GDT: Sharks @ Streakbusters 6 MT |da da, da da, Da Dum| NHL 04 Style

[Avs_19]

Some protein shake I guess.

That's what I was thinking. See, the Avs do look after their players and provide them with something. Wonder what Quincey has to say about that.

 

[ColoradoSportsFan]

Watching the highlights on NHL network. Why do we always have such trouble clearing the zone against SJ. I just don't get it. And damn, I didn't realize how bad we got killed in face offs.

 

[jaems]

No offense, but how the heck was Skoula in your top 5 Avs?

Was at the game. The 3rd period was DEAD but the OT was wild.

Dutchy looks like a man possessed. You could feel the whole arena perk up when he touched the puck.

No offense, but how was Skoula NOT in your top 5?

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

No offense, but how was Skoula NOT in your top 5?

Some people just don't appreciate puck poise.

 

[Avs71]

I really don't understand why everyone has to be so sensitive about EJ. Take a step back and take an unbiased look at his play. I don't know why it is looked at as a shot that he is a solid top 4 defender. And RL, the thought that it is more fair to criticize Hunwick for his mistakes than EJ is ridiculous. IMO it needs to be more pointed out when it is EJ or Wilson or Barrie because we want them to develop into something better. If EJ isn't making mistakes and isn't being held to a higher standard, then his development has leveled off. Which I hope isn't true. I want him to play better, that is why I post that he needs to be. If we want him to play 27 minutes a night he can't be making plays like that.

Fair enough. I get what you're saying, and I agree with it but there is just some frustrating expectations with EJ. If he doesn't play to them lots of people just go back to the trade and complain, or talk about how he is not a first pairing defender, or is going to be a 20 point defender for the rest of his career. As a huge fan of him, it is frustrating that he is supposed to the rock defensively, and then at the same time be this super great offensive defenceman. There are a select few defencemen in this league who can dictate the offense, while still being the better defensive defenceman on the pairing. Erik Johnson is not this, and yet its like if he doesn't put up 50 points and play 30 minutes a night he isn't a great player.

It seems to be one or the other with him. You don't get 30 points as a rookie in a little over 60 games, miss a season of hockey, and then come back and get 39 points the next year if you aren't highly skilled. Even when he came over to Colorado Sacco told him to just do his thing, and he was scoring at a 40 point pace while playing 25 minutes a night. Now it seems like he has no confidence, has lost all his creativity and just tries to be a solid player. It doesn't help that he plays on the 2nd PP unit with guys that are basically grinders, or leech off the guys on the first unit at even strength. He also continuously gets less ice time than Matt Hunwick. Like come on, if they want this guy to grow then just feed him all the ice time he can handle. There is no reason for him to not play 25 minutes. There is no other defenceman on this team who you can justify giving minutes to instead of Johnson.

The other thing that is annoying is of course Wilson looked good tonight. He jumped up in the play almost every single rush. He does this because he knows he's got a good defenceman who is hanging back covering his ass. I just want to see EJ get this same chance. He is a better hockey player now than when he first came over, but dammit I want that game breaking defenceman we saw glimpses of when he was told to just go play, not play Sacco's systems.

 

[The Kingslayer]

No offense, but how the heck was Skoula in your top 5 Avs?

Was at the game. The 3rd period was DEAD but the OT was wild.

Dutchy looks like a man possessed. You could feel the whole arena perk up when he touched the puck.

How is skoula not in ur top 5 its all about the puck poise baby

 

[Muffin]

We're gonna need about 55 points to guarantee a playoff spot. Right now we're sitting at 24 points with 24 games played, so exactly at a 50% point pace. We're gonna need about 30 points in the next 24 games to make the playoffs, definitely doable.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Steve Duchesne is pretty good I guess. He didn't Nail the celly though.

 

[Pokecheque]

Stastny needs to go back to using a wooden stick

If you can find a company that still makes them, you should let him know.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Johnson and Wilson looked like two guys who just came back from missing a significant amount of time. Their timing was off and they were fumbling pucks all over the place.

Give them a few games and they'll be fine.

 

[Mant*]

Watching the highlights on NHL network. Why do we always have such trouble clearing the zone against SJ. I just don't get it. And damn, I didn't realize how bad we got killed in face offs.

If all you watched were the highlights, then you probably only saw the few rare examples of the sharks actually sustaining pressure. Most of this game the sharks couldn't get anything going offensively and the avs out fought them for the puck all night. Even when the sharks did spend time in the avs zone, the avs really gave them nothing in the way of high quality scoring chances. The only reason this game was even close was because Niemi played really well.

I'd say biggest chunk of time was spent in the shark's zone, followed by the neutral zone, and the least amount of time was in the avs' end (and most of that was because of penalties).

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

This is a make or break week. Minnesota just took over the division lead, and are only 4 points ahead of the Avs with the same amount of games. The Avs play Minnesota on Thursday and Saturday. Could be a big swing.

 

[Avs_19]

"Must win" gets thrown around way too much but I think Tuesday's game against the Oilers is one the Avs must win. Can't have a letdown against them after big wins over CHI and SJ.

Then come the two big games against the Wild.

 

[ColoradoSportsFan]

If all you watched were the highlights, then you probably only saw the few rare examples of the sharks actually sustaining pressure. Most of this game the sharks couldn't get anything going offensively and the avs out fought them for the puck all night. Even when the sharks did spend time in the avs zone, the avs really gave them nothing in the way of high quality scoring chances. The only reason this game was even close was because Niemi played really well.

I'd say biggest chunk of time was spent in the shark's zone, followed by the neutral zone, and the least amount of time was in the avs' end (and most of that was because of penalties).

I was there and you are quite right. It was just more of a general question. It seems like of all the teams we ever face the Avs always seem to have trouble getting the puck to the neutral zone against SJ.

Hell if we could have cleared the zone against them better in 09 we'd have won the series in 5.

 

[dahrougem2]

No offense, but how was Skoula NOT in your top 5?

Some just don't appreciate an insane ammount of puck poise

 

[forsbergavs32]

Very solid game, played a 40 minute game instead of the standard 20 . Duchene is amazing, best player on the team along with Varly. PAP and McGinn were solid tonight as well as O'Reilly's line. Stastny's line didn't do too well other than Lando, who seems to be doing everything but scoring, would be nice to put him with ROR and Mitchell.

On a side note, I hate living in California, I can't stand listening to Randy Hahn and Cueball from the Sharks feed, biggest homer announcers in the league IMO.

 

[member 116861]

Very solid game, played a 40 minute game instead of the standard 20 . Duchene is amazing, best player on the team along with Varly. PAP and McGinn were solid tonight as well as O'Reilly's line. Stastny's line didn't do too well other than Lando, who seems to be doing everything but scoring, would be nice to put him with ROR and Mitchell.

On a side note, I hate living in California, I can't stand listening to Randy Hahn and Cueball from the Sharks feed, biggest homer announcers in the league IMO.

At least you don't have to listen to John Garrett.

 

[Nihiliste]

Watched the game, lots of positive things to take from the first half. Duchene is just on fire right now.

Still, we have yet to show we're capable of really winning on the road. I think Varly still has 0 road wins. Until we get that sorted out, I have no hopes for the playoffs.

 

[shadow1]

After the last two games I'm happy with the Mitchell - O'Reilly - Palushaj line.

O'Reilly has come back bigger and stronger, Mitchell has been a crafty player all year, and Palushaj is has a lot of straight away speed and plays with energy. For a line not being force fed minutes, they've been very productive.

 

[Avs]

Matt duchene had knocked Martin Skoula out the top 5 all time list for me.

1. Foppa
2. Sakic
3. Roy
4. Hejduk
5. Duchene

Also, yah EJ offensive game sucks the big one. His defensive game is great but he is frustrating at times and he cant get pucks through so his "hard" shot means squat. He needs to work on it coaching staff needs to help him out

The what staff? Do the Avs have one of those.....things?

 

[Avs]

"Must win" gets thrown around way too much but I think Tuesday's game against the Oilers is one the Avs must win. Can't have a letdown against them after big wins over CHI and SJ.

Then come the two big games against the Wild.

It does tend to get thrown around pretty easily, but just about every game from here out is a must win for the Avs.

Out next 3 games are against divisional opponents, which any divisional game is a must win.

But we are at a point where every game we lose will really hurt this team considering we no longer have the 2 or 3 games in hand like we did a week ago.

 

[Rrabb1t]

Watching the highlights on NHL network. Why do we always have such trouble clearing the zone against SJ. I just don't get it. And damn, I didn't realize how bad we got killed in face offs.

Everyone except Duchene got killed. Duchene was 19-11 (63.3%) which was pretty damn impressive.

Stastny was 7-16 (30.4%)
O'Reilly was 4-9 (30.8%)

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Duchene is just impressing on every level. He has really taken the next step.

 

[Jeff_Dyck_#1]

Looks like O'Reilly found his Avs hat, Foppa will be happy to see that.

What's that brownish drink the players have sitting on the shelf after every game?

"Liquid Quiznos specials"

 

[RockLobster]

I really don't understand why everyone has to be so sensitive about EJ. Take a step back and take an unbiased look at his play. I don't know why it is looked at as a shot that he is a solid top 4 defender. And RL, the thought that it is more fair to criticize Hunwick for his mistakes than EJ is ridiculous. IMO it needs to be more pointed out when it is EJ or Wilson or Barrie because we want them to develop into something better. If EJ isn't making mistakes and isn't being held to a higher standard, then his development has leveled off. Which I hope isn't true. I want him to play better, that is why I post that he needs to be. If we want him to play 27 minutes a night he can't be making plays like that.

I wasn't intending to say that it's "more fair" to criticize Hunwick for his mistakes.

I was simply pointing out that since his arrival in Colorado, EJ has been our best defensemen, hands down. But he is also human, he's going to make mistakes. I was saying that whenever he makes a mistake, and unless I missed something last night, that was the only glaring mistake he had, then why are we jumping on him? I used Hunwick as an example, we jump all over him because he makes several mistakes a game.

No #1 Defensemen is going to be perfect 100% of the time, if they were then players like Crosby, Malkin, Giroux, et. al would have no problem getting around them and having a 1-on-1 chance with the goaltender.