GAME THREAD: Panthers v Steelers: Sat 22nd Nov

[Doom]

I'm struggling to see what Pu brings to the table. He's solid enough defensively, but not great at faceoffs and a bit too slow for my liking.

He literally made the first goal with chasing his own dump in, winning the board battle to get the puck to Jasper (I think), who feeds Harper.

He's not overly flashy, but he's very good down low, and on the PK. He's contributing, just maybe with less points than hoped.

I don’t think he's poor, but for me he isn't a top line centre and that's really what he should be on this team.

He's a bit too slow and not dominant at faceoffs.

In league play he's 3 + 5 in 13 games, which isn't good enough.

We really do need a strong faceoff winning centre who can score at a point a game....oh for a Tessier.

Regards

Doom

[Brian]

Not a fan of Pu. He seems to become invisible during games and loses too many face offs for me. The speed of some of the Panthers forwards reminded me of our Grand Slam team and how we have not replaced those players with like for like.
Still a point away is a point away. Next week will be interesting.

[Al Murrays Hairbrush]

Pu was a gamble, like Miko, get a low scoring forward from a higher league.
It worked before with Miko, and to an extent Josh Nichols, but has failed this time.
I was really looking forward to seeing him claim his place, but to to me he's been far to hit, with lots of misses for me.

[Doom]

Pu would be a very solid 3rd line centre.

OK at faceoffs, responsible defensively, but not dynamic enough to be top line and put up big numbers. Apart from one very decent KHL season, he's never really been much of a scorer.

Elite Prospects currently projects him to be 12+22 from 54 games with a plus/minus of +4.

Contrast that with Watling in our GS season who was 22+36 and +27.

As a team we're currently 47% at faceoffs and dropping.

Belfast last season were 56%.
Steelers 23/24 were 53%.
Belfast 22/23 were 53%
Belfast 21/22 were 54%
Cardiff 19/20 were 57%. They didn’t win the league, but almost certainly would have done.

All league title winning teams are comfortably over 50%. This has to be a concern for Fox and something he needs to sort out. You don't win enough games of hockey if you give up possession cheaply.

Regards

Doom