Frankly, I blame the power play failures of late on the strategy. Even when they put one on goal there's never anybody there for a rebound. Unless you're one of those guys with a 100+ MPH shot the shots from the point are going to be stopped. That is however you get bodies in front to screen the goalie. Sorry but 99.9% of the time the goalie will stop a 45 foot shot he can easily see.
I'd like to see a little more out of Yandle, but he'll come along. Big change for him going from that team to this one. When he gets it going the power play will take a huge jump as well.
I think 1st PP should be Nash, Kreider Hayes/Stepan, Yandle and Klein or Staal for defensive purposes. 2nd should be MSL, Zucc, Hayes/Stepan Boyle, Klein or Staal. If MSL would shoot the puck he'd have around 7-10 more goals this year already.
The other issue with our PP is that our passes are too "soft" giving the PK time to slide over and adjust. We need quicker passes to get the PK out of shooting lanes.
I dont think you can leave Brass off both units the way he is playing. Unless you meant to include him on that first one as I see Hayes listed twice. Personally I'd like to see Kreider get first unit minutes and plant himself right in the crease. That would free up Nash to have a little more room, as he's currently the first unit's crease-crasher. I think Kreider-Brassard-Nash/Stepan-Yandle, then Zuccarello-Hayes-MSL/Boyle-McDonagh should be the way to go. That way the first unit isnt loaded up with guys who refuse to shoot (Stepan, Zucc, MSL). Unfortunately MSL has played himself off of the first unit.
Yandle/Stepan/Kreider/Brass/Nash McD/Boyle/Zucc/Hayes/MSL That's how I would set it up. I like Step on the 1st unit because he is a righty shot. No need to play Girardi on the PP when we have Yandle/McD/Boyle.
