Sabres Practice Report 1/28/2019

[jame]

22 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

I do during the game. Could never get past the whole barely ever scoring.

Reinhart (1)

Eichel-Skinner-Dahlin (3)

Risto (1)

[LGR4GM]

Stimson on the powerplay, interesting reads that I missed earlier. 

https://theathletic.com/659988/2018/12/20/stimson-how-the-sabres-formation-shifts-lead-to-better-chances-on-the-power-play/

https://theathletic.com/764241/2019/01/15/stimson-how-to-improve-the-sabres-penalty-kill/

[Sabres Fan in NS]

'... and there you have it' ...

[SABRES 0311]

Just now, jame said:

Reinhart (1)

Eichel-Skinner-Dahlin (3)

Risto (1)

Appreciate it. I think I’ve heard of these guys before.

On another topic you seem high strung. Don’t worry about all those Tinder people swiping the other way. They wouldn’t understand 1-3-1 anyway.

 

[jame]

11 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Stimson on the powerplay, interesting reads that I missed earlier. 

https://theathletic.com/659988/2018/12/20/stimson-how-the-sabres-formation-shifts-lead-to-better-chances-on-the-power-play/

https://theathletic.com/764241/2019/01/15/stimson-how-to-improve-the-sabres-penalty-kill/

Great article.

Highlights the value of running the PP from the half wall, creating movement by the opposition.

Jack needs to get back to moving the puck quickly (down low to Reinhart, HDSC to Skinner, Reset to Risto-to-Dahlin). Everytime he bides his time, he reduces the PPs effectiveness.

[...]

6 minutes ago, jame said:

Jack needs to get back to moving the puck quickly (down low to Reinhart, HDSC to Skinner, Reset to Risto-to-Dahlin). Everytime he bides his time, he reduces the PPs effectiveness.

This is such a circular narrative at this point.  Sure, Jack needs to make up his mind quicker, but the rest of his unit needs to give him something to make up his mind about. He's effectively left to choose which garbage play is the best garbage play.  And then folks will be here complaining that Jack's choice screwed up the PP.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

Yes, and at this point they look like they're just going through the motions.  When they do that drop pass into their own zone it just saps the momentum out of the rush.

PH will always be, well, my initials.

It is so nice to finally welcome you properly, Paul.

We had a feeling you were here all along and, you know, are a spy.

[jame]

10 minutes ago, ... said:

This is such a circular narrative at this point.  Sure, Jack needs to make up his mind quicker, but the rest of his unit needs to give him something to make up his mind about. He's effectively left to choose which garbage play is the best garbage play.  And then folks will be here complaining that Jack's choice screwed up the PP.

I don't see that at all.

[SABRES 0311]

30 minutes ago, ... said:

This is such a circular narrative at this point.  Sure, Jack needs to make up his mind quicker, but the rest of his unit needs to give him something to make up his mind about. He's effectively left to choose which garbage play is the best garbage play.  And then folks will be here complaining that Jack's choice screwed up the PP.

Lack of options would explain why Jack is stapled to the wall. His only outlet is Sam who in turn has to either force it to Skinner or back to Jack.

 

[...]

I think it's been pretty obvious, they're concerned with getting set up and then, when they do, skate in little circles.  Meanwhile, as others have observed here, the defenders have already set up against Jack and taken away his lanes.  

So the obvious correction is to get out of the lanes and go somewhere that gives the first pass a chance of happening, let alone being successful.

[SABRES 0311]

If you look at Stamkos and Ovi on their PPs, other teams know they are the target shooter. The reason they can’t focus on defending them is because the PP uses everyone else. Essentially move the puck around and create opportunities for other players and the PK can’t focus on one guy.

[Samson's Flow]

52 minutes ago, ... said:

This is such a circular narrative at this point.  Sure, Jack needs to make up his mind quicker, but the rest of his unit needs to give him something to make up his mind about. He's effectively left to choose which garbage play is the best garbage play.  And then folks will be here complaining that Jack's choice screwed up the PP.

This is what I see too. Jack is holding the puck on the half wall because any other "quick decision" would be reckless and result in a turnover. When Jack first gets the puck all of his options are usually covered, and he needs to hold/change the angle to make the pass a higher percentage.

We would all be way more restless about the powerplay if the Sabres were committing turnovers every few seconds in the offensive zone.

[darksabre]

8 minutes ago, ... said:

I think it's been pretty obvious, they're concerned with getting set up and then, when they do, skate in little circles.  Meanwhile, as others have observed here, the defenders have already set up against Jack and taken away his lanes.  

So the obvious correction is to get out of the lanes and go somewhere that gives the first pass a chance of happening, let alone being successful.

Yup. The biggest problem continues to be that the goal of the power play is to set Jack up but Jack also spends too much time with the puck. It doesn't work right.

My hope is that by adding a 4th forward to the power play the goal will shift to setting that 4th forward up. If Jack is going to handle the puck so much then let someone else be the shot guy.

The problem is that the 4th forward is Okposo and the defender that was subbed out is not Ristolainen. That ain't it, chief.

[Samson's Flow]

1 minute ago, SABRES 0311 said:

If you look at Stamkos and Ovi on their PPs, other teams know they are the target shooter. The reason they can’t focus on defending them is because the PP uses everyone else. Essentially move the puck around and create opportunities for other players and the PK can’t focus on one guy.

If you watch the Washington PP for example, it always appears like they overload the right side with the other 4 players - effectively making the opponent choose between playing 4 on 3 (and guarding Ovi) or taking their chance leaving Ovi alone and trying to force a 4 on 4 takeaway. That powerplay strategy is one where Ovi might not touch the puck at all until he takes the final shot.

[Samson's Flow]

Just now, darksabre said:

Yup. The biggest problem continues to be that the goal of the power play is to set Jack up but Jack also spends too much time with the puck. It doesn't work right.

My hope is that by adding a 4th forward to the power play the goal will shift to setting that 4th forward up. If Jack is going to handle the puck so much then let someone else be the shot guy.

The problem is that the 4th forward is Okposo and the defender that was subbed out is not Ristolainen. That ain't it, chief.

Exactly. Either Eichel is the set up guy, or he is the trigger man. If he is the set up guy, then we need all shooters in dangerous areas for him to pass to. If he is the shooter, than Sam needs to be on the other half wall making the passes to Jack for a one-timer.

[...]

4 minutes ago, Samson's Flow said:

Exactly. Either Eichel is the set up guy, or he is the trigger man. If he is the set up guy, then we need all shooters in dangerous areas for him to pass to. If he is the shooter, than Sam needs to be on the other half wall making the passes to Jack for a one-timer.

All of this requires some movement which I thought we had going at the beginning of the season, but seems to have stopped altogether lately.

[darksabre]

1 minute ago, ... said:

All of this requires some movement which I thought we had going at the beginning of the season, but seems to have stopped altogether lately.

I blame Ristolainen for that. He's slow and unpredictable with the puck.

[Samson's Flow]

1 hour ago, darksabre said:

I blame Ristolainen for that. He's slow and unpredictable with the puck.

This I can get behind. Risto is great at pinching in the offensive zone and has a hard shot, but his passing accuracy and decisiveness isn't great. 

There are a number of times I think we have a shot at the Eichel one-timer but a poor pass from Risto doesn't put the puck in Jack's wheelhouse to shoot.

[darksabre]

1 minute ago, Samson's Flow said:

This I can get behind. Risto is great at pinching in the offensive zone and has a hard shot, but his passing accuracy and decisiveness isn't great. 

There are a number of times I think we have a shot at the Eichel one-timer but a poor pass from Risto doesn't put the puck in Jack's wheelhouse to shoot.

If Risto is going to be out there then he has to be the shot guy. Just keep trying to load him up like the Bruins do with Chara. Let him blast away and hope he doesn't kill someone on your team.

[Samson's Flow]

17 minutes ago, darksabre said:

If Risto is going to be out there then he has to be the shot guy. Just keep trying to load him up like the Bruins do with Chara. Let him blast away and hope he doesn't kill someone on your team.

Agreed. The problem is I don't think I want Samson in front of the Risto (or Jack) shot, and without a screen the point shot is low percentage IMO.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

3 hours ago, Samson's Flow said:

If you watch the Washington PP for example, it always appears like they overload the right side with the other 4 players - effectively making the opponent choose between playing 4 on 3 (and guarding Ovi) or taking their chance leaving Ovi alone and trying to force a 4 on 4 takeaway. That powerplay strategy is one where Ovi might not touch the puck at all until he takes the final shot.

That's exactly what the Caps do.  And all of a sudden Ovi finds the puck on his stick with no one nearby and he blasts away.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

6 hours ago, ... said:

This is how it looks, for sure, but the question remains on why they're playing this way.  Is it everyone else not named Eichel not willing/able to make the PP work, is it all of them, or are they being coached to play it this way?

Has any one who enjoys the stats broken down the success and failure rates of each player who plays on a PP unit and the most successful combinations?  I would be curious to see if they have been deviating from an obviously successful formula.

They're being coached to play this way, by someone who should know better.  Rapid puck movement is critical on the PP.  There's always someone open; you just have to keep the penalty killers guessing with the rapid puck movement and player movement.  Some of the worst teams in the NHL have good power plays because they understand and work hard on this concept.  Than you had teams like Ruff's were were often quite decent but continually had mediocre power plays.

[Doohickie]

10 hours ago, darksabre said:

If Risto is going to be out there then he has to be the shot guy. Just keep trying to load him up like the Bruins do with Chara. Let him blast away and hope he doesn't kill someone on your team.

The good thing is that at least Thompson knows that's his role on PP2.

Edited January 30, 2019 by Doohickie

[Taro T]

10 hours ago, ... said:

This is how it looks, for sure, but the question remains on why they're playing this way.  Is it everyone else not named Eichel not willing/able to make the PP work, is it all of them, or are they being coached to play it this way?

Has any one who enjoys the stats broken down the success and failure rates of each player who plays on a PP unit and the most successful combinations?  I would be curious to see if they have been deviating from an obviously successful formula.

Good question as to the 'why?'  Whether it's Housley's plan, Hajt's plan, or some other coach's, or a combination of the whole staff it seems that's the way the coaches want them playing.  This is the way the PP played the 1st 1/2 of last season until the players (most likely read O'Reilly or ROR & Eichel) convinced the coaches to let them try some things that had worked the previous season under Bob Woods' direction.

When things were working early this season they were in large part 1 trick ponies, Eichel to Reinhart to Sheary (or Skinner) in the slot.  With the occassional Eichel 1 timer thrown in.  After that pass to the slot from the goal line got covered, that whole unit seemed to dry up.  (Going by eye test & memory, maybe the unit didn't totally go into a funk at that point.)

No data about the individual stats.  Maybe someone else has them. 

[Taro T]

6 hours ago, Samson's Flow said:

Agreed. The problem is I don't think I want Samson in front of the Risto (or Jack) shot, and without a screen the point shot is low percentage IMO.

Pretty sure Reinhart feels the same way.  He provides a much more effective screen when, say, Pilut is shooting rather than when Eichel or Ristolainen's launching the shot.