Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Monday, October 16, 2006

Sucking at shootouts: Perspectives from two continents

Ducks lost again yesterday to the shootout-specialist Dallas Stars, Anaheim's second straight SOL. I guess if there’s a bright side, it’s that in each of the last two games the Ducks rallied back from a 2-goal deficit to force OT and a shootout. Also, with the free “loser points”, the Ducks kept pace with the Sharks (8 points through the first 5 games).

Really, if there’s one area where the BoC is really L.A.-dominated, it is in shootouts. Shootout records since the start of last year:

L.A. W-L: 6-1, GF: 10-20 (50%), GA: 3-21 (14%)
Ana W-L: 3-9, GF: 10-40 (25%), GA: 16-39 (41%)
S.J. W-L: 1-7, GF: 7-29 (24%), GA: 14-29 (48%)
I’m not sure that it’s all bad being a terrible shootout squad. Anaheim and San Jose have both lost only 3 points in the standings (measured from a .500 shootout team) over this year-plus stretch, and our horrid shootout record really saves me the trouble of getting my hopes up before the shootout starts. Still, it is a desperate situation if Carlyle is throwing Sammy Pahlsson (pictured) in the 3-man lineup.

But why take my word for it? I haven’t even watched the DVR version of yesterday’s game yet. Instead, here’s a good recap of the shootout (I think) from a new Ducks blog (I think) from Brazil (I think): In Thin Ice.

"Ironicamente, Giguere esteve na meta dos Ducks em todos os shootouts disputados até hoje pela franquia. Infelizmente, para os Ducks, ele não é bom neles. Pior ainda para o Anaheim (melhor para os Stars), Marty Turco é... e muito!

O melhor lance da partida na minha opinião foi justamente no shootout. O 360º do garoto Ryan Shannon e a posterior defesa de Turco. Absolutamente fantástico. Para o torcedor dos Patos essa valeu o jogo, apesar da derrota. Para o torcedor dos Stars, essa valeu a vitória."
Yeah, what he said (I think).

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

With the Ducks Shootout record, I was not hopeful going into it. Is that bad?

Glad to see the Ducks are still even with the Sharks.

P.S. Love the post from Brazil

Anonymous said...

ahahah, a new phrase:

Ducks are S.O.L (shit-out-of-luck) and end up with another SOL (shoot-out-loss). Ugh.

Anyway, love that they're a comment from Brazil... and it's stunning how awful we are in the SO. A Kings fan once said to me, "when the Ducks are in the SO, you know they're going to lose." That's a sad thing to say, but they haven't done anything to dispell the thought.

I was surprised to see Sammy in the SO 3. I thought Coach would put in Marchant since he had quite a game... but, oh well. I'm not the coach, what do I know?

andy grabia said...

Who tried that spin move last night? If my memory is correct, that move should be illegal. You can't turn backwards and then forwards again, is my recollection.

andy grabia said...

In the shootout, I forgot to say.

Earl Sleek said...

I haven't watched my DVR yet, but it was Ryan Shannon (in the KK linked video, go to about the 3:10 mark).

As to the legality issue, I would have thought the same way, except that (a) he tried it, and I doubt he would go for something knowingly illegal, and (b) I think the NHL gets lenient if you score in the shootout against Dallas.

I'll watch the telecast tonight and if I hear anything different, I'll let ya know.

Miss. Scarlett said...

The shoot-out spin-o-rama is legal because the NHL only has two stipulations on the shootout. That it's a continuous motion and that he doesn't dip below the goal line.

If I remember correctly he did stop and spin before he shot, but I suppose it would have only been considered discontinuous if he paused a little longer.

Also, Robbie Schremp's lacrosse move would have been legal if it stayed below the crossbar.

Anonymous said...

Regarding Shannon's SO attempt - legal or not - I agree with Earl, why would Sir Shanny try it if he were aware the it were illegal? Additionally, Shannon's participated in shootouts before in the AHL. I would assume he's familiar enough with the rules by this point. Besides, none of this morning's papers touched on the legality aspect and instead heralded the attempt as brilliant. I would think they, too, would point out the illegality of the attempt if it were illegal. Of course, I could be wrong...

Anonymous said...

Shanny's goal is legal! WHOOP!

http://tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/darren_dreger/

Anonymous said...

dammit, I did it twice: I didn't mean to write Shanny's goal, I meant his shootout attempt.

VeryProudofYa said...

The Ducks are so horrid that they would have more success if they put Pahlsson in the net, rather than center ice.
:(

I think the only reason they beat Dalllas last year is because Jussi Jokinen wanted to test out his new move - blindfolded.


On the plus side, the ducks really opened it up in OT, so they know they've got problems, too. But who knows, maybe if Bryz started we'd win one.

Anonymous said...

Bryz did start the Dallas game, and he let in two soft goals before Carlyle pulled him. I don't think they're horrid, I just think they need to play a complete 60-minute game and not lose focus in the second period. They also need to stop taking obstruction penalties. None of the games have been a blowout, and the Ducks are usually outplayed only in that middle period. They dominate the first, usually regain control in the third after screwing up in the 2nd. It's obvious that the SO isn't one of their strengths, but it is, however, one of Dallas' strengths.

My opinion is this is a game they should have won, and they lost it only because they couldn't play a complete 60-minutes of smart hockey.

Earl Sleek said...

I just think they need to play a complete 60-minute game and not lose focus in the second period. They also need to stop taking obstruction penalties.

This kind of "duh" analysis is usually reserved for players' postgame interviews, but I'll let it pass.

I'm a bit cynical, like Tom Benjamin. I don't believe teams can stop taking obstruction penalties. Refs will find them on even the cleanest teams.

I'd be happier if we were better at killing penalties rather than pin our hopes on never taking them. Where's Vish-dog and Salei when we need them?

Anonymous said...

This kind of "duh" analysis is usually reserved for players' postgame interviews, but I'll let it pass.

Ouch. I won't deny it, though.

I wasn't saying never take them. I was saying, lessen them. The second period brainfarting must end!

That's all.

Anonymous said...

But, I do realize now how that sentence structure came out sounding like I said "never take obstruction penalties". Sometimes, you do what you have to do to avoid giving the other team a scoring opportunity.

VeryProudofYa said...

"Bryz did start the Dallas game, and he let in two soft goals before Carlyle pulled him."

Yes, I'm aware. My comment was referring to starting in the shootout.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I'm aware. My comment was referring to starting in the shootout.

Oh, I misunderstood. Thanks for clarifying.

Anonymous said...

All Shannon had to do was roof it on his Shootout chance, but he really thought he had Turco beat. Stupid hothead! Should have put it higher in the net! Couldn't finish...

Carlos Guilherme said...

Hello everybody. Anaheimduckfan and Finny, thanks a lot you liked my post. I'm veeeery glad. I'm the owner of the brazilian blog (Yeah Sleek, it's from Brazil ^^) and I love the Ducks since, well, since Hebert, Sacco and Karpa hahahah Girls, may I link your blogs? Thanks if I might

(and sorry about my english)

Earl Sleek said...

(no worries, it's better than my Portuguese)

Welcome aboard. Is there a good hockey following in Brazil? I was really surprised at the link.

Carlos Guilherme said...

Thanks, man. Well, hockey in Brazil? Very difficult to say. No one broadcasts one single game here (ESPN had the rights years ago, but now...). We follow the NHL by the internet, or listening the games in the NHL Radio.

The press (media) here sucks. Just soccer, man. But we have huge fans here, that provide us a online magazine (www.theslot.com.br)

But now we are finally watching a lot of games thanks a streaming program called TVUPlayer. A guy put the Center Ice, so the hockey community here became very happy

(Sorry, I write a lot XP Well, you saw my blog. 100 fts of text haha)