The number 10 was also the number of shot attempts for Dobson against the Canucks on Thursday night. The defenseman had five shots on goal, four attempts that were blocked another that missed the net. It comes on the heels of an eight-attempt night vs the Colorado Avalanche and Dobson has four-or-more shots on goal in four of his last six games. It's indicative of his shoot-first mindset and his increased confidence with the puck in his third year.
"You want to just try and get pucks to the net, but also I think I had a couple too many blocked," Dobson said of his 10-attempt night. "When the shot is there, I just want to take it and usually we have guys going to the net and banging stuff home, so it's definitely been a mindset of mine."
Dobson's had 15 games this year with four-or-more shots on goal, hitting seven twice this season. His 127 shots on goal this year nearly double his 69 from last season and he's set career-highs across the boards in goals (10), assists (17) and points (27), which nearly doubles his total from last year (14). His cross-ice pass to Lee against the LA Kings was just another sign of his confidence with the puck and his ability to create.
"You're seeing Noah get the confidence that he can take on guys a little bit," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "You don't always want your D leading the rush, but [against the Kings] he had an opportunity and he made the most of it. It shows that he's starting to get his confidence and he's getting the trust of the coaching staff that once in a while I can get up there and be a part of it."