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I know most folks who’ll check this would read the game threads over at LT’s but I thought I’d copy and paste this here as well. Just a couple of notes: you’ll have to check the the play-by-play option from NHL.com if you want to fact-check my musings about the way the lines rolled towards the end of the game. Also, this sorta ties in with what Ty posted a few games back about MacT’s choices as forwards with the net empty vs the Blue Jackets.

I cut my ties with MacT after he kept rolling out the 4th line in the third period in Mtl and then last night here’s another oversight.

Here’s the way he rolled lines just before 89 takes the draw previous to the 3-1 goal.

I’ll use the numbers of the centres to denote the lines and there was a stop in play with 3:35 with 12-51-21 being on the ice at the time of the whistle. So, here goes:

13 comes out followed by 89 and then 89 makes a bad line change on the Hossa goal because if you watch the replay you’ll see Horc just jump on the ice and not have time to stickcheck Hossa before his shot attempt.

So, we’ve got a 13-89-10 order on the float. MacT leaves 10 on for the post-goal faceoff and then 89 comes back but a 34 footer by Zetterberg stops the play and at this point you Should bring in 51 considering he’s your second best faceoff option.

But we don’t and the draw’s won clean by Datsyuk and there’s another goal. Now, could 51 have lost the draw in a likewise fashion?

Sure he could have.

But slotting him instead of 89 would’ve given you a greater chance of winning that draw and it’s about playing the percentages.

So, you know, that’s a sin of omission right there just as it was when MacT kept rolling out the 4th line for d zone draws during the third period of the game we were leading in Mtl. I’ve always watched closely for this stuff and I don’t think I’ve seen it as much in previous years as I have in this one.

Pat: I’ll get around to this the long way ( don’t I always) but it was at least until say the ‘00 or ‘01 seasons before I started paying attention to matchups.

I mention this because there was an own zone faceoff later in a period early in the ‘02 season where macT left Comrie out against Modano and you can guess what happened and how I reacted.

So, we know now that the Oil were sizing him up to see what role he could play before they paid him.

Now, coming to this season, just the other day MacT spoke about how much 89’s plus/minus had improved so, I dunno, maybe he believed in his heart that it was right to let him take that draw. Or maybe he’s just too burned out to pay attention to all the little details like he used to.

My thing is that we’ve missed the playoffs so many times, why should we be afraid of change at the head coaching position? I know Brodizak isn’t Yannick Perrault but he Is a better faceoff option than 89 and he was rested so not using him means, IMO, MacT wasn’t doing everything he Could have done.

Riv: I’ve floated that concept many times and that’s exactly how I think they’re trying to play this.

It just gets tiring after so fucking long.

Bruce and I had the exact same response to everyone mentioning the Montreal Screw Job: Watch the third period goal against highlight.

Pouliot was awful, half-assed pressure against the puck carrier who has the puck at the Edmonton side of the red line on the far wing… and then wandering off for a line change.