From: hammerl@acsu.buffalo.edu (Valerie S. Hammerl)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: Bruins, Canadiens, Adams in general
Date: 11 Dec 92 20:29:10 GMT
Organization: UB

In article <1gamcjINN9hq@bigboote.WPI.EDU> patchman@wpi.WPI.EDU (Peter Bruce Harper) writes:

>
>What I'd like to attempt to do is to discuss the strengthes and weaknesses
>of each of the teams in the Adams Division.  Serious discussion is welcomed,
>in fact, incouraged.  Flames can be directed to rec.go.fuck.yourself as I 
>have no use for comments about how the water is affecting my brain.  Not to
>mention that I live in Massachusetts, closer to Boston than to Montreal.

I'll take a stab at my own analysis of Buffalo.  Be forewarned, it
differs from yours and probably differs from most.  I've left yours in
for compare/contrast purposes.

>Buffalo:  
>Strengthes:  Lafontaine line is definately one of the top lines in the NHL.  
>Mogilny is a great puck-handler and he can FLY!  Andreychuck and Hawerchuck
>also add alot to this spectacular offense, not to mention Donald Audette who
>was contributing alot prior to his injury.  Defense is fair at best with their
>number one man being Petr Svboda.  Overall the offense on this team could
>potentially make up for the only fair defense.

Strengths:  (Note LaLine with LaFontaine, Mogilny and Andreychuk has
been dismantled, with Yuri Khymylev taking Andreychuk's place and
Andreychuk delegated to the third line with Sweeney and Presley)
LaFontaine continues to give strong efforts.  Mogilny, when he's
motivated, can give any defenseman nightmares and fly down the ice.
The recently assembled line of May-Hawerchuk-Scott Thomas (brought up
Tuesday from Rochester)looks to be a second scoring threat, though
perhaps not on quite as grand a scale as the top line.  

>Weaknesses:  Defense is only fair and goaltending is just plain BAD!  They need
>to get a steady #1 if they hope to make it anywhere in the playoffs.  If they
>can get an established number one they should be a contender to take the Adams
>Division, but I'd question them in taking the Cup due to past playoff problems

Weaknesses:  Defense has a tendency to give up.  Offense doesn't
backcheck, forechecking is nonexistant at most times.  Split
goaltending with no set number one makes for uncertainty in that area.
Daren Puppa is too streaky.  Hasek needs steady playing time in order
to not go out and look like utter crap, and even then is unorthodox.

>Overall:  Great offense, but is it great enough to compensate for the 
>devensive/goaltending lacks?  Only time will tell.  If they can continue to
>beat Boston they may be able to make it out of the first round of the playoffs
>this year (2-0-0 vs. Boston so far this season).

Overall:
Until the goaltending puzzle is solved there will be problems there.
Defense has to realize that it needs to stop the puck at the blue line
and needs to clear the puck after a save.  Offense has to help out the
defense as it struggles.  The offense is improving, and the addition
of Thomas appears to be a boon.  The return of Audette from Rochester
should help (at least it'll help my pool), if a good spot is found.
What most people are going to have difficulty believing is that I
don't think that Buffalo needs another goaltender.  I think that Hasek
needs to get out there and play a lion's share of games to get himself
in sync.  Hasek is an aberration among goaltenders.  I've spent weeks
puzzling him out.  He tries to stay in near his net, flops on the puck
if there's any activity near the net.  He also tries to anticipate
what the shooter is going to to do.  If he's right, he can make some
damned fine saves.  If he's wrong, he looks awful and kicks himself
for his mistakes.  I do not know how the man survived in Chicago as
backup.  

>I know the most about Boston of all the teams, although I do not claim to be an
>expert by any means.  Just hoping to start some interesting and non-flame-war
>type conversation.  Anyone who can provide more information on the individual
>teams, please do, I'd like to learn as much as possible.

Thanks for some interesting reading.




-- 
Valerie Hammerl 	       John Sr. would lift Pat over the boards, grab 
hammerl@acsu.buffalo.edu       his hand, and start running around the outside,
V085PWPZ@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU  faster and faster.  "I wanted to learn how to 
get that feeling, and the only way was to learn how to skate."  P. LaFontaine
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