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottysabres Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 It's a problem to be addressed at a future date apparently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwksndmonster Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 GMTM's plan to fix the PK is Julien. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonHextallsShoulderPads Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 It doesn't help when you take 6 penalties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 The Sabres PK looks the "4 traffic cone" approach. Create obstacles in tight and leave the perimeter open. I suppose there is some logic to it. Opponents passing along the perimeter kills time just as well as clearing the puck. But where it breaks down is being so lousy at getting control when the puck is loose. They are helpless clearing the zone or just controlling the puck in their end. Other teams smother us while we allow them to operate in space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 The Sabres PK looks the "4 traffic cone" approach. Create obstacles in tight and leave the perimeter open. I suppose there is some logic to it. Opponents passing along the perimeter kills time just as well as clearing the puck. But where it breaks down is being so lousy at getting control when the puck is loose. They are helpless clearing the zone or just controlling the puck in their end. Other teams smother us while we allow them to operate in space. You're right, this is what they do. Passive box. I hate this approach. I prefer aggressive pressure to generate turnovers, especially at the point. We've seen a few games this year where they attack the point shooters and it works. Other teams deploy this tactic against us to great effect. I also believe that if you're more aggressive on the PK, you're more likely to clear the zone, and more able to change players quickly. They wont get tired if they can get changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottysabres Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 This will just be an excuse to highlight how important "grinders" are, Dan will get his way and Tim will bring in 2 useless players this deadline while shipping out Kulikov and Franson. I don't see any D help in the foreseeable future coming in, not as long as we stick to Dan's "grinding game plan", where your forwards are the offensive zone defense, or supposed to be. Hence why I see Gionta, Larsson and Ennis banished or sent to the 4th line penalty box. Eichel's game will continue to be somewhat hampered but hey, at least he'll occasionally have Folgno on his wing to remind him how different things could have been had Buffalo just won the freaking lottery..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 You're right, this is what they do. Passive box. I hate this approach. I prefer aggressive pressure to generate turnovers, especially at the point. We've seen a few games this year where they attack the point shooters and it works. Other teams deploy this tactic against us to great effect. I also believe that if you're more aggressive on the PK, you're more likely to clear the zone, and more able to change players quickly. They wont get tired if they can get changes. The worst thing you can do is allow the opponent to get settled in your end. You have to buzz them. Now it is definitely more tiring to play like that but you are more likely to generate a turnover than just hanging back waiting for them to make a mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 The worst thing you can do is allow the opponent to get settled in your end. You have to buzz them. Now it is definitely more tiring to play like that but you are more likely to generate a turnover than just hanging back waiting for them to make a mistake. Which is like, duh, unless you're Bylsma apparently. "Don't tire yourselves out chasing!" he'll say, as they go out and proceed to tire themselves out not clearing the zone at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stads Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 How is their powerplay ranked so high and PK in such dire straits? If your team is so good at the PP, wouldn't that give the PK a boost at all? I don't enough about the ins and outs of hockey so my point may be way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 Better defenseman would help. When you get the chance to clear the puck, clear the puck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 Lately Sabres giving up goals late, also Eichel on ice late in PK... coincidence??? I think not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matter2003 Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 The penalty kill is consistently deflating this team. It gets totally picked apart by the worst power plays in the league, with regularity. What are they doing to fix it? It's been this bad all season. Has anyone heard anything, seen things changed in an attempt to fix it? It's the same guys out there as the beginning of the season, continuing to allow the same percentage of goals. Gionta is too small, his reach hinders things. He doesn't even try to get to his point man sometimes, because of how fruitless it is. The only difference from a top 10 PK last year is David Legwand. Who was a good PKer, but that does not explain to me the drop from 9 to 30. Sometimes it's Lehner, many times it's not. I just don't know but it needs to change. How many times can they leave guys wide open for one timers in the slot with nobody around?? It's a constant, constant issue. How many times will they try and clear it up the boards where it's kept in by the other teams players? Throw it down the middle once in a while or flip it high... This team looks absolutely clueless on killing penalties like if you took a kid off the street and started playing "Pickle in the Middle" with him...it's embarrassing to watch frankly. There is no way professionals should be this bad at that part of the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 The passive box approach doesn't even work on EA sports :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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