Forward of Homestand, Geese Should Study From Street Journey and Adapt – The Hockey Writers –

The Anaheim Geese wrapped up their first highway journey of the season with a 2-1 extra time loss to the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins (Oct. 31). They managed a degree, nevertheless it was a disappointing end in a really winnable sport marked by a lot of the identical traits the Geese have displayed within the marketing campaign’s first few weeks.

Overly counting on the efforts of your goaltender whereas struggling to complete your individual grade-A scoring possibilities had been the themes of the final 4 video games. If these traits maintain, then the Geese will fall behind within the Pacific Division standings quick. As we glance forward on the upcoming six-game homestand, which begins tonight with the Chicago Blackhawks and encompasses a handful of winnable video games, let’s evaluate a few of the drawbacks, and strengths, of the Geese’ sport thus far. 

Incapacity to Restrict Opposition’s Offensive Strain Is Regarding 

The Geese collected factors in half of the video games of the latest highway journey. Nonetheless, the moments wherein they sustained possession and generated constant offense had been few and much between, which pressured them to lean on their protection and goaltending to maintain them in video games. You may make the argument that their greatest sport of the journey was their loss to the New York Rangers, as a result of they held the Rangers stars in examine and matched their shot and scoring probability totals fairly evenly. Each different sport was a catastrophe. They had been outshot 34-26 towards the New Jersey Devils, 41-22 towards the New York Islanders, and 45-23 towards the Penguins.

Associated: Geese Points Present Regarding Lack of Development

A younger workforce, particularly on the defensive finish, goes to be defending loads however being outshot by practically a 2:1 margin in consecutive video games is an indictment of each this workforce’s incapacity to maintain offense and their reliance on their goaltending to get the job performed. The Geese are taking a look at blowout losses just like the one they suffered towards the Devils if it weren’t for the early-season herculean efforts of Lukáš Dostál. 

Premature Miscues Are Proving Pricey 

The highway journey, significantly the loss to the Penguins, accentuated the influence that small errors and failures to execute can have in video games. The Geese had a number of excellent scoring possibilities within the late levels of the third interval together with a breakaway probability by Trevor Zegras and Cutter Gauthier apiece. You possibly can’t ask for a greater probability to place a workforce away than on a breakaway within the sport’s ultimate minute. These are the moments if you want your elite expertise to come back by way of, particularly in a sport wherein the Geese barely had the puck. As an alternative, the Penguins held on and received the sport to extra time. 

The extra time session didn’t go properly both as a result of the Geese made a elementary error within the defensive zone: Pavel Mintyukov and Frank Vatrano left it earlier than Gauthier secured the puck. They had been considering offense earlier than their defensive tasks. Gauthier loses the battle, nobody was watching Sidney Crosby, who was left on their own and beat Dostál. That’s the sport. Certain, Gauthier could have mishandled the puck, however he was flanked by Penguins defenders on either side and there was nobody else again on protection. In a matter of seconds, psychological errors resulted in the long run of a sport and turned what may’ve been an uplifting end to the highway journey right into a relatively disappointing one. The Geese actually may’ve used the additional level. 

Gauthier Getting Shut, Geese Want Extra From Killorn and Zegras

One other disadvantage to the season thus far has been the dearth of manufacturing from some gamers anticipated to be a much bigger piece to the puzzle than they had been final season. That listing contains Alex Killorn and Zegras. They linked for the Geese’ solely tally towards the Penguins however have in any other case been quiet. Killorn ended up as one of many extra constant gamers offensively over the second half of 2023-24 and was presupposed to carry that momentum into 12 months two as a Duck. That has not been the case thus far. Zegras likewise entered the season wholesome and able to bounce again, and he’s had his moments, however he has been removed from the nightly influence participant we anticipated he could be. 

The Geese rank final within the NHL in objectives scored with 22, a mean of two.2 per sport. Clearly, that won’t be sufficient, and they’re going to want the manufacturing from their full complement of proficient forwards if they will stay aggressive. This contains Gauthier, who has collected 4 assists thus far however has but to search out the again of the web. He has been across the web and gotten glorious seems to be however wants to search out twine quickly given the excess of alternative he will get with elite gamers in optimum conditions. 

Dostal, Terry, and Carlsson are the Stars So Far

The strengths of the Geese’ season thus far will be summed up in three names: Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, and Dostál. Terry and Carlsson sit first and second in workforce scoring, respectively, and have been making performs all season lengthy. They’re the one two reliable sources of offense early on, however they may need assistance, as will Dostál, the opposite vivid spot within the lineup. He has dazzled within the first few weeks of 2024-25 and sits second within the NHL with a goals-against common (GAA) of 1.99, and first in save share (SV%) at .945. 

The Geese appear content material to experience Dostál and his sizzling streak given they’ve minimized alternatives for James Reimer, who has solely made two appearances in 10 video games. The goalie rotation will likely be anybody’s guess when John Gibson recovers from his emergency appendectomy, however for now, it’s rightfully Dostál’s web. 

Geese Have to Get Again on Monitor Towards Blackhawks

The Blackhawks, the Geese’ opponent this night, have little or no going for them apart from the ascension of Connor Bedard. Each groups want this sport, however the Geese want it extra. A sport towards the Blackhawks, a workforce that struggles defensively, is the right alternative for them to work on their offensive zone sport, maintain strain and possession, and generate extra possibilities than their opposition. We’ll see who steps up tonight. Puck drop is 5 PM PST at Honda Middle.