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

[forsbergavs32]

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

Hopefully we see Angry scoring Mack the next 2 weeks

 

[Pokecheque]

I think I posted in here earlier but I was semi-conscious at the time so I can't remember.

I turned it off after the third Vegas goal. Not because I was angry (annoyed, yes) but just because there are more important things to be stressed out about than hockey and frankly I'm getting a little burned out on this NHL season. After tuning out the sport as a whole around December of last year, I overcompensated and have barely missed any games, and have followed the league with an almost religious fervor, staying up well past 1am most nights just to catch On the Fly highlights.

I was surprised the goal didn't get called back but if indeed that's how they're gonna call it going forward as Rycroft stated in intermission and you're at least allowed to brush past the goalie without flat-out hitting him and knocking him out of position, I am more than okay with it going forward.

The team just looks plum worn out. They just ran outta gas in the third, simple as that. I didn't think they were all that great in the first two, even though they put a lot of pressure on Fleury. They just didn't seem to have it, I knew something was off when they flat out whiffed on three scoring chances on the first power play. The ice in T-Mobile must be horrid beyond belief, I not only saw whiffed shots and mishandled pucks, I also saw players falling down for no discernible reason. That, more than the so-called "Vegas Flu," is likely a big key to their home-ice advantage. The Hitch-era Stars thrived in their old rink (Reunion?) and the ice there was legendary for being the worst in the league (though Crawford was very emphatic that the ice at McNichols was the very worst).

Anyway, tough loss to take. Hope springs eternal for a couple more games at least.

 

[dahrougem2]

The top line just can't do anything playing 24 minutes. For all the great work the Soderberg line does, they aren't all that effective offensively. They're putting up 3rd line numbers in a 2nd line role. But it doesn't help that Jost/Compher are putting up 4th line numbers this season.

The team needs to get secondary scoring in the worst way to finish out this season if they have any hope of making the playoffs.

 

[henchman21]

The top line just can't do anything playing 24 minutes. For all the great work the Soderberg line does, they aren't all that effective offensively. They're putting up 3rd line numbers in a 2nd line role. But it doesn't help that Jost/Compher are putting up 4th line numbers this season.

The team needs to get secondary scoring in the worst way to finish out this season if they have any hope of making the playoffs.

This year and next. Single biggest issue facing the team to making the playoffs consistently.

 

[dahrougem2]

I also haven't liked Jost one bit on the PP recently. He isn't a threat to do anything out there, and all he is looking to do is get the puck to MacKinnon even when he's in traffic and there are others open while MacKinnon has players around him.

Our options are extremely limited, though. But I'd prefer a right shot as of now instead of Jost. When Rantanen gives the puck to Landeskog in the corner, he has three options: drive, give it back to Mikko, or go cross-crease to MacKinnon but MacK is rarely sneaking in back door. There is zero option to give it to Jost since he's a left shot and can't one-time it. Not saying players like Compher/Comeau are the answer here, but wouldn't hurt to try them in that spot to give Landeskog and the PP in general that one extra shooting option.

 

[cgf]

I did like our PP set up when Mikko shifted down low, Landy went into the slot, and Jost took Mikko’s spot from the half board.

Seemed like Jost could do damage from there while Mikko is even deadlier behind the net.

 

[dahrougem2]

I think Mikko is a lot more deadly on the half wall than he is behind the net

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I also haven't liked Jost one bit on the PP recently. He isn't a threat to do anything out there, and all he is looking to do is get the puck to MacKinnon even when he's in traffic and there are others open while MacKinnon has players around him.

Our options are extremely limited, though. But I'd prefer a right shot as of now instead of Jost. When Rantanen gives the puck to Landeskog in the corner, he has three options: drive, give it back to Mikko, or go cross-crease to MacKinnon but MacK is rarely sneaking in back door. There is zero option to give it to Jost since he's a left shot and can't one-time it. Not saying players like Compher/Comeau are the answer here, but wouldn't hurt to try them in that spot to give Landeskog and the PP in general that one extra shooting option.

Yeah I'm not liking Jost there either. Should be Andrighetto's spot when healthy. When Ghetto's not healthy it should be Soderberg.

 

[Balthazar]

The top line just can't do anything playing 24 minutes. For all the great work the Soderberg line does, they aren't all that effective offensively. They're putting up 3rd line numbers in a 2nd line role. But it doesn't help that Jost/Compher are putting up 4th line numbers this season.

We have the cap space to pay for an entire 2nd line, we just don't have any 2nd liner to pay. Can't believe some people are against going after JVR this summer. That'd be a start.

 

[lonelybadger]

Tavares doesn't need any linemates

 

[dahrougem2]

We have the cap space to pay for an entire 2nd line, we just don't have any 2nd liner to pay. Can't believe some people are against going after JVR this summer. That'd be a start.

I'm 100% against long UFA contracts for slow power forwards. That's why I'm against a JVR signing.

 

[Balthazar]

Tavares doesn't need any linemates

How are the Isles doing?

 

[Foppberg]

How are the Isles doing?

Offense is not their problem. Defense and goaltending is.

 

[lonelybadger]

Offense is not their problem. Defense and goaltending is.

Tavares on the Avalanche would be in the playoffs for sure.

Without looking, I am guessing he has more goals than the Avs second line combined. Alright I looked. Our "offensive" second line of Compher, Jost, Kerfoot - combined 39 goals, 81. Tavares 33 and 78 points.

 

[McMetal]

I did like our PP set up when Mikko shifted down low, Landy went into the slot, and Jost took Mikko’s spot from the half board.

Seemed like Jost could do damage from there while Mikko is even deadlier behind the net.

Yeah, they don't do that nearly often enough. Shades of Army still in the PP. The movement goes Rantanen, to Barrie, to MacK, then if there's no cross ice pass available, it goes MacK to Barrie to Rantanen and repeats. I like it when they shift the PP to have Landy with the puck below the dots, Jost in the slot, and MacK behind him to catch any bounces from trying to center it. You need a few different looks to crack a PK sometimes.

 

[cgf]

I think Mikko is a lot more deadly on the half wall than he is behind the net

He has been this year, but in the past Mikko has just been filthy behind the net as well. I waffle on where I think he’s more dangerous depending on the day, but it’s another look that I think would crush it & that I’d like to see them utilize more

 

[Pokecheque]

I did like our PP set up when Mikko shifted down low, Landy went into the slot, and Jost took Mikko’s spot from the half board.

Seemed like Jost could do damage from there while Mikko is even deadlier behind the net.

I think Mikko is a lot more deadly on the half wall than he is behind the net

Jost has a really good shot, not sure why he hasn't used it much. Does he normally park himself in the slot area?

I'd rather see Landy in the slot area, he's probably the best at deflecting shots and getting to rebounds right now. Jost can score some greasy goals now and again but gets shoved around a little too easily.

Mikko is only good on the half wall when he's shooting it. When he's bobbling the puck or missing the net by a mile he's not very effective.

 

[cgf]

Jost has a really good shot, not sure why he hasn't used it much. Does he normally park himself in the slot area?

I'd rather see Landy in the slot area, he's probably the best at deflecting shots and getting to rebounds right now. Jost can score some greasy goals now and again but gets shoved around a little too easily.

Mikko is only good on the half wall when he's shooting it. When he's bobbling the puck or missing the net by a mile he's not very effective.

Generally Landy plays behind the net with Jost in the slot and the MacK-Barrie-Mikko triumvirate up top. Which I don’t hate by any stretch. Jost’s quick hands, shot & thinking are well served in that central spot when he’s not forcing the puck to MacK. MacK n Mikko are nasty from the half boards with their ability to wire shots & sling lethal passes either across the crease, down low, or to tee Tyson up. Having Landy down low to fight for pucks and help maintain possession is really useful. And Barrie’s chemistry with MacK has him killing it from the point...so many times he has just perfectly placed the puck for MacK to just blast it into goal on a play that looks easy but delivering consistently in the perfect spot for MacK to one time is actually pretty damn hard...which is probably why VGK were so aggressive about getting sticks onto those pucks and never letting pucks make it to MacK clean.

But it has been getting too static & too reliant on bombs from MacK or T-boobs when everything isn’t clicking. Which is why I’d like for them to rotate things around when teams are clogging the middle to take away the MacK-Mikko passing lanes & close Tyson’s shooting lanes. Challenging us to beat them down low.

Landy could be effective in that net front / slot spot. Jost was deadly from that right half board in college and could feed MacK from there the way he used to feed Boeser if those cross slot passing lanes opened back up.

And Mikko has always been a magician behind the goal, so: a) he could create a lot more danger from there than we do currently (which in theory should be a bigger jump than the bump we take with Jost taking Mikko’s spot on the right half boards); b) should put teams more on the back foot on the PK since they can’t be as aggressive up high without getting burnt; and c) moving Mikko down low (and the goals we’d score off his feeds from there) should help open the cross slot passing lanes up, stuffing which is how Vegas & LA stifled our PP these last 3 games.

 

[Pokecheque]

Oh BTW I'm not all sunshine and rainbows...I thought Patrik Nemeth was absolutely horrid. People can jump down my throat all they want, and he obviously wasn't the only reason they lost, but he defended two goals about as poorly as one can, basically doing his trademark back-all-the-way-into-the-goalie tactic on one (Theodore I think) and trying and failing miserably to block another on the power play (Marchessault). In fact on the 2nd power play goal given up you can see him inexplicably turn sideways just as the shot is being made, like he realizes one moment too late he's doing nothing except screening his goalie and tries to get out of the way. I'm not even going to qualify my criticism this time around with the "I realize he's a waiver wire pickup playing way over his head" excuse, because even that doesn't hold water. I really, really hope they move on from him this offseason.

 

[cgf]

Is Dunk or Lindholm any better? Third pairing / waiver guys are that for a reason. Sure I’d love for one of Meloche or Timmins to just dominate in camp next season so we start the season with EJ, Barrie & one of those kids on one side, and Zads, Samwise & Barbie on the other.

But we could very well have at least another season of relying on a bum even when everyone’s healthy for another year. I think the best we can hope for is that Alt doesn’t fade as badly as Dunk / Lindholm / Nemeth did so a Barberio - Alt third pairing isn’t a liability if Barbie ever comes back to life

 

[missionAvs]

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.

I thought EJ was the best Avalanche player last night.

My mistake, I was referring to last night's game and the LA one. That said, Vegas definitely outplayed us in both the 3rd period and OT in the game we won 2-1 in the shootout. Only reason we came out on top was due to Varly having a lights out game which could also be said for Flower in the first two periods of that game as well.

We're going to lose games but I'd love to see a more consistent 60 minute effort from the team which is something we just haven't seen the last 3 games when it just so happens to be the most important time.

 

[Pokecheque]

Next year's top four should be some combination of Johnson/Barrie/Zadorov/Girard, with maybe Barberio, who is a perfectly good depth option when not dead. Maybe Meloche is ready, maybe not, I'm not counting on him or Conor to be ready by the time next season starts by any means. There should be some okay options in free agency and if they wanted to pursue a trade they could. Whatever the case it should be exceedingly easy to build a viable top-four out of what they already have. That leaves bottom pairing options and...really, there should be no issue whatsoever there, even if they stay in-house. I'm guessing Dunk finally walks, Lindholm sticks around as a 7th guy, and no idea on Alt/Graves/etc. The answer may be a guy we don't even know about.

It'd be awesome if Meloche factors in somehow. Maybe it's just because he's Quebecois and shoots right but he looks tailor-made to be Sam Girard's defensive partner.

 

[Bender]

So last night wasn't unexpected...we aren't going to win out the rest of our games but we are definitely going to need another road trip where the team plays it's best hockey for us to get in. Maybe not straight-up wins but at least some points in some of those games.

I think we will need 97-98 points to make it. There is no excuse for us NOT to win the next 2 games at home against opponents that played the night before. Then we're going to have to find a way to pick up some points on that road trip (@ANA,@LA,@SJS) and hopefully when we come back home for our last game of the season at home against St-Louis, we are where we want to be.

I have to ask, is there an issue with our training staff? What's the deal with guys coming back from injury and then all of a sudden they're gone again with very little detail on their status? Seems like it's happened all frikkin' year long! Where the hell is Barberio? Is Ghetto injured again? Is Yakupov still on this team?

I don't really agree with some of the more 'minor' choices that Bednar has made over the past week or so. I truly hate the 11 forward / 7 d-men configuration...it makes the 6th and 7th d-man even less effective than normal, if that's even possible. I know Siemens isn't perfect but I prefer how we looked with him in the lineup a few weeks back rather than what Warsofsky, Alt, Lindholm have shown recently.

I don't like Jost on our first PP unit. I think I would probably prefer Compher there instead or even Soderberg. I love the kid but right now, he's trying to do too much and getting nothing done. I'm sure he feels the pressure to produce with those guys and I think it will come, in time but that is something we don't have a lot of right now.

I like Toninato's hustle and drive but I still don't think he's ready for the NHL yet. He's needs to get more experience in the AHL.
Don't we have another guy on the rampage that can maybe just win a few faceoffs and play 4:00 per night for the next 6 games?? I cringe whenever that 4th line finds itself on the ice unless MacK is added and then I feel that double-shifting him takes him out of his normal game rhythm. (I haven't seen him play but can Felix Girard skate / win faceoffs?)

 

[Sea Eagles]

If at the beginning of October you would've told me this team would finish near the top 12 teams in the league AND miss out on the playoffs I would've thought you were crazy. Now clearly I don't want this team to miss the playoffs, but if they do I'll be proud of them because they would've exceeded everyone(except @Sea Eagles ) expectations. There hasn't really been any point in the season where they fully rolled over and accepted defeat; they've played entertaining and good hockey for most of the year and they did this all in the toughest division in the NHL. If they were in any division other than the Central I'd bet they'd be in a playoff spot. I get the negativity, but lets try and focus on some of the positives, especially since the race isn't even over yet.

We'll make the p/o's mate.

 

[AvsMakar08]

Is Dunk or Lindholm any better? Third pairing / waiver guys are that for a reason. Sure I’d love for one of Meloche or Timmins to just dominate in camp next season so we start the season with EJ, Barrie & one of those kids on one side, and Zads, Samwise & Barbie on the other.

But we could very well have at least another season of relying on a bum even when everyone’s healthy for another year. I think the best we can hope for is that Alt doesn’t fade as badly as Dunk / Lindholm / Nemeth did so a Barberio - Alt third pairing isn’t a liability if Barbie ever comes back to life

Makar will make NHL a season or two sooner then Timmins.