[GDT/PGT] Vancouver Canucks @ Montreal Canadiens | March 20, 2021 | 4 p.m. PT | SNP, RDS

[Devron]

2 minutes ago, Tom Sestito said:

You can't expect much more than what Miller has given them in the time Petey is out but the comparison is ridiculous. Petey is 10x the centerman Miller is on both ends at ES. 

 

Miller's flaws make him a winger. It is what it is. He's still a great player when motivated but you can't pigeonhole him into center because he is not meant to play it outside of spot duty.

I agree. Miller is very important player to this club but people are forgetting how important Petey is especially at center. He struggled a bit in his own end at the start of the year but so I did everyone. We’ve all seen how good he can be. He makes safer plays in his own end then Miller does. Eventually he’ll get better at his face offs.

 

And I’m really excited to see Petey back in now that we’ve won a few games. Be like having the boys back again 

[Dumb Nuck]

22 minutes ago, 1-d said:

I can't hear you 

I was only asking.

[oldnews]

3 minutes ago, Tom Sestito said:

Anyone who thinks Miller is a better center than EP is insane

 

Miller can drive some individual offense but his line without EP has sucked at ES and Miller is not a reliable enough defensive player in the middle of the ice. Like Gaudette got scored on for a similar mistake to the one Miller made earlier that period but Miller controller deleted. 

 

Miller also went off for a bad change on one of the penalties we took in yesterday's game. 

Miller's line is playing in a very different context than when it has EP.

Yesterday that line had 36% ozone starts - and probably comparable tonight (although there were a few different combinations tonight).

Same story in recent games against Edmonton - Miller's line is being drawn into dual duty - in a similar way to Horvat's when the team is missing a center.  Right now it's missing 1.5/2.

When EP is on that line - it gets 65-70% ozone starts - and is the primary line that this team tilts the ice for.  Of course it's better with EP on it - and at the same time having the luxury of that hybrid where Miller - one of the best faceoff guys in the NHL - can dominate in the circle, and do the down low battling, freeing EP up.

Right now they are having to hide/shelter/avoid matchups for the Gaudette - so it's a three line team, with occasional / sheltered minutes for Gaudette (ie 86% ozone starts last night).

 

So - the context is very different - and similar to the last round of the playoffs where MIller was injured, Sutter was injured, Toffoli could barely skate - the team is 'harm reducing' right now.   It's not really comparable/an equivalent to say "Miller's line is much better with EP" - of course it is - but also, it plays in far more opportune circumstances when EP and Beagle are in the lineup.

[1-d]

40 minutes ago, Toyotasfan said:

At least we are done our regular season games against Montreal.

Sorry Toffoli, your dream for Rocket Richard trophy has been ended.

[ShawnAntoski]

36 minutes ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

Tweets like these comes out when Holtby plays, very different from when Demko is in.

Edited March 21, 2021 by ShawnAntoski

[ShawnAntoski]

39 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

The Panel sure loves to rave about him, like he's a god. But yet, Price let in 4 goals on 15 shots against a non-playoff team. Let's talk about that, Panel. 

 

Price is over-rated. Sure he won a Vezina and Hart 6 years ago, but so what? Holtby won the Vezina 5 years ago, and a Cup 3 years ago. 

 

Canucks were lucky to get the Loser point. Bring on the Jets, with Demko.

Bieksa is the only reason I tuned in but he seems to had toned it down abit.  

[Silent Man]

25 minutes ago, 10pavelbure96 said:

We need a miracle now

Miracles do happen. I've witnessed a few in my life. February 22, 1980 , for example...

[Cromeslab]

2 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Miller's line is playing in a very different context than when it has EP.

Yesterday that line had 36% ozone starts - and probably comparable tonight (although there were a few different combinations tonight).

Same story in recent games against Edmonton - Miller's line is being drawn into dual duty - in a similar way to Horvat's when the team is missing a center.  Right now it's missing 1.5/2.

When EP is on that line - it gets 65-70% ozone starts - and is the primary line that this team tilts the ice for.  Of course it's better with EP on it - and at the same time having the luxury of that hybrid where Miller - one of the best faceoff guys in the NHL - can dominate in the circle, and do the down low battling, freeing EP up.

Right now they are having to hide/shelter/avoid matchups for the Gaudette - so it's a three line team, with occasional / sheltered minutes for Gaudette (ie 86% ozone starts last night).

 

So - the context is very different - and similar to the last round of the playoffs where MIller was injured, Sutter was injured, Toffoli could barely skate - the team is 'harm reducing' right now.   It's not really comparable/an equivalent to say "Miller's line is much better with EP" - of course it is - but also, it plays in far more opportune circumstances when EP and Beagle are in the lineup.

Petey back would help a bit with our sloppy ness in our own zone,but it needs work beyond Petey,we are doing ok without him.our  Dzone needs work

[oldnews]

9 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

When Petey comes back I would put Miller back on the wing with Petey.  Let Miller take the draws. When Beagle comes back we can move Sutter to play with Vesey and Virtanen. Put the Lotto Line back together and Horvat with Pearson and Hoglander. When everyone is back from injury I think our best lineup is the following:

Miller      Pettersson   Boeser 

Pearson  Horvat         Hoglander 

Vesey      Sutter          Virtanen 

Motte      Beagle        Hawryluk 

I wouldn't argue with that lineup.   I consider Miller the 'center' on the top line / I like the hybrid effect he has playing with EP - (win faceoffs, battle in the hard areas, particularly in the dzone)....

I'm surprised that you'd scratch Gaudette (I might as well) - and you've scratched Roussel as well in favour of Hawryluk - I've liked what I've seen of Hawryluk...

 

One thing that I think this stretch is showing - is how much serviceable depth they have at forward...(MacEwen also scratched from your lineup) - about a handful of taxi guys that have played well/haven't really hurt the team/given them a chance to win.

I've liked Vesey's play thus far - he stays engaged without the puck - does the things that Green would expect of him - he's fitting in well.

 

[Bad_BOI_pete]

1 minute ago, ShawnAntoski said:

Bieksa is the only reason I tuned in but he seems to had toned it down abit.  

putting a plastic penis on his mantle wasn't his best career choice, although was definitely one of the funniest 

[1-d]

40 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

 But Baumgartner failed us miserably. 

I'm really, really curious to see if Baumgartner gets another coaching gig job in the NHL once let go.

 

Because if he says he can coach defence I say I can teach breakdance... and I have hernia.

[luckylager]

13 minutes ago, Cromeslab said:

Coaching 101 imo

It's too bad he's coaching level 101 in a 2.0 league

[PhillipBlunt]

40 minutes ago, 4petesake said:

 

Wow. That’s insane. 

[Devron]

5 minutes ago, ShawnAntoski said:

This is all we hear when Holtby plays; very different from when Demko plays...

Man, Feel for Holtby. Just wants to help the team.

[nuck-lifer]

2 minutes ago, Silent Man said:

Miracles do happen. I've witnessed a few in my life. February 22, 1980 , for example...

 

Yeah, and we need wins again and ... again.. 

[oldnews]

1 minute ago, Cromeslab said:

Petey back would help a bit with our sloppy ness in our own zone,but it needs work beyond Petey,we are doing ok without him.our  Dzone needs work

yeah - the dzone needs work - and what you haven't mentioned is the other side of the equation -what Beagle brings when he's in the lineup.

If they can tread water to these guys return, I'm pretty optimistic about what the team could look like at that point.  They are playing gutsy hockey like they did vs Vegas -but a few key additions could really help.

[DeNiro]

Just now, Devron44 said:

Man, Feel for Holtby. Just wants to help the team.

And he did tonight.

Big reason we even got a point. He gave them every chance to win in the shootout, and our shooters came up lame.

 

He basically battled a 10 million dollar goalie to a draw. Nothing to be ashamed of.

[PhillipBlunt]

41 minutes ago, 1-d said:

Would be hard without replacing the entire coaching staff. Green and Baumer has been joined at the hips since Utica days.

Green may have some difficult decisions to make this summer. 

[PhillipBlunt]

5 minutes ago, 1-d said:

I'm really, really curious to see if Baumgartner gets another coaching gig job in the NHL once let go.

 

Because if he says he can coach defence I say I can teach breakdance... and I have hernia.

Was thinking the same thing. Would he get another coaching gig in the NHL? I highly doubt it. 

[Nuxfanabroad]

18 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

When Petey comes back I would put Miller back on the wing with Petey.  Let Miller take the draws. When Beagle comes back we can move Sutter to play with Vesey and Virtanen. Put the Lotto Line back together and Horvat with Pearson and Hoglander. When everyone is back from injury I think our best lineup is the following:

Miller      Pettersson   Boeser 

Pearson  Horvat         Hoglander 

Vesey      Sutter          Virtanen 

Motte      Beagle        Hawryluk 

It looks nice, but surprised no AG. Guess it's a good problem?

 

Hope we wriggle into the PO's. I'd like all these guys to be able to show their stuff, just prior to the ED.