mikey287 wrote:Need to do a better job identifying the weakness of the opposing team. For the Devils, it's their defensemen on paper...they lack a lot of skill, they lack a big imposing physical presence, they lack a lot of mobility. Challenge them down low below the goal line. Now, some of you are thinking "but the Devils are a cycling team...aren't we just playing their game, playing to their strengths?" Well, yes, they are a cycling team but if you notice, it's usually a 3-man cycle off of their aggressive forecheck. When the defense gets the puck, they just shoot...they don't slide down the boards like Letang or some of our d-men do (which is by design). So, we could take it to them with skill, speed and a little bit of sandpaper.
Instead, everything went high. Huge advantage for an aggressive group of forwards that the Devils have. They are well-coached, they move as a unit. They lack speed, so their best chance to generate chances are from turnovers high...not earning the puck back down-low. We continued to fox around with the puck out high and we did their work for them.
This so very right! Not unusual from mikey. But why the heck all the coaching personnel we have on payroll could not see this at all???
Nor those presumably smart star players?