Article: More Coaches Should Copy John Hynes' Overtime Gambit

[Tony Abbott]

View full article

[Will D. Ness]

This was the time and place to do this.  No coach would be a coach for long to do risk that OT point early in the season though.

I think we should get rid of that rule and let anyone pull the goalie in OT without risking a point.  (maybe switch to PWHL point system?)

[Protec]

Pretty good outcome on this one and a win against a Central opponent was needed badly. 

[MrCheatachu]

So this season, the Wild are 3-2 in shootouts, with MAF being 1-1 and GusGus being 2-1.  Basically, if we take it to a shootout, it's going to be a coin flip.

Wild needed a point, had possession and took a calculated risk that they'd either continue to have control, or score a goal with the ~1minute left.

Had NSH scored, might be more difficult to defend the decision, but with NSH holding the last WC spot with 1.16 points/game getting 2 points (and holding NSH to 1) keeps that door open ever so slightly.

However, I'm here for it...watching meaningful hockey games is far more exciting than watching a bunch of guys ready to hit the golf course.

[Burnt Toast]

The Preds looked shocked out on the ice after MAF skated off. They seemed extremely cautious IMO. The Wild grabbed the initiative and capitalized on it. You can bet coaches around the league will take notice and make adjustments. In the Wild’s current position in the standings I wouldn’t be surprised if HCJH gives it another shot. Sure was fun watching!! 

[MrCheatachu]

1 hour ago, Burnt Toast said:

The Preds looked shocked out on the ice after MAF skated off. They seemed extremely cautious IMO. The Wild grabbed the initiative and capitalized on it. You can bet coaches around the league will take notice and make adjustments. In the Wild’s current position in the standings I wouldn’t be surprised if HCJH gives it another shot. Sure was fun watching!! 

I was listening on the radio and Nanne's call was something like 'And Fleury's off the ice...oooohhh, this is a bad move, I dont like this at all, AND BOLDY SCORES!!!'

[MNCountryLife]

Gutsy call.   First time I have jumped out of my chair this season.  WOW!!!

[Protec]

I'm envisioning 4v4 OT with no goalies. 🤣

[mnfaninnc]

Let's be honest about this. The reason it worked was because of the element of surprise. Now that teams are aware of it, all across the league, the success and failure will be a little different. 

I applaud Heinzy for giving it a try. It was sneaky. But to do this thing more often isn't really going to happen. I get the stats, but it's that empty net I'd be worried about. Of course, if the opponents miss the net, it's icing and they get no change. We can come back with fresh troops and a goalie. 

On the hard to defend the decision part, it was a risk. Even if it doesn't work out what's the worst that could happen? We move up the lottery pick standings. 

I like that Heinzy is trying to win. That is his job regardless of how the season was going. All the players should be trying to win too.

I was blocked out from the Nashville game yesterday, but I did get to watch some bonus hockey over the weekend. I watched part of the Bruins blowout of the Penguins, and I've got to say, I'll be surprised if Mike Sullivan is still coaching there next season. I'm pretty well sold that if he is let go, he's coming here in some kind of role. 

He did not have the look of a coach whose team was competitive. Would he even want to come here? Somehow I believe he and Guerin have some solid ties and would, even though our roster isn't there yet.

[mnfaninnc]

4 minutes ago, Protec said:

I'm envisioning 4v4 OT with no goalies. 🤣

Pond hockey, just take it outside!

[Tony Abbott]

57 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

Let's be honest about this. The reason it worked was because of the element of surprise. Now that teams are aware of it, all across the league, the success and failure will be a little different. 

I applaud Heinzy for giving it a try. It was sneaky. But to do this thing more often isn't really going to happen. I get the stats, but it's that empty net I'd be worried about. Of course, if the opponents miss the net, it's icing and they get no change. We can come back with fresh troops and a goalie. 

That had to have helped, but it can absolutely work again - you just are going to get burned sometimes. Is it more or less likely to cost you points over the long haul, is the question.

[MrCheatachu]

29 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

That had to have helped, but it can absolutely work again - you just are going to get burned sometimes. Is it more or less likely to cost you points over the long haul, is the question.

I feel like we could use advanced analytics looking across the league at 4-3 power plays and predict, given control in offensive zone by the attacking team, how long it takes for the 3-man team to get possession and clear the puck, and then weight that by knowing being the 3-man team in a pulled goalie situation you might be apt to play a bit more aggressively knowing that you still get a loser point.

[Protec]

It was a no-look, lizard-laser to Boldy.

[mnfaninnc]

Thinking this through a little more, you could probably use it to your advantage if you've got fresh players, possession, and the other team has gassed players. One would think that as soon as a timer dings on the opposition, that strategy becomes a benefit. I don't know what that time needs to be, you could completely hem in an opponent that way. Tired guys do not shoot accurately from 180', and you'd have to be on them as soon as they got possession.

[MacGyver]

Patrick Roy started the trend of pulling the goalie in regulation with 4 minutes or more left on the clock to get  the goal to tie the game. Then it seemed everyone started doing it and now you rarely see it. This could be the same thing. Desperate teams do desperate things and the Wild always seem to be in some level of desperation this time of the year. 

Segei Federov Columbus Blue Jackets legend?? 🤣

[mnfaninnc]

Last night, my blackout was lifted and I got to watch the game. 

I paid attention, specifically, to the Adam Beckman line. 1st of all, starting out the game with Foligno going after Carrier seemed like a nice way to get the crowd warmed up. I suspect that going forward, we will need to see Foligno do this more as well as heavy hits in the corners. He threw at least 1.

Foligno also had a nice back pass to Beckman in the slot, and Beckman wasted no time in delivering a quality SOG. Beckman also appeared to be the 1st forward in several times trying to forecheck, and this will be my point of contention. 

I really like that Beckman is getting a chance, but in seeing his full game, there are some holes. For instance, he is not physical. He did a lot of swatting at pucks and trying to make turnovers, but very little board work, and very little actual forechecking. On the line he was on, that line has to finish its checks, and Beckman simply did not do that. Yet, when it came to physical play, I thought he also got pushed around. 

These are the examples I use as evidence that Beckman simply isn't strong enough to play in the N yet. Unless he's going top line, he is simply too weak and light to make a difference. Throughout his ascent, you can tell he's relied on being a volume shooter. His defensive game looks like it has improved. But if your role is not being that volume shooter, you have to have some other sort of usefulness. 

I didn't think he was overly fast, but he also wasn't slow. I didn't think he had particularly good edges, in fact, sometimes it looked like the speed of the N was a little too much. There was no physicality to speak of. So, what do you really have? I'd really like him to get his 1st goal so he can relax, and maybe we'll see something then?

Another thing that stuck out to me was Mason Shaw. Shaw is in that short and 185 lb. category. But, Shaw looks thick and will drop with anyone. He simply doesn't give up. He's a real pest. He's the kind of guy that was made for the 4th line! His effort is always there.

[Pewterschmidt]

25 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

starting out the game with Foligno going after Carrier seemed like a nice way to get the crowd warmed

I’m beginning to understand Foligno’s value.  Clearly not to make hockey plays, but he’s a hybrid enforcer type.  The enforcer role serves a lot of purposes in ice hockey (intimidation, retribution, crowd hype man, etc), and if enforcer can hold they stick and keep up with the play that’s bonus.  Delaurieus and reeves are enforcer clowns.  At least Foligno isn’t as bad as them.  That is nicest I can say

[Pewterschmidt]

31 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

But, Shaw looks thick and will drop with anyone.

Shawzy looks like his handles have improved since injury.  Don’t know if he’s playing on pure adrenaline right now or not, but one more reason to like this fire hydrant

[Protec]

The Wild need an energy line or two that can produce. I'd like to see a KBS like. Knudi, with Beckman and Shaw. That line could be a little bit small but potentially dynamic with weapons to meet that kind of requirement. Beckman is your shooter, but I totally agree with mnfaninnc that Beckman adding weight and physicality would be huge for the overall impact he can make. Hits disrupt, and with Shaw/Knudi that should lead to opportunities. Equally if the Russo-Canadian alliance can loosen up pucks on the forecheck there's a potential to score greasy ones AND bang-bang goals. If we could get 10-15 games with a young line like this, I'd be pretty pleased with the sample for evaluation.

If these three got going, it would be the ultimate positive development for MN and these guys individually. To see Beckman begin to score, Knudi fitting in well, and Shaw reaffirmation would be awesome.