Anyone want to educate me?

[SERE Bear]

I’m new to Hockey (started watching last year’s playoffs ) and after watching last night I was wondering about the game winning goal. When Kane was skating toward the net to set up his shot the defender chose to skate backwards toward the goalie effectively blocking the goalies view of Kane. I understand that the defenseman was trying to keep himself between Kane and the goal but why wouldn’t he charge Kane instead? It seems to me by not physically engaging Kane he gives him more options on what to do with the puck. Would it be a penalty ?

Thanks for helping the uniformed to understand.

 

[Gravis]

I have little hockey experience, but from the reply it looked like the defender was worried about a pass from Kane to Smith who was in a possible position to score. If you watch my sig, you'll see Kane look at Smith as they close the gap and Kane delay the shot a little. Other than that, I have no clue. Just an awesome play by Kane.

 

[Ares]

The defender was in a 2 on 1 situation and originally gave Kane alot of space because he was trying to keep Kane from having an open one timer pass to Smith.... I think normally the Goalie and Defender would prefer a shooter coming in and taking a shot the Goalie can be ready for rather than a one timer which many times is so fast it leaves the net wide open for an easy goal.

That being said, you can tell by the time help gets back where the defender for the Blues realizes he can go after Kane.... Kaner is just about to shoot.

Keep in mind this is Patrick Kane.... so the defender knows, if he makes a mistake in trying to get physical, Kaner can easily blow right past him or make that perfect pass to give Smith a wide open net.... Essentially at the point the defender could have tried to knock Kane off the puck and not risk giving up an easy one-timer.... Kane is already shooting.

Btw.... the defender gets right in front of Kane blocking his vision to the net as well and Kaner still shoots the puck around him and beats Ryan Miller.... this defender had a tough job trying to stop Kaner and he did his best to limit Kane's options to just taking a shot, but Kaner was too good this time around.

 

[ClydeLee]

Keith did the same i'm Tarensenkos goal in the 3rd period. Because their D partners Brookbank/Jackman in their situations were pinching a bit in the O zone which caused the 2 on 1.

You don't want to screen your goalie but you have to manage the ice to prevent the puck carrier from being able to go straight in for a good chance. And you have to block off that 1 timer and that can lead to a position that's unfortunate for the goalies vision.

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[SERE Bear]

Thanks for the info guys. I watched the GIF of the play about a dozen times and see what you are getting at with the 2 on 1 and that the Blues defender had to respect that.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Yes, it might be the greatest show in sports eh Sere? This Hawks team is very special in so many ways, they just have such great captains and a special talent in Kane and then every single guy top to bottom plays the way Q has instilled in them. If we never win another Stanley I know its going to be an epic battle every time we get eliminated.

I think we bring the greatness out of our opponents if they have some in them too. Anyway, yeah Chelios after the game highlighted the effort by Jimmy Smith to catch up to the play and create the option that cheated the defender and Miller to the back side where Kane just took advantage. I think the play before where Kane set up Smith sort of is in the back of your head to if your the Blues. Kane was just on fire and being unpredictable, so he got them to outthink themselves and not take away the primary threat first.

Crawford seems to do better when Keith takes out the outlet player and he can snatch the early shot. Thats the way they seem to have worked that out. Crawford can be beat with the far post pass but his hands are pretty great in my opinion. If he sees it. So I notice Keith plays to his strengths and has uncanny timing in disrupting shots. What Keith does is high art,

for the seasoned hockey fans that know the entire league and not just the Hawks, does anybody do this as good as Keith?