Kukla's Korner Hockey
The Homer Effect
by Paul on 10/14/09 at 12:49 PM ET
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from Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News,
This season, the Homer Effect is spreading even wider. In a 5-1 romp over Nashville Monday, Edmonton planted 6-foot-3, 228-pound enforcer Zack Stortini in front of Pekka Rinne on an early power play and Stortini buried one. Nary a Preds defender was near him. Did they not want to get punched in the head, or did they just assume Stortini had hands of stone? Big Zack had the answer later in the game when he scored his second of the contest on a swooping rush.
St. Louis has also experimented with a big man in front, using fourth-liner Brad Winchester on the power play. Winchester stands 6-foot-5 and had five goals on the man advantage last year, so obviously there’s something there. Buffalo even deposited giant 6-foot-8 rookie D-man Tyler Myers in front of Detroit’s net Tuesday night.
So the next time your team trots out an unorthodox fifth on the power play, take note of where he goes – chances are it’s right in front, where all the action is.
Last season, during the playoffs, I noticed a few teams that allowed Holmstrom to move freely, without a dman on him and thus creating less of a screen on the goaltender. It was a more effective defense and look for teams to continue that trend this season.
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