Comments on: POLL: YOUR VIEW ON GORDON’S OT-LOSS STANCE“It’s a tie in my mind.” What do you think?

By: ShardZ

ShardZ — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:46:33 +0000

Listen guys. The man has had the job for what, two months? Maybe a month and a half of practice time. Not to drag out the “S” word again, but his focus in his limited practice time has been teaching a 5-man unit how he wants them to play hockey against another 5-man unit. Of secondary importance is 5-on-4 and 4-on 5. Where do you think 4-on-3 falls in importance when he’s trying to teach a completely different style of hockey?
If this were March, maybe it would be a different story. But one month into his tenure, I for one am happy that our coach cares more about the style of play that is relevant in every game than about the style that will come up in 22% (according to a previous comment).
Also, consider this. In terms of progress over the course of the season, is an OTL better than the depressing 7-1 buffalo game? Better than a 5-3 blowout at home? How about better than a game where we put 60 shots on net but can’t even muster a point? Absolutely everybody agreed that this season will be measured by progress. To me, fighting through a 3rd period deficit and coming away with a point, that is progress, and that’s all we were hoping for this year. I believe that this is what Coach meant. Not that winning is not important, but that in terms of the team’s progress, they took a step forward last night.

By: cags77

cags77 — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:51:32 +0000

Maybe he thinks the Isles will lose every game in OT and make the playoffs.:)

By: timm

timm — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:24:15 +0000

i think what he meant was, that we gained a point and we played 3 periods and an OT against a much more talented squad who won their last two 7-0 and 6-1. just as good as a tie. i wouldn’t think for a second he believes that a loss in OT is a positive. only positive in the “eh, we got a point” way.

By: Brian B

Brian B — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:20:02 +0000

I kind of like this stance. He’s pretty much telling the team that he is not satisfied with unless its a regulation win. Anything can happen in a brief overtime, especially the shootout. Stanley cup champions don’t win because they were good in overtime and shootouts. They won the cup because they are a great regulation team…I think it’s the right message. Of course when they get to overtime he is gonna do everything in his power to win the game. Also, Gordon probably doesn’t like giving division foes 1 point regardless of the outcome.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:03:27 +0000

A point on the road is ok with me.

Five points in the month of October is a big problem.

My beef is with the GM, not the coach.

By: jay

jay — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:27:51 +0000

A pt is a Pt. They need all the pts they can get. So, ya no win, but still a hard earned pt!! Any news on the lighthouse?

By: bCarey

bCarey — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:01:20 +0000

ah, Derek. you slay me. that’s why you avoid criticizing other people’s spelling and grammar. you set yourself up to get served.

i apologize to all of PB for my douchey comment.

By: isles39

isles39 — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:00:23 +0000

We stil lost. Although I wouldn’t mind calling it a “production loss”. Progress was made, system worked, we still lost. Believe!

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:56:32 +0000

While I applaud Gordon for trying to put a positive spin on things, a loss is a loss, whether it be in regulation or overtime.

By: beatlebailey

beatlebailey — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:51:09 +0000

as bad as we probably will be this year i am changing my definition of what a loss is too!…If we score just one goal less than our opponents i am putting it in the “MV” column. MV = Moral Victory

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:40:29 +0000

This attitude is a slippery slope. If this was youth hockey I would see his point. I’d like to hear him stress the positives more and let the fans come to the point.

The system worked; we forechecked well last night and had to have won the turnover battle.

Say you are happy to get a point and you would have like to have gotten two, say you know what you need your players to work on to get a different result, say something which stresses how impressed you were with a certain aspect of the team’s game.

But do NOT ever give the impression that you would settle for anything else but a win… that is unless a tie against an opponent would give that opponent a playoff spot over the Rangers on the last day of the season.

Gordon must have a hot sister.

By: straightshooter

straightshooter — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:39:08 +0000

I understand the comment to simply mean that no preparation or game plan is designed to win in OT or a shootout. Naturally you strive for victory in either of the two “extra sessions” but we hear all time (especially after losses) about the failure to execute “our game the full 60 minutes.” This is the standard measure of performance to which winning(or not) is most often associated. It is this standard to which he spoke, no more, no less.