GDT: Blues vs Avs 7pm MDT: Low effort edition

[Muffin]

Due for a loss, can't win em all. All this without Barrie and EJ for half the game. Tied for first in the West with Nashville. We're 1 Nashville loss away from being 1st in the West.

 

[Frobbo]

There was your blueprint for how to play the Avs. Physical play, especially up front. Now its time for the Avs to adjust.

Another one of those games where you ask, did Jost even play? 2nd line was MIA although Kerfoot had a few moments late.

Didn't really notice Compher either except for a bad turnover in our own end. Kam was essentially benched, I believe after not handling an Alt feed in his skates in our own zone.

Alt isn't a NHL player. Several give-aways and he just flat out dropped his stick once. This is how I remembered him from last year. Definitely a step down from Nemeth, Barberio. Ugh.

The angle I saw on TV of the EJ hit was that the elbow was in tight to his body. He didn't extend it out. If you think about it, his elbow has to be somewhere (unless he holds his arms over his head). Tight in is not a penalty, even if it is what contacts the opposing player. It is a penalty when you extend it out i.e. flip it. Didn't like the call.

I don't pretend to understand what the league will rule on targeting except Steen not returning doesn't bode well. It is very possible to get concussed on a clean play but the league (it's lawyers in particular)want to appear to be cracking down on such activity. Hence less potential liability.

Its such a fine line but I agree with other posters who think some Avs are holding the puck too long, trying to do too much. It just seemed to be the case tonight.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Girard, Zadorov, and Cole were exhausted at the end of the game. I think you take the point and move on.

My belief is EJ is getting at least a game. It hasn’t even been a year since he was last suspended.

 

[the_fan]

I almost would prefer a regulation loss than another OT. It's very frustrating knowing that an automatic loss is coming when this team goes to OT. If you gonna get to an elite level as a team, gotta win in any situation.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

I almost would prefer a regulation loss than another OT. It's very frustrating knowing that an automatic loss is coming when this team goes to OT. If you gonna get to an elite level as a team, gotta win in any situation.

OT is where not being able to win face-offs really kills the Avs. OT is about controlling the play, when you can't win clutch face-offs....that does not happen.

And I get the argument that face-off % does not spell a winner or loser really in history, BUT, look at cup winners throughout the decades, and virtually all of them have at least one guy who will win the big face-offs 80% of the time. Clutch face-off wins are important to contenders.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Alt probably played his last game as an Av tonight IMO. Was terrible. Would have been slightly sheltered if EJ had not exited the game, but when the team was cut to 5 D men, he was extremely exposed. Would rather see Warsofsky if it comes to it.

Hopefully Joe is looking to waivers or a low cost depth deal to get someone, the depth chart could use a 7/8/9 D man if one can be had that can step in for a few games here. (presuming EJ gets 1-3 games, Barrie misses a few more, and Barberio of course misses games for awhile)

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Ideally the Avs would have developed a defenseman by now that can come up and play. Meloche’s peers from that draft have played NHL games. Why can’t he get a shot to see where he’s at?

You shouldn’t have to scour the waiver wire every year to find a depth D.

 

[Joe Sakic]

Will be interesting to see who the D call-up is.

I'm hoping for Meloche.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I almost would prefer a regulation loss than another OT. It's very frustrating knowing that an automatic loss is coming when this team goes to OT. If you gonna get to an elite level as a team, gotta win in any situation.

Nah. You take the point and move on. Thankfully its still 5 on 5 in the playoffs.

 

[the_fan]

OT is where not being able to win face-offs really kills the Avs. OT is about controlling the play, when you can't win clutch face-offs....that does not happen.

And I get the argument that face-off % does not spell a winner or loser really in history, BUT, look at cup winners throughout the decades, and virtually all of them have at least one guy who will win the big face-offs 80% of the time. Clutch face-off wins are important to contenders.

Faceoffs are important, but the Avs just dont know what to do in OT when they get the possession of the puck. Don't know if they ever practice 3 on 3, dont think they do

 

[Avs_19]

I doubt the Avs even practice 3-on-3 all that much. Other teams are probably the same way so that's not an excuse but I'd just be surprised if Bednar made it much of a priority. They should still be able to talent their way into better OT performances though.

 

[Pokecheque]

I missed most of this game watching the local teams play live so I came in during the early part of the third to see Mark Alt out there and Erik Johnson nowhere to be found. I was sooooooo confused.

I suppose given those circumstances you just take the point, especially since I'm guessing Sammy played an absolute TON of minutes and could barely move by the time Parayko started his way up ice.

EJ should get at least a game for that. Absolute horseshit move on his part. He deserved the gate.

I was going to do a long, exhaustive thread speculating why the Avs are so bad in OT, but I'll just condense it here. Only slightly less exhaustive:

• Rantanen and MacKinnon are two supremely gifted offensive players, but both take risks. Normally that's okay, when one guy or the other manages to maneuver around/through a couple defenders and create offense, it's worth the risk, even though it sometimes ends in a turnover. Elite offensive talents cough the puck up all the time (I don't know if he does anymore but Ovechkin used to lead the league in giveaways every year). At 5-on-5 and the power play, that's okay. At 3-on-3, it's potential disaster.
• Rantanen and MacKinnon are both great at holding onto the puck and creating offense, but neither is anywhere near elite when it comes to separating opposing players from the puck. Again, normally that's okay except in OT, where creating a turnover often leads to a great scoring chance with the wide open ice.
• Landeskog does SO much to mitigate the relative weaknesses inherent in Nate's and Mikko's respective games. He's the guy who creates turnovers through good defensive play. Obviously he isn't out there to mitigate those weaknesses in OT, and that's a problem.
  
• O'Reilly thrives on creating turnovers and offense in transition. It's his bread and butter. It's why he and Duchene worked so well together when on the same line. It also limits him at 5-on-5 because he's simply not a guy who can do an end-to-end rush like 29 and 96, it's just not his game. But in OT, advantage O'Reilly.
• Again at 3-on-3 it's about the worst idea possible to put 29, 96, and 49 out there all at the same time. All three players are prone to turnovers and Sammy simply isn't big enough to ward off big players rushing up wide open ice unencumbered.
• My suggestion? Quit using Rants and MacK together in OT. Also don't use Sammy that much. Mix in JTC (who had a wonderfully gritty OTW goal against EDM last season), Jost, and Kerfoot. I'd use guys like Nieto/Calvert/Wilson verrrrry sparingly. And I'd absolutely use Zadorov a hell of a lot more in OT. Unlike Sammy he doesn't get muscled off the puck, and he's a measure better offensively than Cole. What harm could it do? I wouldn't use Nate and Rants together AT ALL unless they're on the power play in OT.
• Someone suggested just putting the top line out there in OT. I suppose...but make sure they've been rested first.

 

[AvsFan29]

On to Detroit. They are playing better lately, but are a train wreck of a team. Should be a good game

 

[Nalens Oga]

Not much to glean from that. We struggle against teams that forecheck physically, we suck in OT, Nemeth's going braindead, and Alt isn't an NHLer....already know all these things.

Blues sucked in their zone so more goals would've been nice though but they were at least being pretty active getting shots from the point. Better depth for the bottom D would be really nice in these situations so we don't have to see an Alt.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Girard is just so bad 1 on 1 when the opposing player has time to build up a head of steam. Like that Forsberg goal in the playoffs.

Or against a good physical forechecking team.

 

[Ivan13]

EJ is such a moron at times. Rocks for brains on that play.

 

[Balthazar]

I absolutely hate the fact that a team came to Denver with the game plan of gooning it up and won the game. Hitting Mack and our smaller guys should never become an effective way to win against us. Teams will know what to do.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I think we looked bad today but St.Louis played perfect away game. The intensity was on playoff game level. Very good practise for the playoffs.

 

[dahrougem2]

I do wish they'd try Zadorov a lot more in OT. We've seen first hand what he can do when going up against Connor freaking McDavid one-on-one, that alone should be enough to warrant him getting more 3-on-3 playing time.

 

[Kaizer]

For people who complain about Girard and goal in OT.

The kid was on the ice for ~5 minutes and 40 seconds in the last 8.5 minutes (7 minutes of regular time and 1.5 minutes of OT) - that's 65% of the time [NHL.com - Stats] Add that he has to move puck and his feet to be useful. No surprise he was outplayed because of being tired. I'm more impressed by amount of trust he has from Bednar.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I do wish they'd try Zadorov a lot more in OT. We've seen first hand what he can do when going up against Connor freaking McDavid one-on-one, that alone should be enough to warrant him getting more 3-on-3 playing time.

Zadorov is very risky for OT but it's not like we are winning now.

 

[AvsFan29]

Girard is just so bad 1 on 1 when the opposing player has time to build up a head of steam. Like that Forsberg goal in the playoffs.

Or against a good physical forechecking team.

Girard is fine 1v1 and makes lots of great plays without taking penalties. He made a mistake tonight, but it's not something that occurs often.

If you consider his age, and stage of development that he's at, we have an absolute gem in Girard.

He makes mistakes sometimes, but that's part of being the type of player he is.

He's becoming more of an offensive threat every game.

I also think Varlamov should have swiped the puck away before the blues player even got to it. Oh well.

 

[Soedy]

If they take our playoff spot we are better off with a higher draft pick, not like we'd be able to do anything in the playoffs.

I dont even know what to say...

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Nemeth has one of the lowest panic thresholds I've ever seen. He could have the puck behind our net while the entire opposing team line changes, and the second one of the fresh players starts in his direction, he'll bomb the puck down the ice or into an opponent's lap.

Keep Alt off this team. Don't call up the Dwarf, don't call up Graves and don't call up Lindholm. They've all be hot garbage in the AHL and have played themselves out of the NHL as a result.

Bring up Meloche. It's time. He has enough size and strength to not get pushed around, he skates well enough for the NHL and he actually has some skill with the puck. Don't tell me he'd be any worse than "The Terrible Four" I just mentioned.

 

[Ceremony]

An appropriately titled GDT, as it turned out.

PS Perron is a rat