GDT: Colorado Avalanche vs. Winnipeg Jets, October 27th 2013, 8:00PM EST 06:00PM MST

[crue7]

De la Soul is awesome, one of the few rap artists I actually like.

I thought we had too many offensive turnovers tonight, especially Duchene in that second period. Also Setoguchi totally dived on that first penalty and did not like Bordeleau's "head shot" as well. Defense core again played great tonight and FINALLY, Wilson, finally had a really solid game. Sarich IMO was the worst one and that was due to his foot speed being at the snail level. I also did not like that second goal Varlamov gave up. I understand that every goaler will give that up, but maybe in another game where a team isn't coming off a second of back to back games, that goal would have been a gamebreaker.

Tanguay was a complete beast tonight, that interference on Buff during Hejda's shot was almost Detroit like and that pass to Landeskog to step up that goal was pure beauty. I mean the guy had two players on him and still passed it on the tape of Landeskog, amazing.

Also for the MacKinnon, I said a couple games ago that he really needs to slow his game down and be calm with the puck. IMO he is being too hyper out there and pressing plays that do not need to happen.

That Tangs pass was a complete beauty of a play. Avs easily coulda been up 3-0 in the first 10 minutes. Wish we could see that interview with Hejda where he was saying Roy should them clips during the 2nd intermission.

 

[raistlin76]

Looks like Chambers has some split personality. His three stars from Denver Post looks a little different than the one from arena

THE POST'S THREE STARS

1. Paul Stastny. Avs center had two points in the third period, including the game-winning goal.

2. Matt Duchene. A goal and another strong performance by the Avs' 22-year-old center.

3. Gabe Landeskog. Assisted on the game-tying and game-winning goals.

 

[Avs]

The way they came back was impressive. Was the better team, wasn't getting the bounces but just kept working at it and won it pretty close to the end.

Words can't describe how awesome it is to hear that.

After years of watching this team just give up once we are trailing, I love that this team fights until the final buzzer, no matter what!

 

[Avs_19]

10-1 now, feels good. So much for the Jets ending our hot streak. The refs were garbage and Montoya had a horseshoe up his *** but they still got it done.

The Stastny line looked great. As many of us here said, it was only a matter of time before the goals started going in.

I thought Wilson had a good game. One of his better games since coming back. Hejda was also very good.

Varly played well after letting in that second goal. There were a lot of weird bounces around the net.

MacKinnon is still moving way too fast and looks a bit lost out there. He had a decent scoring chance in front of the net and he started the play that led to PAP's scoring chance but I don't think he had a very good game. We haven't really needed him yet and our top two lines are very good so he can take his time but eventually we'll need more from him.

 

[Nihiliste]

Didn't see the game but I'm looking forward to watching it tomorrow. Glad to see the boys pull out a come from behind win.

Crazy thing is, as good as they've been so far, there's a whole bunch of other western teams that are right there with them. If we lose a couple, all of a sudden we're back in the middle of the pack.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Fun facts from the boxscore. O'Reilly lead the team, not just forwards, in ice time. Wilson was second. Also, MacKinnon was 60% on faceoffs tonight.

The west will win the season series against the east but it should even out some as time goes on. The east needs to get their **** together though, its bordering on embarassing at this point. Yeah it would be nice if 20 points got us a bigger lead but I think the west will separate out eventually. I almost can't believe the Avs have won all games in regulation and haven't given up any extra points. I think most win streaks in the past contained a fair number of OT and shootout wins.

Someone asked about goalies pages ago. Roy said on the radio on a few days ago that Jiggy would get Dallas. They have a back to back Friday and Saturday so both goalies were probably going to play the weekend anyway.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I honestly think Landeskog is playing some of the best hockey of his young career now, better than his golden rookie campaign. Seems like he shook that weird funk he got in where he didn't want to shoot or hit and wasn't really sure where to be on the ice. Honestly when he gets the puck now it's like he just wants to bully right through the defenders and put it in the net every shift (when he's not making the smart, safe play). Fun to watch.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Stayed up to watch the post game rebroadcast. The highlights from McNab's interview with Hejda: Best start he's ever had in his career. The PK group has special meetings to discuss how they are going to PK each opponent. And yep, Roy told them they were going to win.

 

[TheStranger]

Didn't see the game but I'm looking forward to watching it tomorrow. Glad to see the boys pull out a come from behind win.

Crazy thing is, as good as they've been so far, there's a whole bunch of other western teams that are right there with them. If we lose a couple, all of a sudden we're back in the middle of the pack.

It's mostly the games in hand keeping things close. Avs have 2-3 games in hand on most teams. Win those and the avs are 6+ points ahead.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

It's mostly the games in hand keeping things close. Avs have 2-3 games in hand on most teams. Win those and the avs are 6+ points ahead.

Also has a lot to do with the Avs and the teams they are in tight with playing so many games against the East and totally dominating the Eastern Conference. West keeps stacking on the points.

I think I heard right on TSN that if the playoffs started today, if conferences did not matter, all the "wildcard" teams would be from the West.

 

[TheStranger]

I haven't looked at the schedule, but hopefully things normalize a bit this week with the avs only playing 2 in the next 10 days. Hopefully a couple teams play 4 (and lose a couple)

 

[InjuredChoker]

wow how can you not love this team?

avs won the possession battle. little weird that nate didn't get one off. zone start. roy used statsny line more in off. zone than duchene line.

 

[InjuredChoker]

also wonder if they keep pap on duchene line from now on. i think pap can bring more than what he has brought, though i don't think he's been bad. downie needs some shakeup hasn't been good lately.. maybe after nashville game/josi hit?

good move by roy with that line mixup on the third.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

wow how can you not love this team?

avs won the possession battle. little weird that nate didn't get one off. zone start. roy used statsny line more in off. zone than duchene line.

Playing the hot hand maybe? Realized that the Stastny line was going to score and so put them out in the offensive zone more often.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Yeah I've noticed that. Roy tends to go with who is clicking that night, especially when trailing. We haven't seen much of that situation but I remember it was like that in preseason too.

So Roy talked about changing the puck side in his presser as one of the keys to getting the late goals. What does he mean exactly? All three goals were scored from the left side, so does he mean Winnipeg was cheating on the right side and shooting from the left would open up the offense?

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Are the Jets fans really whining? About what? How they didn't get enough penalties or soft/weird goals?

 

[Avs71]

Pretty hard to believe that at the end of October the Avs have:

-A 5 point lead on Chicago with the same amount of games played.
-A 5 point lead on Minnesota, with a game in hand.
-A 6 point lead on St. Louis, but the Blues have 2 games in hand.
-A 7 point lead on Nashville, with a game in hand.
-An 8 point lead on Winnipeg, with 2 games in hand.
-An 11 point lead on Dallas, with Dallas having a game in hand.

If the Blues and Hawks take the top 2 seeds, the Avs already have a pretty good cling on 3rd. A potential 7 points up on the closest team to they would be battling with for third place in the Division.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

The way that Enstrom handles the puck with his stick is pretty unique. He chokes up on it when he gets a pass. He also uses one of the longer sticks in the league, so maybe that's why, but not sure anyone else does this.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Pretty hard to believe that at the end of October the Avs have:

-A 5 point lead on Chicago with the same amount of games played.
-A 5 point lead on Minnesota, with a game in hand.
-A 6 point lead on St. Louis, but the Blues have 2 games in hand.
-A 7 point lead on Nashville, with a game in hand.
-An 8 point lead on Winnipeg, with 2 games in hand.
-An 11 point lead on Dallas, with Dallas having a game in hand.

If the Blues and Hawks take the top 2 seeds, the Avs already have a pretty good cling on 3rd. A potential 7 points up on the closest team to they would be battling with for third place in the Division.

with rinne out for a month, i think avs should get a nice gap on them.

winnipeg surpised me last night, but weren't very good the other games i have seen. i don't think their roster is good enough to cover pavelec/montoya. just my opinion.

minnesota is looking pretty strong. i think they are going to make it.

dallas d has been so bad that i don't see them making strong contention. a lot would have to happen right for stars.

so i have wild, blues, avs and hawks from central. so the toughest competition would come from pacific division. assuming blues, wild and hawks beat avs for central spots, avs would battle with the wild card spots from some teams with pacific. possibility, as pacific is looking pretty strong.

though i'm pretty confident that avs make it. not 100% but still. would love to see top pairing ld there (hello campbell/ehrhoff).

 

[Freudian]

The way that Enstrom handles the puck with his stick is pretty unique. He chokes up on it when he gets a pass. He also uses one of the longer sticks in the league, so maybe that's why, but not sure anyone else does this.

His father insisted he'd learn playing with a long stick when he was a kid. I guess he always was a tiny guy. Having a longer stick enables you to pass and shoot the puck differently than with a very short stick. So he has to adopt by moving his hands down the stick when receiving a pass or he's unable to settle pucks down.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Maybe delusional of me but I don't think Chicago and St Louis run away with the top spots in the division. I think one will but the second will be much closer to the second tier.

 

[Flair Hay]

I watched Duchene every shift vs the Jets last night and I came away with "OMFG." People who say "lol no" etc aren't wrong in a sense because they value reputation and proven production very highly. So by that logic he won't be for another 50-100 games by the majority of folks.

This guy from what I saw last night is 2013-14's Giroux. All the promise in the world and his brain has finally caught up to his body. He has the knack for when to go to the net. Not just TO go to the net but WHEN and WHERE. Knows when and where to pass a split second before everyone else besides his linemates do. He is a supremely dangerous player.

I will take a full on friendly avatar bet anyone that if he plays 80-82 games he will be top 5-10 in scoring this year. He's not going to stop te lightbulb has turned on for him and I'm sure the training with Crosby has improved his INNER work ethic and not just his ethic compared to his teammates. Didn't take a shift off, was focused every second he was on the ice. Many will post a wall of stats (ie: the past, not now IMO) about why other guys he has surpassed the last 8 months are (or more accurately, WERE) better.

Avs fans, don't worry about being too quick jumping the gun because the HF masses will flame. And they will flame! He is a top 10 player in the league today and I do not expect that to change. Now that Sacco is gone and he has a motivator and a expert on opposition goalies as his coach its only going to get better.

I'll leave wingers out of it because comparing cross positions is all about preference. These are the centers I take over Duchene now

Crosby
Malkin
Toews (only for his two way play's impact)
Bergeron (see above)
Giroux is pretty much even
Maybe I'm forgetting someone.

Duchene is behind these players is my eyes as of today and a few others he's in the mix with. He has an extra step on Thornton, Datsyuk and Zetterberg because of their age and is rapidly closed the gap in the impact their MINDS have on the game. I would take him ahead of Tavares today (his athleticism is jut on another level and his brain has caught up) and that is to take nothing away from him. The OEL vs Duchene vs Kane debate in the poll made me want to pay attention to Duchene. Now I see what the hype is about. And god help the league if MacKinnon becomes a number one center today because the Avs forward talent with a contender's defense will win them 3 championships before the Oilers with a defense win one.

Flame away HF, but I really poured my heart and soul into this phone post lol








Cheers, but at the same time **** you for being in our division. Makes me realize how far away my jets really are. 4-5 years from now with McDavid were coming for you

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Steven Stamkos?

 

[cgf]

Am I the only one just absolutely thrilled the Oilers are doing so bad? Biggest trash talkers of the Avs, getting the short end of the stick yet again ahaha. This is sweet sweet justice lol I only wish they were still in the same division.

It's interesting, because I think our two teams have a ton in common in how we're assembled, so it's curious to see the radical disparity in results. But I like a lot of their players still and now that they're out of the division have nothing against them. But I'm a Knicks fan, so I really try not to hold a team's fanbase against the team.

 

[Freudian]

It's interesting, because I think our two teams have a ton in common in how we're assembled, so it's curious to see the radical disparity in results. But I like a lot of their players still and now that they're out of the division have nothing against them. But I'm a Knicks fan, so I really try not to hold a team's fanbase against the team.

Injuries and goaltending doesn't help.

I think Oilers, as they currently are constructed, are about a .500% team. If Eakins get them to buy in when it comes to competing and battling for pucks, they can do better.

I don't have a problem with them as a team and feel no urge to mock them. There are several players on there I have a soft spot for. RNH is awesome and Hall, while a bit of a hockey Pejorative Slur, is relentless.

Some of their fans here on HF are very entertaining to mock since they have a certain hubris.