GDT: Game 54 - Avalanche @ Golden Knights - All on the Line - 8PM

[McJedi]

I don't remember the last time I saw Compher look like he belonged on the team. Why can't he play like that all the time?

JTC is a noticeably better winger than C. Kadri is the same. Namely because Kadri has been so down this season.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Yeah, winning the division/presidents trophy would be nice but I don’t think it matters who we play. It would be nice for hard hitting Minny to wear down the Knights but as far as our matchup goes there’s no easier team to play against like with the Yotes last year. I’d really rather just rest some guys. Let Mack heal, let Makar and Toews get some rest before the big show.

 

[McJedi]

The Nemeth, Timmins, and Graves bottom-3 has got to be the slowest bottom-3D in the league. More so Nemeth and Timmins than Graves.

Once Girard gets back I’d sit Nemeth and keep MacDonald in the lineup. The extra speed/puck movement on the bottom pair is a better fit for the Avs style.

Graves was actually pretty solid last night. Nemeth should be the 7 when G is back.

Timmins is slow as a skater but still an effective player. Graves is definitely a level above those two as a skater. He never gets walked wide or down the middle.

nemeth, still don’t get that trade at all. He’s a liability.

 

[McJedi]

Yeah, winning the division/presidents trophy would be nice but I don’t think it matters who we play. It would be nice for hard hitting Minny to wear down the Knights but as far as our matchup goes there’s no easier team to play against like with the Yotes last year. I’d really rather just rest some guys. Let Mack heal, let Makar and Toews get some rest before the big show.

It’s going to be two low intensity games. You think the Kings were stoked to get on a plane today? They’ve got nothing to play for an no desire to walk into the off season with a fresh injury.

watching the Oil sleep walk thru the 3rd period last night is what you should expect from LA. They are playing out the string. And now on the road.

 

[Alex Jones]

Timmins is slow as a skater but still an effective player. Graves is definitely a level above those two as a skater. He never gets walked wide or down the middle.

nemeth, still don’t get that trade at all. He’s a liability.

Gravy is a pretty good skater going backwards. For a big guy he has good skating ability backing up. He is not a very good skater going forwards, and is brutal transitioning from forwards to backwards. One of the reasons he gets caught up the ice so often.

 

[cgf]

What are the chances of you hibernating for like a month or two?

Depends on whether the Knicks get Atlanta or Miami in round 1

 

[Avs_19]

Depends on whether the Knicks get Atlanta or Miami in round 1

Heat in 5.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Gravy is a pretty good skater going backwards. For a big guy he has good skating ability backing up. He is not a very good skater going forwards, and is brutal transitioning from forwards to backwards. One of the reasons he gets caught up the ice so often.

What about his shuffle stepping?

 

[chet1926]

Here is the short of it. You play to win, you absolutely go all out to win the division. No resting players.

- home ice first 2 rounds will be a huge factor

- Vegas/Minnesota are both really good hockey teams, let them duke it out. You avoid having to go through both of them by being number 1

- St Louis is not the same team that won a few years back. ROR is scary to some, I get that. But were talking about a 25 win team. I'd take my chances with that over Minnesota who is legit good, and probably takes us to the woodshed, since their work ethic is much higher and more consistent than ours. We're more talented but tend to take nights off.

- team goal was to win division, so go do it

 

[LieutenantDangle]

Makar is low key becoming the biggest hitter on the team. He salivates when he sees the puck carrier entering the zone with his head down. You can see him lining up big hip checks every time the puck carrier enters near the boards. A real treat he’s an avalanche

 

[Ararana]

- home ice first 2 rounds will be a huge factor

Home ice through the entire playoffs

 

[cgf]

Heat in 5.

If we have homecourt I think we can stretch it to 6, but yeah. You're just the better version of us / where we want to be in a year or two...after signing Lonzo this summer & then Lavine the following one...

Atlanta I like our chances against though, even if they'll be favored.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Here is the short of it. You play to win, you absolutely go all out to win the division. No resting players.

- home ice first 2 rounds will be a huge factor

- Vegas/Minnesota are both really good hockey teams, let them duke it out. You avoid having to go through both of them by being number 1

- St Louis is not the same team that won a few years back. ROR is scary to some, I get that. But were talking about a 25 win team. I'd take my chances with that over Minnesota who is legit good, and probably takes us to the woodshed, since their work ethic is much higher and more consistent than ours. We're more talented but tend to take nights off.

- team goal was to win division, so go do it

They're facing a bottom feeder who has nothing to play for. Nemeth could play 35 minutes and the Avs should win.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

Here is the short of it. You play to win, you absolutely go all out to win the division. No resting players.

- home ice first 2 rounds will be a huge factor

- Vegas/Minnesota are both really good hockey teams, let them duke it out. You avoid having to go through both of them by being number 1

- St Louis is not the same team that won a few years back. ROR is scary to some, I get that. But were talking about a 25 win team. I'd take my chances with that over Minnesota who is legit good, and probably takes us to the woodshed, since their work ethic is much higher and more consistent than ours. We're more talented but tend to take nights off.

- team goal was to win division, so go do it

Meanwhile the season the Blues won the cup they entered the Christmas break last in the west.

 

[chet1926]

They're facing a bottom feeder who has nothing to play for. Nemeth could play 35 minutes and the Avs should win.

I didn't say not to see how games are going, and monitor ice time but you don't sit people out unless they simply can't play.

Obviously if we win and Vegas loses their last game and we've already clinched everything then you could and should sit some guys for the last game as it's meaningless. But until that point everything matters. Go get those wins.

 

[chet1926]

Meanwhile the season the Blues won the cup they entered the Christmas break last in the west.

This is not the same Blues team that won the Cup. The year they won they were arguably the best team in the league the 2nd half of the season.

This year they are up and down have lost many key guys from that run like Pietrangelo, replaced by Krug, which is a severe downgrade.

Binnington isn't what he was that season. He isn't covering their deficiencies any more.

It's a completely different scenario from then to now. We've gotten better they regressed since they win the Cup and they barely held off the Coyotes this year. If it wasn't for a late season surge by the Blues and a collapse by Arizona they might not make the playoffs.

I mean if it's a choice between Minnesota and St Louis, I'd prefer St Louis. In the end it doesn't matter much to me since the objective doesn't change, beat the team you're matched with, but doesn't take much to see that Minnesota was superior to St Louis this season.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

I didn't say not to see how games are going, and monitor ice time but you don't sit people out unless they simply can't play.

Obviously if we win and Vegas loses their last game and we've already clinched everything then you could and should sit some guys for the last game as it's meaningless. But until that point everything matters. Go get those wins.

MacK can't really play. Even Soderberg looked better last game.

Hopefully vegas loses their last game and its a moot point.

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

Reporter: “What do you think of your team’s execution?”

John McKay: “I’m in favor of it.”

We didn't skate well, check well or shoot well, but other than that, we played a great game.

* John McKay quote modified for hockey

 

[dahrougem2]

Straight up, Jacob MacDonald has to stay in the lineup when Girard returns. I know Nemeth was brought in to kill penalties and be a physical defender but MacDonald fits this team like a glove. Nemeth can't skate and can't pass.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Straight up, Jacob MacDonald has to stay in the lineup when Girard returns. I know Nemeth was brought in to kill penalties and be a physical defender but MacDonald fits this team like a glove. Nemeth can't skate and can't pass.

MacDonald can skate and move the puck. Nemeth can do neither. Nemeth and Soda are here for depth and they should be treated as such imo.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Very satisfying win last night. I’d go for 1st place.

1st round of Vegas vs Minnesota appeals greatly to me. Vegas could lose that series.

Of all the teams Vegas has a problem winning against its the Wild especially the Wild in Minny. Crazy.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

We didn't skate well, check well or shoot well, but other than that, we played a great game.

* John McKay quote modified for hockey

So, what you're saying is our passing was stellar?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

GRUUUUUUUU

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

St Louis is not the same team that won a few years back. ROR is scary to some, I get that. But were talking about a 25 win team.

they also only have 17 wins in regulation, which is half of what Colorado has racked up and fewer overall than Ottawa

 

[AvsWraith]

MacK started the game fine, but there was a moment where he seemed to tweak something. I would've taken him out right there, but Bedz kept him in and he played the rest of the game favoring one side, and not being able to put full weight on the other side. Bedz even had him out there while Vegas had the goalie pulled, which is definitely not smart.

Yes, the division is important, but having a healthy MacK is more important, and I don't agree with Bedz letting him play that whole game.