Allgemeines » pressure cost Purdue victories.S

The season is two weeks old and still growing. Like a puppy or kitten, in two more weeks itll be unrecognizable.So what have we learned so far? What kind of grades would we hand out for each course if we were the grading type (which, of course, we are)? Here goes:Stargazing 101Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers Grade: A+ I must admit that I was skeptical McDavid was ready to hang with the games elite after missing almost half of his rookie season with a shoulder injury and then being named the youngest captain in NHL history. Never mind. The Oilers are the seasons nicest early surprise, at 6-1, and McDavid woke up Thursday morning leading the league with 11 points.Taylor Hall, New Jersey Devils Grade:?B+ The Devils have quietly moved above .500 and their moribund offense is slowly rounding into form thanks to their big offseason acquisition, Hall, who has five goals and six points in six games. Whether its because hes still ticked off about being traded or not, Hall is proving hes a pivotal part of the Devils hopes.Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks Grade: C The Blackhawks have had a weird start (see below), but one of the most curious parts of the perennial Cup contenders up-and-down first few weeks has been the lack of production from its captain. Toews talked at the World Cup of Hockey last month about how much he was looking at the coming season as a chance to a start fresh. Thats not how things have worked out so far, as he has no goals and two assists through seven games.Advanced special teams (Power-play section)Nashville Predators Grade:?A+The 2-4 Preds arent nearly the team most people thought they would be early on, but its scary to think about where they would be without their smoking-hot power play, which as of Thursday had scored 10 goals on 24 opportunities. Ryan Johansen, P.K. Subban, Mike Fisher, Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg have combined for 19 power-play points. Now if only Nashville could just figure out the rest of the game.Tampa Bay Lightning Grade:?AIts no surprise that the Lightning are off to a tremendous start in the Atlantic Division and no surprise the power play is cooking at 30.4 percent efficiency, making Tampa Bay one of just three teams north of 30 percent in man-advantage productivity. Whats so impressive is that nine different Lightning players have at least two power-play points to their credit.Washington Capitals Grade:?CWhats wrong with this picture? The star-studded Capitals -- who had the most potent power play in the Eastern Conference last season, en route to a Presidents Trophy -- have managed just two man-advantage goals on 19 opportunities. Expect water to find its own level with this talented group sooner rather than later.Ottawa Senators Grade:?DThe question is: How did the Senators get to 4-2 with just one power-play goal on 15 opportunities? And how do you operate at 6.7 percent efficiency with the games most dynamic defender, captain Erik Karlsson, on your team? Inquiring minds want to know.Advanced special teams (Penalty-kill section)Florida Panthers Grade:?AAn indication of good coaching isnt just killing penalties but not taking them. The Panthers have allowed a league-low 13 opportunities through six games. Theyve allowed just two power-play goals.Minnesota Wild Grade: ARemember when coach Bruce Boudreau had Anaheim at the top of both the power-play and penalty-kill categories in Anaheim last season? The Wild remember, as Boudreaus new charges have allowed just one goal on 21 opportunities.New York Islanders Grade:?A+Hey, lets give credit where credit is due. The only team more successful early on than the Wild at killing penalties is the Islanders, who have killed 21 of 23.Chicago Blackhawks Grade:?F-Yeah, I know theres no such thing as an F-. But if there was, Chicago would be up for it given the fact that the Blackhawks have somehow allowed 14 power-play goals on 26 opportunities. I know thats not going to last, but its still interesting to look at while the perennial Cup contenders are trapped in penalty-kill hell.Pop quiz (As in, Expect the unexpected)Thomas Vanek, Detroit Red Wings Grade:?A+The erstwhile former Wild, Canadien, Islander and Sabre somehow has come alive with the red-hot Red Wings and leads the team with eight points through seven games, including chipping in four power-play assists. Go figure.Jonathan Marchessault, Florida Panthers Grade:?B+With Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad out long term, Marchesseault has stepped nicely into the breach after signing with the Panthers in the offseason. He leads the Cats with eight points in six games.Max Domi/Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes Grade:?DTough start for the Coyotes, who havent won since opening night. Last seasons rookie dynamic duo has been especially snakebit early on, combining for zero goals and three assists, all collected by Domi.Astrophysics (Study of goaltenders section)Cam Talbot, Edmonton Oilers Grade:?A+Have to admit that after watching Talbot get yanked in the Oilers loss to Buffalo almost two weeks ago I wondered if this would be the start of another tumble down the rabbit hole for the beleaguered franchise. Nope. Turns out this was the teams only loss to date and Talbot has been a rock, leading the league with six wins while posting a very healthy .927 save percentage. Talbot has played more minutes than any other goalie.Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings Grade:?A-Yes, Howard has played in just two games for the surprising Red Wings but hes been very, very good with a 2-0 mark and .984 save percentage. In a market where goaltenders are falling like flies, Howards early play might make him suddenly much more marketable than he was before the season.Cam Ward/Eddie Lack, Carolina Hurricanes Grade:?D-When I spoke with GM Ron Francis before the season, we talked goaltending and his belief that Ward, the longtime face of the franchise (at least in terms of goaltending), and Lack, who came to Carolina from Vancouver before last season, were the best options available to his team. So far that decision has backfired spectacularly, as the Canes duo has given up an average of four goals against per game and is tied for the most even-strength goals allowed in the league as Carolina has staggered to a 1-3-2 start.Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs Grade:?FIt seems a bit unfair to pile on the pride of Herning, Denmark, but facts are facts -- and the fact is Andersen, fresh off signing a five-year deal to backstop the Leafs into the future, has been a mess. He has a goals-against average of 4.29 and a save percentage of .851. Hell get better. Wont he? Sure he will. Unless he doesnt, in which case this is the first true test of the Leafs management team, which is enjoying an extended honeymoon with a squad that finished 30th last season and seems destined to finish near the bottom of the standings again if the goaltender of the future doesnt buck up. Jake Marisnick Astros Jersey . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Cesar Geronimo Jersey . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. https://www.cheapastros.com/1443o-will-harris-jersey-astros.html . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Larry Dierker Jersey . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Hector Rondon Jersey . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- For No. 15 Purdue, not only is the Friday game against McNeese State the regular-season opener (7 p.m. ET, ESPN3), it also is the Boilermakers dress rehearsal for a Monday night matchup with the reigning national champions, No. 4 Villanova.Purdue, which finished 26-9, 12-6 in the Big Ten Conference last season, is 10-1 in season openers for 12th-year head coach Matt Painter and appears to be on a good path to be ready for title-winning Wildcats.The Boilermakers were 4-0 during an August exhibition tour of Spain, then defeated Southern Indiana in a Nov. 1 exhibition game in Mackey Arena and scrimmaged West Virginia last Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.Purdue will face a McNeese State team that returns its top three scorers from a 9-20 team that is picked to finish ninth in the Southland Conference. Painter likes the fact the Cowboys feature full-court pressure defense -- an element that bothered the Boilermakers last season.In two 2015-16 losses to Iowa and in a double-overtime NCAA Tournament defeat to a Arkansas-Little Rock, full-court pressure cost Purdue victories.Spike Albrecht, a fifth-year graduate transfer guard from Michigan, and freshman guard Carsen Edwards are eager to play their first regular-season games as Boilermakers.Albrecht likes the way Purdue is leading up to playing Villanova.A huge part, too, with our West Virginia scrimmage this past Sunday, is seeing teams that are a good caliber, Albrecht said. McNeese State is a good team that is going to put defensive pressure on us, which should prepare us and get uss ready for Villanova.ddddddddddddBut right now, were just focusing on McNeese State.Carsen Edwards -- no relation to Purdues leading returning scorer, junior forward Vince Edwards -- is glad the Wildcats are not the opponent in the season opener. Vince Edwards averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season.Im absolutely glad we have a game before playing Villanova, but still, playing them the second game of the season is very early, Carsen Edwards said. Having McNeese State first is a good experience, just to kind of get your feet wet.We played in Spain in August, we had an exhibition game and then scrimmaged West Virginia before McNeese State, so thats the best way to prepare for Villanova.McNeese State coach Dave Simmons, 136-172 in his 11th season with the Cowboys, has guards Jamaya Burr (15.4 points a game last season), Jarren Greenwood (10.8) and James Harvey (10.7), who combined for 136 made 3-pointers last season.However, the Cowboys ranked last in the Southland Conference in field goal percentage (.411) and in rebounding defense.Were a very talented group, Simmons said. We have length. I think our guard play will be very good, and even though well be young, weve got guys that really shoot the basketball. Thats going to be our strength.The style of play, with the people we have, we want to be as high-octane, up-tempo as we can. We want to start that from the defensive end with full-court pressure. ' ' '