GDT: Game 52: Avs in LA | 8:30 PM MT | January 27, 2016

[Ivan13]

I was kinda joking. No offence you all who work from home lol. I actually do too in my second job.

I know, it's all fine, no offense taken

I was saying that it's easy to get sidetracked if you aren't disciplined enough.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Beauch broke up two 2-on-1s with complete ease. First one he just teased the shooter and intercepted the pass. Second one he dropped and blocked the pass across. So composed, so calm. So good.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I know, it's all fine, no offense taken

I was saying that it's easy to get sidetracked if you aren't disciplined enough.

Agree with this. I usually only WFH if I have calls and no in-person meetings. I will watch whatever I want but I have my laptop on my lap and working away. Far more productive than getting bugged in the office every 10 minutes.

 

[Ivan13]

Agree with this. I usually only WFH if I have calls and no in-person meetings. I will watch whatever I want but I have my laptop on my lap and working away. Far more productive than getting bugged in the office every 10 minutes.

Yeah, that too.

 

[Freudian]

I wonder if some of the smarter players in the league bait EJ to lay down on the ice in 2-on-1 and 2-on-2 situations. He loves to throw himself on the ice and the only real saving grace is that he's so damned big that it's hard to make a play around him even if you know he's going to do it.

I prefer my defenders to stay on their feet and defend with stick on puck.

 

[Ivan13]

I wonder if some of the smarter players in the league bait EJ to lay down on the ice in 2-on-1 and 2-on-2 situations. He loves to throw himself on the ice and the only real saving grace is that he's so damned big that it's hard to make a play around him even if you know he's going to do it.

I prefer my defenders to stay on their feet and defend with stick on puck.

I hate when D-men do that, it's not a smart play at all, play your man and take away the pass, like you were thought to do.

 

[Iceberg]

Wow... Picks was fantastic, Roy coached his ass off, and Iggy found a time machine, even if for one night.

I've been saying it for a while now, we need a decent RD if we want to keep Bigras up and playing decent minutes. I'm not saying a 18 minute guy, but somebody who can get Bigras a more regular shift on a consistent basis. We have a ton of bottom pairing types, but none who can help Bigras in that way.

Polak.

We should go after him, not sure what the price would be, but he would be an upgrade on what we have and the type o defensive dman that could help Bigras.

Also an UFA at the end of the season, if he sucks we can just let him go.

 

[henchman21]

Agree with this. I usually only WFH if I have calls and no in-person meetings. I will watch whatever I want but I have my laptop on my lap and working away. Far more productive than getting bugged in the office every 10 minutes.

This times a million. I get so bogged down in the office... when I'm away either on a trip or at home, I can get far more done.

 

[Tralfamadore]

He's still just 20 years old, so I don't want to rag on him too much as sometimes I forget how young a lot of our core still is. But the back-checking irritates me to no end. I'm a firm believer in working just as hard without the puck as you do with the puck, and for the most part MacKinnon does. But on the back-check a lot of times he's caught flat footed and stops skating.

Tonight for instance in the 2nd period, I believe we were on the PP but he was actually ahead of the Kings player, and then he just stopped moving his feet and let his man beat him up the ice. Thankfully, Beauchemin blocked the shot from the other Kings player as it became a mini two-on-one. But things like that are preventable and all it takes is the most simple, basic thing a hockey player can do. Just move your feet.

He's been guilty of this since junior and it's why he drew some comparisons to Kessel. I don't know if he's just occasionally lazy or just tires himself out too much working in the offensive zone but he needs step up in that area. He's playing center against strong competition now and if he's not back there taking away his man we're going to get scored against.

 

[jsalz16]

Missed game unfortunately. Was it a closer game than shots on net would suggest or all Pickard?

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

So I was super excited because this was one of the few games that I'd actually be able to watch. I caught the whole first period, Avs are down 2. I decide that I should probably just go to bed early...I check the score, Avs have tied it 2 all. I decide I'll watch the rest of the game...Kings score. I did what was best for the team and forcefully turned off the game to give the Avs a chance to win.

 

[AvsRobin]

I know, it's all fine, no offense taken

I was saying that it's easy to get sidetracked if you aren't disciplined enough.

Lets just say I wish I was more disciplined.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

He's been guilty of this since junior and it's why he drew some comparisons to Kessel. I don't know if he's just occasionally lazy or just tires himself out too much working in the offensive zone but he needs step up in that area. He's playing center against strong competition now and if he's not back there taking away his man we're going to get scored against.

I never saw any comparisons to Kessel from MacK coming out of the draft...

I feel like people are really blowing up this lack of backchecking thing after one game, and specifically, one play. It was the end of a long shift. I think he's made tremendous strides in his entire defensive game Hell, he had an awesome backcheck just last game against the Sharks.

Last night, Iginla looked like a guy who had spent a month playing with talentless plugs and never wanted to go back.

 

[AvsRobin]

It's just lazy to evaluate a players defensive game on simply "how hard it looks like he is backchecking".

 

[AvsRobin]

I never saw any comparisons to Kessel from MacK coming out of the draft...

I feel like people are really blowing up this lack of backchecking thing after one game, and specifically, one play. It was the end of a long shift. I think he's made tremendous strides in his entire defensive game Hell, he had an awesome backcheck just last game against the Sharks.

Last night, Iginla looked like a guy who had spent a month playing with talentless plugs and never wanted to go back.

Speaking of Iggy, he was mentioned in an interesting debate on the hockey pdocast when Marek was a guest. Listen from 03:10 in.
https://soundcloud.com/hockeypdocast/episode-54-menage-a-pod

 

[Stories]

Missed game unfortunately. Was it a closer game than shots on net would suggest or all Pickard?

Not as lopsided as the shots make it seem. Avs definitely had fewer overall chances, but a lot of their opportunities were very high quality chances. I didn't think during the game that the Avs were ever at a significant disadvantage except for the 1st period where the Kings took it to the Avs.

Pickard was good, too, when he needed to be in the 1st. Without good goaltending, we might have been down 4-0 after the 1st.

 

[jsalz16]

Not as lopsided as the shots make it seem. Avs definitely had fewer overall chances, but a lot of their opportunities were very high quality chances. I didn't think during the game that the Avs were ever at a significant disadvantage except for the 1st period where the Kings took it to the Avs.

Pickard was good, too, when he needed to be in the 1st. Without good goaltending, we might have been down 4-0 after the 1st.

Thx

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Continuing with the OT talk but I agree, working from home is more productive.

The issue is that I'm the only one in my office with the flexibility in my job to be able to work from home. So even though I probably do more work from my couch with my laptop than I would in the office it probably looks bad the my co-workers and they think I'm home enjoying my day doing nothing so I spend more time in my office than I really should.

 

[YP44]

Not as lopsided as the shots make it seem. Avs definitely had fewer overall chances, but a lot of their opportunities were very high quality chances. I didn't think during the game that the Avs were ever at a significant disadvantage except for the 1st period where the Kings took it to the Avs.

Pickard was good, too, when he needed to be in the 1st. Without good goaltending, we might have been down 4-0 after the 1st.

I agree with this. As a kings fan I was very smug after the first but was stunned 5 minutes into the 2nd.

Good work on the avs to compose themselves and battle back. Not the first time Pickard has beat the kings. He played very well.
Iginla had a lot of good chances and looked good as well.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I agree with this. As a kings fan I was very smug after the first but was stunned 5 minutes into the 2nd.

Good work on the avs to compose themselves and battle back. Not the first time Pickard has beat the kings. He played very well.
Iginla had a lot of good chances and looked good as well.

For a small fee of Adrian Kempe you can have him. We'll even retain half and give you Duncan Siemens

 

[5280]

I think it's a bit strange that some rant like crazy whenever Landeskog has a turnover and are completely silent when he scores goals. Seems like some posters just dislike the guy and are looking for a reason to complain. It has been that way for at least three seasons now. I don't know if him getting the captaincy just triggered something in some of you. Strange to me, but each to their own.

He's looking slightly better for the last handful of games. His passes are harder and more accurate. Perhaps whatever is troubling him is on the mend. This week of rest couldn't come at a better time. Not just for him but also for Beachemin, who has been playing over his head in minutes he shouldn't.

IMO people just get frustrated with the progress we have had or not had over the last couple of years and just want something to point the finger at. Whether it's Roy, Landy, Holden, one of our scrubs. For me it was Dutchy for a while. I don't know, maybe it's just human nature.

 

[tigervixxxen]

IMO it's the problem people have with bigger power forward types, they tend to look less dynamic and when they aren't running people over the perception is they start to get sluggish. It's sometimes not obvious to see the good Landy does and what he adds defensively. Throw in the captaincy and Calder, which both raises expectations and it's a recipe for easy pickings. How many times do we hear people pining over VikingMode rookie Landy? He has looked a little ragged this year and isn't shooting enough but the captain had key parts of 3 wins in the last week, he should get a little credit too.

Btw, Roy's excuse for Tangs is that he needed rest.

 

[YP44]

For a small fee of Adrian Kempe you can have him. We'll even retain half and give you Duncan Siemens

pretty sweet deal but going to have to pass.
Only thing I can justify getting rid of Kempe for is dumping Brown's contract.

 

[Ivan13]

Lets just say I wish I was more disciplined.

Oh, I have moments as well, like I said it's easy to get distracted.

 

[AvsRobin]

Oh, I have moments as well, like I said it's easy to get distracted.

My other job is watching hockey. I pause all the time to look up stuff that cross my mind.