Anaheim We Have Problem...
Anaheim, we have a serious problem.
No, for a change I'm not going to gripe about your inability to play 60 minutes. Lately, you've shown me energy.
I have no complaints about who's "stepping up" and who's not doing their job (okay, that's not necessarily true, but that's not what this is about right now).
I'm not going to criticize your poor defense. Somehow, it has been working.
There is nothing to be said about your penalty kill. It has been incredible lately.
No, this is about your pathetic excuse for a power play. Forgive me, that's what the NHL calls it. Here in Anaheim we call it, "boosting the oppositions' penalty kill percentages."
I'm sure you've all noticed, but there are serious issues when the Ducks have an "advantage." Ironically, it puts them at a huge dis advantage.
Here is what I don't fully understand.
At even strength, you're finding ways to get the puck in deep. Occasionally, you're finding ways to get the puck to the net (once again, thank you Corey Perry for finding that two feet of open ice). You're showing the offensive juices we know you have.
Yet, for some reason, when you have all of that open ice, all of that free space because you have an extra man...you all bunch up on one side of the net and leave yourself no room whatsoever to expose the defense.
How on earth do you expect puck movement when you are all jammed together?
When do you foresee the opportunity to "find the open man" if no one bothers to "get open?"
Where are you going to send the puck when you've allowed the defense to clump together and create a larger than necessary wall in front of the man who is regarded as one of the best goaltenders ever ?
Who thought up this brilliantly stupid power play formation?
He should be fired.
Why aren't you spreading out? Why aren't you using the master of open ice, Scott Niedermayer? It might get foggy from time to time, but if you recall...he plays for Anaheim now, not New Jersey.
When you are on the power play, the other team already knows you have an extra man. It's okay to expose that. It's okay to use that to your advantage. It's okay to pass the puck. I know, it seems foreign to you now, since you know, you're not doing it. But it is okay to move your feet.
Please, we, the fans are begging you to move your feet.
Turns out, Ryan Getzlaf prefers to pass the puck (yea, there's a newsflash)...let him !
Give him the open space to do that.
Allow him to roam freely between inferior defensemen. He might even take a shot if given the opportunity.
The Ducks went 0-6 Wednesday night on the power play. The power play was so bad, they couldn't even get through two minutes without giving up a short-handed goal.
Like I said...Anaheim, we have a problem.
GO DUCKS!!!
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