GDT: Round 1, Game 4: Nashville Predators @ Colorado Avalanche | April 18th, 8PM MT - We'll do it again

[SaltySkywalker]

Did you not just see the post directly stating he has his left hand wrapped? He hasn't been able to handle a puck or shoot for weeks.

Dude read my comment. I said if he does indeed have it wrapped, which it looks like he does, than that’s one thing. But Barrie is a different story. I’ve been hearing this narrative for weeks now for various players. “Oh, they’re playjng like crap, must be hurt”.

 

[dahrougem2]

Very proud of this team but it's not over yet. If they come out strong like they have in the first two games, hopefully Hammond can find magic and bring this back to Denver. Not getting my hopes up but I don't believe this team will lay down and quit, either.

The only players that have played poorly throughout the entire series IMO are Rantanen, Barrie, Barberio, and Warsofsky. I actually thought Mikko was quite good in the first two games, too, but reaaaallllyy looks bad right now especially on the PP. The Preds know it, too. They're pressuring him like all hell and he's fumbling pucks or making poor passes resulting in turnovers.

Warsofsky is Warsofsky. He's not an NHL player but it honestly blows my mind how a guy can look so bad playing 7-9 minutes per night. Get him the **** out of the lineup and do it now. You've already taken him off of PP2, there is zero reason for him to be in the lineup. At least if you're dressing Lindholm or Alt, you have another option for the PK along with Nemeth, Zadorov, and Barberio.

 

[S E P H]

I am proud of everyone...

- Rantanen is playing some brutal hockey, but I will give him a pass since he is one of the youngest players in this series experiencing playoff hockey for the first time.

- Warsofsky going to give him a pass as well, not because I think he's been decent, more like the opposite of that. I blame the Avs coaching staff for putting him in a position he shouldn't be in in the first place.

- Absolutely no excuse for Barrie except if it's anything as severe as playing with a broken finger, which Hejda did our last playoff series. He's been the biggest disappointment for me.

- I get the hate for Bernier and agree with it for the most part, but I agree with @BrickAHL that we wouldn't be here without him. So it's a double edge sword for me.

 

[hoserthehorrible]

Considering the Avs are playing Barberio, Siemens, Warsofsky, and to a lesser degree Nemeth on their blue line I'd say they've done a great job of competing against the one of the top teams in the league. This series could easily be tied 2-2 or with some luck the Avs could even be leading 3-1.

 

[hockeyfish]

I didn't think it was possible, but welcome to the hated club, Nashville, you now join the Mild.

 

[5280]

Yeah, the weak links this series have been Bernier, Warsofsky, Rants, Barbs and Barrie for me. I even thought Barbs had a pretty decent second half the of the last game.

Lots of positives, though. Landy, Kerfoot, Z to name a couple.

I love how we have actually showed up this series. I can't remember the last time I was this proud to be an fan of the Avalanche.

Good things to come!

 

[Goulet17]

Does anyone else think if the Avs had a player like Ryan Reaves, this series would be a little less chippy? Maybe not from smaller guys like Subban who would never be in a position to have to fight Reaves, but I wonder how tough a guy like Austin Watson would feel if Reaves was telling him they’re going to fight every time they’re on the ice. I think he would at least make more of an impact than a guy like Colin Wilson has.

This isn’t me saying the team played scared. The Avs are a small team, but have played with a lot of heart and fearlessness. In terms of the roster going forward, having a heavy guy who can fight would be welcomed by me.

Or the Avs should have just picked Watson instead of Hishon, like LoneWolfe always wanted.

On another note, Zadorov this series: 21:45 TOI/game, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points, +4, 16 PIMs.

I don't know, Ryan Reaves and similar players are a dying breed in the NHL. Watson has some actual hockey talent and can play. I do believe that the Avs need some size among their forwards (Greer and Morrison in the future?). I recall wanting Watson in the 2010 draft as well.

I believe that Z played around 25 minutes last night and I thought he was the Avs best defenseman and arguably their best player in the first period. I think Bednar and Pratt should have given him a load of ice time this series, perhaps closer to 25 minutes TOI on average. He seems like one of the few defenseman in the lineup at the moment that can withstand an aggressive forecheck and move the puck out of the zone with relative ease. He still has hiccups on occasion, but I think he is flashing some of his immense potential at times as well. He is 23 years old now, so it is time for him to assert himself IMO.

 

[member 116861]

Yeah, the weak links this series have been Bernier, Warsofsky, Rants, Barbs and Barrie for me. I even thought Barbs had a pretty decent second half the of the last game.

Lots of positives, though. Landy, Kerfoot, Z to name a couple.

I love how we have actually showed up this series. I can't remember the last time I was this proud to be an fan of the Avalanche.

Good things to come!

Barberio wasn't too bad last game I thought but then again that could just be because his first 3 were so bad.

 

[5280]

Barberio wasn't too bad last game I thought but then again that could just be because his first 3 were so bad.

Hard to argue that he was pretty bad the first 3 games. He was coming off of a long layoff, thought, so that might have had something to do with it.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

oops...

We did it again...

 

[Pokecheque]

I thought Barberio was perfectly fine. Nemeth was more than fine too for the record. Bad penalty to start things off but otherwise he played the hard, physical game the Avs needed him to, and actually handled the puck well and carried it out of the zone multiple times. And honestly I don't recall him icing it a ton more than everyone else like usual.

Barrie might be injured. He hasn't looked right at all since getting his bell rung earlier, it isn't any sort of hesitancy to his game either, he's just...off, making turnovers and fumbling with the puck in ways I'm not used to seeing from him. I do think he's trying to play through something though.

Warsofsky played so little there's literally no way to grade him, but he wasn't awful...expect for that time he tried that weird bounce off the boards behind the net and got steamrolled by an incoming Pred. He looked kinda stunned afterwards, like "Hey, that doesn't happen in the AHL!"

The one guy I really took issue with is Dunk. Dude...that was your guy. You're big enough and fast enough, just HIT HIM and at least slow him down! He hasn't any real puck skill, just physicality, size, and speed. A big, fast forward like Filip Forsberg is precisely the kind of player he is designed to stop. Even Zadorov, who's big and defensively sound, doesn't have the speed to keep up with a guy like FF. And yet...he really couldn't have been any weaker on that play. Just awful. He was a nice story and all late in the season, but that dude is one big, fat bust in every way. He's not an NHL player. Not even close.

 

[dahrougem2]

I thought Barberio was perfectly fine. Nemeth was more than fine too for the record. Bad penalty to start things off but otherwise he played the hard, physical game the Avs needed him to, and actually handled the puck well and carried it out of the zone multiple times. And honestly I don't recall him icing it a ton more than everyone else like usual.

Barrie might be injured. He hasn't looked right at all since getting his bell rung earlier, it isn't any sort of hesitancy to his game either, he's just...off, making turnovers and fumbling with the puck in ways I'm not used to seeing from him. I do think he's trying to play through something though.

Warsofsky played so little there's literally no way to grade him, but he wasn't awful...expect for that time he tried that weird bounce off the boards behind the net and got steamrolled by an incoming Pred. He looked kinda stunned afterwards, like "Hey, that doesn't happen in the AHL!"

The one guy I really took issue with is Dunk. Dude...that was your guy. You're big enough and fast enough, just HIT HIM and at least slow him down! He hasn't any real puck skill, just physicality, size, and speed. A big, fast forward like Filip Forsberg is precisely the kind of player he is designed to stop. Even Zadorov, who's big and defensively sound, doesn't have the speed to keep up with a guy like FF. And yet...he really couldn't have been any weaker on that play. Just awful. He was a nice story and all late in the season, but that dude is one big, fat bust in every way. He's not an NHL player. Not even close.

Forsberg is too skilled and too good with his body to be slowed down by Siemens on that rush.

Honestly, what Siemens should have done is blatantly trip/hold/hook Forsberg. Do whatever it takes to take him down to the ice, penalty be damned. Just do not get beat to the net.

 

[Avs]

Obviously I won't be disappointed no matter how this ends because let's be real, almost nobody expected playoffs this year.

But the toughest pill to swallow, for me at least, is that Nashville was very very very beatable those first 2 games.

As a goalie, I'm always the first to defend a goalie. And I understand that Bernier stepped up big time to get us to the playoffs in the first place, but the guy has let in several goals this series that an NHL goalie should not let in, especially in the playoffs.

Even Rinne, while not playing very good hockey himself those first couple games made some big saves to keep Nashville in the game and ultimately helped them win. I just can't help but think if Bernier just answered that with 1 big save himself this would be a different series right now.

That's just what stings the most for me. But looking at the whole season and the big picture, you can't really be disappointed at all with this team.

 

[Foppa2118]

His hand was all taped up before last game. He's injured no doubt.

Seems like it.

Are you talking about Mikko or Barrie with his hand taped up?

 

[UncleRisto]

Are you talking about Mikko or Barrie with his hand taped up?

Mikko.

 

[McMetal]

Forsberg is too skilled and too good with his body to be slowed down by Siemens on that rush.

Honestly, what Siemens should have done is blatantly trip/hold/hook Forsberg. Do whatever it takes to take him down to the ice, penalty be damned. Just do not get beat to the net.

Yeah, Siemens should never have been matched up against him at home in the first place. A bonafide superstar vs. a tweener AHLer playing in his first playoffs, there's only one possible outcome there. It wasn't even a terrible play on his part, he tried to tie him up and Forsberg shrugged him off. Anything short of tackling him would have ended the same way.

 

[Foppa2118]

Mikko.

I think Mikko's been playing banged up for a while now, but was the tape you saw black or white? He wears this black base layer/undershirt that wraps around both thumbs. He's worn it all year. Maybe even before. First time I saw it, I thought he had a wrist injury.

 

[UncleRisto]

I think Mikko's been playing banged up for a while now, but was the tape you saw black or white? He wears this black base layer/undershirt that wraps around both thumbs. He's worn it all year. Maybe even before. First time I saw it, I thought he had a wrist injury.

Yeah, another poster told me it's something that he's done all year. It was black or grey, I thought it was kinesio tape, but that makes sense.

 

[Sol]

As a Kings fan. I really love Landeskog, dude takes no shit from nobody.

 

[Avs71]

As a Kings fan. I really love Landeskog, dude takes no **** from nobody.

He definitely backs up his play too.

 

[dahrougem2]

Maybe Landeskog needs to do that again to Josi in game 5

 

[Pokecheque]

Forsberg is too skilled and too good with his body to be slowed down by Siemens on that rush.

Honestly, what Siemens should have done is blatantly trip/hold/hook Forsberg. Do whatever it takes to take him down to the ice, penalty be damned. Just do not get beat to the net.

That's fine, I would've taken an illegal play over...that.

I still think he could've lowered the boom. Maybe it would've been inconsequential and he would've just rolled off the check but at least it would've been better than whatever the hell Dunk was trying there.

 

[dahrougem2]

That's fine, I would've taken an illegal play over...that.

I still think he could've lowered the boom. Maybe it would've been inconsequential and he would've just rolled off the check but at least it would've been better than whatever the hell Dunk was trying there.

He's just not good enough to do that, though. We're talking about a perennial AHL defensemen playing a one-on-one against Nashville's best forward, and one of the most skilled forwards in the league.

It honestly would have been a bit embarrassing on Forsberg's end if he DIDN'T walk around Siemens without Siemens taking a penalty.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

That's fine, I would've taken an illegal play over...that.

I still think he could've lowered the boom. Maybe it would've been inconsequential and he would've just rolled off the check but at least it would've been better than whatever the hell Dunk was trying there.

Should've "pulled a Mironov"... or, at least, what we've been led to believe Mironov could do...

 

[Pokecheque]

He's just not good enough to do that, though. We're talking about a perennial AHL defensemen playing a one-on-one against Nashville's best forward, and one of the most skilled forwards in the league.

It honestly would have been a bit embarrassing on Forsberg's end if he DIDN'T walk around Siemens without Siemens taking a penalty.

Well, no argument here. He likely isn't, that's just one of those plays that kinda defines someone, good or bad, to me. If he can't even do that, then he's useless.