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PP slapping: Housley says it’s time for big changes.

dudacek

By dudacek
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LTS First Liner

LTS

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From first to worst, Coach ready to mix it up.

http://buffalonews.com/2017/11/26/sabres-power-outage-has-housley-ready-for-big-changes/

 

What would you do?

 

They need to move more.  Right now the entire power play is predicated on getting Eichel the puck and having him miss the net.  I would split him and RIstolainen and have them QB two separate units from the top.

 

I would still use an umbrella model but i would move my top 3 around a lot more.  The high-slot and net front have to be more active as well including dropping the puck down low behind the net to pull the top two defenders closer to the net and opening up space for the shot from the top.  Eichel and Risto can get the shots through and can move around the line.  Right now I think the PP1 unit advances with either Risto or EIchel looking to bring the puck in the zone and far too often they are slowing themselves up trying to figure out who's going to carry it.

 

So.. I would probably look at the following units:

 

PP1 - Ristolainen, ROR, Okposo, Pouliot, Kane - I'd put Okposo in front of the net and Pouliot in the slot.  Kane on the left, ROR still on the right and Risto up top.

PP2 - Eichel, Antipin, Reinhart, Moulson, Girgensons - I'd put Reinhart in front of the net, Girgensons in the slot, Antipin on the right, Moulson, on the left, and Eichel up top.

 

If Bogosian is back I put him in for Antipin.  I don't trust Beauleiu and I think you need a defensive presence on the PP even if its not at the top.  Perhaps they end up reversed.. who knows.

 

The last thing is I think they need to attack as a 5 man unit with speed.  Both Risto and Eichel can elude the first forechecker leaving it to be 5 on 3 at the blueline.  If the attacking players are standing at the blue line it makes it easy to stop.  Ideally the first forechecker wants to get to the puck carrier before the red line to prevent the dump.  So if you can elude that 1 on 1 and then dump it in with 4 players attacking with speed it should result in possession.  Once you've established that you can gain the zone with speed it will force the 3 on the blue line to stop standing there as long as vacate earlier.  At that point you identify which player is open and pass to them just across the blue line to gain possession.

 

RIght now they are slow and lost on zone entry and either forced to dump it in with no attacking speed or they pass to a guy inside the blue line who is easily covered because they attacked with no speed.

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darksabre Hall of Famer

darksabre

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They need to move more.  Right now the entire power play is predicated on getting Eichel the puck and having him miss the net.  I would split him and RIstolainen and have them QB two separate units from the top.

 

I would still use an umbrella model but i would move my top 3 around a lot more.  The high-slot and net front have to be more active as well including dropping the puck down low behind the net to pull the top two defenders closer to the net and opening up space for the shot from the top.  Eichel and Risto can get the shots through and can move around the line.  Right now I think the PP1 unit advances with either Risto or EIchel looking to bring the puck in the zone and far too often they are slowing themselves up trying to figure out who's going to carry it.

 

So.. I would probably look at the following units:

 

PP1 - Ristolainen, ROR, Okposo, Pouliot, Kane - I'd put Okposo in front of the net and Pouliot in the slot.  Kane on the left, ROR still on the right and Risto up top.

PP2 - Eichel, Antipin, Reinhart, Moulson, Girgensons - I'd put Reinhart in front of the net, Girgensons in the slot, Antipin on the right, Moulson, on the left, and Eichel up top.

 

If Bogosian is back I put him in for Antipin.  I don't trust Beauleiu and I think you need a defensive presence on the PP even if its not at the top.  Perhaps they end up reversed.. who knows.

 

The last thing is I think they need to attack as a 5 man unit with speed.  Both Risto and Eichel can elude the first forechecker leaving it to be 5 on 3 at the blueline.  If the attacking players are standing at the blue line it makes it easy to stop.  Ideally the first forechecker wants to get to the puck carrier before the red line to prevent the dump.  So if you can elude that 1 on 1 and then dump it in with 4 players attacking with speed it should result in possession.  Once you've established that you can gain the zone with speed it will force the 3 on the blue line to stop standing there as long as vacate earlier.  At that point you identify which player is open and pass to them just across the blue line to gain possession.

 

RIght now they are slow and lost on zone entry and either forced to dump it in with no attacking speed or they pass to a guy inside the blue line who is easily covered because they attacked with no speed.

This is basically it. They just don't move at all and their zone entries are garbage. 

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GASabresIUFAN All Star

GASabresIUFAN

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What should Phil do to improve the PP? Re-hire the coach who made them good in the first place.

 

Seeing as that is not possible, how about pulling out video of what made them good last year and re-installing that system. If I recall, they used speed to get into the zone and then got the Pker moving East/West through quick passes, often to Jack for a one timer with Sam crashing the net to screen the shot and then looking for loose change.

 

Now we don’t hit the line with speed and we make slow perimeter passes allowing the PK to maintain their box structure. This is one of the few times I’ll say that personnel is not the problem, but the system is.

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R_Dudley Second Liner

R_Dudley

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What should Phil do to improve the PP? Re-hire the coach who made them good in the first place.

 

Seeing as that is not possible, how about pulling out video of what made them good last year and re-installing that system. If I recall, they used speed to get into the zone and then got the Pker moving East/West through quick passes, often to Jack for a one timer with Sam crashing the net to screen the shot and then looking for loose change.

 

Now we don’t hit the line with speed and we make slow perimeter passes allowing the PK to maintain their box structure. This is one of the few times I’ll say that personnel is not the problem, but the system is.

That is what I was going to suggest as well. They were number 1 last year using that system so you would think the coach could just fall back to that and the players would also be able to acclimate back to it pretty quick.   

 

What they have been doing this year has been just F'ugly. 

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Iron Crotch All Star

Iron Crotch

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Interesting that Matt Moulson led the team with 11 on the PP last year, and that was with limited time on the first unit.

He has a history of excelling down low.

 

Yeah, as much as he is maligned for his 5-on-5 play, Moulson knows what he is doing around the net. Personally I'd like to see him in the lineup more (perhaps as a 4th liner) for his power-play ability alone.

 

Also, Risto led the entire team in power play points last year with 24 (Jack and ROR were one behind with 23). No other Sabres defenseman had more than 4 power play points. Basically, for power play defensemen, we have Risto then... no one else...

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LTS First Liner

LTS

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That is what I was going to suggest as well. They were number 1 last year using that system so you would think the coach could just fall back to that and the players would also be able to acclimate back to it pretty quick.   

 

What they have been doing this year has been just F'ugly. 

 

It's a good point that speaks to other issues.  Did the coach make that big a difference or is there some other rift between the players that is keeping from from working together like they did last year?  I mean, you put out the same 5 guys you think they could replicate last year's success.  If I were the coach I would simply say, do what you did last year... it sure as hell wasn't broken!

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WildCard Hall of Famer

WildCard

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https://twitter.com/buffalosabres/status/935706390882148355

 

Housley is starting to really not mind throwing some not so subtle shade at his roster in pressers.

 

Ristolainen was "the ONE guy"...

Good. Housley can call out anyone he likes, I'll bet I can strap a pair of skates on him and he'll put more effort in than anyone else

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inkman Hall of Famer

inkman

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Good. Housley can call out anyone he likes, I'll bet I can strap a pair of skates on him and he'll put more effort in than anyone else

Eh...Phyllis wasn't know for his all out effort. More of a skating passing phenom. Most fans despise him because he didn't crosscheck dudes in the face. I had my reservations about the hire, I'm really starting to doubt his abilities. Isn't he calling himself out partially, as it's his job to ensure the players are ready and motivated.

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LTS First Liner

LTS

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Eh...Phyllis wasn't know for his all out effort. More of a skating passing phenom. Most fans despise him because he didn't crosscheck dudes in the face. I had my reservations about the hire, I'm really starting to doubt his abilities. Isn't he calling himself out partially, as it's his job to ensure the players are ready and motivated.

 

It is.  However, you can't always motivate everyone.  I'm not going to blame the coach if he can't motivate a guy who doesn't want to be motivated.

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