November 18, 2019
PITTSBURGH 6 LEAFS 1: IS BABCOCK THE SCAPEGOAT NOW? FAIR?
LEAF’S 6 GOALS AGAINST – WERE THEY REALLY CAUSED BY COACHING ISSUES OR SIMPLY LACK OF FUNDAMENTAL PLAYER HOCKEY IQ OR GRIT ISSUES?
WHO CHOSE MANY OF THESE PLAYERS? DUBAS OR BABCOCK OR BOTH?
Goal # 1
Pittsburgh was in the Leafs zone and Gauthier got the puck at the low half boards to the right of the Leafs goal. He was under pressure so instead of freezing the puck or alley-ooping it out, he just knifed the puck up the boards to Shore who was covered by Pittsburgh’s D on that side (mistake #1). Shore knowing he was covered needed to play defence and lift their D’s stick off the ice, take body position to protect the puck or bodycheck their D so he could not play the puck but instead Shore let their D deflect a short pass to Pittsburgh’s forward (mistake #2) who then started to cut into the middle so Gauthier tripped him for the penalty (mistake #3).
Then the PP goal came after a Pittsburgh puck cycle in the Leafs zone and a shot on net with a rebound and a loose puck ending up on the stick of Ceci for an instant. Ceci tried to ice the puck but passed it directly onto the Pittsburgh’s stick at the point in the middle. Pittsburgh was playing a 1 – 3 – 1 power play structure which Ceci would have known but he either just panicked or didn’t think he had to angle the pass out enough to avoid Pittsburgh’s point man (mistake #4). Pittsburgh scored.
None of these mistakes have anything to do with speed, but have everything to do with having hockey IQ which qualified NHLers should have.
Goal # 2
This goal resulted from a 3 on 2 (mistake #1) with Johnsson chasing hard in the Nzone and just one stride behind Pittsburgh’s middle forward, with the puck carrier for Pittsburgh being their left winger. Malkin was their right winger. Pittsburgh crosses the Leafs blueline like this and Malkin starts sliding into the middle as their centre starts driving to the net executing the well-known “centre drive” 3 on 2 play. Johnsson is puck watching not realizing the 2 Leafs D have 2 of the Pittsburgh players on the strong side covered and his responsibility is to cover Malkin sliding into the middle(mistake #2). By the time Johnsson realizes this he is too deep in the Dzone. As all this is happening Matthews appears and he also does not attack Malkin who scores (mistake #3). Nylander was caught low in Pittsburgh’s zone as the 3 on 2 play began was nowhere to be found on the backcheck even though one of Pittsburgh’s D made it into Leafs zone before Malkin scored.
None of these mistakes have anything to do with speed, but have everything to do with hockey IQ which qualified NHLers should have.
Goal # 3
Tavares passes to a covered Leaf high in the Ozone(mistake #1). Pittsburgh intercepts the puck and enters the Leafs zone and cycles the puck to the top of the Leafs circle to a Pittsburgh forward who is covered by Kapanen. Kapanen does not challenge their player stick on puck (mistake #2) or go down to block the shot as it is taken (mistake # 3). In fact he just lifts up and sticks his skate out which accomplished nothing. The shot beats the Leafs goalie who is not on the white ice taking away the angle (mistake #4).
None of these mistakes have anything to do with speed, but have everything to do with hockey IQ and grit which qualified NHLers should have.
Goal # 4
Stretch pass to a Pittsburgh forward just inside the Leaf blueline covered by Johnsson but not goal side as he should have (mistake #1), nor did he bodycheck as he should have. The Pittsburgh forward turns hard towards the boards with speed and beats Johnsson wide (mistake #2). Now it’s a slight 2 on 1 Muzzin with Ceci coming late and the puck carrier almost at the side of the Leaf net. Muzzin slides to prevent a pass across. Muzzin clips the Pittsburgh forward right into the Leafs goalie and takes him right out of the net. Pittsburgh scores in the empty net.
None of these mistakes have anything to do with speed, but have everything to do with hockey IQ and grit which qualified NHLers should have.
Goal # 5
Barrie has the puck coming out of the Leafs zone and into the Nzone. The Matthew line is streaking to their blueline so Barrie passes the puck hard to Matthews but between his stick and skates (mistake #1). The Pittsburgh D intercepts the pass and immediately passes up to the 3 Pittsburgh forwards in the Nzone who now have a 3 on 2 crossing the Leafs blueline. Barrie and Reilly cover the strong side 2 Pittsburgh forwards but leave the weak side open (mistake #2) as they run the “centre drive” again, pass to the weak side winger and score. When there is no backchecking support on a 3 on 2 and they could run the centre dive, the D must play zone and cover as much space as they can in the middle, not leave one player wide open.
None of these mistakes have anything to do with speed, but have everything to do with having hockey IQ which qualified NHLers should have.
Goal #6
On the Leaf PP, Spezza gets the puck just inside the Ozone blueline and is covered closely. He passes sideways into Petan’s skates who is covered (mistake #1) instead of low in the Ozone. The Pittsburgh player pokes the puck forward giving Pittsburgh a 2 on 1. Barrie is back and he stays in the middle leaning towards the puck carrier as he goes in on goal and enables a pass across to the open winger (mistake #2) for an open net goal.
None of these mistakes have anything to do with speed, but have everything to do with having hockey IQ which qualified NHLers should have.
Very similar in many games for the Leafs: too many fundamental mistakes in decision making and judgment, on ice awareness, reading the opposition’s play, not blocking shots, turning the puck over in very dangerous situations, not finishing checks, not winning puck battles to name a few.
Aren’t NHLers supposed to have learned most of this in the minors. Maybe some just aren’t ready for “the show” yet on a team where expectations are so high.