Post-Game Talk: Avs - Panthers 24/01/2014. Natan Mackiniganov vs Good Canadian Boy Alex Bark(injured)

[Drury_Sakic]

Honestly a little irritated after watching them nearly blow another lead. I shouldn't be, but I am.

Thing is, I think the Avs need to be.

The first 7-8 times they ended games like this early in the season it was ok, you were looking for the wins anyway you could get them to turn the culture around. No need to be harsh when the team was trying to build confidence. The last 7-8 times is starting to become inexcusable.

This team has a ton of reasons to be confident now. Time to tear some of that down and push the guys to be better and not completely shut down when they get a lead.

I understand they cannot play at the first period tempo the whole game, but how you don't have a least a little of that oomph in the third is mind boggling.

 

[Taak19]

A win is a win is a win

Yet a moral loss. Weird.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Zanon was a regular buyout

And no reason to buy out Wilson either. He has not been good, but the cost of buying him out vs bringing in a depth replacement is not fiscally worth it.

Hell, I imagine if the Avs waived him at least a handful of teams would put a claim on him...so if the Avs do not trade him in a deal this deadline or at the draft and they do not have space for him on the blueline, waive him.

Nothing but rumors and scuttlebutt to go on, but it appears as the only reason Zanon was bought out versus demoted for good ala Hunwick was because the Avs did not particularly like his personality. Wilson, for his faults, does not seem to have those issues.

Plus, I would take Wilson over Zanon or Hunwick in the lineup every day of the week...and I don't think playing with Barrie does him any favors, not the greatest natural fit of two players who can take defensive vacations every once and awhile

 

[Foppa2118]

It's only this season Wilson has started to suck big time. But if a 2.25M contract to a defenseman is your WORST contract, then hey... good job Sherm.

He's had tough stretches before, but this year is the worst. He's trying to come back form injury in Roy's new system, and it's really exposing him. He's always had a problem reading the play IMO. That's why he struggles with the more aggressive man on man defense, and loses his guy.

 

[henchman21]

Right now it is just about winning games and continuing to learn how to win. This team needs to get into the playoffs and learn how to win there. I won't get irritated at them playing bad in thirds because that is part of learning how to win. They will get better.

 

[Lord Moriarty007]

I moved to Orlando to attend UCF. So I get to go to the game tomorrow against the bolts. Hopefully we don't fall apart like tonight at the end.

 

[Foppa2118]

Right now it is just about winning games and continuing to learn how to win. This team needs to get into the playoffs and learn how to win there. I won't get irritated at them playing bad in thirds because that is part of learning how to win. They will get better.

I bet you will if they they do this again soon.

 

[Avs_19]

Bad third period where we barely hung on but it's not as bad as some are saying.

 

[TheStranger]

Another win, that doesn't feel like a win

 

[CB Joe]

I haven't been following the thread, but did anyone figure out who this was?

 

[Avs_19]

I haven't been following the thread, but did anyone figure out who this was?

Nieto.

http://sharks.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8476442

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

I haven't been following the thread, but did anyone figure out who this was?

http://sharks.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8476442

 

[henchman21]

I bet you will if they they do this again soon.

Nope... Haven't really got irritated at it this season. This is a young team that is learning while being in a strong position to get into the playoffs.

 

[Freudian]

I haven't been following the thread, but did anyone figure out who this was?

Matt Nieto.

 

[AvsRobin]

It's been quite a few years. I'm definitely a fan now.

The biggest argument for me to take Landy over Hubby is just that it fits us better. We have the perfect balance with blending speed and offensive potential in MacKinnon and Duchene, AND also young solid two-way players with 60+ points potential in Landeskog and ROR. Couldn't have asked for a better forward-core going forward.

 

[Nihiliste]

Right now it is just about winning games and continuing to learn how to win. This team needs to get into the playoffs and learn how to win there. I won't get irritated at them playing bad in thirds because that is part of learning how to win. They will get better.

Doing the same thing every game doesn't seem to indicate that they're learning much of anything.

The biggest problem is the lack of urgency and drop in work ethic in these games where they get the lead.

 

[henchman21]

Doing the same thing every game doesn't seem to indicate that they're learning much of anything.

The biggest problem is the lack of urgency and drop in work ethic in these games where they get the lead.

Sometimes things take time to click. They will get it.

 

[TheFactor]

I think every/most teams has the bad tendency of sitting back on the lead. The team thats behind always plays with more urgency and therefore controls the lay more and more near the end. Last game in Toronto we dominated the third period and limitied the leafs scoring chances but ended up losing.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

There are a few things I really dislike about the Avs "sit back" scheme when they have the lead. One is that they literally sit back. Everyone just stands in front of Varly, effectively screening him, and just kind hope that the puck hits them. Another is that they insist on trying to skate the puck out when they are surrounded by opposition pressure, and they typically give the puck up. They need to start using smart chip plays, as well as getting open for passes.

 

[Freudian]

There are a few things I really dislike about the Avs "sit back" scheme when they have the lead. One is that they literally sit back. Everyone just stands in front of Varly, effectively screening him, and just kind hope that the puck hits them. Another is that they insist on trying to skate the puck out when they are surrounded by opposition pressure, and they typically give the puck up. They need to start using smart chip plays, as well as getting open for passes.

They also tend to semi-abandon the man on man on the points, leaving the other team free to shoot at will. That's what's creates the lopsided shot counts.

Avs are better when they allow the cycle but deny the points. Then the other team has to create a play to score.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

They also tend to semi-abandon the man on man on the points, leaving the other team free to shoot at will. That's what's creates the lopsided shot counts.

Avs are better when they allow the cycle but deny the points. Then the other team has to create a play to score.

I have said it before, but I think this is a direct result of D men not being up to snuff. The Avs forwards do a lot more work in the D zone than other teams do.

Roy, rightfully so, has taught the lesser skilled D men to back off and camp out in front of the net to protect the goal and the forwards go hunt the puck down in the corners. The Hejda-Johnson pair is the only one that consistently will go to the corners and get the puck themselves.

Also worth noting is how little D men carry the puck up, make the breakout pass, or even clear the zone. Forwards do a majority of that work for the Avs.

It is, clearly, the right move to make with the guys the Avs are platooning on D, but it shows a weakness that needs to be addressed.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I have said it before, but I think this is a direct result of D men not being up to snuff. The Avs forwards do a lot more work in the D zone than other teams do.

Roy, rightfully so, has taught the lesser skilled D men to back off and camp out in front of the net to protect the goal and the forwards go hunt the puck down in the corners. The Hejda-Johnson pair is the only one that consistently will go to the corners and get the puck themselves.

Also worth noting is how little D men carry the puck up, make the breakout pass, or even clear the zone. Forwards do a majority of that work for the Avs.

It is, clearly, the right move to make with the guys the Avs are platooning on D, but it shows a weakness that needs to be addressed.

I partially agree with the lacklustre defensemen argument. However, that doesn't explain the forward collapsing down low as well. Also, if you're going to play down low, you need to be aggressive and clear the front, not just stare at the other teams forwards.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I partially agree with the lacklustre defensemen argument. However, that doesn't explain the forward collapsing down low as well. Also, if you're going to play down low, you need to be aggressive and clear the front, not just stare at the other teams forwards.

The forward collapses down low to play the corner and/or get the puck from the opposing player who has it. The D parks down in front of the net and in most cases does not move when they are in true shutdown mode, thus 3 Avs are usually down low with a 4th cheating to one side trying to cover the sidewall. The 5th Av is floating near the exact center of the D zone trying to cover the whole of the blue line. When the opposing team swings the puck back to the point and then moves it to the other side of the point, that leaves the Avs usually short handed a bit up top while they rotate back to cover the points. This is done because the Avs D men do not have the ability/skill to take a puck away from an opposing player by themselves regularly, so they rely on a forward to do it or help them do it.

Every team does this to some extent, just the Avs are super into it.

Hard to explain, need smart board!

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Contrast that to what most teams do when they are in shutdown mode, TYPICALLY having a 2-1-2 look of sorts, the 2 D men down low, a forward in the middle who can drop down to cover the middle of the zone/net if a D man goes hunting for the puck, and then two forwards covering the side walls and the points.. and occasionally the center of the zone when the middle forward moves down.

The difference is the Avs D are not trusted/able to win those one on one battles a majority of the time, so the forwards pinch down further and more often than most clubs do.

 

[Pokecheque]

Frankly I thought it was the neutral zone where the Avs started losing ground in the 3rd. Way too many soft turnovers and slow, conservative play led to FLA setting up shop and firing away on Varly.