Definitely everything this year has started with Vezina-caliber goaltending from Ilya Bryzgalov, with Jason LaBarbera providing very, very good support in the #2 role.

As for a system, it’s not really a trap, although some people would probably consider it one. I think of it as a 1-2-2 with the lead forechecker coming in waves. I.e., if the opponent has the puck behind the net one man will come in the zone to push him, while the other 2 forwards wait at the offensive blue line and the defensemen are at the redline or so…once the opponent moves the puck, the forechecker basically streams onto one of the players coming up and another forward pushes forward to start the forecheck…the goal is to create a turnover either in the offensive zone or neutral zone and have the d-men stand up any rush right at the blue line. Tippett preaches pack mentality and being a responsible player on the ice and this has led to very infrequent lapses in pressure or defensive stability in front of the goalie, although sometimes they have trouble clearing the crease.

They are a very fast team, strong skaters with a few guys that can really throw the body around. To a man, I doubt there is anyone that would be unwilling to drop the gloves, although the only real enforcer on the team is a frequent healthy scratch. They are not tough, per se, but they refuse to get pushed around either.

They have an abysmal powerplay (although it is improving over the last week or so), and a very good penalty kill. And despite the powerplay not connecting often, it has been quite organized all season (far better than in recent years).

As for “go to guys”, it’s a real scoring by committee team. Radim Vrbata leads the team in goals with 23(?), but there are a bunch of guys in the high teens, and Stempniak and Wolski are in the 20s (although many were before they came to Phoenix). Recently, Stempniak has been a force on offense with 11 points in 9 games since the trade deadline. Their defense is a big part of their offense as they lead the NHL in goals scored by defensemen, with Keith Yandle, Ed Jovanovski and Adrian Aucoin doing most of the damage there. Oh, and they absolutely rule in the shootout this year, particularly recently where they have won 7 straight shootouts with 5(!) game-winners coming from Adrian Aucoin…

Basically, they are an insanely fun team that has a lot of heart. It starts at the top with great coaching, and great leadership from Shane Doan…they have a good balance of kids and veteran leadership and they just refuse to lose certain games (like the one in Florida last week, or against Chicago on Saturday). Check out their game tomorrow night against Chicago if you can, you will see one heck of a fun game…

I don’t think there’s anything there to get mad about…and it focuses on the same issue that I raised in my post. I am a little concerned about all the shootouts. The things that makes me not worry too much is that (1) this team has shown time and time again that it knows how to fight for a goal when it needs one (and get it – see, the games against Florida and Chicago in the last week), and (2) they’ve actually played really well in overtime as well…scoring a bunch of game-winners (4, I think) while only giving up a single goal.

They are also still winning plenty of games in regulation (35 of them) which is still an awful lot. It’s going to be a good run the rest of the way. I think they have what it takes to take a couple of playoff series, myself.

the positive for me is that this team has shown – repeatedly – that thay have the skills to hold their own and GET the goals when they are needed. That gives me a lot of hope for the playoffs – this is team that i no longer hope, but expect to go far.