GDT: R1G2: SEA @ COL: (Series Tied 1-1) 9:30p ET

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

In a series where almost everyone is playing as hard and fast as LoC, he really shows his limitations.

In series where the opposition roster has NHL players Newhook shows his limitations.

Kidding aside LOC looks way better when Cogliano is in the lineup.

 

[John Mandalorian]

I watched the whole game on mute. I had a podcast playing instead. That’s how much I can’t stand Boucher. Lol

Same - except it was music.

It would be nice if it was an option within the broadcast so they can know they're being rejected. Not that ESPiN cares.

 

[Grigowski]

Seattle gets last change now. Which means they will game plan entirely around shutting down MacKinnon and knowing the next threat coming down the middle of the ice is JT2C (lulz). Knowing Bednar, he'll keep Rantanen with MacKinnon. Which means Seattle really only has to shut down one line and let their much better depth beat out the Avs depth.

We saw it in the Nashville series, the SJ series, and the Vegas series. Seattle will clog up the neutral zone to prevent MacKinnon from getting any speed up the ice, forcing the dump and chase (which the Avs suck balls at). The Avs will need great performances from the defense and George if they want to win on the road this year. And they really need to stop handing Seattle free goals. Over half the goals Seattle has scored so far in the series were gifted to them.

 

[Azrael89]

I do that all the time now, I like it better this way. Only exception is when the Avs are on Sportsnet or TSN.

Same - except it was music.

It would be nice if it was an option within the broadcast so they can know they're being rejected. Not that ESPiN cares.

Too many of these national broadcast teams express a clear favorite/bias in any given game, and the ones who don’t have no idea what they’re watching most of the time.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Too many of these national broadcast teams express a clear favorite/bias in any given game, and the ones who don’t have no idea what they’re watching most of the time.

It's weird how everyone has to be careful about offending various groups of people but geography bias is perfectly fine. Though Brian Brainrot is the more annoyingly biased one, Bob Wischusen has a history himself. He did a Big 12 games a few years ago and made a joke about there being only one paved street. He's from Jersey. ESPiN is based in CT - it's NE but also a bedrooum community for New Yorkers. If anyone was this insulting about any form of other group, they'd be fired. But apparently any form of geographically based insults is OK with ESPiN.

BTW, have you noticed that the camera always targets visiting fans if the visiting team scores a goal? But they almost never do this for Boston games. Why is that? It's kind of strange.

 

[shadow1]

6 Avs forwards didn't even reach 10:00 minutes of TOI tonight. Just not sustainable. I know the Avs were down 2 and needed goals so it makes the Avs getting a lead imperative in games moving forward.

Manson only played 12 minutes again. He has to be hurt.

Manson with 12 makes sense, he's coming back from injury. Avs were down 2 and all of Girard, Byram, Toews, and Makar can handle 20+ minutes throughout the playoffs.

Manson will play more as the Avs get deeper into the playoffs. Seattle isn't an overly physical team, so the Avs can afford to ease him back in.

Manson could be injured still, but his ice time was indicative of his play (which could be the result of still being injured).

Another awful game by him. Seriously, I don't complain that much on this forum. But after his infamously bad performance in Game 1, Manson struggled again in Game 2. He took the needless penalty in the 1st period, and got caught up pinching up ice later in the period.

Every time he touched the puck for the rest of the game, Manson wouldn't take the half second needed to make a safe play with it. He would just blindly swat it up the boards to a waiting Seattle player, which is why he got crushed last night (37.5 CF%).

It was painful to watch. Again, he could be hurt, but we saw play like this from him in the 2022 regular season and even once or twice in the 2022 playoffs. Until he can turn it around, my butt cheeks will remain clenched every time he and the puck are both in Colorado's defensive zone.

 

[Muffin]

Makar has to be hurt still. 24 minutes is a light night for him considering they were trailing or tied for most of the game.

 

[Azrael89]

It's weird how everyone has to be careful about offending various groups of people but geography bias is perfectly fine. Though Brian Brainrot is the more annoyingly biased one, Bob Wischusen has a history himself. He did a Big 12 games a few years ago and made a joke about there being only one paved street. He's from Jersey. ESPiN is based in CT - it's NE but also a bedrooum community for New Yorkers. If anyone was this insulting about any form of other group, they'd be fired. But apparently any form of geographically based insults is OK with ESPiN.

BTW, have you noticed that the camera always targets visiting fans if the visiting team scores a goal? But they almost never do this for Boston games. Why is that? It's kind of strange.

The other thing I can’t stand is the narrative painting ESPN does. It’s pushing the NHL dangerously close to WWE style storytelling. In the first game they were pumping up Seattle like they were beating the same exact roster that won the Cup last year, without giving context for why the Avs might be a little off their game or taking a step back. I think they mentioned Landeskog being out, but that’s it.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Makar has to be hurt still. 24 minutes is a light night for him considering they were trailing or tied for most of the game.

I think he’s fine.

There aren’t many penalties being called in this series for either side, which is naturally going to bring his ice-time down a touch. He’s still at 25+ for the series.

If we see games where both teams have 4+ power plays, you’ll probably see his minutes rise more because of his time on the PK and PP.

I don’t have any issue with how they handled the top-4 last night. They looked great.

 

[Muffin]

I think he’s fine.

There aren’t many penalties being called in this series for either side, which is naturally going to bring his ice-time down a touch. He’s still at 25+ for the series.

If we see games where both teams have 4+ power plays, you’ll probably see his minutes rise more because of his time on the PK and PP.

I don’t have any issue with how they handled the top-4 last night. They looked great.

I think the defense was fine as long as Bednar stops trying the Girard-Byram pairing, that's just a disaster. Not surprised they looked a lot better once he swapped Byram and Toews. Ideally we really should split Manson and EJ as well but Bednar probably isn't comfortable moving Manson up right now until he finds his game, which he did look a lot better last night. Not that noticeable which is a good thing.

 

[John Mandalorian]

The other thing I can’t stand is the narrative painting ESPN does. It’s pushing the NHL dangerously close to WWE style storytelling. In the first game they were pumping up Seattle like they were beating the same exact roster that won the Cup last year, without giving context for why the Avs might be a little off their game or taking a step back. I think they mentioned Landeskog being out, but that’s it.

Very true. @SirLoinOfCloth Made a good post that summarizes this very well. They speak out of both sides of their mouth in the process of this manufacturing of narrative. When they laud Seattle, the Avs are "Stanley Cup Champs" but when they speak of Colorado separate from that, Colorado is garbage.

Probably half of ESPiN employees are from New England. Recently, Isiah Thomas was a phone in guest and he hung up because ESPiN staff used an unflattering photo of IT. Initially, it seems like IT is over reacting but really, some Celtics fan working at ESPiN probably thought it was a good idea to passive aggressively act out.

And this type of thing happens a lot. For example, the Broncos have frequently had the Patriots number over the years - even in their best years. During this period of time, you'd often see highlight clips of certain players disproportionately be against the Broncos.

But also, the Avs probably do still get backlash due to having a SC Champion in year 1 of being in Denver. There is still probably a lot of resentment from that.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Seattle gets last change now. Which means they will game plan entirely around shutting down MacKinnon and knowing the next threat coming down the middle of the ice is JT2C (lulz). Knowing Bednar, he'll keep Rantanen with MacKinnon. Which means Seattle really only has to shut down one line and let their much better depth beat out the Avs depth.

We saw it in the Nashville series, the SJ series, and the Vegas series. Seattle will clog up the neutral zone to prevent MacKinnon from getting any speed up the ice, forcing the dump and chase (which the Avs suck balls at). The Avs will need great performances from the defense and George if they want to win on the road this year. And they really need to stop handing Seattle free goals. Over half the goals Seattle has scored so far in the series were gifted to them.

Landeskog and healthy Nuke and Cogliano are able to play the dump and chase game.

 

[Alienblood]

Seattle gets last change now. Which means they will game plan entirely around shutting down MacKinnon and knowing the next threat coming down the middle of the ice is JT2C (lulz). Knowing Bednar, he'll keep Rantanen with MacKinnon. Which means Seattle really only has to shut down one line and let their much better depth beat out the Avs depth.

We saw it in the Nashville series, the SJ series, and the Vegas series. Seattle will clog up the neutral zone to prevent MacKinnon from getting any speed up the ice, forcing the dump and chase (which the Avs suck balls at). The Avs will need great performances from the defense and George if they want to win on the road this year. And they really need to stop handing Seattle free goals. Over half the goals Seattle has scored so far in the series were gifted to them.

Seattle might not score another goal. Maybe 1 or 2

 

[dahrougem2]

I think Bo Byram has been our best player through 2 games.

Playoff Bo is becoming a thing.

 

[Chiarelli]

Johnson’s misses empty net by 20 ft. Dude is good for one hit per game and that’s about it.

Nah, he hits the ice every other play. Give him credit

 

[Alienblood]

I think Bo Byram has been our best player through 2 games.

Playoff Bo is becoming a thing.

Conn Smythe

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I know teams are reluctant to make changes after wins, but for game 3 I'd like to see:

JMFJ in for EJ
Meyers in for Newhook

I think EJ looks beyond horrible right now. He can't skate in this series. It's way too fast for him and his decisions with the puck are maddening.

Newhook is pretty simple. He's useless. At least Meyers will be a hound on the forecheck.

Bednar has clearly established a pattern with his roster decisions. Compher, Newhook and EJ must be declared dead by the County Coroner before they are ever replaced on this roster. No matter how badly they play, they will always be active at game time.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I guess a positive to take away is MacKinnon only has 1 point through 2 games.

I guess a negative to take away is MacKinnon only has 1 point through 2 games.

We'll find out in Seattle if he breaks out or if the Kraken really are doing a great job defending against him and forcing other Avs to beat them.

I suspect he's in one of his less than optimum sort of irregular <-100% funky slumps.

You can tell these by 1.) his spin/turn ups when rushing the puck, 2.) his overhanding of the puck (puck fumbles), 3.) shots that regularly miss the net and the goaltender and 4.) and passes that go awry.

He's just not optimal +100% MacK right now. He's his own worst enemy but he'll break out of it.

 

[Ararana]

I think Bo Byram has been our best player through 2 games.

Playoff Bo is becoming a thing.

Remember when Chicago jumped us in the lottery to take Kirby Dach?

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Dont get me riled up.


Dont you forget it. I wasnt negative tonight though. I was calling it out. So many odd man rushes against and so many more where it was this close to being one. Its something Jared needs to figure out.

Actually, there is a big difference between being negative versus calling out. If your play sucks, you get called out. Negative is no matter what goes right, one's response is I hate this ****ing team.

 

[the_fan]

So we all agree, that’s the last game (or only game) Avs won in this series. Seattle is winning the next 3…..right?

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Messier in particular is god awful. Wish they’d just hire talented sports journalists to do their actual job.

Their delivery is terrible. Not broadcaster material. But their technical insights are pretty darn ...... insightful. They know the game rules wise. But they can also convey a sense of player mindset and reaction (ups and downs) to the events that occur.

I find the latter valuable.

 

[Avs2022]

The worst national announcer for me was the guy they had do play by play during the finals. He sounded so unenthusiastic the whole time, but worst when a goal was scored. It’s like he took Valium before every game.

He's still doing playoffs. He did the Tampa Bay/Toronto game 1. No enthusiasm, boring, dude is the worst.

The team that called this Av's game I actually like.

 

[LOFIN]

Nice to see both Nuke and Lehky contributing on the scoresheet, that absolutely needs to happen in the future as well.

 

[dahrougem2]

He's still doing playoffs. He did the Tampa Bay/Toronto game 1. No enthusiasm, boring, dude is the worst.

The team that called this Av's game I actually like.

No idea why that guy gets the SCF. It's like he wants people to change the channel.