GDT: Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals [Not so Epic GDT...]

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Can the Avs call up Meghan? She seems like one of the few people around the team that actually puts out information and updates.

 

[Pokecheque]

That could just be them papering him since they can now that he’s cleared waivers, but I hope not.

This better not be a continual rotation of Kaut/Blidh/Ranta. Try someone new if that’s the case.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Fire Bednar

 

[Sea Eagles]

Bednar was not a happy camper after this win.

Perfectionist - can't blame a professional for that. Kudos coach Bednar

 

[dahrougem2]

Seems like they turtled in the 3rd. Sacco and Roy would be proud.

They ain't all pretty and a win is a win especially with this god awful defensive corps and 11-7 rotation.

No shocker Newhook looks the best he has all season playing with Cogliano and O'Connor. It was those two guys who got J.T Compher going earlier in the season when he was struggling, too, and it's where Ben Meyers has played his best hockey. Those two work so well together and the centre benefits.

 

[Avsboy]

Galchenyuk or Foudy?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Galchenyuk or Foudy?

Foudy easily.

Galchenyuk showed nothing when he came up.

 

[forsbergavs32]

I missed the game, but glad to get the win and George had a good game. Sometimes a goalie has to steal a game for you.

 

[Pokecheque]

Galchenyuk or Foudy?

Bowers

 

[Pokecheque]

Also, the ice at Ballerina was absolute shit tonight. Guys were losing edges everywhere, pucks were bouncing every which way. Added to the overall clumsy and sloppy nature of this game.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Bednar was not a happy camper after this win.

EJ was horrendous and part of the problem. If he got the puck in the defensive zone, he just glued it to the boards and was playing time. That's how awful his game was.

It's like he forgot he could make a first pass out of the zone

 

[TruePowerSlave]

The Dcore should soon look great.

Obviously that's just a fantasy as somebody will somehow injure themselves during the break.

 

[Raucherhusten]

This one is for Georgie!

Thanks mate. Much appreciated.

 

[Mr Zappalanche]

Great win, but that Mackinnon giveaway on Ovechkin goal was brutal. When will he stop being a stupid talented kid trying to deke everywhere and use the f***ing boards to clear the puck.

 

[Grigowski]

Average game, but still a win. Who cares..... Win is a Win.

But the more important question: Who´s hurt this time?

 

[LOFIN]

Lol, good question Moser. Where the f*** do they live in Denver since there's no sea?

 

[missionAvs]

Nice. Glad to see the boys pull off the W. I fell asleep after the 2nd which spared me the turtle in the 3rd. Impressed with NewJost lately actually. The kid's putting up some numbers. He's still making some braindead plays, though, but it would be huge for this squad if he turned into a consistent middle six forward.

 

[niwotsblessing]

Highlights again:

Newhook with the game winner. 4G-2A in his last 6, Avs have won their last 6.

MacDermid with a nice shot on net deflected by Cogs, JTC naturally could not accomplish much with the same opportunity.

Georgiev closes the door on the Caps hopes and dreams.

I am glad Bednar used the opportunity to lean into the players, even while collecting this win to put him on top of the franchise list of winningest coaches.

 

[jaisen73]

Really sloppy second half of the game, particularly after going up 3-1. Without a great performance from Georgiev this could easily have slipped away. Still. a win is a win and 6 straight has eased some panic. Nice to see Newhook find the net 2 games in a row and he had other good chances.

 

[nightonthesun]

Lol, good question Moser. Where the f*** do they live in Denver since there's no sea?

Moser’s finest moment as a broadcaster

 

[TruePowerSlave]

It was not pretty, but winning multiple games with that Dcore is great

 

[chet1926]

I love the people that think Bednar needs to make adjustments mid period or at intermission etc. Hate to break it to you teams don't don't just magically make adjustments mid game.

Hell Peyton Manning arguably one of the greatest QBs of all time basically just said that pro teams don't make adjustments at halftime on live TV. They rest up and regroup.

You don't win games changing your game in the middle of the game. You can't play a style that you aren't accustomed to and expect it to work. You play your game and some days it works and others you don't have it and hang on for dear life like last night. And others you just plain lose.

The best the coaches are probably offering during intermissions are some thoughts on what needs to be better that night so that the game plan can be executed. And if that fails we see line combo changes to see if that sparks the energy.

 

[chet1926]

It was not pretty, but winning multiple games with that Dcore is great

This x100, we've got Englund, Hunt, MacDermid and MacDonald all minor leaguers to 7th dmen at best.

Toews who has carried. And then EJ and G who just bumble around out there most nights.

The fact we're are 4-0 with this dcore is mind blowing.

 

[McMetal]

Compare this D group to the dark years:

Toews - Johnson
Girard - Englund
MacDermid - Hunt
MacDonald

Vs:

Hejda - Johnson
Holden - Barrie
Guenin - Stuart
Redmond

Given the ages of the players then and now (Johnson on the top pair was obviously a better bet in 2013 than it is now), it's kind of difficult to choose which is a worse D group. Add Makar in and the whole calculation changes, but the D we've been running since he went out is as bad and shallow as any we've had since the years when we were tearing our hair out over the state of the defense.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Compare this D group to the dark years:

Toews - Johnson
Girard - Englund
MacDermid - Hunt
MacDonald

Vs:

Hejda - Johnson
Holden - Barrie
Guenin - Stuart
Redmond

Given the ages of the players then and now (Johnson on the top pair was obviously a better bet in 2013 than it is now), it's kind of difficult to choose which is a worse D group. Add Makar in and the whole calculation changes, but the D we've been running since he went out is as bad and shallow as any we've had since the years when we were tearing our hair out over the state of the defense.

It might be worse now when you consider that the D the past couple of games has been getting a decent amount of support from the forwards. With that, however, the forwards eventually become frustrated and will try to leave the defensive end too early and that leads to turnovers. I don't remember the D in those years getting this much help from forwards though.

Another thing, if you look at these depth D who are forced into more playing time, might be seen differently if it's only one of them in this position. For example, if Hunt is playing with the big guys, his weaknesses can be better hidden. But when you have several guys like this, it's not as easy to hide weaknesses.

And the weird thing is, there are times when I think Hunt plays better than Johnson or Englund plays better than Girard. It's a bad cocktail at the moment.