GDT: Avalanche @ Red Wings | 5:30 PM MT | February 12, 2016

[McMetal]

I dont think those lines are lasting long anyway.

Wonder if Varly plays in Buffalo. Probably.

I kind of hope not. He looked completely spent in the interview, and having essentially only 36 hours to rest is probably not ideal. Roy should give Picks the start, he's dependable and Buffalo isn't even close to the level of Detroit offensively. He can handle it.

 

[StLAvsFan]

Totally agree with this, they both know how bad it is. That being said why does Roy not make the changes necessary. Mitchell, even statistically was the worst player last night, yet his ice increased in the 3rd. Then Post Game Roy says his line was not good. I wish a reporter had the guts to follow up with, "Then why is he playing so much and in OT?"

http://war-on-ice.com/game4.html?seasongcode=2015201620821

Or ask him why it's taken him nearly 60 games to figure out that Alex Tanguay is washed up and doesn't deserve much more than limited 3rd line minutes anymore---if that.

 

[Hesher]

Always feels good to beat the Red Wings

 

[Freudian]

I had to look up the shootout stats after this. Comeau had only taken 4 SO attempts before this one and was 1/4, definitely a but wtf to have him out there. Thought it might be Greg, says he has 0 career SO attempts. I thought he took one with Buffalo, there's video of if that people used to show how skilled he is.

I don't think it's flat out luck when it keeps happening for 3 years now. Imagine when we can pull wins out like that when we are good!

Varlamov is the constant the last three years. Just as Andersen was in 09/10.

 

[Thepoolmaster]

You want to make the playoffs in this league. This is how you do it. When you aren't playing well you still pick up points and when you are playing well, like the Avs were in December, you go on a run. Not every team is going to be the Hawks or caps and rarely have bad games. The Avs are a bubble team and this is what'll separate them from the other bubble teams. Getting the points when they are slumping.

 

[ABasin]

I think this team looks pretty much the same as last year's team looked. Poor team hockey, fantastic goaltending, a few individuals (the 'few' changes every game, it seems) stepped up and played a solid game.

Bad team hockey. Still.

And btw, is anyone besides me fairly underwhelmed with Erik Johnson's play lately?

 

[The Shermanator]

And btw, is anyone besides me fairly underwhelmed with Erik Johnson's play lately?

That's putting it nicely. He has been very bad.

 

[AnimalMother73]

It is flat out amazing the Avs have the record they do given how they play: apply minimal forecheck; easily let other team break out of their zone; spend two minutes watching other team cycle the puck and pepper goaltender; once possession is gained quickly (and w/o thinking) fire puck out of the zone for icing or return possession to the other team. Rinse lather repeat....on the flip side maybe its brilliant psychology. The opponent thinks it is in complete control, goalie gets bored /distracted from facing one shot every five minutes, defense gets over confident, Avs get turn over (which is bound to happen by random chance alone at least once a period) that turns into a goal/high % chance as the other team lets their guard down.

 

[InjuredChoker]

he has to be injured still but is playing through it.

he was medicore to start the season but nowhere near this bad.

 

[AnimalMother73]

God I hope that's the case. He had come a long way in the last 3 years, top 20 defenseman in the league I'd say- but it was under a different D coach. That contract will be crippling is this is the new norm for him.

 

[InjuredChoker]

i'm not worried about that.

his play will probably drop off in his mid 30s and he will be overpaid. but even then i'm not worried about it, i'm expecting it to happen. it was just necesseary to do it to get him locked up. i was expecting even bigger contract.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Mitchell has an OT GWG and GWA, I get why Roy would put him out in OT. At least he kept Tanguay off of the ice in OT this time

 

[Hans Landaskog]

I think if we send Barrie out for 3v3 in the future it should be with another defenseman and a responsible forward. Beauchemin and Soderberg come to mind....

 

[Freudian]

The OT shift where Landeskog wanted to get off the ice while in the offensive zone but Barrie turned it over trying to force a terrible pass to Landeskog, only for Barrie/Landeskog not being able to break it out cleanly for two icings and a 1:48 minute shift for both of them was comical, but it illustrates how sloppy Barrie has been in OT (and PP) lately.

It's like he's trying to force plays that aren't there. If he would have just made sure to keep possession while the forwards were able to change, none of it would have happened. Barrie has the skating and puck skill to play keepaway for five seconds in OT.

But even though he's played terrible hockey the last two games he has three assists. Thanks a bunch, Newport Sports.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Sakic could play his highlight reel from OT to illustrate why he shouldn't get the big bucks.

 

[Trinstin]

We got two points because of that meh,decent goalie we have Varlamov. Not Vezina calibre or anything. That main forum thread is something else.

Varlamov is absolutely Vezina quality and just needs a better defense/system in front of him to improve his stats. We can't argue him being the best goalie in the league without the stats to back it up but we can hope that at some point those two things improve to the point where we can start making that argument because the stats would inevitably get better.

 

[Freudian]

Since Roy became coach, Varlamov have played 25 games where the team allowed 40+ shots. He has a .949 sv% in those games.

 

[UncleRisto]

Since Roy became coach, Varlamov have played 25 games where the team allowed 40+ shots. He has a .949 sv% in those games.

Meh, average starter, goalies are subject to luck too you know.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Meh, average starter, goalies are subject to luck too you know.

Three years in a row Varly all luck and second worse goalie in the Western Conference only behind Steve Mason and Bobrovsky lol.

 

[dahrougem2]

I'm terrified whenever I see Barrie on the ice in overtime. Guy just takes way too many risks.

 

[Joe Sakic]

I think this team looks pretty much the same as last year's team looked. Poor team hockey, fantastic goaltending, a few individuals (the 'few' changes every game, it seems) stepped up and played a solid game.

Bad team hockey. Still.

And btw, is anyone besides me fairly underwhelmed with Erik Johnson's play lately?

EJ has looked terrible the last 5 games or so.

We desperately need him to pick it up

 

[InjuredChoker]

i'm not sure if it's that much higher than with other goalies. when you get peppered with 40 shots, you're likely leading and in a defensive shell while the other team is roaring at you.

and goalie has probably played well in that game to be there for 40 shots.

 

[Bender]

LOL just finished watching this game on PVR...

What the **** is the deal with those d-bag red wing announcers??? They come off all high and mighty and then I check the standings and they only had 4 points more than us!!!!

These guys make it sound like the red wings are phenomenal and the Avs are a garbage bottom feeding team. OMG playing against the Leafs and Sabres over and over...how DO they do it???

What the hell kind of lines were those Patrick Roy??

We are playing like horrible crap but still managing to win so I guess there is that.

 

[tigervixxxen]

True, must be nice to be in the Atlantic division this year. Two teams that are probably bottom 3 in the league, the Habs who have just completely imploded, Ottawa who is just as schitzo as us and 3 good but not great teams.

 

[JoemAvs]

Since Roy became coach, Varlamov have played 25 games where the team allowed 40+ shots. He has a .949 sv% in those games.

The most surprising thing about that stat is that we have only allowed 40+ shots in 25 games.

I would have guessed 35 atleast in the last 3 years.


Oh yeah...

Varlagod!