Devils v Stingrays - 14/02 - 6:00pm - Chat/Updates
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
But most of those changes have been enforced because of injuries/suspensions - or at least that has how it has seemed to me.
I think at the moment we are getting a bit more tinkering around as G looks to prepare for the CC Final. If we were sticking with lines that don't work then the fans would be complaining.
So instead we are trying things out, and fans are still complaining.
I think at the moment we are getting a bit more tinkering around as G looks to prepare for the CC Final. If we were sticking with lines that don't work then the fans would be complaining.
So instead we are trying things out, and fans are still complaining.
4 crucial points this weekend and a road win! Well done guys! 
Not the best Devils' performance ever but certainly a lot more composed/controlled than recently and despite missing a couple of pp chances in p1, the Devils certainly fixed that later in the game!
But play was very scrappy at times - think that was more the Devils having to play the Stingrays game because as time went on, Hull's composure just crumbled and panic set in for them.
Miller's contribution, as usual of late, was incredible but IMHO, was suprised that Wes did not get MOM as he clocked up most points and looked solid all game.
Great to see Ben and Jamie getting longer ice time - this is where they are going to get the chance to become really effective. Notice that Vother and Finnerty seemed to get less time as a result. A message here or did G go with the line-up from Saturday's away game to keep consistency?
As for Brad not being Captain - could be lots of reasons for that. Ritchie has been Captain before and I would hope that G is trying out guys as replacements for next year......or to release pressure from the Vother so he can fulfill properly his other responsibilities. :?
The REAL test this week will be the 2 midweek games. It would be fantastic if the Devils could win at least one of those - after the weekend they must be feeling more positive. Edinburgh on Saturday is a MUST win. They also won last night and that points gap is not getting smaller.
Not the best Devils' performance ever but certainly a lot more composed/controlled than recently and despite missing a couple of pp chances in p1, the Devils certainly fixed that later in the game! But play was very scrappy at times - think that was more the Devils having to play the Stingrays game because as time went on, Hull's composure just crumbled and panic set in for them.
Miller's contribution, as usual of late, was incredible but IMHO, was suprised that Wes did not get MOM as he clocked up most points and looked solid all game.
Great to see Ben and Jamie getting longer ice time - this is where they are going to get the chance to become really effective. Notice that Vother and Finnerty seemed to get less time as a result. A message here or did G go with the line-up from Saturday's away game to keep consistency?
As for Brad not being Captain - could be lots of reasons for that. Ritchie has been Captain before and I would hope that G is trying out guys as replacements for next year......or to release pressure from the Vother so he can fulfill properly his other responsibilities. :?
The REAL test this week will be the 2 midweek games. It would be fantastic if the Devils could win at least one of those - after the weekend they must be feeling more positive. Edinburgh on Saturday is a MUST win. They also won last night and that points gap is not getting smaller.
:shock:
Hull (H) - Full Team
Hull (A) - Voth (Sus) & Finnerty (Sus)
Edin (H) - Full Team
Newc (A) - Bibraer (Sus)
Newc (H) - Michel (Inj)
Hull (A) - Michel (Inj)
Sheff (A) - Michel (Inj - Adams played)
Edin (A) - Michel (Inj - Adams played)
So only twice in our last 8 games have we been able to roll out our top forward lines.
Hull (H) - Full Team
Hull (A) - Voth (Sus) & Finnerty (Sus)
Edin (H) - Full Team
Newc (A) - Bibraer (Sus)
Newc (H) - Michel (Inj)
Hull (A) - Michel (Inj)
Sheff (A) - Michel (Inj - Adams played)
Edin (A) - Michel (Inj - Adams played)
So only twice in our last 8 games have we been able to roll out our top forward lines.
Obviously the games that you haven't been at Finny and I have. Nice to notice you aren't disagreeing with the other points I've made at least..for example, I've attended 8 away games this season, and during games, the lines have been changed during periods,and it's plain to see that the players at that time were not comfortable, perhaps another reason for poor performances away from home maybe. Perhaps you can give your take on our bad performa.nces away from home
I have no idea why were have been so bad away from home. I haven't been to any this season so can't comment on them. I have watched two Edinburgh games online and we won them both.
Any chance you can remember which away games it was when we changed the lines so much? Was it one we won/just lost/got hammered in?
Any chance you can remember which away games it was when we changed the lines so much? Was it one we won/just lost/got hammered in?
Finny,, sorry, I can't remember the away games or the home games come to think of it, but by the tone of your question are you saying that we haven't changed the lines during any games you've seen. I'm not the stat anorak that you are so no doubt we can rely on you to dispute what I,ve said, it does seem however that others agree with me re line changes. Very surprised to see you have absolutely no thoughts as to why we have been so bad away from home, very un Finny like.
Think you've mis-understood the tone of my post totally. It was a genuine question regarding which game we kept changing lines. I was interested as to whether it was a game we started badly, and then we changed the lines in an attempt to get back into the game.
Or whether it was a close game and we changed the lines and went on to lose the game.
We have changed lines during home games I've seen. Though not as many as 6 or 7 - so perhaps they were in away games. We changed them mid-game recently against Newcastle when we put Birbraer-Smith-Voth back together. Since then though Voth has returned to the Hill-Latulippe-Voth line.
I can't really comment on away games that I haven't seen can I? There have been suggestions that the bigger ice pad makes a difference - but in this weeks programme Mark Richardson has said that shouldn't be an issue.
My 'guess' is that it is purely a mental issue, and the players will have to 'learn' to win games mentally as well as physically. Which was one reason I was delighted we signed Finnerty - as he has that winning mentality.
Or whether it was a close game and we changed the lines and went on to lose the game.
We have changed lines during home games I've seen. Though not as many as 6 or 7 - so perhaps they were in away games. We changed them mid-game recently against Newcastle when we put Birbraer-Smith-Voth back together. Since then though Voth has returned to the Hill-Latulippe-Voth line.
I can't really comment on away games that I haven't seen can I? There have been suggestions that the bigger ice pad makes a difference - but in this weeks programme Mark Richardson has said that shouldn't be an issue.
My 'guess' is that it is purely a mental issue, and the players will have to 'learn' to win games mentally as well as physically. Which was one reason I was delighted we signed Finnerty - as he has that winning mentality.
Fair enough, as you say, it must have been a game in which we started badly because no one in their right mind would change lines if they were doing well I suppose. The next couple of weeks are hugely important to us I would suggest. A good run of results can lift a team just at the right time going in to the seasons end and hopefully appearing at Nottingham in the play offs.
Lately i have been taking a lot more notice of line changes and they seem to be happening for a variety of reasons, i will use the Stingrays on Sunday as an example.
We started the game with
Davies- Smith - Birbrear
Hill-Latuillipe-Voth/Hayes (rotating every other shift these two were)
Miller-Finnerty-Michel
Now this stayed consistent until Michel went into the box for his 2+10 penalty where Voth was then put on the third line, while hayes retained a consistent shift on the second (and boy what an assist for Latuillipes goal!) But Voth,Miller and Finnerty really clicked on that second line and the whole game changed from their work imo the two odd man rushes Finnerty and miller created with each other seemed to lift our bench and they were kept together on the third where they scored some more goals.
Personally i am teetering on being in favour of the line changes at home (havent seen enough away to comment) For me Adams has used them to try and change the course of the game and up until recently that worked, you cant argue with our home form this year really even with the Edinburgh game, and a big chunk of that has come from Adams and Franny looking at the opposition teams and trying to match lines that beat the oppositions lines and giving us an advantage.
For me it shows Adams attempts to change something for a positive rather than him not knowing what he's doing/not knowing the 'right; line combinations.
What he says above ;-)
I have being paying attention to the home line ups all season - I have to in order to write the match reports...and from my opinion, I have only seen the lines changed for genuine hockey reasons..
i.e Injuries, big penalties and the need to change something to try to win a game.
Not sure of the stats, but maybe one for Finny here, but how many home games have we come from behind to win? Has the change in forward lines helped us in turning around a losing scenario into a winning scenario?
Also you have to remember, we play like the Devils used to play back in the Vez days, where were put a forward (normally Smithy or Tylor) on the point when we go on the Power-play...this has the effect of disrupting the lines for when we return to 5 on 5 hockey. You will then sometimes see a mixed line sent out so we can reset the normal forward lines a short while after...
As it has been mentioned - our home form this season cannot be questioned really...I cannot comment on away games as I have not seen any, but I don't believe it is down to the lines - because if that was the case then that would affect our home form too.
The only real disappointment this season at home is that certain player combinations have not lit up the league like we expected (and losing to Edinburgh and Coventry at home too, lol).
No-one can understand our away form - but surely it has to be a mentality thing now.
Anyway, back on topic - I thought the Devils played a good game against Hull - they looked solid at the back, and eventually found a way to get the goals their possession deserved. Now lets see if we can kick on from here...