This momentum of the AI in franchise mode is …..

A small addition because a gameplay version was released today

Even if you have difficulty on Rookie (up from currently Pro) does not change in the current franchise mode... the goalkeepers are gods at my shots .. And I loaded the gameplay update released today ..

I remember there were times when all were listed in gameplay versions and selectable, until NHL 22 at least the latest and most current, today it is either this first or the most current .. you play online it is automatically the most current option

For myself; being halfway through my second season playing all games on superstar difficulty, I don't see any change to the AI from game to game, win or losing streak. I feel the AI is just as hard no matter what is going on with my record. For me it comes down to how I play and me getting overconfident on a win streak or I run into a hot goalie or team with a good record. 

For the goalies. I do feel like that can be hard but my goalie is at the same level so most of my games are fights to try and win but that again is close to how it is in the NHL. I have learned that you have to play a full end to end game and more strategic game then the run and gun way it has been in NHL 23 and 24. 

Is it actually the hybrid control (because this has already been mentioned several times) and I play this ... as I said my top players get it no matter if 1 against 1 with the goalkeeper or clearly played out 100% chances not in the goal word picks from corner to corner and gets everything out .. in playoff mode I don't have this problem .. and if the Ki wants, because she is 1:0 behind she shoots within a few seconds 2 goals usually in 1 to 1 against the goalie because one of my passes inexplicably goes instead of forward to the left in front of my goal directly on a waiting opponent.. or check every bounces inside .. that's just no fun you notice oh now may play and shortly afterwards no more .. that starts with the Bulli I'm usually 75% the winner but not if the AI wants the victory, then I can't manage to win

I've been playing NHL 14 (xbox 360) every .. so I'm not a beginner ..

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As much as I don't want to agree with this, I kind of have to, to an extent. I even play with 10/10 attribute effects, which ought to make the gap between different players skill bigger. But somehow during a game (to some extent almost every game) there's a moment where the things just doesn't add up.

There is some kind of boost to the AI that has nothing to do with me letting my guard down. Everything just moves into hyper (very common at the end of periods), and while I understand if the team acts with more desperation, they have no business skating, shooting and passing much faster, especially with 10/10 attribute effects. I'm not sure, but could it possibly be worse if you play 5/10 (standard setting)?

When these moments or parts of a game happen, it's a bit like "Uh oh, the AI is going to score now unless I..." and somehow even if I know how to stop it, and during a natural part of the game would, the poke or hit that would normally work, miss. Sometimes it's enough for a player to pass the blue line and shoot, and the puck is like The One Ring, with a will of it's own, determined to get in. Other times it's Radko Gudas channeling Mario Lemieux's spirit and dangle through my defense as if what I do with my controller doesn't matter. 

I'm feeling a bit torn about this. I guess some hocus pocus is required for the AI to succeed and not fall flat because I as a player dominate them more often than not. But I rather feel tactically outplayed (where I can try to adapt) than see cheap goals against because the AI needs to score on a low-danger shot against an elite goalie when 2 seconds remain of a period. Because some goals will happen if a player is allowed to pass the blue line, and no one can be expected to defend to a level where the opponent isn't allowed to shoot.

It's not Mario Kart-level-boost to AI (where AI get's all sorts of advantages when you are in the lead), but there's something that happens every once in a while where it's a near hopeless feeling to defend. It's like a countdown starts and you can see the goal coming seconds before it actually happens.

I'll try to put together some examples of these things, both the average attack and when I experience the seemingly unstoppable attacks.

Nobody, whether AI or human, gets a boost. I'm now locking this thread as it breaks our rule on discussing "ice tilt".