GDT: Panthers @ Avs | March 3rd 7 PM MST | Daily Press Edition

[tigervixxxen]

One thing I need to whine about is how Roy is managing the bench.

Our top 3 forwards in terms of ice time this game were Mack Landy and Comeau and they were way, waaaaay ahead of the rest of the pack. Honestly I just don't see it in Comeau. Yeah probably the passes aren't the best but it seems like everytime he touches the puck on the pp he loses it. Solid bottom 6 but absolutely should not be on the power play.

I just spent like 5 minutes staring at the game sheets and can't quite figure out how the TOI arrived at what it did. Duchene's line is essentially the "3rd line" but that doesn't explain how Soda's line ended up with less time too.

 

[the_fan]

Soderberg was completely invisible tonight, and has been for a while. They really need more from him offensively.

If I had a dollar every time I heard that someone on the Avs has been invisible for a while I'd be rich. The inconsistency runs throughout this team's line up

 

[chet1926]

I'm not sure what I thought about tonight's game, but I guess a win is a win, no matter how ugly it might have been.

After the first period I was going to give credit to Landeskog for doing what I asked and going to the net hard like a power forward should. His goal was a great example of putting your head down a charging the net with the intent to score. I hope to see more of that kind of play down the stretch. But then the 2nd period happened and he looked like the worst player out there, and could have easily cost the game in one 4 minute stretch where he completely blew his assignment on Campbell which led to an easy goal, then followed it up 30 seconds later with a lazy ass tripping penalty that put them on the PP with the opportunity to tie the score. Not going to comment on the 3rd as everyone on the team **** the bed there.

It was nice to see Duchene get us that insurance goal we haven't been getting lately. Those are the types of plays we are going to need if we want any shot at the playoffs.

It's nice to have a winger that can actually put a puck in the net off a not perfect feed. That Boedker goal was a nice display of what a top 6 winger with actual talent can do for you. Instead of a super washed up Tanguay who would have probably just fumbled the pass and then shot it harmlessly into the goalie. If Boedker continues to play like he has the first couple games, I will be extremely disappointed if they don't do everything in their power to keep him around.

Still frustrated with our lack of ability to finish games. Play horrendous 3rd period where we give up a multitude of shots, but still had 3 to 4 odd man rushes and a penalty shot in the period and couldn't find a way to get that killer goal that would have made the rest of the game much easier. A killer instinct, especially at home, would be nice.

But like I said earlier a win is a win. Let's move on to the next one. We're going to really have to step it up for that one Nashville is on fire right now.

 

[The Merchant]

Best part of the game was the star selections. The crowd reacting to Picks they way they did and seeing his reaction was the best feeling this team has given me almost all season.

 

[Joe Sakic]

Bigras and EJ were bad tonight.

Duchene is absolutely carrying his line. Iggy and Grig did almost nothing tonight 5 on 5.

 

[Balthazar]

I'm happy with Picks and all but the AVS knew after the 2nd period that Minny won and their response was to give up 20 SOG during the first 12 minutes of the 3rd period.

If that's not scary then I don't know what it is.

 

[klozge]

Bigras and EJ were bad tonight.

Duchene is absolutely carrying his line. Iggy and Grig did almost nothing tonight 5 on 5.

I wished Roy would try him on MacKinnon's line again. When they played together they had huge chemistry. MacKinnon was scoring like crazy in that time. And neither MacKinnon's nor Duchene's line look overwhelmingly good at the moment.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I guess we've taken another step if we're all complaining about line combinations as a major factor again.

 

[Boulder Avalanche]

Call up Rantanen and put him with Duchene and Grigs. Soderberg then can get a decent linemate and we Iginla can be more fresh for the powerplay. While at it bring up Zadorov I would rather have him on the 3rd pairing than a spare part.

Rants- Duchene- Grigs

Landy - MacK - Boeds

Matthias - Soda - Iggy

McLeod - Mitchell- Comeau/Skille

EJ- Bigras (might be early but he has been our best defenseman for the past few weeks)

Barrie - FB (for love of all things holy get Holden out of the top 4)

Spare Piece/Zadorov - Holden

Pickard (Play the hot goalie)

Varly

 

[Boulder Avalanche]

I wished Roy would try him on MacKinnon's line again. When they played together they had huge chemistry. MacKinnon was scoring like crazy in that time. And neither MacKinnon's nor Duchene's line look overwhelmingly good at the moment.

Boeds and Landy are doing well together no need to breakup that one pair that works.

 

[cgf]

Not at the expense of having Rantanen come into this lineup during a playoff push as a centre.

That line isn't getting the job done as our shutdown line with Matthias and Comeau on Soda's wings. We could shelter the **** out of the Matthias-Rantanen-Iginla line if our top 6 was clicking and we had a tough minute line.

Any other combination either breaks up the Landy-MacK-Boeds line, or leaves Soda with wingers that he can't carry the tough minutes with.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

" I guess a win is a win, no matter how ugly it might have been."

~Dr. Seuss?

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Why the talk about Rantanen? Is he coming up or what?

Rantanen would make our offense look pretty good.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Soderberg was completely invisible tonight, and has been for a while. They really need more from him offensively.

Roy also just took away the best part of his game. the PP. Maybe it's punishment for his lack of production lately but we need him back on the PP ASAP.

He has 13 powerplay points this year and 19 ES. You know he's a good pp producer when those numbers are near even.

 

[AslanRH]

Since Roy doesn't use centers exclusively for faceoffs anyway, having a Comeau - Matthias - Iginla 3rd line doesn't really matter much. Burying Yeti with on a line with grinders and expecting him to produce 5v5 didn't work in the beginning of the year nor has it worked recently. Taking him off the power play where he has been very effective because he isn't producing 5v5 is just throwing the chair in the trash because you stubbed your toe on it.

 

[Thepoolmaster]

I think Comeau gets the ice time he does because he plays so much pp time.

Grigs and Duchene seem to have good chemistry and Comeau is the only that will actually shoot the puck (into the goalies chest but still).

If soderberg is to play the pp it will be at the expense of grigorenko not Comeau. No one else even attempts to shoot.

 

[freeboy]

Boeds and Landy are doing well together no need to breakup that one pair that works.

I think Beds is so happy to be out of the dez dog prison ... our uptempo game if we can start hitting without Marty.. but honestly we look so week and anemic...
Thinks I dis like.. weak defense
sitting back with the lead
soda pop line needs some juice... add Rants?

Things I liked... the forth winger effect with the barrie-man jumping into the action.... the FL announcers where critical not knowing that is the new Roy system of attacking using a swinging d man and rotating a forward up top.....

I like seeing dutchii get angry, plays so much better ... Roy should slap him around every five minutes.... the announcers talked about him being angry and complaining to a ref.. then he came out and went one against the world mode and scored...

LAndi playing again post injury

Like our cycle and pp goal......

We need to see some more creativity to utilize our strengths...

When we play like this.. it shows how much we have relied on super varlie and EJ to protect our weak asssed d core

 

[henchman21]

Soda should be used on the PP again, but I don't really have complaints about the Matthias-Soda-Comeau line. That is a pretty solid 3rd line and is being used like a 2b line.

Overall the first 40 minutes of the game went great. The last 20 Florida was throwing everything AND the kitchen sink at Picks. They dominated, but I think that was to be somewhat expected down in the 3rd in an important game for them. The Avs need to do a better job of keeping their composure in those situations and learn how to grind the game down.

 

[The Shermanator]

Do we actually know at all if Landy is or was even injured. Whenever he plays poorly we just assume he is injured and he's playing okay so we assume he's healthy again?

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Bigras and EJ were bad tonight.

Duchene is absolutely carrying his line. Iggy and Grig did almost nothing tonight 5 on 5.

Iggy is always going to be the passenger on that line, but I don't necessarily agree on Grigs. He made a nice defensive play in the NZ along the boards to spring Duchene and Iggy on a 2 on 1 that just missed. It was also nice to see him shooting the puck, as MacK only had more shots than him last night.

Do we actually know at all if Landy is or was even injured. Whenever he plays poorly we just assume he is injured and he's playing okay so we assume he's healthy again?

Yes, he was injured. And the people that go in the locker room will tell you that no one has taken more of a beating this year than him.

 

[henchman21]

It is probably fair to say that all hockey players are playing with some sort of injury at this point. Some worse than others... as for Landy, I think it was pretty clear he had a shoulder injury at some point. He wouldn't lift it, it was wrapped, wasn't playing physical, etc.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Landy's shoulder was never hurt. It was just the main focus of an upcoming magazine photoshoot so he wasn't willing to use it.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Landy's shoulder was never hurt. It was just the main focus of an upcoming magazine photoshoot so he wasn't willing to use it.

 

[Freudian]

When you have watched players for a few hundred games you can usually tell when something major is off. EJ's skating is a dead giveaway if something is bothering him. Landeskogs puck handling/shooting/physicality was clearly off the first three months. Looks more normal now.

 

[ABasin]

The Avs won? Great, let me check the goaltender stats: .950 save%. Ah, yes - like clockwork. The only way this team wins hockey games is if they get spectacular goaltending.

Anyway, liked the first period, 2nd was meh, 3rd was Pickard. Happy to have the two points.