Huge Question Marks???????

[patsdude114]

I just dont get it anymore....... how do the Pats put together back to back pretty solid efforts against 2 of the top teams in the league in MH & KOO & then put up a stink of an effort against the Raiders?????


Tonight by far was the worst game i have seen Stephenson play, all game he was coasting but i guess the worst thing about it was Hunt just kept putting him back out there shift after shift.

The effort tonite was weak all around, & the weak turnover Reddin gave up on the game winning goal was completely unacceptable for a 20yr old player. He did that last time we played PA as well, like he is feeding his former team a goal.

We always put up 1 terrible period & tonite that period was the 2nd, its very frustrating to watch over & over again the same simple mistakes that seem to happen for a full period long & bury our chances at winning a game.

Williams made some key saves in the 3rd period ill give the kid some credit where its due. But he was shakey in the 1st 2 periods & we just failed to put any quality chances on net (besides the 1s that went in) I also just dont get how Bell doesnt want to use his big league shot, the guy fired the puck 98MPH at the prospects game but yet time & time again he passes up the chance to let a rocket go & either passes it off or puts a harmless wrister on net.

Our PP is very frustrating as well, every team in this league sets up a 1timer or at least the threat of a slapper 1timer somewhere on the ice but us on the other hand are happy with little wristers from the point or the down low play which doesnt work without the high end skill.

Also on a note i believe that the loss tonite to the Raiders puts us too far behind to catch that 8th & final playoff spot, that huge 4pt game with that effort IS going to come back & haunt us!!! i assure u that

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

could disagree more about Stephenson. Thought he set up some really good chances tonight. More often than not, the burden of a loss is not on a 16 year old rookie's shoulders. Honestly, as a whole I didnt think the team played that bad...though perhaps we were panicking a bit in the 3rd. The defence turned over the puck a few too many times, but its not like PA were exactly marvelous either. Its hard to pick out any single player that stunk, though Hewitt definitely let in at least one softy. I wouldnt say he is the reason for losing.

If you ask me, and I know this opinion is unpopular with traditionalists(and some people that simply see 'that one word' and then make up the rest for themselves), but I blame the quality of reffing for ****ing around with the game early on. The 1st period was just a circus of bad calls, there was next no flow in the whole 2nd period. Didnt we get a 5 on 3 in like one minute in on two weak penalties(used to almost have to kill someone for a 5 on 3), only to be followed up with two just-as-bad "make up calls"? Why not just let them play, because that was pretty much 5 minutes wasted on no pressure or anything. But...what pisses me off the most is in the 3rd, aside from the stevenson falling down/diving (which they called a trip), they then just completely put the whistles away despite no change in play. Theres just no consistency whatsoever, and inactivity screws with the game just as much as being overly stingy.

Let me clarify. Its more the new system in place than the refs themselves. There is more emphasis on calling every little petty irrelevant thing miles away from the play, but half the time you wont make the blatant textbook calls directly impacting the play infront of your face. Sometimes nobody knows whats going on, as its all "up to interpretation", which is a bunch of crap.

I know you have to manage your expectations, but its not just this league. Its the sport. But you could argue it all evens out(for most teams, at least...)

EDIT: also should say that if this game was called right, its not like the pats necessarily would have won. It could have gone either way...but the quality of officiating definitely warped the result.

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

oh and is it just me, or are the pats absolutely terrible at cleaning up rebounds near the crease? Its unbelievable how many times we squandered chances to get the quick rebound just on goal. Its a problem every night.

[scruffy1]

Totally agree on the new system being an excessive response to the clutch and grab we had previously. I get sick of seeing calls when a player steps on the others stick or two guys get tangled up on the boards and one comes out with a holding penalty. The pendulum has swung to far. Takes away from the game.

[patsdude114]

could disagree more about Stephenson. Thought he set up some really good chances tonight. More often than not, the burden of a loss is not on a 16 year old rookie's shoulders. Honestly, as a whole I didnt think the team played that bad...though perhaps we were panicking a bit in the 3rd. The defence turned over the puck a few too many times, but its not like PA were exactly marvelous either. Its hard to pick out any single player that stunk, though Hewitt definitely let in at least one softy. I wouldnt say he is the reason for losing.

im not putting the burden on Stephenson for the loss never said that at all, just saying it was by far his worst effort i have seen, he was coasting so much just not his typical effort. He gave up on alot of plays if he was just keep skating could of created some turnovers but instead gave up & coasted.

As for the reffing well its just something i am getting used too really, there was some soft calls forsure, but there was alot of deserving penalties as well. For 1 when we had that 5on3 Mitchell throws a punch at a guy, a harmless punch yes if it had been 5on5 it goes uncalled forsure but with the Pats up 2men it is a call that MUST be made it all comes back to self discipline when u have a great chance to take some control in a game.

After what happened in the last game between the Pats & Raiders i was fully expecting a game being called like this.

Also i really dont see how you think we played a good game, yes there wasnt much flow early on but our passes were horrid in the 1st 2 periods. The Dmen played with the puck too much instead of advancing pucks up the ice (just like Hunt said in the after game show) its like the Pats thought this game would come easy after there solid efforts against 2 top teams in the league.

As much as i like Reddin's skill level, he makes way to many soft plays in the defensive zone. I can see why the Raiders went with a 20yr old euro (which doesnt happen often) instead of keeping Reddin.

Last nites game really frustrated me as a fan, even more so then the begining of the year when we were getting our butt's handed to us on a nightly basis. I wish our 6th defenseman wasnt so weak where Hunt could bench a Dman from time to time. Bell makes so many soft plays out there on a regular basis but keeps getting ice time thrown his way cuz even his soft plays are better then Borstmayer at his best. I really dont see Borstmayer making this team next season with Williams, Peel & Bourghs (if i spelt that right) ready to take a roster spot.