OK, I’ve calmed down. Just watched 3 fights in the first 9 seconds of Canada-USA, so catharsis.
1. The reason you run offense is to create open shots. This team seems to run the half out offense hoping for a defensive mistake to let them have an open shot. The offense has to run with purpose. What shot are we trying to create? Who do we want to take it, and from where? Is there a weak spot in the D we should attack? Where do we have matchup advantages? We have way too many late in the clock desperation heaves.
2. Once again we managed to lose to a team with one proven scorer. Just one. You’d think that would be the one guy you can focus the D on, particularly late in the game.
3. Inbounds plays. Yeah, everyone has mentioned it. But there has to be recognition and a plan. Is it man D.? Zone press? Guarding the inbounder or not? You have to have plays for all these situations. And remember, the D wants it in the corner, we don’t.
4. Hurley has to see these things and fix them. That we are this late in the season and still are having these problems isn’t good. Best coach? Prove it.*
5. The refs missed an astounding number of fouls in the last 3 minutes of regulation and in OT, particularly the trip on Ball at the end. Note to zebras: you may say you don’t want to decide the game. But you are deciding close games all the time. Sometimes by blowing the whistle. And sometimes by swallowing it.
* Yeah, I know, back to back NCs. In surgery you’re only as good as your last patient. And this one died.