Will try to do an entry for each remaining game.
Yes, this team is above the playoff cut the last two years. We have seen the same script all season, beat top teams, lose to bottom teams. Chicago came in with nothing to play for but draft position with a new top rookie, while New York (without Pulock) ran back the same bottom pairs. And we saw the usual result same as losses to Vancouver/Kings/Jets/Calgary/Blues. We saw this against Seattle here/against Blues here where NYI dominated late and lost. If they don't qualify this is why.
They got the one early goal, and then fell asleep for two periods, the players paid to score failed as usual, the 4th line as usual with Pageau gave them nothing. Schenn/Palat are not scorers. Barzal looks like a man who should not be a winger, Horvat is no sniper, and is not a big moment scorer which was right after the 4-3 goal when he came in alone and missed. Holmstrom was terrific, and Darche/Roy are not winning unless Scahafer does it himself, and played almost thirty two minutes. Darche's management career will be over if this generational talent is injured. Schaefer's agent cannot be happy. As usual Boqvist struggles caught up with him by game two which we saw since he got here last last season. DeAngelo got hurt on the awful Belmont slush. Sure the refs blew a call, don't fall behind 3-1 and it does not matter. Chicago has a more dynamic top line and their offensive numbers prove that out.
No one is going to tell me the 4th line players wear down opposition here, and mostly are soft/invisible.32-53-16 do almost nothing beyond eat minutes, MacLean had an open net and missed. Gatcomb is worse then last year, and Cizikas can't score, and is hardly good in front of his goalie or killing a penalty.
Soderblom was good but New York has no snipers who can change a game with the kind of goal needed here. That Roy/Bennett coaching strategy had Holmstrom on the bench in the final seconds, and the goalie coach picked the starter? Pageau/Schenn/Palat? Comical. As bad as giving Palmieri/Drouin those roles.
Next Dallas comes here with their spot locked up off a loss to the Devils in the kind of high scoring game New York does not play/win.
Of course NYI likely find a way to gut out a win vs Dallas, it's what they do. Does not make sense, NYI are a high character team that guts out wins thanks to Sorokin/Schaefer/Pelech/Pulock. Without them this is a bottom five team by a mile.
