steelers Vs Devils - CC - 19th Oct 25 - FO 16:00

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Ejercito Rojas

Well-Known Member
#141
#141
As I’ve said in a previous post, I was somewhat underwhelmed by most of our new forwards except Lacroix as in my mind he offered something different, something we’ve been missing in recent seasons. An agitator, someone nor afraid to stand in the crease and take the hits, someone who makes the d man look over his shoulder before going into the corners and someone not afraid to hand out retribution when necessary but he has to play smart due to the woeful level of refereeing in this league.

A few weeks ago we were hitting everything that moved and dealing out a few beatings but we were taking penalties to the extent that a couple of weekends ago I think we conceded 9 PP goals!!

That clearly couldn’t continue and I believe Thompson reigned in physical play somewhat and the last couple of weeks seem to bear that out.
This was always going to be an issue. Pre-season there was a section of the fan base that were saying that teams were gonna hate playing the Devils because our physical approach and another section saying that we’d better have the best PK in the league as the refereeing would soon put a stop (rightly or wrongly) to that approach.

When we’re not playing with an edge and putting the opposition off their game we’re struggling to make space, impose our game on them and ultimately we’re not scoring goals as we don’t have enough goals in this team to play any other way.
Lacroix is out til December and Yaremko also out injured so it seems the non contact style may continue.

Kontos was our final signing and is the big body winger you’d expect to drive the net and hit hard in the corners, however the Panther fans were fairly unanimous in saying that isn’t his game (or at least they didn’t see that last season) and he’s more useful on the PP!
I’m not really sure where the extra goals we need are going to come from but nevertheless we badly need them!
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#142
#142
Ejercito Rojas said:
As I’ve said in a previous post, I was somewhat underwhelmed by most of our new forwards except Lacroix as in my mind he offered something different, something we’ve been missing in recent seasons. An agitator, someone nor afraid to stand in the crease and take the hits, someone who makes the d man look over his shoulder before going into the corners and someone not afraid to hand out retribution when necessary but he has to play smart due to the woeful level of refereeing in this league.

A few weeks ago we were hitting everything that moved and dealing out a few beatings but we were taking penalties to the extent that a couple of weekends ago I think we conceded 9 PP goals!!

That clearly couldn’t continue and I believe Thompson reigned in physical play somewhat and the last couple of weeks seem to bear that out.
This was always going to be an issue. Pre-season there was a section of the fan base that were saying that teams were gonna hate playing the Devils because our physical approach and another section saying that we’d better have the best PK in the league as the refereeing would soon put a stop (rightly or wrongly) to that approach.

When we’re not playing with an edge and putting the opposition off their game we’re struggling to make space, impose our game on them and ultimately we’re not scoring goals as we don’t have enough goals in this team to play any other way.
Lacroix is out til December and Yaremko also out injured so it seems the non contact style may continue.

Kontos was our final signing and is the big body winger you’d expect to drive the net and hit hard in the corners, however the Panther fans were fairly unanimous in saying that isn’t his game (or at least they didn’t see that last season) and he’s more useful on the PP!
I’m not really sure where the extra goals we need are going to come from but nevertheless we badly need them!
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Good read thank you
 
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bb1

Well-Known Member
#143
#143
Like Franny mentioned in the podcast we are carrying guys with injuries.

It's not Thommo reigning them in. I was critical of Yaremko's lack of physicality in his last 4 games but we know why.

This is evident with a couple more of our guys.

I do however completely agree that the 1st line needs to be changed. Our PP has been poor for a few seasons now....whats the common denominator.....look at the guys who play together on the PP.

We could definitely do with a top tier goalscorer and another good forward. I would certainly release one of the current roster to shake things up a bit and that will give a lot more scope to change the forward lines.
 
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BigFan

Well-Known Member
#144
#144
bb1 said:
I do however completely agree that the 1st line needs to be changed. Our PP has been poor for a few seasons now....whats the common denominator.....look at the guys who play together on the PP.
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It was interesting how well the 6 guys played with the man advantage when we pulled Bowns in the last minute in Nottingham - albeit they only had that one shift but they got to the net and made direct plays - the six were Brandt, Barrow, Olischefski, Mosey, Fournier and Kontos - not who you'd expect to see together for a 'powerplay situation' but maybe a big change of personnel on one of the PP lines is worth a try but the sooner Lacroix is back on the PP the better
 
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bb1

Well-Known Member
#145
#145
BigFan said:
It was interesting how well the 6 guys played with the man advantage when we pulled Bowns in the last minute in Nottingham - albeit they only had that one shift but they got to the net and made direct plays - the six were Brandt, Barrow, Olischefski, Mosey, Fournier and Kontos - not who you'd expect to see together for a 'powerplay situation' but maybe a big change of personnel on one of the PP lines is worth a try but the sooner Lacroix is back on the PP the better
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Spot on there.

The most infuriating thing for me is when we have chances in front of net or on PPs we never see any one timers. Its always a touch too many and shots are blocked by d men or saved by netminders who are given that extra second to react.
One thing Brodie Reid was the master at was the one timer.....something our guys should be doing more often.
 
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Phinktastique

Well-Known Member
#146
#146
bb1 said:
Spot on there.

The most infuriating thing for me is when we have chances in front of net or on PPs we never see any one timers. Its always a touch too many and shots are blocked by d men or saved by netminders who are given that extra second to react.
One thing Brodie Reid was the master at was the one timer.....something our guys should be doing more often.
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Brodie Reid sure was, though set up nicely by Crandall mainly who took the NM off track. Josh MacDonald definately has this in his locker - he has a stinging shot. Sanford we have seen some lovely one timers too over the years, but for whatever reason, they are slow out of the traps this year!
 
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bb1

Well-Known Member
#149
#149
I was never a Reid fan as he was very lazy off the puck and a bit of a one trick pony.....but yes he was effective.

There will be plenty of players available soon who i'm sure we will be looking at if the budget is there.
 
D

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#150
#150
As much as we all enjoy watching Ryan Barrow this year, he should be a third line player in a team wanting to compete for trophies. He should be adding scoring depth rather than being the main threat.
Recruitment was my main worry when Thommo took over, as he's got it horribly wrong before. I wouldn't say any of our players as individuals are wrong, but it's the balance of the forwards group as a whole that I'm concerned about.
 
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BostonBart22

Well-Known Member
#151
#151
Phinktastique said:
Brodie Reid sure was, though set up nicely by Crandall mainly who took the NM off track. Josh MacDonald definately has this in his locker - he has a stinging shot. Sanford we have seen some lovely one timers too over the years, but for whatever reason, they are slow out of the traps this year!
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I know Josh scored sat with a tip in and his skating is great, he is just low on confidence unfortunately , always looking to pass rather than shoot , he fanned on his penalty shot if I can remember, but let's hope he gets more shots in rather than trying a pass , wether it's the game plan I dont know, we need Josh MacDonald of old like his first season starting this coming weekend please .
 
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Rempel16

Well-Known Member
#152
#152
The issue for me is that with Lacroix and Yaremko out our forward group is pretty much the same as last year. It's therefore forcing us into the non-contact hockey that we have seen the past couple of weekends. Unfortunately that means its going to be the same brand of hockey until our in-your-face guys are back in the lineup.

We have the scorers, they're just on the same line and both severely shot of confidence it seems. We are missing Lacroix massively.
 
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Farside

Active Member
#153
#153
Rempel16 said:
The issue for me is that with Lacroix and Yaremko out our forward group is pretty much the same as last year. It's therefore forcing us into the non-contact hockey that we have seen the past couple of weekends. Unfortunately that means its going to be the same brand of hockey until our in-your-face guys are back in the lineup.
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We are only missing two players injured, but they are key players. Both very physical, but crucially they were the two getting in the crease, upsetting the D and NMs, so it's possibly not a coincidence that Estes also hasn't scored for a few games.

Of the forwards who didn't return from last year (ZOB, Duke, Busch [& Shinkaruk, Almquist, Schoonbaert]) only Busch made any impression in front of net, so we have upgraded in that respect, but have temporarily gone backwards while Yaremko and Lacroix are crocked.

On the entertainment front, we're also missing Lacroix's comic antics - he definitely seems to be engaged with the fans.
 
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Phinktastique

Well-Known Member
#154
#154
Agree - we were noticeably missing Lacroix last weekend!
He has been getting more influential, game by game!

It is essential we get a firing MacDonald. He is key to our success this year - I feel.
Is he putting too much pressure on himself perhaps with point production after how relentless he was last year?? Who knows.

Thommo and coaching staff will know far, far better than I, but it could be interesting to see MacDonald on a line with a clever, switched on playmaker like Perlini. Sanford playing with a chip on his shoulder 'again' on a line where he would have the heavy protection of both Lacroix and Yaremko. And I reckon Martin could link up really well and lift the work rate of Kontos - adding Oli's direct work rate to that. So first 3 lines all pretty even on paper... Like I say, coaching staff will know far better than I as to why that would not work! (and easy to suggest too if they were all fit, of course)!

MacDonald - Perlini - Barrow
Yaremko - Lacroix - Sanford
Kontos - Martin - Olischefski
Caponi - Davies - Brandt
Duggan - Harewood
 
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