GDT: Game 76, COL@VGK | 3/26 | 10pm ET | Avs season as understood by Foxy Shazam

[Vaslof]

Two points from the two Vegas games is better than expected. I do feel like we'll be out of the playoffs, but it's mostly because the other teams in the race are really good.

 

[JLo217]

It shouldn't have been a penalty, his stick is very clearly lifted by the Vegas player, it's not a high stick if it is lifted like that.

The refs just reacted to what they saw, which was a Vegas player hitting the ice. It sucks and it changed the outcome of this game.

I can see why Vegas succeeds, they get every call, they get all the lucky bounces against the flow, they get unreal goaltending and every single player on their team is having a career season. They're probably going to get beat round 1 of the playoffs and then suck next season. It's the exact same formula the Avs used the 1st season under Roy and we all know what happened after that.

It’s unreal what calls they get. It’s also unbelievable what they don’t get called for.

 

[Hesher]

The special teams were the wrong kind of special and it cost the Avs.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Was a really tough 3rd period to watch as the Avs did themselves no favours and Varly was pretty much left alone to fend for himself. I find it expected though as Vegas is where they are for a reason and wasn't going to allow Colorado an easy game after losing the previous one in a shootout. I don't care about this loss as long as the Avs take care of business versus two teams who are dealing with below average NHL goaltending. We'll be back home as well so this should be a great opportunity to get the team set up for a strong finish.

 

[Brett44]

Maybe y’all need to stop taking Landy off line one? He’s been the best player on that line for three games now. How’s taking him off this late in the season supposed to help? Dense...

Perfect if Landy play well ,with Soderberg we can have a good second line. And Andrighetto had already play (well )with Mackinnon and Rantanen.

 

[lonelybadger]

Unfortanute loss, especially with the Jost double minor and how well the avs were playing before that. Still playoff hope, need to win the next 2 for sure though.

 

[Avs71]

This team has not picked up points in 3 of the last 15 games. And those losses came to Vegas (1st in pacific), Nashville (1st in NHL), and Los Angeles.

It sucks. The team has done amazingly well for a 1 line team and a bunch of rookies, but everyone around them has done well too.

The Avs are in a dog fight with:

-St. Louis, who is going for their 7th year in a row in the playoffs, that also made it to the conference Finals last season.

-Los Angeles, who has a core that has won 2 Stanley Cups, and has made the playoffs 6 of the last 9 seasons.

-Anaheim, who has a core that has won a Stanley Cup, and has made the playoffs 9 of the last 11 seasons.

The Avs aren’t done yet. They’re in tough now, but it’s not the time to rip on the team. They never should have been this far anyway, and they still control their own fate.

 

[ASmileyFace]

This one stings bad in the morning.

Have to say I'm really impressed with what Vegas has done this season. I haven't watched much of them, but after these past two games it is obvious that they are legit. What an inaugural season. What they have done is really impressive, and it isn't all on the back of one player or something.

 

[Arcade Fire]

EJ was absolutely terrible. Easily one of the 5 worst games I've seen him play.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Maybe y’all need to stop taking Landy off line one? He’s been the best player on that line for three games now. How’s taking him off this late in the season supposed to help? Dense...

MacK is a boat anchor right now. Free Landy to play with soderberg who is at least trying.

 

[klozge]

I stopped watching after Vegas' 1st goal because it was clear the Avs wouldn't come back. Everything but the skating itself looks slow right now. I guess, our boys have started to think too much and facing a Fleury who's on his game only intensifies this. To be honest, considering the remaining games I think we lost our ticket to the playoffs last night but since our current problems are mostly (mostly means like 60 % here because we also don't have a 2nd and 4th line - Soda's line is a typical but excellent third line) on the mental side in my opinion a good team meeting might turn things around again.

 

[Iceberg]

Really impressed by Vegas over these last 2 games, really good job against our top line and PP.

It sucks that we couldn't keep the same level of play for the whole game, that 3rd period was awful, and its even worse that a veteran, EJ, looked the worst. Maybe trying to do too much, but still.

 

[Freudian]

Vegas were the better team when it mattered. Shame Avs had to allow the deflating goals they did in the second period.

Fleury definitely Varly's us. Feels bad, man. Vegas did a good job playing the body of Mac at all times and just taking one penalty.

 

[dahrougem2]

I disagree. When push came to shove, the Avs did not play to win the game in the 3rd period. This means they didn't play a full 60 minute game. This means that for two consecutive huge games, the team hasn't come out to win.

Flower played great. Hell the whole Vegas squad played great but this team lost after the 2-1 go ahead goal, not at the 60 minute mark.

Edit: Again, I wouldn't trade the season we've had for anything (well except maybe a better season haha) but it's not wrong to criticize them for their last two piss poor efforts.

The Avs were the better team on Saturday, and for 40 minutes tonight were the better team again. They came out flat in the 3rd and lost the game a minute in, but the effort was there in 5 of 6 periods + an overtime.

EJ was absolutely terrible. Easily one of the 5 worst games I've seen him play.

I thought EJ was the best Avalanche player last night.

 

[S E P H]

Couldn't watch like majority of the game because the snow was messing up my satellite signal until right before the Johnson goal. Saw Johnson score, then Jost take the penalty, and finally had to switch the game off when Avs came out like slugs in the 3rd when you knew they were never going to rebound.

Avs still control their own destiny, but it's getting bleaker considering how bad they've played lately. Avs owned Vegas in Denver (though that could be due to the Kings game before), but Vegas owned the 3rd and some of OT. I hear that Avs were the better team in the 1st period this time around again, but it slowly went back into Vegas' favour as the game went along. These are not really uplifting sign sand considering we're playing against clubs that can match our desperation, it will take the whole team to get to the postseason.

 

[chet1926]

It’s unreal what calls they get. It’s also unbelievable what they don’t get called for.

Exactly they get away with a lot of little things that the Avs and other teams get called for every time.

It was mind blowing how many times in the last 2 games Avs players would receive a little tug, a whack on the hands, or a stick between the skates that made them stumble and lose the puck that just simply weren't called. It'd be one thing if these weren't being called around the league, but every single game the Avs are getting called for all sorts of ticky tacky BS like this but it's like the league looks the other way when Vegas does it. Very frustrating if you ask me.

And for the record I'm not blaming poor officiating for losing last night, it's simply an observation I noticed over the past two games. Not sure why Vegas is allowed to play the hands as much as they do when others are not.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Don't Avs have one of the best PP differentials this season? And MacK and Rantanen are both having career years with unsustainable fancy stats.

Varly has stolen a few games down the stretch. All those criticisms of Vegas can be pointed right back at the Avs.

 

[dahrougem2]

I believe the Avs have indeed been afforded some of the most PP opportunities all season.

EDIT: Yep, Colorado is 1st in the entire league with 279 PP opportunities. 2nd is Chicago at 263. Funny enough, 4 of the top 6 teams in that category come from the Central (Winnipeg is 3rd and Nashville is 6th).

However, the Avs are also 5th in the league in terms of PP opportunities against at 259. The only teams worse are Nashville, Dallas, Vancouver, and Anaheim.

 

[cgf]

Perfect if Landy play well ,with Soderberg we can have a good second line. And Andrighetto had already play (well )with Mackinnon and Rantanen.

Having Sven defending down low for MacK n Mikko while setting the tone physically seems like a great idea...

 

[cgf]

I stopped watching after Vegas' 1st goal because it was clear the Avs wouldn't come back. Everything but the skating itself looks slow right now. I guess, our boys have started to think too much and facing a Fleury who's on his game only intensifies this. To be honest, considering the remaining games I think we lost our ticket to the playoffs last night but since our current problems are mostly (mostly means like 60 % here because we also don't have a 2nd and 4th line - Soda's line is a typical but excellent third line) on the mental side in my opinion a good team meeting might turn things around again.

...they tied it up after the first Vegas goal...

Avs fans are the worst sometimes

 

[henchman21]

Having Sven defending down low for MacK n Mikko while setting the tone physically seems like a great idea...

I've come to terms that people will always want Landy off that line. It doesn't make sense, but people will always want it.

 

[cgf]

I've come to terms that people will always want Landy off that line. It doesn't make sense, but people will always want it.

I can’t deny that I was curious how Jost could do on that line when he was coming in & Landy was fighting it. But there’s so much for that line that Jost isn’t ready to do, and Landy’s playing so well, that there’s no longer any reason to want to see it even tried.

Especially since they started scoring on the road

 

[The Kingslayer]

Mackinnon all pissy in the postgame lol. He legit looks annoyed.

 

[The Kingslayer]

EJ was absolutely terrible. Easily one of the 5 worst games I've seen him play.

4 turnovers that lead to odd man rushes in the third.

 

[dahrougem2]

Mackinnon all pissy in the postgame lol. He legit looks annoyed.

Probably knows he didn't play well but playing almost 24 minutes, guy needs a rest.