Keeping a lead!

[Tony's Hand]

Hi, i've been using Vize's Offensive Tactic with my Edinburgh Capital's team and it's been working a treat, but when i use it with my Minnesota Wild or my Montreal Canadiens teams it only works to a certain point and then late in the game my teams usually concede a couple of goals. I've tried changing each line to Defensive and putting Backchecking for my 3rd and 4th lines to Hard, and a few other different things all to no avail. If someone could give me some help on how to close a game down it would be much appreciated.

[archibalduk]

Apparently, Vize's tactics result in high-scoring games - that means goals in both goals.
I'm not using his tactic but I'm still struggling to keep leads and it's starting to cost me dearly.
I think improving players' stamina will probably help as they won't tire as quickly.
Do you rotate your goalies? If my goalie is less than 90% before the match then I play my backup.

[Tony's Hand]

Thanks for replying ArchibaldUK, glad u liked the name. I've just tried switching to the RedLight tactic with my Canadiens team, i won my first match with it 8-2 against the Penguins, my first win in 10 games, then the next game i lost by 5-2 even though i was leading 2-1 with under 6mins left. Just before they equalised i changed my 4th Line to Defensive,my 3rd to Def, My 2nd to normal and my first to normal and my team just collapsed. Now i'm no expert on Ice Hockey but i thought if you had a small lead late in a game you would try and defend it and not leave all your lines on Attacking, maybe i'm wrong. I know going the Canadiens isnt really that great of an idea to start with but i'm just using this savegame as an example, the same thing happens with my Minnesota team as well. I do rotate my Goalies, i even got rid of Theodore and brought in Boucher in a trade plus cash.

[landru]

Just to add on to what archie touched on...

Condition is very key. I too had problems holding on to leads. My advise...

During games, pause and go into your teams tactics and check the condition % for all your players. Anybody who drops under 85 - 90 %, you should consider resting him for a few shifts.

Replacing tired players occasionally during games helps a bunch. Rotate some fresh legs in for a while, then check back after 5 minutes or so to see if they're ready for more action. You should see their condition come back up, then you can put them back in their normal spot for regular shifts.

Examples, if your team has to do alot of PK'ing, your penalty killers may get tired.

It hepled me, hope it's of some help to you.

[Howling Mad Murdock]

Hi, i've been using Vize's Offensive Tactic with my Edinburgh Capital's team and it's been working a treat, but when i use it with my Minnesota Wild or my Montreal Canadiens teams it only works to a certain point and then late in the game my teams usually concede a couple of goals. I've tried changing each line to Defensive and putting Backchecking for my 3rd and 4th lines to Hard, and a few other different things all to no avail. If someone could give me some help on how to close a game down it would be much appreciated.

Whats the stamina rating of your D men?

Low stamina/fitness is a classic sign of late goals.

[Tony's Hand]

Thanks for the advice lads, I'll give it a go. I'll post back if my Canadiens start looking more like a hockey team rather than figure skaters. On another note, i was just wondering if i play one of my lines with the Triangle formation is it best to play with a high scoring centre and two flying wingers supplying him or the other way about with 2 high scoring wingers and one supply man?

[Howling Mad Murdock]

Thanks for the advice lads, I'll give it a go. I'll post back if my Canadiens start looking more like a hockey team rather than figure skaters. On another note, i was just wondering if i play one of my lines with the Triangle formation is it best to play with a high scoring centre and two flying wingers supplying him or the other way about with 2 high scoring wingers and one supply man?

Its all down to personal preference. My number one Detroit line has: Shanahan, Roenick and Naslund, with a D line pair of Lidstrom and Hatcher. Shanahan and Roenick are going crazy! 20 points combined in 3 games. (just for those two) Naslund seems to be getting a lot of the assists, with either Roenick/Shanahan scoreing the goals, so you could have one high scorning winger/centre, with two supply men, but one of those supply men also able to put in his fair share of goals.

For a supply man, i've seen none better than Peter Forsberg, get him if you can. (hard i know) Or someone with similar attributes to him, he got me 86 assists in my Colorado game season one as the line 1 C. Kariya and Tangauy are good scoreing wingers, who are both a bit easier to get.

[archibalduk]

Have an experiment. I started my season with the Bruins playing "positional" with my first line (Samsonov, Thornton & Ryan Malone). I had pretty good results but when I switched to "behind the net they really clicked and their combined total points is incredible!

[Howling Mad Murdock]

I did that too with my Thornton line, he done a lot better after the change.

[archibalduk]

I think it's because he's strong and so it's difficult for the defencemen to muscle him out of the crease.
He's been steadily scoring points ever since I changed the tactic. Before I did, it was only the wingers who were scoring. My worry is that now my wingers will stop scoring since they'll be spending a lot of time behind the net.