Poor Shot Total

[jackp]

"Shoot the puck: While the Canadiens finished last night’s game with 20 shots on goal, they had only 17 in regulation time. It was the fourth time on their sixgame road trip that the team failed to get more than 20 shots." - Pat Hickey, MTL. Gazette, Jan29.

I don't know if you realize, but there's been a change in team philosophy since Julien left. *They only shoot when there's a decent opportunity.* You will no longer see those useless weak flicks from the boards like you used to see under Julien. It's one of the reasons (I suspect) that Kovalev didn't like Julien's coaching style. His message to Begin about useless shots (and surrendering possession of the puck, btw) was diametrically opposite to what Julien was preaching (and why I believe that Julien-coached teams will never demonstrate good offence.)

As a result, counting shots is usually not a good indicator of how the team played (except for the recent Ottawa game). As an example, in the Philly game last week, the announcers mentioned that even though the Habs were being badly outshot, they actually were leading in scoring chances. This change in shooting performance was so noticeable immediately after the Julien firing, that I have to believe it's one of the messages that the new coaching regime gave the team: don't take "useless" shots; try to set up a good scoring opportunity. This philosophy will often result in no shot being taken, as the puck is sometimes turned over in the attempt to set up a better play.

I personally believe that if you want to get a better indicator of how the team is playing, you will either count good scoring chances or perhaps, time spent in the offensive zone as opposed to the defensive one.

- Jack

(BTW In the Ottawa game, they literally had *no* good scoring opportunities the entire game - this being the one of the few times that their abysmal shot total did indeed sum up the standard of their performance.)

[Fanpuck33]

While scoring chances is obviously a more important stat than shots, I disagree with you assessment that shot totals don't mean anything.

A lot of the time, those "useless" shots turn into scoring chances. If you throw the puck at the net, there's always the chance that a man in front will be able to pound in the rebound.

[SoCalHab]

While scoring chances is obviously a more important stat than shots, I disagree with you assessment that shot totals don't mean anything.

A lot of the time, those "useless" shots turn into scoring chances. If you throw the puck at the net, there's always the chance that a man in front will be able to pound in the rebound.

That's if you have a "man in front", which we rarely do.....I agree with Jack on this, I prefer quality ve quantity; I remember back when the we used to badly outshoot the Russians in international play, and they'd beat us like 5-2....I think that's the point that Kovalev was trying to make when CJ was coach.

[CoRvInA]

While scoring chances is obviously a more important stat than shots, I disagree with you assessment that shot totals don't mean anything.

A lot of the time, those "useless" shots turn into scoring chances. If you throw the puck at the net, there's always the chance that a man in front will be able to pound in the rebound.

Here's a double dose! hehe

Jack didnt say it meant nothing just not as meaningfull.. But to your credit if a player is in front of the net... "reason why I think Higgins in this matter has more size than Perez"... then that blueline shot becomes no longer a useless shot ASSuming it was a shot that would get a scoring chance rebound to begin with!

[Fanpuck33]

That's if you have a "man in front", which we rarely do.....I agree with Jack on this, I prefer quality ve quantity; I remember back when the we used to badly outshoot the Russians in international play, and they'd beat us like 5-2....I think that's the point that Kovalev was trying to make when CJ was coach.

I had a feeling the Habs were bad about getting people in front of the net. That was the Blue Jacket's biggest problem while Nash was hurt. Now that he's back, they're a whole new team, one that doesn't hurt to watch every night.

I guess my biggest problem with low shot totals is that it makes me think players are thinking too much. It occurs to me that players will constantly be over-analyzing the situation to decide if they should shoot or not. I think the problem in many cases would be being too selective about shooting. When you are constantly looking for the perfect shot, you are passing up on decent shots which will put pressure on the other team. It's just like a good PP, you have to be patient, but too often, people are too patient.

[PB]

The New Rules as openned up the game in a way that puck control or possession will no

longer be the most fascinating aspect of the game but also one of its main winning ingredients...

... and it was about time.

Not all teams where able to take advantage of the new situation from the get go thought,..... has a team needed a reasonnable amount of skillfull players and skaters in their squad to do it.

I have seen all the CH's pre-season games and it was apparent to me that the CH's roster had a more than a descent amount of players to take on the New LNH by the front door.

As the season when on it seems also apparent that Julien was more and more under playing the natural ability

of its squad for something else that never did materialielised anything good whatsoever.

Puck possession is the nectar of the game and talented players that relishes it get bored and much less efficient when they are discouraged to exploit its avenues...........I think Julien has toned down the creative and speed ability of its team as the season was progressing, unfortunate consequences among others are that

Perezhogin his still not with us now that Gainey seems to be willing to let loose a little more of the talents this

team has in his roster.

I think the best team in the futur will maximised in ideal proportion both the Begin and the Perezhogin players

of the league and the players sitting in the midle like Bonk might find themselves without a job.

[BTH]

The low shot totals are a bad thing. Gainey neveer told theseguys to stop shooting. He said in an interview that the low shot totals are worrying him and are something to look into. Doesn't sound like they were ever warned about wasting shots from the blueline. But as long as we're winning...

[newf]

the poor shot totals are pathetic.... it all comes down to hard work. The players have to keep moving their feet and skate and doing so will allow them to get into open areas for better shooting lanes... or to receive passes cleanly.

Shot selection is also poor from what I seen the past few games... I'd Like for Ryder to stop always shooting for the cookie jar!!! I think if he mixed up his shot locations that he'd have 30+ goals right now... for sure!!

[mathieu30]

From a goalies point of view it's much harder playing a team that shoots only a couple of times. I don't think it's such a bad thing. I know there are many goalies out there that hate playing such a team. I read an interview with Roberto Luongo a couple of years ago -back in his QMJHL-days- where he said one way to get him out of a game was NOT shooting a puck at him in the first 10 minutes of a game.

[BTH]

It's true. I can't play any sport without action going on around me. Sitting in front of the net in full equipment, watching your team dominate is boring and tiring. It wears goalies down more than a 40 shot night. But I guess different goalies respond to it in different ways.