When the first defensemen gets carried out of the play, into the corner, out to the wing to chase, whatever, the 2nd D stays at home, in front of the net, and clears anyone out who comes into the slot. That is basic blocking and tackling in hockey defense. You cannot score a goal from the corner or behind the net, so as the lone D left in position, you leave the puck and the guy there and protect the slot.

Malik is soft. He wandered over to the corner where the puck was and the middle was left wide open.

Look at what happened on the goal before. Strudwick went to the corner to chase the puck and it took a bad bounce. If he had been camped in front of the net, the bad bounce would have not caught him out of position. Same thing.

I don’t care what you say, Malik is too puck oriented and not position and man oriented in our defensive zone. Period. Saturday was just another example in his illustrious defensive career. He is just not smart defensively. I am trying to like him, but he makes it hard when he continues to make stupid defensive plays. Offensively yes fine, occasionally he makes an OK play. But defensively he lacks. Period.

Hossa needs to play with Jagr and Straka. That is my thought.

I feel bad for Dawes. He’s been shoved around so much that maybe it’s time he gets put on a team where someone can easily use his speed and skills.

(call me c-c-crazy)

hossa drury jagr
straka gomez shanny
prucha betts cally
holwegg dubi orr

rosie – malik
toots – girardi
mara/pock – staal

Jagr and hossa clicked together last year
id like to see someone on the line with gomez who can keep up with his speed.

To say Gomez is a bust after two games, and especially considering that during the preseason Renney was so indecisive that he needed four of the 6 exhibition games to evaluate the Hartford Wolfpack, leaving n ot time for our top lines to play together. not to mention, Avery’s the one looking like a bust.. It is entirely possible that he played the 2 best months of his career at the end of last season. So far, he hasn’t shown even a glimmer of offensive ability. then again, he too has only played in one game.

Bonfire – this is why it’s so hard to have a conversation with you because you have little reading comprehension skills. I said they could send Staal down as an option, but didn’t think it would happen, nor do I want it to. JEEZ!

If you watch the replay, rozsival was actually pushed out of the way like a rag doll, he apparantly couldnt hold his own against this guy so Malik went over to cover for Rozsival. You guys just cant be happy. If Malik did not go over to get the guy with the puck after rozsival failed at it you would have been yelling about Malik. Since he did go over to get him you yell about him also. Gimmie a break, that goal was NOT Maliks fault. If you want to blame anyone it would be rozsival first. But the whole team was to blame. No one was covering anyone and it was just awful but stop blaming Malik for every freaken goal he is on the ice for. Give it up already.

A few things:

1) Jags looks a little soft. Maybe it was one bad game, I don’t know. But he has not looked his dominant self. I thought the people in the know said he looked so much stronger because he wasn’t coming off the shoulder surgery, etc. But I just don’t see it. I am not hitting the panic button. I am just saying it was something I noticed.

2) We lost to the Sens. Probably the best team in the East. They have almost all the same guys as last year. They are meshed already. They block shots like it is game 3 of the East finals. We let up for 12 seconds or something and it was 2-0. (Strudwick’s blame on one. Malik’s on the other.) We played them well for probably 45 mins last night. 5 on 5 I thought we played them very well. I am not happy with the result, but it wasn’t a total disaster other than an offense that could not finish.

3) The D is still shaky. Toots, Girardi, Rosy, and Staal (yes Staal, he played damn well) are the 4 I would build it around. Malik for his 3 pts in game 2, is too streaky and unstable. Strudwick took it to Neil, but he cannot play D. (I said the other day he would get the nod cuz of his fighting ability.) I think Pock and Mara should get some play time with those other 4. Malik and Strudwick should be packaged and sent somewhere for a super stud D. If it is Jovo, fine. But I am guessing Maloney isn’t going for Malik-Struds for Jovo. Pock and Malik for Jovo, I’d do too. Anyway, you get my point. I do think those 4 at the start of this paragraph are solid, but we need 1 superstar and another fill in.

4) Orrweg is useless. Hossa gets the nod now, just wonder where he will go? (Does everyone see what I was saying about a big body on Jagr when he is out on the ice? The Sens smothered Jags. Hossa would do well on the ice with Jags. Space would open up.) I still think we don’t need Orr and Holly in the same lineup. They didn’t do that much in the game in terms of hitting anybody or fights or anything.

Hope Avery has only a stinger on his shoulder. We need him back. But I think this actually gives some guys a shot on the 2nd line who have true 2nd line offensive skills.

LGR.