I need to both critique and praise Bednar for what he did in this game. I’ll start with the critique.
I was talking recently about how the Avs are partially to blame for the league being stricter on the Avs suspensions than they are with other teams, because their head coach and GM don’t complain whatsoever. This lets them know they can do whatever they want, while other coaches and GM's work the league and officials to get an advantage on the next call.
This carries over to officiating within games as well. Here is a perfect example.
It starts with a chincy penalty called at the end of the 2nd period by the linesman who should have dropped the puck, or at the very least threw out Spezza who cheated with his right foot. Instead the linesman held on to the puck and called a penalty on a face-off outside the zone that should have just been over and done with, because it didn't hold a big advantage to anyone.
Camera cuts to Bednar who couldn’t care less. Most coaches in the league would be yelling or at least talking to the ref here trying to work them for the next power play. Let them know that was a BS call and they need to make up for it.
Then come a series of penalties on the same sequence of play that could have been called if the refs were looking to even things up and give the Avs a PP, but we’re let go.
First it’s Lindholm taking a high hit that snaps his head back, and directly causes a turnover that leads to a partial 2 on 1 against. Then it’s Lindholm again skating through the slot behind the play, who takes a little hook around the waist from Radulov that could have been called if the refs were looking to even up the calls. Then it’s another too many men call let go where the puck again hits the 6th man’s foot.
Finally after all of those are let go by the refs during the same sequence without a whistle, Dallas scores a backbreaker to make it 5-2. Goal never would have happened if the refs were looking to give the Avs a PP to make up for that chincy face-off call.
On the bright side, I need to praise Bednar for what looks to be a realization that he was ruining Zadorov with his hardass treatment. I've been preaching for a while now that this has never worked with him, and he needs a coach to pump his tires to get him to believe in how good he can be.
He had played a couple pretty good games in a row and was on his way to having a great game last game, but then made that bad turnover that cost the team a goal.
Instead of putting Z in the doghouse, he put him right back out on the ice, and played him a ton the rest of the game. Ended up being 2nd in ice time behind EJ.
If he would have benched him after that play, I think he might have lost confidence in himself again, and played a scared game tonight, but instead he looked very strong and confident again in himself and his reads to make big hits and jump into the play.
Kudos to Bednar for setting aside his ego and making an adjustment on something that I think was really hurting Zadorov’s development. Hopefully they both keep it up.
Once again coaches and GMs at the NHL level don't lose their cool very often. It's not like Bednar is the only coach who is calm, and I honestly can't recall the last time a GM said something about a suspended player or called out the league, so I don't expect Sakic to do those things either.
For the Avs we've been getting the butt end of many calls for over a year now because we are a bad team. It wouldn't matter if Bednar laid into the refs or not, we're still going to get the majority of the bad calls against us because refs tend to favor the better team. It happens in every major sport.
Once the Avs become a consistently better team we'll start to get more favorable calls. It's just how it works.