No controversy in my mind but a couple of thoughts.
First off, the spin. This is frequently cited as the "controversial" part of the shot and I disagree. Risky, yes, but unlike the Jason Blake spin where the shooter actually backs into the goalie and interferes with his ability play the puck this doesn't compare.
Some commentators have said that the spin had no effect on the goalie (or shouldn't have had an effect) and the more I think about that the more I disagree. Setting up for a shootout/penalty shot is different for a goalie than in a game situation. There is nothing else to focus on and because of that the goalie is usually at an advantage. Here, Omark's spin means that instead of allowing the goalie to focus on the puck-shooter pair from center ice in he is only able to really get a guage on the puck-shooter pair from the top of the circles in as Omark straightens out from the spin. Less space means less time and I think it may have more of an effect than we might have initially thought.
The very use of the spin may have had another effect: "What the eff could this guy do next?" You are an NHL goalie and should be unflappable (though Ellis' GAA might suggest otherwise) but the fact is he knew Omak's reputation going in to the game and certainly going into the shootout so this was bound to be in the back of his head that - with a huge exclamation point as evidenced by the spin to start - this kid is not going to play this one by the book and instead of closing down options, Ellis has to be concerned that he may have something else unorthodox up his sleeve.
The less talked about element in the play was Omark's fake slap - actually hitting the ice btw - which had the desired effect of starting Ellis into moving to a butterfly position and then freezing him mid-drop with his five-hole open (where Omark then wrists the goal). A few seasons back the shootout-slapshot emerged as a novelty move with some measure of success. it works because it is unexpected and, if well placed, can move the puck faster than a wrister. Because of the accuracy issues - and because it has less of a surprise factor these days - it tends to be seen as a bit of an uncreative move so Omarks inclusion in this play really completes the mind-frack trifecta: Unortodox-creative opening spin to both conceal the puck and suggest additional creative options - faked slapshot, complete with ice slap (as oppose to simple pump-fake) to jar Ellis and create the opening between the legs - accurate wrister into now exposed five hole.
I think you are bang-on Doug. The biggest concern I heard was that the spin-move was a little too fancy-Dan without having a purpose for adults to enjoy safely, and you rightly point out (as have others) that by the time he comes out of his spin the goaltender is no longer oriented in his net the way he would be without the spin.
2 comments:
No controversy in my mind but a couple of thoughts.
First off, the spin. This is frequently cited as the "controversial" part of the shot and I disagree. Risky, yes, but unlike the Jason Blake spin where the shooter actually backs into the goalie and interferes with his ability play the puck this doesn't compare.
Some commentators have said that the spin had no effect on the goalie (or shouldn't have had an effect) and the more I think about that the more I disagree. Setting up for a shootout/penalty shot is different for a goalie than in a game situation. There is nothing else to focus on and because of that the goalie is usually at an advantage. Here, Omark's spin means that instead of allowing the goalie to focus on the puck-shooter pair from center ice in he is only able to really get a guage on the puck-shooter pair from the top of the circles in as Omark straightens out from the spin. Less space means less time and I think it may have more of an effect than we might have initially thought.
The very use of the spin may have had another effect: "What the eff could this guy do next?" You are an NHL goalie and should be unflappable (though Ellis' GAA might suggest otherwise) but the fact is he knew Omak's reputation going in to the game and certainly going into the shootout so this was bound to be in the back of his head that - with a huge exclamation point as evidenced by the spin to start - this kid is not going to play this one by the book and instead of closing down options, Ellis has to be concerned that he may have something else unorthodox up his sleeve.
The less talked about element in the play was Omark's fake slap - actually hitting the ice btw - which had the desired effect of starting Ellis into moving to a butterfly position and then freezing him mid-drop with his five-hole open (where Omark then wrists the goal). A few seasons back the shootout-slapshot emerged as a novelty move with some measure of success. it works because it is unexpected and, if well placed, can move the puck faster than a wrister. Because of the accuracy issues - and because it has less of a surprise factor these days - it tends to be seen as a bit of an uncreative move so Omarks inclusion in this play really completes the mind-frack trifecta: Unortodox-creative opening spin to both conceal the puck and suggest additional creative options - faked slapshot, complete with ice slap (as oppose to simple pump-fake) to jar Ellis and create the opening between the legs - accurate wrister into now exposed five hole.
Nice play. Here's looking forward to the encore.
I think you are bang-on Doug. The biggest concern I heard was that the spin-move was a little too fancy-Dan without having a purpose for adults to enjoy safely, and you rightly point out (as have others) that by the time he comes out of his spin the goaltender is no longer oriented in his net the way he would be without the spin.
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