27 replies to this topic

[Pepperkorn]

How come Marty is the greatest goalie against the penalty shot but only so-so on breakaways? Drives me crazy. I started cursing as soon as Kopitar grabbed the puck.

Haha -- me too. I said "awe sh!t - that's the game." My husband was more positive just screaming "NOOOOOooooo!" as if something might be done to stop it.

[sammyk]

Haha -- me too. I said "awe sh!t - that's the game." My husband was more positive just screaming "NOOOOOooooo!" as if something might be done to stop it.

One never knows when a light fixture will take the plunge!

[NJDevs4978]

I think everyone was cursing when Kopitar grabbed the puck, but it had nothing to do with Marty being good or bad on breakaways. It had to do with one of the most skilled players in the league having the most time and space on a breakaway in NHL history.

In OT no less...when does a breakaway EVER happen in OT of a playoff game? Of course it had to be a breakaway with their best player too. Plus there was literally nobody in the area, even if Marty had made the initial save, Kopitar still had time to put in a rebound.

[SuperPuddy]

Hypotetical Question:
If you gave Kopitar 10 idential chances against Marty as the overtime goal last night, and gave both players the option to mix up the strategy on each try, how many do you think Marty would stop? Put Quick in goal, how many would he stop?

[SterioDesign]

it's not Brodeur fault at all on this goal... Kopitar could have lift the puck and Brodeur could have stopped it or he could have kept his pad down and kopitar could have went high... it happened that way and thats it

Zach did the right play trying to get puck to the net
i think zids did the right play pinching and knocking the puck off Brown to try to keep possession in the zone but Zajac couldnt handle the puck so right there Zajac and Zids we're taken out of the play

You can see salvador looking at Kopitar and Zubs probably thinking Zubs had him so he went to cover on the right side for Zid but Zubby went for the sub and just that split second realized he couldnt and just like that Kopitar was on a breakaway and Zubs had no gas left in the tank to catch him up

[SuperPuddy]

it's not Brodeur fault at all on this goal... Kopitar could have lift the puck and Brodeur could have stopped it or he could have kept his pad down and kopitar could have went high... it happened that way and thats it

Marty lifted his right leg well before Kopitar shot the puck.
Look at the 1:09 point of the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DNukZ9sVBY

It would had been an amazing save if Marty blindly waited a split second longer to left the leg to bait Kopitar to lift the puck and have it go off his pad.
Not to be this time, but Kopitar appears to be adept at creating breakaway chances for himself. I am sure Marty will adjust.

Kopitar is an incredibly smart player. There was part of an interview from TG on how he remembered as he was skating in on what move he last used on Marty in the shootout and changed it up in case he remembered.

To have the foresight to think of that, whilst coming in one on one in OT in the Stanley Cup Finals tells you a lot about the sort of player he is.

I don't believe Kopitar when he said he flashed back from years ago the last time he face Marty and decided what to do on the fly.
I am sure Kopitar had this planned out shortly after he found out the Devil's made the SCF.
He probably even practiced the move several times before the game.
It is a little harder for Marty to study 12 Kings forwards, identify the player coming at him, and remember on the fly what he is going to do.

[SterioDesign]

Marty lifted his right leg well before Kopitar shot the puck.
Look at the 1:09 point of the video:

well before? what do you have in mind? 10-20seconds? lol split. second. decision.

its like a soccer goalie on a penalty shot, you guess which side youre gonna dive, even if you guess right you still have to stop it

[SuperPuddy]

I might be wrong on this...
NHL Net (TV) broke down the play yesterday and showed that Kopitar actually intended to lift the puck but partially fanned on it. His stick skimmed the top of the puck and it slid in.
I stand corrected...

If Kopitar did lift the puck as he intended to, it could had been a repeat of this save...