GDT: R2 G3: Avs @ Golden Knights 10 ET/8 MT *Who Will Be Tonight's Hero?*

[Colorado Avalanche]

Normally I'd be right beside you in that sentiment... But they have been thoroughly, thoroughly out played in 5 straight periods now. Yeah we're still up 2-1 but this could easily be a 2-1 Vegas lead right now as well and if if Avs keep playing like they have the last two games it will be a 4-2 Vegas series win before half the guys even get there heads out of their asses.


It's not that we lost, it's the way in which we lost, combined with the way in which we won last game.



I think it's legitimately fair to be angry and concerned about what game 4, 5, and 6 will look like.

Exactly. Vegas adjusted and we need to readjust and we didn't do that. Now I am concerned we have no counter adjustment to their adjustments. Hah

 

[BobRossColton]

Need an angry mackinnon tomorrow.

 

[The Shermanator]

Need an angry mackinnon tomorrow.

Angry smart Mackinnon. Not angry stupid Mackinnon.

 

[Avs]

I have zero doubt the Avs come out firing tomorrow.

Last nights loss shouldn’t sit well with them, and I think they come out and make a statement

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

When you have possession of the puck for about 10 minutes and get hit 50 times but the opponent has the puck for 50 minutes and only gets hit 50 times that's a problem.

Vegas has time to make that defenseman pass into the forward at their blue line who goes cross ice and it completely breaks down our defensive game.

How they have so much time and space is a mystery. But a lot of what Vegas is doing is simply standing there while the Avs defenders do weak flybys and leave gaps open to put the puck to. Just engage the player with the puck and its a different game and different series.

But that requires the effort and willingness to initiate a physical battle to win.

MacK Bura Rants and Donskoi don't do that. Compher at times throws a hit but he's useless unless at fourth line wing or on the PK.

Landy occasionally threw some hits but we need the viking back who set the tone on Schenn and ROR last series early in the games.

 

[Peter Peckerwood]

I maintain Vegas isn’t the reason the Avs have been getting dominated. It’s mostly self inflicted because the Avs are managing the puck like absolute crap. They were minutes away form a 3-0 lead in the series and they blew it because they couldn't keep possession.

They can’t settle their nerves and connect on any passes at all. Like none. Which leads to more turnovers than I’ve seen them have in years, which leads to sustained pressure in the Avs D zone, which means by the time they get the puck back, all they can do is dump it in and change, and start the process all over again.

Plus Bednar won’t let anyone hit anybody so Vegas is just fresh all night to skate circles around them in the O zone. And they can't win a face-off so between that, some poor efforts defensively, and the insane amount of turnovers, they end up chasing Vegas all night trying to get the puck back.

Soda had a terrible game. I don’t care about his goal he was trash all night. Had some lazy turnovers that lead to odd man rushes and scoring chances. Then dogged the back check and let Marchessault get a breakaway and then take the bank shot for the tying goal.

Toews also had a really bad night. Fighting the puck all night, just taking swipes at it left and right and missing on most of them, leaving himself flat footed and out of position.

Girard is really struggling defensively too. They’re relying on him too much and his weaknesses are getting exposed defensively over and over. They miss EJ and Byram big time, who I have no idea why isn’t playing. He can help this team tremendously in all zones but Bednar insists on playing Timmins and Nemeth who have made almost no positive impacts in this series or most of the playoffs.

Burakovsky really needs to get going. He’s been invisible for far too long. He was great in the playoffs last year so I don’t know what his problem is this year. They need him to get going.

Nate was terrible tonight defensively too. Just uncharacteristically lazy. Coasting to every puck battle with very little fight in him to win the battles. Then he fans on his best opportunity all night at the end of the game with Grubauer pulled and a perfect pass from Landy.

Avs need to settle down, have more poise with the puck so they can connect on their passes, move their feet better, support each other better, and if they're not winning the possession game, Bednar has to let them start hitting. They can't just chase Vegas around all night that's just making it way too easy on them.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with all of what you said.

I saw someone say that some of us are saying "no big deal" and are part of a crowd that think that? I don't think a single person is satisfied with the play here lately and definitely aren't saying nothing needs to change.

I think we're all saying the product on the ice is bad right now, with "right now" being the key. Saad is playing fairly well and needs to have a word with the boys. Some leadership has to come from within. Accountability for yourself and your brothers. No hero BS.

I knew I'd regret boasting about the Avs earlier yesterday. I said they'd have no problem with Montreal. Well, the Avs don't look much better than Winnipeg in some of their play. Mishandling pucks, bad passes...telegraphing intent/passes.

The Avs are absolutely playing like Dallas made them play.

If the Avs play this next game like they have been, then they're not equipped to win the cup because components are missing somewhere. I don't think Kadri is an excuse. Lots of teams are missing guys and are nicked up.
The secondary scoring is Saad. That's it. Nothing on D.
That seems to force the big line to behave more like Toronto or Edmonton's. We talked about their guys floating on D. They expend all energy on offense.

I shudder to think of what TB could do to this team playing like it is.

We had said before the series that the Avs had to be playing their game to take this in 7. They're not.

I don't know that Bo will make a difference because the Avs have no space and aren't creating it with their legs or passing. The greasy goals from the lower lines and the D contributing HAS to happen to create some space. Vegas can sit on our top line all game. They fear nothing beyond them. Nobody is working the boards, holding the puck in.


We're all disappointed in our own way. I'm not going to be pissed about a hockey game/team. I'm frustrated some, but I'm just not going to berate people because I don't have that energy anymore. Calling out specific players with anger doesn't do a bit of good, but I also don't care if others do so they can cope.

Bottom line is here's the adversity. Every team that is cup worthy overcomes it. Will the Avs do it? If they don't now, they were never going to. Then they'd not deserve nor win the cup.

We'll see if they want to win it....TBD.

 

[dahrougem2]

Yeah that really is a telling stat showing just how unwilling the Avs are to engage. How they had 50 hits while getting their sh*t pushed back and chasing the puck all night long and meanwhile Vegas had 50 hits while terrorizing us is embarrassing.

 

[Muffin]

No need to panic just yet, plan was always to get a split in Vegas. Just take game 4 and we’re up 3-1.

 

[cinchronicity]

Adrian Dater
@adater
39m
Bednar: "The adjustment we need to make is to outwork them."

if this is the only adjustment, then this series is lost...

So Bednar is admitting here that he is unable to make any valuable adjustments. At least the guy is honest.

 

[TomppaKoo]

MacKinnon has been doing skating drills and turning the puck over while he has 2 of the best wingers in the world in his line for 2 whole games now. Bednar needs to either get MacKinnons head out of his ass or separate Rantanen from him to give Rantanen the opportunity to win the games for Avs.

 

[S E P H]

Game 2
62% - 38% CF Vegas
Out-chanced us 23-18
HDCF 9-8 Vegas
xGF% 69% - 31% Vegas

Game 3
65% - 35% CF Vegas
Out-chanced us 38-18
HDCF 14-4 Vegas
xGF% 77% - 23% Vegas

And people are not concerned? They're MURDERING us these last two games. If this trend continues, game 4 is going to be a bloodbath and Grubauer is not going to be able to hold down the fort any longer.

Not trying to spin it because you're right on the money here, but think about it... Vegas absolutely cleaned us the entire game, did all they could've done, got two goals in a 45 second span, and still almost blew it as Avs had like five glorious chances in the last minute including that Rantanen chance. They murdered the Avs and are still barely getting by.

Bednar thinks it's a lack of effort thing and looking at anything else is a waste of time.

I hope he's right.

Maybe he knows they need adjustments, but won't tell the media and keep it internally? Avs absolutely have to setup up their forecheque again because Vegas' defence isn't really that strong when you have speed, skill, and some grit against them. Just think about it, they have Holden and we all know he isn't a good puck distributor when he's under pressure.

 

[cinchronicity]

To sort of echo what I’ve heard here, the top line has been a no show for 5 periods now. They’re still snapping it around on the PP which is nice, but the Pacioretty - Stephenson - Stone line is completely out working them. I keep hearing how fast the Avs are, then you see them lose every race to the puck. It’s an effort issue right now.


Also, where the heck is Burakovsky? Talk about disappearing when it matters.

This is on Bednar. It's not that Vegas has ONE player beating us to the puck. They are sending 2 or 3 at Mac. Every time he has the puck or appears to be getting a pass. But Vegas doesn't get to have 8 players on the ice, so if Mac is double or triple teamed, then there simply MUST be a place on the ice for others to go for an open blind pass. We have a video team. They should have seen this in the Game 2 tapes, as I noticed it in real time. Vegas has a video team too, which is why there was always a player in the worn out passing lanes Bednar dictates. As has been the case for years, Bednar gets outcoached. Is there anyone in the galaxy who did not expect Vegas to seriously clog up the neutral zone? It has been their style for 3 years and has worked well for Vegas against the Avs. Sure, they screwed it up in Game 1, but that was a single day for travel after a 7 game series. Even imbecile Mike Babcock stated on the pre-game show that Vegas needed to clog the neutral zone.

Making matters worse, Bednar can't even remember how this concept works. Girard and Toews has it down early in the year Girard would penetrate, knowing he would take a second defender with him. As soon as that happened, he would flick the puck back to Toews for an easy shot that led to 3 goals. Hockey, like soccer or even quarterbacking, is about putting the ball / puck not where a player is, rather where they are going to be, or where they will be able to do something with the puck. Vegas is giving Bednar a gift by triple teaming, but he is too much of a dunce to do anything with the gift.

 

[the_fan]

Avs and Bolts are the favorites to win the cup, they both have a 2-1 series lead and Tampa has also kinda been outplayed by Carolina. This are good teams in the 2nd round, they're not pushovers

 

[cinchronicity]

When you have possession of the puck for about 10 minutes and get hit 50 times but the opponent has the puck for 50 minutes and only gets hit 50 times that's a problem.

Vegas has time to make that defenseman pass into the forward at their blue line who goes cross ice and it completely breaks down our defensive game.

How they have so much time and space is a mystery. But a lot of what Vegas is doing is simply standing there while the Avs defenders do weak flybys and leave gaps open to put the puck to. Just engage the player with the puck and its a different game and different series.

But that requires the effort and willingness to initiate a physical battle to win.

MacK Bura Rants and Donskoi don't do that. Compher at times throws a hit but he's useless unless at fourth line wing or on the PK.

Landy occasionally threw some hits but we need the viking back who set the tone on Schenn and ROR last series early in the games.

1) There is no mystery. Bednar's system has his defenders pinch down. Makar routinely skates the puck around the offensive net. This means there is almost always a stretch pass available for Vegas. It has been plain as day, all season, that the Avs are susceptible to a stretch pass right up the middle.

2) Bednar goes way out of his way to discourage hitting. On paper, it makes sense, because our speed should win when players lose discipline with their big checks. But that is on paper, and the game is played on ice. This is not just about the fatigue which absolutely happens when a player gets hit over and over again. This is also about passing accuracy. If Mac sees a crunch coming, he moves the puck before he wants to, or he unsuccessfully tries to skate through it. Conversely, the Avs rarely go for the hit, and Vegas knows they have that split second extra to make a decision.

The Avs don't need to practice. They don't need to skate. They need to go to the video room, and watch what Vegas is doing, and find a new strategy. Bednar's current strategy is going to lead to a second round exit.

 

[AvsWraith]

Are the pitchforks really out after the Avs go 6-1 to start the playoffs? Holy shit guys step away from the ledge.

They gave up two goals in 45 seconds to lose the lead in the third period, were completely outplayed after being outplayed the previous game, and they totally f***ed Gru over when he was playing well enough to steal another one for them. The pitchforks were deservedly out.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Yeah that really is a telling stat showing just how unwilling the Avs are to engage. How they had 50 hits while getting their sh*t pushed back and chasing the puck all night long and meanwhile Vegas had 50 hits while terrorizing us is embarrassing.

50 hits is way too many for the Avs. It means they were playing shitty hockey and chasing the puck all night.

 

[the_fan]

Avs need to start hitting. Landeskog set the tone in the 1st round with a fight, then a hit on ROR etc... gotta be aggressive against this Vegas team.

 

[Nihiliste]

Hits were 50 for each team, and face off wins were 30 for each. So even for each. But you (and others) go ahead with the narrative that the Avs don't hit and can't win face offs.

Face offs were lopsided until the 3rd. Also hits being even despite Vegas having possession for like 80% of the game isn’t a good look

 

[S E P H]

Also, we can't complain against the refs because Rantanen should've gotten a crosschequing penalty in the third and Nemeth literally did a one handed chop on Patches in the second period. Those were some bad miss calls against Vegas and I understand that the four minute Landeskog high stick was also missed. I am utterly shocked that they didn't call that Nemeth one.

 

[Nihiliste]

DeBoer whined to the f***ing media about the penalties that his team was committing. Not sure that’s really “coaching circles” around Bednar. That’s what he does, he complains and whines.

It’s gamesmanship and opposing coaches do it because it works

 

[dahrougem2]

Not trying to spin it because you're right on the money here, but think about it... Vegas absolutely cleaned us the entire game, did all they could've done, got two goals in a 45 second span, and still almost blew it as Avs had like five glorious chances in the last minute including that Rantanen chance. They murdered the Avs and are still barely getting by.

No I get that, but if not for Grubauer this series is 2-1 Vegas and we're all likely even more furious because of a potential game 4 loss in Vegas.

This team is lucky to be up 2-1, no doubt about it. If Grubauer's level of play declines even slightly, they're going to blow us out of the damn building in game 4 if they keep playing like this and/or the Avs keep playing shell shocked like they've never seen a good team before.

 

[Nihiliste]

For whoever posted that this is our worst performance in 2 seasons, recall that was against Deboer too. Guy has Bedsy totally figured out

 

[The Kingslayer]

In addition to the changes on defence, I’d like to see Newhook back in the lineup over Sherwood. Sherwood couldn’t handle the puck and brought nothing to the table.

Sherwood got an assist and drew the penalty that lead to mikkos goal. He aint coming out. I dont think we see any changes to the forwards unless LOC is good to go. The question is whether Bednar wants to let Bo play.

 

[The Kingslayer]

For whoever posted that this is our worst performance in 2 seasons, recall that was against Deboer too. Guy has Bedsy totally figured out

Some coaches just have your number. Hitchcock outcoached Hartley. Hartley outcoached Bowman 2/3 times. Sadly the Avs get outcoached more often then not. Lemaire vs Granato lol, Yeo vs Roy, Deboer vs Bednar through 10 games.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Need an angry mackinnon tomorrow.

Need a pissed off Landeskog too. He needs to pretend everyone is ROR.