I think the most important thing that can happen now is team wide commitment to defense.. Guys like G need to get back on defense.. know where you are supposed to be and get there.. Last nights tic-tac-toe goal for the Isles 2nd goal G got caught staring at the puck... allowed Bailey to slide right by him and set up at the back post... The Isles third goal had Schenn taking the wrong path, and more or less picking Bryz. dont go between the d-man and the goalie.. go in front.. pick up Okposo and there is no goal.
Its stuff like that that needs serious work...
Bryz looked solid last night, and his play continues to impress me..
- jak521
Giroux was back on defense deep on that goal, but the problem was he didn't pick anybody up. It all starts up at the blueline. It's basically a 3 on 2, and Meszaros decides to step up and try to make a big hit at the blueline, the puck is chipped past him, to Streit, and it's a 2 on 1. Bad, bad read by Meszaros there. He took himself out of the play. That is the genesis if it right there. Grossman tries to block a pass across, taking himself out of the play. So both defenseman are out of the play. Hartnell isn't sure what to do caught between two guys down low. And Giroux didn't pick up the trailer. Which pretty much meant a 3 on 1 down low on Hartnell. And a slam dunk goal. Team defense is about layers. When one breaks down, another is there to cover for it. It broke down on many levels on that rush. Effort was certainly made by all there. But it was misguided effort.
