Datsyuk's rare production drop
Pavel Datsyuk's potential hardware haul this year belies the shocking lack of scoring during this year's playoff. Datsyuk, while bearing down on a 100-point season, went pointless in his last three regular season games and has just 1 goal and 2 assists in six playoff games.
You have to go back to December, 2007, to find any 10-game stretch during which his production has dipped to such levels.
During the current stretch, the Selke nominee (for best defenseive forward) has been a minus-4 player and has taken just 24 shots, well below his season average of 31 over a 10-game period.
Coach Mike Babcock said he isn't worried about his MVP candidate, and he's right that Datsyuk has given teammates opportunities to score. But the last time he had trouble in the playoffs, the Wings were taken out by Edmonton in five games in the first round of 2006. During that series, Datsyuk had just 3 points and 11 shots (and was held pointless in three games). Remember this: trolling the blue line for the Oilers that year was Chris Pronger, now the Ducks' top defender.
Indeed, during Sunday's marathon game, Datsyuk was matched up against Pronger for roughly half the game. It will be interesting to see tonight if Ducks' Coach Randy Carlyle will try to match Pronger more against Datsyuk's line or Henrik Zetterberg's line, which has shadowed the Ducks' dominating Getzlaf-Perry-Ryan line.
Incidentally, though the Wings' shot totals have been near their season averages, Zetterberg's shot less lately as well. He's got 9 points in the last 10 games (he dipped as low as 5 during a 10-game stretch in December). But he's averaging just 2 shots a game lately; he averaged 4 during the season.
Comments
| Jump to bottom |
Nothing to Worry About
Babcock has determined Zetterberg/Franzen to be the top line aside Cleary to work the front of the net. The opponents have been unable to shut this line, nor Hudler's line down. Ducks #1 line hasn't been nearly as effective as it was vs. San Jose and their 2nd and 3rd lines haven't been present.
I think its a question of ice time. Clearly, if Datsyuk was working with Zetterberg and Franzen, he'd be scoring bunches, but that would be upsetting the fine play of the Hudler line. I think the only decent remedy would involve putting Zetterberg with Datsyuk on the PP
Is Rafalski in for game 3? I hope that Babcock doesn't have to shorten the bench late again. Granted that leaves open a Peter Klima play, short bench late means Chelios can't be sent out lest he get injured....which, by the way, I think that there should be an excercise bike rig set up to help old guys stay loose when they have to sit for upwards of 10minutes at a time. Game 2 would have been perfect for Chelios to play 10, 12 minutes and start getting his legs, but the closeness of the game didn't allow it as every post-season game is must win.
Ducks upped their intensity level, I expect it won't entirely carry over.
| Jump to top |
