"The weird thing about how the Komets play is this: I don’t think Toledo is a team that handles pressure all that well. A physical, aggressive game might suit Fort Wayne well."
Hmmmm.....I have got to tell you that I am really suprised at some of the strategy that Graham has implemented during this series so far. The quote above from our other paper kind of sums up what a lot of us have been saying since we found out that we were going to play Toledo. It seems so obvious to me. The lowest seed Wheeling gave them fits with an aggressive physical game. It just blows my mind that we chose not to play that style against them. Would love to hear why we have implemented such a "soft" strategy where we don't even clear out the front of our own net?
Another thing that has me scratching my head is why Perlini sat in game one after he led us in scoring against Toledo in the regular season. I wish I could take credit for digging that stat out but I can't. The Toledo announcers were actually talking about it during the first period last night. They were trying to figure out why Graham would make him a healthy scratch. They couldn't figure it out either.
Their announcers were also mentioning how they were surprised how "passive" were have been playing given how physical we were with Kalamazoo and that the Walleye were playing their 4th game in 5 nights.
It was kind of embarrassing hearing their play by play guys questioning why we weren't executing some of the basic fundamentals of playoff hockey.
We have had everything line up for us these 2 games......plenty of time to prepare.......we were well rested.........they were on their 3rd game in 4 nights and 4th game in 5 nights.........played a goalie last night that hadn't seen action in almost 2 months..........refs were letting a lot of stuff go.........etc...etc....etc
I would love to know from our coach why we have played so soft, sat our leading scorer against them in game 1, won't clear out the front of our net, can't seem to adjust to handle their forecheck, etc.
Alan
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 10:52am
To be honest, yet not to be sounding too harsh, these last two games have been a microcosm of the season.
Its been a great year, full of excitement and fun, but there can only be one champion each year. Sure, I think the komets have shown a championship caliber once in a while, but not too many times when they were playing an "elite" team. They've shown that they have the ingredients for a championship team but it doesn't always blend into a "recipe" that is always a winner.
The team has speed (but not as quick as Toledo) so why play their game? If we are destined to lose, then why not bang them everywhere? Slow them up (if possible). For all intents and purposes the "money line" has disappeared. I suggested a while back that maybe by breaking them up, spreading the scoring wealth might be a good idea. It was written that anybody suggesting such a thing "should be shot". Try something new. This isn't working.
We'll be able to judge this much better after the playoffs when we see how Toledo does. Maybe its just their year, their turn. We saw a Wheeling team take them to the limit and are now disappointed with the results we are experiencing. Thing is that ECHL playoff rosters evolve as affiliated teams above are eliminated.
Clearly Tuesday night is a "must". Anything but a win means the year is essentially over.
Let's find out something about Crowder. The defense (something I thought was a real plus at the beginning of the season) is weak. Bucera must really be bad as he doesn't get a chance while I see skaters fly by Barteaux and (sometimes) Lacasse. Give Nagle a start.
Maybe the captain could sit a game and get your best scoring players on the ice.
Like I said. Try something. This hasn't worked so far.
KometFan
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 11:43am
For a practice session I think it would be a good idea to have Will practice saving one of those up close cross crease goals. Those type of goals made up around 5 of 8 goals the walleye scored on Will. If Will can save 1 or even 2 of those goals a game we (the Komets) would have a better chance of winning each game. I'm not saying our defense doesn't need work, The more they can prevent those goals from happening the better.
Being down 2 - 0 means nothing. Remember that series against Missouri in 2012 where we were down 2 - 0 or 3-0 and we came back to win the series. Like to see that happen again, but this time against Toledo.
LETS GO K's
Darrell J
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 2:01pm
As I have said before, it's Goaltending, Goaltending and Goaltending! Last night Roman Will let 2 pucks go into the Net on 9 shots on Goal in the 1st period, 1 puck on 10 shots in the 2nd, and 2 pucks into the Net on 6 shots on Goal in the 3rd, sorry, but that's killing us.
The Komets came somewhat close to outshooting them 2 to 1 and still lost by 3 goals, that's a Goaltending problem. You must put Pat Nagle in Goal if we want to win this. Toledo's backup Goalie let only 2 pucks in the Net during the whole game, by stopping 35 of 37 shots. Put Pat Nagle in Goal or it's over for us and we'll have repeated the same mistake we made for the last 2 Playoffs in the ECHL, and yes people, we had the Teams to have won the Kelly Cup both times, but we trusted inconsistent Goalies both times, while sitting out our best ones during the playoffs, and the best ones are not always Goalies who have been up in the higher league, but in this case, I do mean that. Pat Nagle will be consistent.
Here is how Coach Graham could test out who to put in Goal. Just before each game, you would have each Goalie face 5 of your best scorers 3x (shootout), or 15 SOG, whichever Goalie lets in the fewest goals in that practice session would start in Goal.
who/suz
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 2:15pm
I have a couple of questions 4 whomever
-..why r folks seeking Embach's..sitting out..and
-..same thing 4 LaCasse..not sure I understand why..did not watch last night's game but did listen on radio
Agree on Perlini. .also on the aspect of playing the body..away playing Nagle
still not a Fan of 53
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 4:36pm
LCasse,Barteaux,Sol an Tam are way to soft senm down to SPHL and bring up 4 that want to PLAY. and when i say soft i don't mean fighting ether. just like one of our old poster name. "HIT SOMEBODY" if we fix these guys we can win. the fishes know they win 1-0 the Komets know they can't. our guys up front our trying to hard to score 10 goals. NEW COACH for next year!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hoss
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 6:19pm
Darrel J, did you go to the game to see those five goals Will "let in"? He had no chance on two of them because guys were standing around watching their man skate freely to the net without trying to play anything close to being called defense. Only one of the five goals, IMO, was on Will and that was when he got beat on a beautiful backhand on the breakaway. While I would switch it up and play Nags for game three, I put the majority of the blame on the team defense, not goaltending!
Klaus
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 6:34pm
In my opinion, we showed alot of great restraint not getting more penalties than we did, given the amount of Cheap shots we received. I also believe that we should go back to the same strategy we had with Kzoo, shorter shifts, more checking (I noted that the more times we completed our checks, the more they would go for a line change, the pace of the game slowed down decreasing the odd man rushes). Several of their fans had confided that they were happy that we weren't taking it to the body stating if they had to play against Wheeling's physical game again, they wouldn't be playing us. So, there it is for all it's worth. Get physical, make them comit the fouls, and we stay out of the bin!!!!
KometFan
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 7:16pm
It seems like the Komets only play physical if the other team is playing physical. That shouldn't happen. I want to see the K's erupt all over Toledo like they are in a game 7 against the LA King down 3 - 0 heading in to the third and then beating them 7 - 3. That is a bit of a hyperbole, but thats how I think game 3 and the rest of the series should go against Toledo.
whole_n_one
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 7:48pm
What is Coach saying as far as our lack of physicality? Again, mind blowing as to why we haven't played that way.
who/suz
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 9:08pm
Once again. .why the problem with LaCasse and Embach...no responses?..or just complaining 4 the sake of bit..ing?
Hockey Fan
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 9:38pm
Here is your response you desire. It's pretty obvious why Embach should be benched. To many bad passes and bad decisions with the puck. IMO.
still not a Fan of 53
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 9:48pm
once again! do you not see Lacasse and Barteaux with your own eyes? THEY DO DOT HIT and turn the puck over about 75% of the time. they sand behine the net for 45sec. or so and then getscared and pass to a winger with two or three guy all over them at our own blueline. over and over. now take your Komet colered glasses off and watch them two players. on wednesday please tell me you are SORRY. AND YES I DID GO TO 4 OF THE AWAY GAMES
Darrell J
Sun, 05/03/2015 - 10:09pm
@Hoss, sorry, a good consistent goalie would have stopped those pucks from going in most of the time, and Roman Will letting 5 pucks go into the net on 25 SOG is bad goaltending, plain and simple.
Did you forget that our players had almost outshot Toledo by a 2 to 1 margin, now that takes alot out of your players? Toledo started their backup goalie who then stopped 35 of 37 SOG. It's time we make the right move with goaltending, or it's over for us again.
Even Toledo's radio anouncers was baffled at the things we're doing, so let's put an end to this, and play your best goaltender?
We need to break this spell that the manager, coach and some of the fans have with liking a goaltender due to personality, and not looking at the consistency of them, I don't care if a goaltender or a player might have made a comment that someone didn't like, if that should happen, you don't stop playing him due to that, do you?
COME ON, LET'S GO KOMETS!
Hoss
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 6:58am
@Darrel J, I will ask it again...did you go to the game to watch those golas go in? You can look at the stat sheet all you want, but that never tells the whole story. The team playing around him (or not playing) is the problem, not the goaltender! How can you put the blame on Will for defensive breakdowns which lead to unstoppable goals?
Alan
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 10:24am
I think there is plenty of "blame" that can get passed around.
Not sure what was meant about not playing because of something a player may have said. I wish that a clearer explanation would be given.
As far as Lacasse/Barteaux. Opponents seem to skate by them with a remarkable frequency.
Not a fan of 53
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 2:46pm
YES Alan please say it again and again about #53 and #25. you my friend speak the truth!!
Darrell J
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 11:35pm
So many people say the Komets need to play physical, but you can't outshoot the other team by almost 2 to 1 doing this, as it also takes alot of energy out of the players playing physical.
Yes, you will get cought from time to time when outshooting the other team like this, but that's where the goalie needs to be great, stop the rebounds most of the time, and by doing this, he will keep you in the game until the players wear out the other teams goalie and players by outshooting them, and most of the time this works, but when you have an inconsistent goalie, it's like a Dam that keeps springing a leak, eventually it breaks, and the game becomes out of reach for winning it.
@Hoss, I watched the game on TV where I had a great view of Roman Will, which is a much better view than the usual 100 feet or more that you're from the Net when going to the game, and that's when the goalie is on your side of the rink.
You can have great goal scorers etc., but if your goalie is very weak, that makes the players have to work that much harder to win the game, by scoring even more goals, which then wears out the players. On the other hand, you can have not so great of players that night and might only put 2 pucks in the Net per game, but having that great goalie will allow you to win these games most of the time.
Alan
Tue, 05/05/2015 - 3:00pm
Defense starts in the opposing zone with a good forecheck. It continues in the neutral zone by interrupting easy access to the attacking zone. It, then, continues with either the blocking of the shooting lanes and/or clearing out the slot.
It should be a long time before the goaltender even has the chance to fail.
Something has gone wrong. By my count the K's have given up 17 goals in the last four games. (Some were empty-netters).
Time to change things up. Play the man, hit anything that moves, and give Nagle a chance.
Maybe there are reasons not made public why things are as they are.
Each player knows his responsibility, so I don't want to hear about "locker room leadership". The words have all been spoken. What I DO want to hear is that Coliseum horn blowing a whole lot the next two games. Team defense, burying shots, and hitting. If that doesn't work...
well,maybe Toledo is just, simply, that much better.
Comments
"The weird thing about how the Komets play is this: I don’t think Toledo is a team that handles pressure all that well. A physical, aggressive game might suit Fort Wayne well."
Hmmmm.....I have got to tell you that I am really suprised at some of the strategy that Graham has implemented during this series so far. The quote above from our other paper kind of sums up what a lot of us have been saying since we found out that we were going to play Toledo. It seems so obvious to me. The lowest seed Wheeling gave them fits with an aggressive physical game. It just blows my mind that we chose not to play that style against them. Would love to hear why we have implemented such a "soft" strategy where we don't even clear out the front of our own net?
Another thing that has me scratching my head is why Perlini sat in game one after he led us in scoring against Toledo in the regular season. I wish I could take credit for digging that stat out but I can't. The Toledo announcers were actually talking about it during the first period last night. They were trying to figure out why Graham would make him a healthy scratch. They couldn't figure it out either.
Their announcers were also mentioning how they were surprised how "passive" were have been playing given how physical we were with Kalamazoo and that the Walleye were playing their 4th game in 5 nights.
It was kind of embarrassing hearing their play by play guys questioning why we weren't executing some of the basic fundamentals of playoff hockey.
We have had everything line up for us these 2 games......plenty of time to prepare.......we were well rested.........they were on their 3rd game in 4 nights and 4th game in 5 nights.........played a goalie last night that hadn't seen action in almost 2 months..........refs were letting a lot of stuff go.........etc...etc....etc
I would love to know from our coach why we have played so soft, sat our leading scorer against them in game 1, won't clear out the front of our net, can't seem to adjust to handle their forecheck, etc.
To be honest, yet not to be sounding too harsh, these last two games have been a microcosm of the season.
Its been a great year, full of excitement and fun, but there can only be one champion each year. Sure, I think the komets have shown a championship caliber once in a while, but not too many times when they were playing an "elite" team. They've shown that they have the ingredients for a championship team but it doesn't always blend into a "recipe" that is always a winner.
The team has speed (but not as quick as Toledo) so why play their game? If we are destined to lose, then why not bang them everywhere? Slow them up (if possible). For all intents and purposes the "money line" has disappeared. I suggested a while back that maybe by breaking them up, spreading the scoring wealth might be a good idea. It was written that anybody suggesting such a thing "should be shot". Try something new. This isn't working.
We'll be able to judge this much better after the playoffs when we see how Toledo does. Maybe its just their year, their turn. We saw a Wheeling team take them to the limit and are now disappointed with the results we are experiencing. Thing is that ECHL playoff rosters evolve as affiliated teams above are eliminated.
Clearly Tuesday night is a "must". Anything but a win means the year is essentially over.
Let's find out something about Crowder. The defense (something I thought was a real plus at the beginning of the season) is weak. Bucera must really be bad as he doesn't get a chance while I see skaters fly by Barteaux and (sometimes) Lacasse. Give Nagle a start.
Maybe the captain could sit a game and get your best scoring players on the ice.
Like I said. Try something. This hasn't worked so far.
For a practice session I think it would be a good idea to have Will practice saving one of those up close cross crease goals. Those type of goals made up around 5 of 8 goals the walleye scored on Will. If Will can save 1 or even 2 of those goals a game we (the Komets) would have a better chance of winning each game. I'm not saying our defense doesn't need work, The more they can prevent those goals from happening the better.
Being down 2 - 0 means nothing. Remember that series against Missouri in 2012 where we were down 2 - 0 or 3-0 and we came back to win the series. Like to see that happen again, but this time against Toledo.
LETS GO K's
As I have said before, it's Goaltending, Goaltending and Goaltending! Last night Roman Will let 2 pucks go into the Net on 9 shots on Goal in the 1st period, 1 puck on 10 shots in the 2nd, and 2 pucks into the Net on 6 shots on Goal in the 3rd, sorry, but that's killing us.
The Komets came somewhat close to outshooting them 2 to 1 and still lost by 3 goals, that's a Goaltending problem. You must put Pat Nagle in Goal if we want to win this. Toledo's backup Goalie let only 2 pucks in the Net during the whole game, by stopping 35 of 37 shots. Put Pat Nagle in Goal or it's over for us and we'll have repeated the same mistake we made for the last 2 Playoffs in the ECHL, and yes people, we had the Teams to have won the Kelly Cup both times, but we trusted inconsistent Goalies both times, while sitting out our best ones during the playoffs, and the best ones are not always Goalies who have been up in the higher league, but in this case, I do mean that. Pat Nagle will be consistent.
http://echl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=13648
Here is how Coach Graham could test out who to put in Goal. Just before each game, you would have each Goalie face 5 of your best scorers 3x (shootout), or 15 SOG, whichever Goalie lets in the fewest goals in that practice session would start in Goal.
I have a couple of questions 4 whomever
-..why r folks seeking Embach's..sitting out..and
-..same thing 4 LaCasse..not sure I understand why..did not watch last night's game but did listen on radio
Agree on Perlini. .also on the aspect of playing the body..away playing Nagle
LCasse,Barteaux,Sol an Tam are way to soft senm down to SPHL and bring up 4 that want to PLAY. and when i say soft i don't mean fighting ether. just like one of our old poster name. "HIT SOMEBODY" if we fix these guys we can win. the fishes know they win 1-0 the Komets know they can't. our guys up front our trying to hard to score 10 goals. NEW COACH for next year!!!!!!!!!!!!
Darrel J, did you go to the game to see those five goals Will "let in"? He had no chance on two of them because guys were standing around watching their man skate freely to the net without trying to play anything close to being called defense. Only one of the five goals, IMO, was on Will and that was when he got beat on a beautiful backhand on the breakaway. While I would switch it up and play Nags for game three, I put the majority of the blame on the team defense, not goaltending!
In my opinion, we showed alot of great restraint not getting more penalties than we did, given the amount of Cheap shots we received. I also believe that we should go back to the same strategy we had with Kzoo, shorter shifts, more checking (I noted that the more times we completed our checks, the more they would go for a line change, the pace of the game slowed down decreasing the odd man rushes). Several of their fans had confided that they were happy that we weren't taking it to the body stating if they had to play against Wheeling's physical game again, they wouldn't be playing us. So, there it is for all it's worth. Get physical, make them comit the fouls, and we stay out of the bin!!!!
It seems like the Komets only play physical if the other team is playing physical. That shouldn't happen. I want to see the K's erupt all over Toledo like they are in a game 7 against the LA King down 3 - 0 heading in to the third and then beating them 7 - 3. That is a bit of a hyperbole, but thats how I think game 3 and the rest of the series should go against Toledo.
What is Coach saying as far as our lack of physicality? Again, mind blowing as to why we haven't played that way.
Once again. .why the problem with LaCasse and Embach...no responses?..or just complaining 4 the sake of bit..ing?
Here is your response you desire. It's pretty obvious why Embach should be benched. To many bad passes and bad decisions with the puck. IMO.
once again! do you not see Lacasse and Barteaux with your own eyes? THEY DO DOT HIT and turn the puck over about 75% of the time. they sand behine the net for 45sec. or so and then getscared and pass to a winger with two or three guy all over them at our own blueline. over and over. now take your Komet colered glasses off and watch them two players. on wednesday please tell me you are SORRY. AND YES I DID GO TO 4 OF THE AWAY GAMES
@Hoss, sorry, a good consistent goalie would have stopped those pucks from going in most of the time, and Roman Will letting 5 pucks go into the net on 25 SOG is bad goaltending, plain and simple.
Did you forget that our players had almost outshot Toledo by a 2 to 1 margin, now that takes alot out of your players? Toledo started their backup goalie who then stopped 35 of 37 SOG. It's time we make the right move with goaltending, or it's over for us again.
Even Toledo's radio anouncers was baffled at the things we're doing, so let's put an end to this, and play your best goaltender?
We need to break this spell that the manager, coach and some of the fans have with liking a goaltender due to personality, and not looking at the consistency of them, I don't care if a goaltender or a player might have made a comment that someone didn't like, if that should happen, you don't stop playing him due to that, do you?
COME ON, LET'S GO KOMETS!
@Darrel J, I will ask it again...did you go to the game to watch those golas go in? You can look at the stat sheet all you want, but that never tells the whole story. The team playing around him (or not playing) is the problem, not the goaltender! How can you put the blame on Will for defensive breakdowns which lead to unstoppable goals?
I think there is plenty of "blame" that can get passed around.
Not sure what was meant about not playing because of something a player may have said. I wish that a clearer explanation would be given.
As far as Lacasse/Barteaux. Opponents seem to skate by them with a remarkable frequency.
YES Alan please say it again and again about #53 and #25. you my friend speak the truth!!
So many people say the Komets need to play physical, but you can't outshoot the other team by almost 2 to 1 doing this, as it also takes alot of energy out of the players playing physical.
Yes, you will get cought from time to time when outshooting the other team like this, but that's where the goalie needs to be great, stop the rebounds most of the time, and by doing this, he will keep you in the game until the players wear out the other teams goalie and players by outshooting them, and most of the time this works, but when you have an inconsistent goalie, it's like a Dam that keeps springing a leak, eventually it breaks, and the game becomes out of reach for winning it.
@Hoss, I watched the game on TV where I had a great view of Roman Will, which is a much better view than the usual 100 feet or more that you're from the Net when going to the game, and that's when the goalie is on your side of the rink.
You can have great goal scorers etc., but if your goalie is very weak, that makes the players have to work that much harder to win the game, by scoring even more goals, which then wears out the players. On the other hand, you can have not so great of players that night and might only put 2 pucks in the Net per game, but having that great goalie will allow you to win these games most of the time.
Defense starts in the opposing zone with a good forecheck. It continues in the neutral zone by interrupting easy access to the attacking zone. It, then, continues with either the blocking of the shooting lanes and/or clearing out the slot.
It should be a long time before the goaltender even has the chance to fail.
Something has gone wrong. By my count the K's have given up 17 goals in the last four games. (Some were empty-netters).
Time to change things up. Play the man, hit anything that moves, and give Nagle a chance.
Maybe there are reasons not made public why things are as they are.
Each player knows his responsibility, so I don't want to hear about "locker room leadership". The words have all been spoken. What I DO want to hear is that Coliseum horn blowing a whole lot the next two games. Team defense, burying shots, and hitting. If that doesn't work...
well,maybe Toledo is just, simply, that much better.