GDT: Game LIX: Avalanche vs Holden Knights | 7 PM MT | February 18, 2019

Foppa2118

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Oct 3, 2003
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I've been waiting all season for the top line to hit a hiccup and for Bednar to try Jost with Landy. The first time they do, he plays his best game of the year. At center I might add.

Their playing styles are a perfect fit for each other, and Landy helps take the defensive load off Jost, so he can just focus on offense. When he's playing with Wilson and Bourque, they don't have enough skill to take advantage of Jost's skill. When he's playing with Kerfoot or whoever else, they're usually trying to make plays off the rush. This isn't his style.

Jost talked about this during his intermission interview. He talked about how him and Landy both like to play below the dots and in the corners, and then go to the net. I don't know how long Landy will stay off the top line, but this is why the makeup of the team isn't right at the moment.

They have too many of the Kerfoot/Andrighetto types that Bednar loves, but can only succeed playing one way, and don't contribute much when they're not scoring. Compher's the same way. He's still not good enough defensively IMO. They need a more skilled Wilson/Calvert to play in the middle six, which will help everyone, including Jost because he'll have a style of play that he's better suited for.
 
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McMetal

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Graves was pretty invisible last night, which is kind of ideal for a bottom pairing Dman. Aside from being involved in the rush that led to the third goal, he pretty much just made the safe play most of the time and wasn't a liability. I think it's safe to say he's got a spot on the team for the rest of the season.
 
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Foppa2118

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Graves was pretty invisible last night, which is kind of ideal for a bottom pairing Dman. Aside from being involved in the rush that led to the third goal, he pretty much just made the safe play most of the time and wasn't a liability. I think it's safe to say he's got a spot on the team for the rest of the season.

I'd disagree a little bit with that. I think he was a bit of a mixed bag last night. Made some nice defensive plays, but has been letting turnovers creep into his game a little the last few games.

I think he's trying to do a little too much with the puck at times because he's had some early success. Still like his game though. Definitely more than Nemeth who's been pretty bad for a while now.
 
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McMetal

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I'd disagree a little bit with that. I think he was a bit of a mixed bag last night. Made some nice defensive plays, but has been letting turnovers creep into his game a little the last few games.

I think he's trying to do a little too much with the puck at times because he's had some early success. Still like his game though. Definitely more than Nemeth who's been pretty bad for a while now.
I didn't notice anything bad from him last night. The worst turnovers of the night actually belonged to Girard in his own end, due to miscommunications with the people receiving his passes. I think he sometimes gets flippant with those behind the net passes and teams pounce on him.
 

Pierce Hawthorne

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You can say the same about the Avs and the chances they missed. It was an evenly played game against a good team and the Avs won. That's a good win.


Exactly this.


90% of wins and losses a team accumulates throughout a season are exactly like this. It's not often at all a team gets dominated or dominates someone else.


Most of the time it's close, hard fought games where usually only 2-3 plays over the course of a game separate the winning team from the losing team. Avs capitalized on the chances we got last night and limited the quality of teh chances Vegas got effectively enough to stop them from scoring.


It was a good win. Not a dominant win, but a good win. A type of win we haven't experienced in quite some time.
 

Pokecheque

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I don't like how Graves has gone from a guy who occasionally jumped up to lay a hit to just backing into his own zone and trying in vain to block passing lanes like too many of his Avs teammates do, but I thought he was okay. He's a third pairing guy and at times he'll show you why. I just would like to know what Pratt is telling his defenders to do, because I'm not liking this rather passive approach.

Interesting that pretty much every move a lot of us (including me) blasted them for paid off. Agz had his best game in the NHL by far at 28 years of age.

God I hope to hell that is an indicator of things to come from Tyson Jost. We've been waiting a while for THAT for a while now. And yes, it makes sense that pairing him with Gabe Landeskog and another defensive forward in Calvert resulted in one of Jost's best games in the NHL. I also thought each member

Vegas was shockingly bad defensively, especially on the Agozzino goal. The Avs actually looked like the faster team last night, which I haven't been able to say for a while now. Even in cases where they might have been, they still didn't LOOK like the faster team. Different case last night.

But mainly, the Avs got top-notch goaltending. We'll see what happens from here on out but...at least in this recent stretch Varly played like an top-flight goalie. I suppose that means his slump was likely health-related and it's taken him this long to finally get back on track.
 

Pierce Hawthorne

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My money on the Agz call up and getting some decent minutes and chances is that he's being looked at as a potential Andrighetto replacement in the lineup. Since it sounds like we're trying to trade Sven I think they wanted to see if Agozzino could replace the role Sven had when he's moved. Granted Sven really didn't have much of a role to begin with but knowing Agozzino can come in and fill that spot(Play some PP, add some speed and some offensive flair, but also kill penalties a bit) will make it even easier to just take whatever we can get and cut ties with Sven.


It's not like either guy has a future with the Avs if we want to be competitive. So might as well get something of value for Sven in a trade and rewards Agozzino with some real NHL time to finish the season and a shot at earning a 1-way contract somewhere else in the league next year.
 
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Foppa2118

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Oct 3, 2003
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I didn't notice anything bad from him last night. The worst turnovers of the night actually belonged to Girard in his own end, due to miscommunications with the people receiving his passes. I think he sometimes gets flippant with those behind the net passes and teams pounce on him.

They weren't that egregious because he had some support at the time. There were a few on clearing attempts, and breakout passes that resulted in icings too, if I remember correctly.

Girard has struggled a bit in that regard this year. I think he's overhanding the puck a little too much, and his proximity sensor for how close the forecheckers are to him, isn't firing at 100%. He could stand to move the puck a little quicker in certain situations, but that's part of the learning process for young defenseman.
 
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MarkT

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They need a more skilled Wilson/Calvert to play in the middle six, which will help everyone, including Jost because he'll have a style of play that he's better suited for.

You mean Landeskog?

Honestly I think the best thing for this team would be for someone else (either Ottawa's pick, a free agent, or a trade acquisition) to steal Landy's top line spot permanently, and allow Landy to drive his own line with someone like Jost.
 
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Foppa Frossa

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You mean Landeskog?

Honestly I think the best thing for this team would be for someone else (either Ottawa's pick, a free agent, or a trade acquisition) to steal Landy's top line spot permanently, and allow Landy to drive his own line with someone like Jost.

Kakko would be fine.
 

21

Peter The Great
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Certainly not Patrik Nemeth. He's still managed to be by far the wrost Dman on the team and continually created Offensive chances for the opposition.

It's difficult judging goalies playing for poor teams and it's also difficult judging defensive d-men.

I guess I will have to compare some Cole vs Nemeth stats, perhaps starting with penalty killing stats this season and last season.

In last game vs Vegas Nemeth had 7:02 shtoi... almost twice as much as Erik Johnson and you are calling him "by far the worst dman on the team" in this specific game, really? With your logic Bednar is stupid and you are smart.

The Avs biggest issues this season:
Inconsistent goaltending and Rantanen, Landeskog & MacKinnon sometimes being too selfish.

The positives:
The official breakthrough of Rantanen, Landeskog & MacKinnon

They need to focus on winning hockey games and playing like a team, standing up for eachother and playing physical, not their own personal stats and bonuses. I want them to play like their lives is depending on it, war like attitude like in the good old days, 100% effort entire game, winning is everything. We need bonuses based on team stats.

Perhaps this team need a new coach, a tough one.
 
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21

Peter The Great
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There's a red flashing light at @21's house that goes off when someone trashes Nemeth on HF.

Wish I had a house but I live about 300m from Gabe if swimming ;-)

A house cranking up my music when listening to Swedish death metal without neighbours complaining. ;-)
 

Foppa2118

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Oct 3, 2003
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You mean Landeskog?

Honestly I think the best thing for this team would be for someone else (either Ottawa's pick, a free agent, or a trade acquisition) to steal Landy's top line spot permanently, and allow Landy to drive his own line with someone like Jost.

I think somewhere in between Landy and Calvert would be preferable. Landy's an elite power forward, and has great chemistry with Nate and Mikko. I think the best course would be to try and build a second line that can employ an effective playing style, and allow the top line to be re-united.

Even if Jost is centering a 3rd line, with a more effective Calvert/Wilson, it could help the team a lot. Jost needs a skilled enough grinder to help him down low, and defensively, so that his own skill can be utilized coming out of the cycle.
 
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