The Power[less] Play is Costing Us Games; What's the Answer?

[Rome 2.0]

8:00 of PP time in the first period alone, including a double-minor when Asham took a high-stick juicer from Greene, and we leave the period down two. That hole is difficult enough for even the NHL's best teams to dig their way out of, let alone a team who's currently scoring 2.22 G/G at ES (1.6 when you eliminate the 5-goal outing against the Leafs).

We're dead last in the NHL on the PP at 8.6%. Did you read that? 8.6%. We have three PPG's on 35 attempts. Thirty-fucking-five. Oh, and one of those came on a 5-on-3 early in the season.

I don't want to hear about any other teams' struggles or anything like that, either, because this has been an issue plaguing this team for three or four years straight now.

At one point or another, something has got to give, because this team is losing far too many games to an ineffective, or countereffective power play.

Who has the answer? Because it's sure as shit not Tortorella, or Sullivan, or anyone on the bench. I think four years of PP mediocrity bordering on absurd assures us of that.

@AGrossRecord:

Brad Richards on PP blackout: "It's the game."

[Morphinity]

[I am Scags]

The philosophy of a coach to believe it doesn't need to be something that is a focal point is absurd.
This group is blessed with talent more than capable on the offense to put pucks in the net, 5 on 5 or on the man advantage.

Like I posted last week, the Rangers power plays failures rest squarely on Tortorella's shoulders.

[Rome 2.0]

The philosophy of a coach to believe it doesn't need to be something that is a focal point is absurd.
This group is blessed with players more than capable on the offense to put pucks in the net, 5 on 5 or on the man advantage.

Like I posted last week power plays failures rest squarely on Tortorella's shoulders.

Torts' quotes tonight on the PP seem to indicate maybe a change of heart there, which is a little reassuring.

[RichieRangers]

This team is not going anywhere without a powerplay and we haven't had a good one since 94' with leetch and zubov at the point. Every team to win the Stanley Cup recently has had a good pp.

Does anyone know if there is any team willing to trade a good defenseman with a hard slapshot WHO HITS THE NET? I would trade hagelin or whatever it takes (lol for the most part just really frustrated)

[Respecttheblue]

He believes it's fixable. Guess he wouldn't say anything else.

But we've only had that PP working for a few fleeting stretches in the last 5 years.

Oh well, with all the new personnel, I still live in hope of a change this season, despite most evidence to the contrary.

[CreaseCrusader91]

In all honesty, this is one of the reasons why I am not as concerned as others. The players are there, but it is a failure of execution. If this is practiced and a coach is hired, given our style of grinding out, they will draw calls and will convert.

It is Game Nine and after all these failures, I have a feeling it will be addressed by someone. If Torts doesn't, Slats will.

[I am Scags]

Torts' quotes tonight on the PP seem to indicate maybe a change of heart there, which is a little reassuring.

I believe he either needs to get rid of Sullivan or get someone in here to join them either on the bench or upstairs who can guide this group on the power play.
There needs to be another voice and another dimension or wrinkle brought in.

[Rome 2.0]

This team is not going anywhere without a powerplay and we haven't had a good one since 94' with leetch and zubov at the point. Every team to win the Stanley Cup recently has had a good pp.

Does anyone know if there is any team willing to trade a good defenseman with a hard slapshot WHO HITS THE NET? I would trade hagelin or whatever it takes (lol for the most part just really frustrated)

This isn't an accurate statement, though.

In 2006-07 we were 8th in the league at 18.5% and had 75 PPG's by the end of the year on 406 opportuniites. In 1997-98 we were 5th in the league at 17.6%. In 1998-99 we were 2nd in the league at 20.4%.

Problem is, you can't borrow from Peter to pay Paul. Giving up pieces that are valuable to us for a piece just gets us out of one hole and puts us into another.

We most definitely need a point shot, or could use one at least, but there's much more to the failure of this playoff squad IMO than just the lack of a hard point shot.

[Marc]

The powerplay is a sore point and has been a sore point for Tortorellas whole tenure and its painful, mainly for the lack of action to fix it.