tnt Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 1 hour ago, burd said: What's Blake's +- Nobody is saying Blake isn't a net positive, but that doesn't mean he can ignore the fundamentals of smart team hockey and the thing that the coaches always preach, "live to fight another day". In other words, you will get your chances regardless, so don't press and take unnecessary chances. After the defensive problems last year we had a reset, and we are starting to fall into some old habits of going all out for offense. He can do all the dangling he wants down low in the offensive zone, just don't take the chances when you are the last man back or will give up odd man rushes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burd Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 And nobody said it was determinative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightingsioux4life Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 45 minutes ago, tnt said: Nobody is saying Blake isn't a net positive, but that doesn't mean he can ignore the fundamentals of smart team hockey and the thing that the coaches always preach, "live to fight another day". In other words, you will get your chances regardless, so don't press and take unnecessary chances. After the defensive problems last year we had a reset, and we are starting to fall into some old habits of going all out for offense. He can do all the dangling he wants down low in the offensive zone, just don't take the chances when you are the last man back or will give up odd man rushes. Blake needs to stop forcing things. Let the game come to him and he'll be fine. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burd Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 35 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said: Blake needs to stop forcing things. Let the game come to him and he'll be fine. Very true, and yet part of his exceptional value in the O zone is that he forces things (and opponents alter their game to deal with it). It's a situational and zone specific discussion, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightingsioux4life Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 5 minutes ago, burd said: Very true, and yet part of his exceptional value in the O zone is that he forces things (and opponents alter their game to deal with it). It's a situational and zone specific discussion, IMO. Skating thru 4 opponents and expecting to still have the puck doesn't work at this level. This isn't MN high school or USHL. That is what can lead to turnovers and odd-man rushes the other way. He needs to pick his battles better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siouxfaninseattle Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 1 hour ago, burd said: Hrkac was a ridiculously prolific scorer, averaging about 2.5 pts per game in 86-87. Anyone know where his plus/minus numbers might be? In the record book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burd Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 45 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said: Skating thru 4 opponents and expecting to still have the puck doesn't work at this level. This isn't MN high school or USHL. That is what can lead to turnovers and odd-man rushes the other way. He needs to pick his battles better. True enough, and I remember having similar thoughts about Greg Johnson and his habit of dangling too much during his freshman an soph years. He was a very smart person and figured it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Saturday late, one goal lead, Blake crossed center, had no great options, dumped, and went to the bench. Jake Brandt commented that dumping it must've been hard for Blake (because he likes the puck on his stick) but it's a play he needs to make when it's the smart, safe, right one. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burd Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 43 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said: Saturday late, one goal lead, Blake crossed center, had no great options, dumped, and went to the bench. Jake Brandt commented that dumping it must've been hard for Blake (because he likes the puck on his stick) but it's a play he needs to make when it's the smart, safe, right one. Situational awareness, I guess. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InHeavenThereIsNoBeer Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said: Saturday late, one goal lead, Blake crossed center, had no great options, dumped, and went to the bench. Jake Brandt commented that dumping it must've been hard for Blake (because he likes the puck on his stick) but it's a play he needs to make when it's the smart, safe, right one. Well that's progress at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneySIOUX Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 16 hours ago, The Sicatoka said: Mentioning that: 2-1 game and under a minute with faceoff in defensive zone and they roll out ... Ben Strinden. Because Strinden plays that kind of game well. Blake played plenty down the stretch on Saturday, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneySIOUX Posted January 16 Author Share Posted January 16 10 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said: Skating thru 4 opponents and expecting to still have the puck doesn't work at this level. This isn't MN high school or USHL. That is what can lead to turnovers and odd-man rushes the other way. He needs to pick his battles better. He's done it several times this year and last. Again, not saying he doesn't need to become much more reliable defensively, but he has absolutely done this in his 1.5 years here. He's a gamebreaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burd Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 5 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said: He's done it several times this year and last. Again, not saying he doesn't need to become much more reliable defensively, but he has absolutely done this in his 1.5 years here. He's a gamebreaker That's the thing. It's too simplistic just to say he's got to change his game and stop taking those chances. Work on situational awareness. With his whole line, so they're still in sync. I think James is a factor in Blake's improvement, with his vertical game and hard working style. They're different but can learn from each other. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnt Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 3 hours ago, burd said: That's the thing. It's too simplistic just to say he's got to change his game and stop taking those chances. Work on situational awareness. With his whole line, so they're still in sync. I think James is a factor in Blake's improvement, with his vertical game and hard working style. They're different but can learn from each other. I think the key truly is situational awareness, and frankly I think that changes from the regular season into the playoffs. In tight tournament contests, sometimes that first goal is super critical especially when teams tend to play more of a lockdown game, so I would say you need to be dialed into situational awareness from the start there. If you're playing a team that has nothing to lose, giving them that first goal can really give them the confidence to think "we really could win this game". I think St. Cloud has experienced that a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlphaMikeFoxtrot Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 28 minutes ago, tnt said: I think the key truly is situational awareness, and frankly I think that changes from the regular season into the playoffs. In tight tournament contests, sometimes that first goal is super critical especially when teams tend to play more of a lockdown game, so I would say you need to be dialed into situational awareness from the start there. If you're playing a team that has nothing to lose, giving them that first goal can really give them the confidence to think "we really could win this game". I think St. Cloud has experienced that a few times. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiouxFanSince1990 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I do remember Blake dangling three Boston Terriers before scoring an overtime goal, in Boston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweethockey Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 12 minutes ago, SiouxFanSince1990 said: I do remember Blake dangling three Boston Terriers before scoring an overtime goal, in Boston. And at times he can be very successful at it. Other times he will lose the puck and it turns into a grade A chance for the opposing team. Risk vs reward. He has done so well as an individual player in his career playing that style, but NCAA play is a bit different. I'm no coach, but it seems they need to find a way to have a line that has him playing like that. With the rest of the line in sync. They need someone to carry the mail on that line and finish too.(James) The best way for Blake to be successful is to not be the only scoring threat on his line. I hope he does become a better 2-way player. Time and coaching will tell the tale. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 1 hour ago, SiouxFanSince1990 said: I do remember Blake dangling three Boston Terriers before scoring an overtime goal, in Boston. That hasn't happened much since that got onto the scouting tape. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedFrog Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 8 hours ago, The Sicatoka said: That hasn't happened much since that got onto the scouting tape. ^This^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnt Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 10 hours ago, SiouxFanSince1990 said: I do remember Blake dangling three Boston Terriers before scoring an overtime goal, in Boston. That is the perfect place to dangle, when all three defenders are below the faceoff circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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