Crosby
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2016
- Messages
- 853
- Reaction score
- 1,209
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- 93
Well, the regular season is over. To use a tired cliche, it is now a brand new season. This team, while inconsistent, has shown that it can play with the best of them. It has also shown that it's more than capable of putting up some real clunkers. It has shown tremendous improvement in the last 2 months. If things click, I think we have a decent shot of winning the Big Ten tourney, and getting to the Frozen Four. In my opinion here are the keys to making that happen.
1) Goaltending. Justin needs to play like he can, both physically and mentally. He is a goalie a team can ride through the postseason if he's on.
2) Scoring from 2nd and 3rd lines. This needs to continue. It has been terrific and we need it. Nelson, Huglen, Brodzinski, Lamb, Kurth, etc. Just keep doing what you are doing.
3) Defensive play. As a team, this has been very good lately. Even last night wasn't too bad overall. Just had several lapses. That 4th Michigan goal, with both of our D puck watching, was brutal. But they have been good. Forwards have been good defensively too. Stay solid. Need this in combo with #1 above.
4) Snuggy and the top line. I don't know what has happened here. Snuggy cannot buy a goal. Moore has been really good but his passes have been off. Pitlick has been flying around but has not had the same impact either. There is just not the chemistry from this group you'd like to see. No more waiting... this needs to come around. Now.
5) Power Play. This has been disappointing. People talk about puck movement on the power play. And yeah, that is important. But PRODUCTIVE puck movement only happens when you have people movement. Skate, boys. Get open. Use your speed. Too much just passing it around the perimeter. We have the talent to do this. Let's make it happen.
6) Playing with urgency. There was no urgency last night for two full periods. If I were Bob, I might tell the team to just go play like there are two minutes left in the game and we are down by 1. When this team plays with urgency, it moves its feet, we win puck battles, and things seem to miraculously open up. We are the best in the country when that happens.
Okay - that is a long list. But I really think we have a shot at doing some damage in the postseason. We're healthy, we're talented, and we should be motivated. Let's fricking go.
1) Goaltending. Justin needs to play like he can, both physically and mentally. He is a goalie a team can ride through the postseason if he's on.
2) Scoring from 2nd and 3rd lines. This needs to continue. It has been terrific and we need it. Nelson, Huglen, Brodzinski, Lamb, Kurth, etc. Just keep doing what you are doing.
3) Defensive play. As a team, this has been very good lately. Even last night wasn't too bad overall. Just had several lapses. That 4th Michigan goal, with both of our D puck watching, was brutal. But they have been good. Forwards have been good defensively too. Stay solid. Need this in combo with #1 above.
4) Snuggy and the top line. I don't know what has happened here. Snuggy cannot buy a goal. Moore has been really good but his passes have been off. Pitlick has been flying around but has not had the same impact either. There is just not the chemistry from this group you'd like to see. No more waiting... this needs to come around. Now.
5) Power Play. This has been disappointing. People talk about puck movement on the power play. And yeah, that is important. But PRODUCTIVE puck movement only happens when you have people movement. Skate, boys. Get open. Use your speed. Too much just passing it around the perimeter. We have the talent to do this. Let's make it happen.
6) Playing with urgency. There was no urgency last night for two full periods. If I were Bob, I might tell the team to just go play like there are two minutes left in the game and we are down by 1. When this team plays with urgency, it moves its feet, we win puck battles, and things seem to miraculously open up. We are the best in the country when that happens.
Okay - that is a long list. But I really think we have a shot at doing some damage in the postseason. We're healthy, we're talented, and we should be motivated. Let's fricking go.
