GDT: Game 46: Avs @ Bolts | 5:00PM MT | January 17th, 2015

[NothingLikeAnEJ]

Avs were at one point 11 points out of the playoffs. Depending on tonight, they will be 2-4 points out. They've definitely made progress since that terrible loss at NYI.

 

[cgf]

Glad to see them earn a point against a really good Lightening team. I missed the first, but it sounds like we owe Varly for the point, but the team in front of him really stepped up when they had to with a strong second period and strong end to regulation. If Bishop wasn't on point we could've taken both of the points here, but I think just getting the one is fair result.

Shame Patty doesn't love Redmond like he does Guenin and Holden. Swapping him and the General would do us a lot of good and let us get teams to back off their forechecking some while also letting Barrie play with someone he can trust more than Nate to get his own play back to were it needs to be. That and health for McGinn/Rendulic + Winchester would have me really happy with the shape of this team to continue clawing back into the playoffs.

 

[Chileiceman]

The 2nd and 3rd were as good as the team has played all season. Shame that thye couldn't come away with the 2 points.

 

[dahrougem2]

I wonder what kind of effect this game will have. Will they be motivated moving forward, knowing that they outplayed the 2nd best team in the league for 45 out of 65 minutes? Or will they be demoralized because even though they tied the game late, they couldn't get the 2 points.

 

[JLo217]

Am I the only one that just loses all hope when the 3rd and 4th line step onto the ice?

 

[Avs71]

The Lightning commentators kept talking about how EJ was stapling everyone to the boards, and how everytime he did, Colorado got the puck back. They gave him a lot of praise all night, and of course made the Rob Blake comparison.

They also kept talking about how all the other defencemen just kept backing up, and backing up, and backing up.

 

[JLo217]

The Lightning commentators kept talking about how EJ was stapling everyone to the boards, and how everytime he did, Colorado got the puck back. They gave him a lot of praise all night, and of course made the Rob Blake comparison.

They also kept talking about how all the other defencemen just kept backing up, and backing up, and backing up.

I noticed this. They like him.

I really look forward to next season.

I hope Bigras and Redmond can become regulars somehow and Holden and Guenin are gone.

 

[JLo217]

i'm also pretty shocked they haven't given Elliot an extended look. He's having another solid year for LEM.

 

[Avsboy]

Elliott needs to be on the big team. He has nothing left to learn in the A.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Elliott needs to be on the big team. He has nothing left to learn in the A.

Defense

He's earned a look for sure though

 

[Avsboy]

I'm sure at this point Elliott's D isn't going to get better in the AHL. He needs to up against speeding giants blowing by him. Eventually he'll learn. My only concern would be him costing the Avs goals against at a very important time of the year when they are in the playoff hunt. But then I watch Holden and Guenin bobble the puck constantly and I think to myself "it can't be worse,"

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

So now we know it's Tourigny who staples Guenin to the bench.

 

[Avs_19]

Avs played well tonight and deserved at least one point. Thankfully MacKinnon got it done.

They usually don't but hopefully they can build on this one. Some tough games coming up.

 

[tigervixxxen]

So now we know it's Tourigny who staples Guenin to the bench.

Or perhaps other decisions

 

[tigervixxxen]

I wonder what kind of effect this game will have. Will they be motivated moving forward, knowing that they outplayed the 2nd best team in the league for 45 out of 65 minutes? Or will they be demoralized because even though they tied the game late, they couldn't get the 2 points.

Scoring to tie with 7 seconds left would be a positive thing. Shootouts are a coin flip, it's pretty much a tie mentally at that point if you lose.

 

[Freudian]

Scoring to tie with 7 seconds left would be a positive thing. Shootouts are a coin flip, it's pretty much a tie mentally at that point if you lose.

It should be a coin flip with a weighted coin. Varlamov is normally one of the very best goalies in the league at it. That's why there were so many comments about him today. Normally he doesn't allow skaters to beat him that way. There is normally never a gap between pad and post there.

He just for some reason was super aggressive and the skaters saw it.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I just mean I dont think they will beat themselves up too bad over it. Varly is usually pretty good but our shooters is more of a mixed bag. I'm glad Duchene has been having decent success at it lately.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Frei totally took Roy out of context there on Guenin. He didn't say anything about Tourigny. Frei asked Roy what happened to Guenin, was he hurt? Roy said no, he didn't see anything. Frei did not ask why he didn't play in the third.

 

[Avs For Life]

Hi everyone. I wasnt able to watch the game but I wont lie, Im intrigued as to how Drouin looked.

I've never been able to watch him much. Is Tanguay a decent comparison for how he plays? Very smart playmaker who thinks the game at a very high level?

 

[Avsboy]

Hi everyone. I wasnt able to watch the game but I wont lie, Im intrigued as to how Drouin looked.

I've never been able to watch him much. Is Tanguay a decent comparison for how he plays? Very smart playmaker who thinks the game at a very high level?

Drouin played well. Made a lot of nice moves and looked dangerous, probably needs to get stronger. I think Tanguay is the smarter player, Drouin is flashier and has more skill.

 

[Avs For Life]

Drouin played well. Made a lot of nice moves and looked dangerous, probably needs to get stronger. I think Tanguay is the smarter player, Drouin is flashier and has more skill.

Appreciate the response. I wish there was a way we could reunite Mack and Drouin. I doubt that happens though.

 

[member 116861]

What? Neither one was Stuarts fault, Varly shoulda had both. Stuart had a fine game.

Varly could have saved the first one but it would have been a tough one. The goal was totally Stuart and Guenin's fault. Guenin doesn't pick up Callahan and Stuart let Killorn sneak behind him in the neutral zone which led to the goal.

2nd goal was a poor clearing attempt by Stuart where he just blindly banks it off the wall lightly to the point. After that he screens Varly by standing in front of him and instead of blocking the shot, he jumps and lets the puck through.

 

[PAZ]

I'm sure at this point Elliott's D isn't going to get better in the AHL. He needs to up against speeding giants blowing by him. Eventually he'll learn. My only concern would be him costing the Avs goals against at a very important time of the year when they are in the playoff hunt. But then I watch Holden and Guenin bobble the puck constantly and I think to myself "it can't be worse,"

Elliot is a complete mess if the neutral and defensive zone whenever he's called up.

Think of the softest defenseman in the league, or a forward that will never go into corners or board battles. That's how Elliot has looked every time he's been called up. I don't know if he's working on it, but he hasn't got much stronger and is pushed off the puck way too easily.

Elliot might have a spot on the team if we had a defensive corps that could shelter him and give him offensive minutes, but we already have Barrie filling that role. IMO, one of Barrie or Elliot have to step it up in the defensive zone before we get to see Elliot up here. Holden and Guenin have plenty of flaws, but they're still an upgrade over Elliot.

Hopefully he'll prove me wrong if he gets called up.

 

[dahrougem2]

Hi everyone. I wasnt able to watch the game but I wont lie, Im intrigued as to how Drouin looked.

I've never been able to watch him much. Is Tanguay a decent comparison for how he plays? Very smart playmaker who thinks the game at a very high level?

I'd actually argue that Martin St. Louis is a good comparison for Drouin, though I do believe Drouin is faster. I don't think Drouin has any similarities to Tanguay other than being good at play-making, but they do it differently. Tanguay is so patient with the puck, while Drouin is more flashy-crafty with it, often going for the high-risk play whereas Tanguay creates openings that end up as low-risk high-reward plays

 

[Cousin Eddie]

First game I missed all season. What were the positives and negatives? I saw the highlights. Weird seeing Varly get deked like that in a shootout.