GDT: Round 2, Game 1: Avs @ Fish | 8 PM MT | 26 April, 2019

[amoboko]

Overplayed but nothing lost

 

[linusandvarlamov]

Disappointing lose but I just want to point out : Cale Makar now has 3 points in his first four games and is a +4. This is only the beginning too . Kid is going to be filthy !

That was unfortunate to have the puck bounce off of him into the net but I still thought he played a strong game last night. He had a very nice defensive play in the 3rd where he batted the puck out of a dangerous area.

Just really excited and stoked !

 

[Kaizer]

The problems is not that Avs lost - didn't expect them to go 16-0 anyway. The problem is that they didn't show anything extraordinary and didn't force Sharks to show anything special (like Smith's performance in Game 1 against Calgary). Sharks just penalized us for our own mistakes and that's it. Hopefully, Game 2 will be different.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

The problems is not that Avs lost - didn't expect them to go 16-0 anyway. The problem is that they didn't show anything extraordinary and didn't force Sharks to show anything special (like Smith's performance in Game 1 against Calgary). Sharks just penalized us for our own mistakes and that's it. Hopefully, Game 2 will be different.

I dunno. I thought a lot like game 1 against the Flames, Martin Jones kept that from being a 4-1 score in the 2nd period. He stonewalled Soderberg twice on Grade A chances and stopped Kerfoot on that backdoor.


If he let's a couple other goals in, in the first or on the double minor I think that game ends very differently.

 

[Nihiliste]

And this is why I couldn’t understand why some of our posters were so overconfident. The Sharks are a good team.

Let some hope the Avs come out fired up for game 2, playing like they did in the first.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

It's not a coincidence that both of our goals came from in the slot area. The Sharks' entire defensive gameplan consists of closing the middle of the ice and keeping players to the perimeter because otherwise Jones is too terrible to win them games.

 

[MarkT]

Okay fine, we'll just have to win in 5 instead of 4. No problem.

 

[Avs71]

I like the Sharks. If the Avs have to go, which they won’t, the Sharks would be my preferred opponent to do it. They have a lot of likeable players

 

[Avsboy]

I like the Sharks. If the Avs have to go, which they won’t, the Sharks would be my preferred opponent to do it. They have a lot of likeable players

Jumbo Joe is a classy hall of famer who deserves a cup. Just not this year.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Jumbo Joe is a classy hall of famer who deserves a cup. Just not this year.

Meh I'd rather it be this year. My expectations after this season are going to be that winning the cup should be the goal moving forward.

I'm not at that level this year because I still think we need one more top 6 forward and Makar and Girard to get more experienced. I also think the Blues look extremely hot and I dont think we could beat them if we advanced to the conference finals.


So I'd rather the Sharks win it this year than next year when I think the Avs should be pushing for a cup. If ya know what I mean.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

Avs need to keep Nemeth in the rotation. Pull Brassard out and give MacK the extra minutes.

This team has the firepower and will to take the series over, but the defense is still young and inexperienced. Losing one of your better defensive players and putting smurfs on the ice together is not ideal.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Avs need to keep Nemeth in the rotation. Pull Brassard out and give MacK the extra minutes.

This team has the firepower and will to take the series over, but the defense is still young and inexperienced. Losing one of your better defensive players and putting smurfs on the ice together is not ideal.

I think these pairings could work in Denver but Shark tank we need more muscle to get the puck. Sharks have more bite in their own arena. Nemeth in next game.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Meh I'd rather it be this year. My expectations after this season are going to be that winning the cup should be the goal moving forward.

I'm not at that level this year because I still think we need one more top 6 forward and Makar and Girard to get more experienced. I also think the Blues look extremely hot and I dont think we could beat them if we advanced to the conference finals.


So I'd rather the Sharks win it this year than next year when I think the Avs should be pushing for a cup. If ya know what I mean.

I think we need more than one top6 forward or some elite player, like Panarin.

Sign one UFA and trade for one and we should be good to go. Defense might be a bit too light for some games as well, so I wouldn't mind signing one bigger defenseman.

 

[bohlmeister]

Not expected to go on a run this season, but the #2 center spot is a glaring omission on this team.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Not expected to go on a run this season, but the #2 center spot is a glaring omission on this team.

Not just center but winger. We need to shoot Kerfoot to space and improve the top6.

 

[Drij]

Avs came out and played like Calgary in this game.

 

[AvsFan29]

PS - lowkey really curious to see what would happen if we stuck Jost in Soda's spot between Wilson & Mikko with how well he's playing.

I've been saying this since game 3 of the first round!

Give Jost some ice, and get Soderberg off of it.

Soderberg has become absolutely brutal. Can't bury anything.

If he scores on that open net last night, we likely win the game. He's hard watch, and has been for like 30 games now.

 

[AFK]

I think we need more than one top6 forward or some elite player, like Panarin.

Sign one UFA and trade for one and we should be good to go. Defense might be a bit too light for some games as well, so I wouldn't mind signing one bigger defenseman.

Yeah I could see this: maybe a 1:1 trade using one of our OFD for a top 6er; then go out and get the other top 6 UFA?

Slots everyone down to a proper 3rd line role, then have a high skill 4th line I guess? It'd be really nice if Jost could work himself into the top 6, but that window seems to be closing pretty quickly here. (Though, tbf, has he really been given the opportunity to succeed with legit 2nd line cohorts? I don't recall.)

As a side note: this also gives 4OA time to develop. The team won't be as inclined to rush them up to the NHL. It'll obviously be nice to have a proper prospect pipeline established once the top dogs start re-upping on their contracts. All that available cap space now is a bit of a tease.

 

[AvsFan29]

Meh I'd rather it be this year. My expectations after this season are going to be that winning the cup should be the goal moving forward.

We're in the final 8, and we can absolutely beat the sharks. You'd rather see Thornton win a cup? Lol are you out of your mind???

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

In the moment I was fuming last night. It felt like the euphoria of the Calgary series turned into a dumpster fire. But in reality after sleeping on it that game wasn't so bad. Yes, the result was not good. But the scoreline flattered the Sharks. They didn't dominate us, and we didn't dominate them. We were strong in the first and then in fits and spurts the rest of the game. They just buried their chances and got some luck on that Makar deflection. We were in it the entire game until near the end. I didn't think the game was over until we were in the final minute. We have the abilities but last night we were just all off kilter a little. Passes were not tape to tape, pucks were bobbling around and jumping over or off sticks. Players were fanning on shots. Gru was giving up some rebounds. Our D work continues to be worringly seam-of-your-pants stuff. I'm pretty sick of the no-look behind-the-net passes to no one, or worse to an opponent. We need to cut that stuff out, keep it simple and clear the zone.

Overall I don't think we got outplayed or out worked by the sharks. I think we were the cause of our own demise with poor communication and puck control. Our mistakes cost us the game, not their brilliance or domination.

If we played the way we did in period 1 we likely win this game. But errors crept in to our game, simple ones too. I'm not concerned that we cannot turn this around. We have the tools, we just need to recalibrate a little. Maybe it was down to the long break, or maybe it's just because sometimes you don't play too well. But the sharks didn't show me anything last night that made me think we are out of this. Far from it, they showed me very little in terms of dominance or being a much better team. We can compete if we stop gripping our sticks too tight, get our passes on the tape and clear our zone. And those things are relatively easy to solve.

As an aside. Get nemeth back in. EJ was ... really not good. Mack and rants showed signs of brilliance it just didn't come together. Gru was ok. Not spectacular. I know everyone is big on Makar, but he looks super shaky out there. I would reduce his ice time and give him protected minutes again. He looks too nervous.

 

[AFK]

We're in the final 8, and we can absolutely beat the sharks. You'd rather see Thornton win a cup? Lol are you out of your mind???

I think he's implying IF Joe HAD to win a cup, this year would be best. Because come next year we're ready to compete and the road to the promised land likely goes through SJ.

 

[AvsFan29]

I think he's implying IF Joe HAD to win a cup, this year would be best. Because come next year we're ready to compete and the road to the promised land likely goes through SJ.

Yah I guess. The sharks don't really worry me though, and I don't think we end up playing in the Pacific next playoffs. Hopefully we are in our division.

 

[AFK]

Yah I guess. The sharks don't really worry me though, and I don't think we end up playing in the Pacific next playoffs. Hopefully we are in our division.

Yeah, I actually agree with you. It's really not overly absurd to think they could go all the way. I mean, not likely, but certainly not impossible. We've seen #8s get hot just at the right time and go all the way before. Too much parity - you never know...

 

[AvsFan29]

Yeah, I actually agree with you. It's really not overly absurd to think they could go all the way. I mean, not likely, but certainly not impossible. We've seen #8s get hot just at the right time and go all the way before. Too much parity - you never know...

Yah. If we can actually score on our grade A chances, then we can beat anyone.

I highly doubt the Sharks win by just straight up out playing us. If we lose, it will be a highlight real of missed chances by Kerfoot/Soderberg/Landeskog/Jost/Rantanen.

Obviously you have to be good to get chances, but we really need to capitalise.

We do everything the hard way.

 

[AFK]

Yah. If we can actually score on our grade A chances, then we can beat anyone.

I highly doubt the Sharks win by just straight up out playing us. If we lose, it will be a highlight real of missed chances by Kerfoot/Soderberg/Landeskog/Jost/Rantanen.

Obviously you have to be good to get chances, but we really need to capitalise.

We do everything the hard way.

Yep, seems like beating SJ is gonna require a lot of goals. The Avs D sure as hell isn't gonna stop them, especially on the PP.

Capitalizing on chances was pretty much the difference last night, right?

Regardless, back in February I didnt think we'd even be having this convo right now. Do it the hard way indeed....