It happened again and it is MADDENING to me.

I was just watching the Canes pummel the Sharks. Imagine this: It's the 3rd period, about 5:40 to play and the Sharks (who are down 5-2) go on the PP. Coach Todd McLellan does not pull the goalie.

WHY?

I have seen this kind of situation so many times and NEVER understand the thinking.

Your team is down 3 goals. THREE. You have 5 minutes to score 3 goals to just stay in the game, why not pull the goalie and have a 6 on 4? I mean, you DO have THREE goals to score in a very short time?

Okay, let's say you don't want the team to think you don't have confidence in them. Okay, well....how about waiting a minute into the PP, when there's 4 1/2 minutes left in the period and THEN pull the goalie?

Geeeez, you're down THREE freakin' goals, GAMBLE a little! What do they have to lose?

Just as frustrating to watch is when a team is down a goal and goes on the PP with, say, 3:00 left in the 3rd. I have seen coaches wait untill the PP is OVER with 1:00 left before they pull the goalie. I always think: Gee, you just showed you couldn't score with a one-man advantage for 2 minutes....so why should we believe you'll score in the next minute with a one-man advantage but no goalie? I just don't understand why coaches across the league wait sooooo long to pull the goalie, especially when they luck into a PP in the last 3 minutes of a game where they're down 1 or 2 goals!

As much as people criticize Ruff for certain things, especially mixing lines, I admire how he sometimes thinks out of the box. Remember a couple years ago when the Sabres were down a few goals aginst Atlanta with 10 minutes left in the 3rd? With TEN minutes left, Ruff pulled the goalie. Remember what happened? The team scored and built some momentum.

I wish more coaches would think that way. It makes the game more exciting.

I agree that coaches don't pull the goalie as quick as they should all too often.

My general rules of thumb is one minute for each goal behind. So if you're down one, pull the goalie with a minute to go, and so on. Certainly take advantage of a powerplay situation if you can as well.

The way I see it is losing 7-2 on empty netters gets you the same number of points as losing 4-2 with no empty netters. Zero. Might as well gamble to win.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Last year vs Montreal. Down 2 goals, with like 3 to go. Pulled the goalie, we scored two and then won it in overtime.

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I completely agree, and I never understand why, no matter how many points behind, they always wait until like 1:30 is left to pull the goalie, makes no sense.

No different than NFL coaches who punt in questionable situations.

If you don't do anything risky, you don't have to take the heat for it.

Are you talking about the Sabres managment again?

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Wow Powerplayer, you're a moron for even suggesting that in that game.

The Hurricanes were outskating the Sharks to every loose puck that game, they had so many shorthanded chances you'd be a fool to pull your goalie and try to score, because the score would have easily been 6-2 if they did that.

The coach was smart for not pulling the goalie and trying to score, there was no way they would have scored anyways, Ward made 41 saves that game anyways. The Hurricanes played a great game and were the much much faster team.

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I really dont think that makes him a MORON for suggesting it. Even if the canes had been outplaying them, they would have a better chance to come back with an extra skater, and who the fuck cares if the score is 6-2 instead of 5-2? That part makes no difference, but if they'd taken out there goalie and scored, that might have sparked the team, possibly getting them some momentum.

If you watched the game, there would have been nothing they could have done.

The Sharks had plenty of shots, but Ward stole the game away, plus the Canes were sooooo much faster on every aspect of the game last night.

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Pulling the goalie sounds dirty.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I came in here to say that haha. Can we make it a euphemism for something?

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Yeah, let's not.

You may not agree with his reasoning, but he's not a moron.

Actually, I took pulling the goalie as jerking off, but okay.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I don't care who would have suggested it, in that particular game it would have been utterly stupid and moronic to ever pull the goalie on the PP there.

In other games, where the team didn't already have a SHG, I could agree with it that they should have tried, but watching that game, no. The coach was smart to not do something really stupid at that point, and just accept the loss anyways.

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Here's what I don't get, Skyline.

If they are already destined to lose due to Carolina being aggressive, why not pull the goalie and at least get a better chance of coming back? They lose either way but at least pulling your goalie gives you some chance. What's the difference?

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

YES! holy crap that is so win.


"Dude, how was your date with Jessica the other night?"
"Oh man, it was amazing, dinner, a movie, and back to her place. We got cuddly, one thing led to another, and eventually....she pulled the goalie"
"No shit! man, thats a dirty girl, sounds like a keeper!"

[quote="Skyline_BNR34]I don't care who would have suggested it, in that particular game it would have been utterly stupid and moronic to ever pull the goalie on the PP there.

In other games, where the team didn't already have a SHG, I could agree with it that they should have tried, but watching that game, no. The coach was smart to not do something really stupid at that point, and just accept the loss anyways.[/quote]


Sky, I just could not agree less with your reasoning. Just accept the loss, instead of trying SOMETHING? Again, what is the difference between losing 5-2 or 6-2? At least they'd have fucking TRIED.

The point is that even if you disagree with his idea, you will not call him a moron.

Seriously, has goal differential ever been necessary as a tiebreaker for the playoffs?

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

That's so fucking dirty. I love it.

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."