GDT: Game 33: Avs @ Hawks | Friday, December 23rd, 6:30pm MT | Hug a Puppy

[ASmileyFace]

Yesterdays game reminded me of how they played early in the season. Much scrappier and tight than the past ~25 games. It seemed like they actually had hope of winning even when they got behind. Which was waaaaaay different than recently. It's just been so obvious when they go down by a goal they'd just give up. Last night was different. Even the deadweight was actually trying to do something out there.

 

[Tweaky]

Much pleased with the result. Did not get a chance to watch it thanks to sleep issues (since surgery, my sleep schedule is way off, worse than usual, and will not fix itself). Nice to see some of the gloom lift from the boys (and the forum).

 

[McMetal]

Z plays the most out of any Avs defenseman, and the Avs break a 5 game slide. I hope the coaches draw some sort of conclusion from that...

 

[AllAboutAvs]

It seems like the switch went on for Z about 3-4 games ago. He has been really really good lately but tonight he was a beast. The way he was separating the players from the puck was fantastic. He wasn't overly physical, just enough to scare the players and do the job. I think when he tries to be too physical he gets carried away and doesn't think the game right. Just a great game from him.

Loved Rant and Mack as well. Barrie was much better as well.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I think Z has had better games overall, but he had a great 3rd period and the coaches recognized that and kept putting him out there.

I didn't notice Duchene a whole lot. He doesn't have a ton of help on his line right now but was hoping he'd show up more. The top line is fine, but it would be nice if one of those guys could move down and get some chemistry with Duchene.

Also, I think Goloubef has looked better since coming back into the lineup. He's playing more reasonable minutes and I'm sure that helps.

 

[ASmileyFace]

I think Z has had better games overall, but he had a great 3rd period and the coaches recognized that and kept putting him out there.

I didn't notice Duchene a whole lot. He doesn't have a ton of help on his line right now but was hoping he'd show up more. The top line is fine, but it would be nice if one of those guys could move down and get some chemistry with Duchene.

Also, I think Goloubef has looked better since coming back into the lineup. He's playing more reasonable minutes and I'm sure that helps.

Duchene certainly looked like the odd man out last night. I hope with the supposed incoming youth movement Duchene gets one of Greer or Compher on his line because we should keep the 96/29/92 line together for now.

 

[dahrougem2]

You have to keep 92/29/96 together. It gives us a legitimate scoring line with responsibility, and they have the ability to play 20 minutes per night.

For now, Duchene is just going to have to figure it out. Grigorenko sucks, and Bourque has slowed down since his hot start to the season but he's got to keep it simple. He can't get too frustrated out there.

They need to keep Gelinas-Zadorov as the point men on the 1st PP unit. It'll keep the PK forwards honest having two guys with bombs on the point and open up so much more room for Rantanen/MacKinnon.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Never saw any of this but love seeing that Z played 25 minutes. Was he as beastly as he has been in games past?

 

[tigervixxxen]

TMV posted a nice gif of the opposition not wanting to challenge Z

 

[UncleRisto]

That's great. I don't think I've seen that happen in such an obvious manner.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Gotta love Zadorovs mean streak.

 

[McMetal]

Oh that is pure gold!

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

That's amazing


Zadorov is quickly becoming a player I will happily eat crow over. I really wasn't a big fan of his with us last year and didn't think he was ever gonna figure things out in the NHL.


He's changed my mind completely this year. He's a very smart player, knows how to use the skills he has well, and has taken big strides this year in his defensive game which was probably his weakest part of his game. The lack of production right now doesn't even worry me because we've seen what he's capable of with the puck on his stick already. Once he starts getting more and more confident, and gets more opportunities to be creative offensively I think we'll start to see him evolve into the player we want him to become.


The fact he loves the physical play so much is gonna make him a very fun player to watch for us.

 

[Thepoolmaster]

Duchene certainly looked like the odd man out last night. I hope with the supposed incoming youth movement Duchene gets one of Greer or Compher on his line because we should keep the 96/29/92 line together for now.

I think Greer would be a great winger for Duchene.

 

[5280]

Wait, we won? LOL

 

[Foppberg]

Very happy to see us with the win. Despite everything I'm so excited about Zadorov, Jost and Mikko. Especially Z though oh my.

 

[Don Corleone]

Zadorov looked great I hope that Bednar realizes that he is a top pairing D on this crappy Avs D core and plays him like it. 22+ mins every single night and top PK and PP time regularly. It is insane to continue playing Iginla on the first powerplay unit and then have a collection of our miscast D in the second while at the same time Z sits on the bench.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Zadorov looked great I hope that Bednar realizes that he is a top pairing D on this crappy Avs D core and plays him like it. 22+ mins every single night and top PK and PP time regularly. It is insane to continue playing Iginla on the first powerplay unit and then have a collection of our miscast D in the second while at the same time Z sits on the bench.

So true. I was happy that they tried something new and it nearly paid off when Gelinas fed a pass over to Rants that almost resulted in a goal. FB and Weircoch were doing nothing on the PP forever. Gelinas and Z should be given the same amount of time to try and produce on the pp before going back to weirdo and Francois

 

[CobraAcesS]

That's amazing


Zadorov is quickly becoming a player I will happily eat crow over. I really wasn't a big fan of his with us last year and didn't think he was ever gonna figure things out in the NHL.


He's changed my mind completely this year. He's a very smart player, knows how to use the skills he has well, and has taken big strides this year in his defensive game which was probably his weakest part of his game. The lack of production right now doesn't even worry me because we've seen what he's capable of with the puck on his stick already. Once he starts getting more and more confident, and gets more opportunities to be creative offensively I think we'll start to see him evolve into the player we want him to become.


The fact he loves the physical play so much is gonna make him a very fun player to watch for us.

Did you watch him in the second half of last season? I don't even know how anyone could not believe in him after seeing him pretty much take over EJ's job when he was injured, and then be sent down, and then come back and again late in the season and play well. He's absolutely been inconsistent, yes, but hes flashed his potential many times for stretches of games in this uniform.

TMV has posted about it multiple times, and he wasn't sheltered that much late last season and performed really well.

I get it if you are basing your opinion on early last season, but the second half when he came back he was absolutely impressive outside of a couple of games before he was sent back down.

I find it hilarious when people act like this is some kind of revelation, like he hasn't already played at a high level for stretches yet against difficult competition.

 

[tigervixxxen]

What I don't get is how media types are calling Z a bust when he's out there every night and playing a lot. I'm not exactly sure what he's supposed to be doing to get validation. Obviously putting up points or if the team was decent would get him attention, I get that. But Bob pretty much had the "I thought he had so much potential, it's a shame" conversation and tone. Or people saying we got nothing out of the ROR trade. I mean WTF? Is he supposed to be singlehandedly saving this team?

 

[CobraAcesS]

What I don't get is how media types are calling Z a bust when he's out there every night and playing a lot. I'm not exactly sure what he's supposed to be doing to get validation. Obviously putting up points or if the team was decent would get him attention, I get that. But Bob pretty much had the "I thought he had so much potential, it's a shame" conversation and tone. Or people saying we got nothing out of the ROR trade. I mean WTF? Is he supposed to be singlehandedly saving this team?

One word..

Russian

Unless they are the model citizen from day one, they'll eat **** in the media until the story changes to some kind of miracle turn around. Some day one of those jack ***** will write that turn around story about a year too late, and I'll laugh.

For as tough and knowledgeable as the Canadian NHL media are, they are also idiots at times. Especially when they talk about American Western teams like they actually know something out of the blue.

 

[McMetal]

Z looks to be on his way to becoming a solid #2, that's a very good outcome for somebody drafted 12th overall. It's probably just because he's playing on a crappy team.

 

[Alex Jones]

That's great. I don't think I've seen that happen in such an obvious manner.

Reminds me of when guys will conveniently go to change when they happen to dump it into Chara's corner.