From The Editor's Chair: Edition 12

Once again welcome all to what is Edition 12 of views "From The Editor's Chair". 

Again I've decided to make it different. This edition sees me dissect the 8-1 mauling on Saturday night of our nearest and dearest. It was a game that nobody saw the outcome being as convincing as it was. If you did pre-game, then I'll have a pint of what you drunk to think that. 

Well where do we begin, right now in fact. Key things that stood out for me were the following:

• Team focus: As a team we were focussed on the job in hand, especially after last Sunday's result in Dundee. The first ten minutes or so were a bit of testing each other out, but once we had lit the lamp for the first time - we controlled the game and blew them away. Goals came in bunches and from each of the four forward lines, that's a great sign for any coach. If one line is being subdued but the other three are producing then you have some serious depth and options. 
• Poor old Pacl: You have to feel sorry for poor old Jindrich "Henry" Pacl. Given the start again, once more his defence let him down in the House of Steel. Little or not protection offered to him when we skated in on goal. There's a communication problem here, and Neilson is culpable for it as well as the team. When the third goal went in, he didn't call a time out to get his team re-focussed. He let the bleeding continue, and Henry was suffering. If that hasn't shot his confidence, what does? It would have shot mine if I'd been Henry.
• Excuses, excuses: After such a heavy loss, you would have expected Panthers to admit they got beaten fair and square. Yet, no. In Neilson's absence, assistant coach Rick Strachan did the post-game presser. And the excuses came out. "We had players out injured, gave it our best, we had two games in two nights and Sheffield had the Friday off" were just three comments coming out. Sorry Rick but that's pathetic, I bet Moron had these printed ready for you as soon the sixth goal went in. Losing can be tolerated but losing and making excuses for your shortcomings, can't.
• Unlucky Moose: Moose almost got his first SO on Saturday, notice I said almost. With seconds left on the clock, we opted to go for glory and a possible ninth goal instead of winding the clock down and just leaving it at 8-0. Panthers knew as soon as it went wide of Pacl's net, they would have one last sortie at busting Moose's bid. They got their rewards. People on social media questioned if it was legal, it was. The lamp came on before the buzzer; it was the right decision. A shutout will happen soon Moose, don't lose any sleep over it.
• Players improving: Some of the players had been singled out by some fans as underperforming but I think a few critics have been answered. We all know which ones were being targeted to be honest, so again I ain't going to mention them by name. When this machine is as well oiled as it was on Saturday; we can destroy any team. Players buy in, and we have the makings of an excellent bunch of guys who will be good enough to challenge for everything that they can. It's good recruitment that pays off, unlike Panthers line-up who like a bunch of individual talents.
• Hagos watch: Saturday was also my first, and probably the same for a few of us, view of Yared Hagos. The guy looks quality already, I was really impressed. He does the simple things which usually go under the radar, and that adds more credence that we might have gotten ourselves a good one. Well when you've played with such luminaries like Henrik Lundqvist, their presence kinda lifts you as a player. I wonder what he thinks about the prospect of doing an "Eddy" if he gets Man of the Match? That must be a bit of a culture shock.

Well those are a few thoughts, how did you dissect the game?  

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