GDT: Stares vs Aves(yes I'm bringing it back) 7PM MST

[Tike Myson]

Actual footage of Jaime Benn after Calvert drops the gloves

 

[StLAvsFan]

Avs have been winning games this year based on talent where they blow teams out, but they cant win close, tight games, where they have to grind out a win and play defense until the end.

Coz they don't know how to play defense. Avs late game defensive strategy is 5 guys running around in their own end chasing the puck carrier until someone gets caught out of position, leading to the game tying or game winning goal. Night after night.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I love Zadorov as much as anyone, but we have to be realistic here: his career arc is that of a defensemen that gives you 5-6 really, really good games followed by about 15-20 average to below-average games.

There isn't even a choice to be made when it comes to Girard vs Zadorov. It's Girard all day, every day.

I agree with 99% of this except I rather have Z in the playoffs than Girard. For whatever reason Z decides hes Pronger in post season but yah for an 82 game season I cant take Z over Girard.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Individually how would you assess your performance

“not going to say anything about that”

Im glad the reporters are asking him this.

 

[PowerMac]

I love Zadorov as much as anyone, but we have to be realistic here: his career arc is that of a defensemen that gives you 5-6 really, really good games followed by about 15-20 average to below-average games.

There isn't even a choice to be made when it comes to Girard vs Zadorov. It's Girard all day, every day.

The thing is that even when Zadorov is playing unengaged and fumbling the puck and making lazy passes or passes that are too fancy, despite looking bad he's still somewhat effective. He's still not going to cause your team to implode by giving up 4 goals in 5 minutes. He's still a presence out there that the opposition don't like to play against. Zadorov is also hardly the only player that's inconsistent, outside of maybe Mackinnon on this team nobody is, you can apply those same standards to Girard, Graves, Cole, Johnson, Kadri, Donskoi, Compher, Landeskog, Rantanen etc... Zadorov has shown that he will play his best consistently when the games are most important which was like over 40 game stretches in the last couple of seasons, this 5 out of 25 games talk is just hyperbolic nonsense. I'm confident that Byram can replace everything that Girard will provide and more outside of his spin move. But if you're looking to replace Zadorov then good luuuuuuuuck, he's the type you would least want to be back in your own division meanwhile getting to play against Girard makes you confident that you can score.

 

[El Travo]

I agree with 99% of this except I rather have Z in the playoffs than Girard. For whatever reason Z decides hes Pronger in post season but yah for an 82 game season I cant take Z over Girard.

Which is funny because the majority of the people here were ready to punt Girard to the nearest shelter a couple weeks ago.

 

[dahrougem2]

The thing is that even when Zadorov is playing unengaged and fumbling the puck and making lazy passes or passes that are too fancy, despite looking bad he's still somewhat effective. He's still not going to cause your team to implode by giving up 4 goals in 5 minutes. He's still a presence out there that the opposition don't like to play against. Zadorov is also hardly the only player that's inconsistent, outside of maybe Mackinnon on this team nobody is, you can apply those same standards to Girard, Graves, Cole, Johnson, Kadri, Donskoi, Compher, Landeskog, Rantanen etc... Zadorov has shown that he will play his best consistently when the games are most important which was like over 40 game stretches in the last couple of seasons, this 5 out of 25 games talk is just hyperbolic nonsense. I'm confident that Byram can replace everything that Girard will provide and more outside of his spin move. But if you're looking to replace Zadorov then good luuuuuuuuck, he's the type you would least want to be back in your own division meanwhile getting to play against Girard makes you confident that you can score.

I mean, you can't claim we're being hyperbolic and then give us this "40 game stretches" jargon because it flat out isn't true.

Again, I like Zadorov as much as the next guy but he is what he is. A very physical but very inconsistent #4/#5 defensemen who doesn't put up points, and who you cannot trust for long periods of time.

 

[Mighty Makar]

I see we gave up another 2 goal lead and lost.

 

[forsbergavs32]

I am curious as to what "bad goal" you are refereeing too? The point blank one timer rebound goal where the D completely s*** the bed and Kadri just decided to go for a skate with miss daisy and leave his man who happened to be the shoot wide open? or the OT goal where the opposing player was able to basically walk in uncontested from the top of the circles and could shoot at 100% of the net leaving very small statistical chance of a save?

Gru hasn't been amazing but what do you expect when the entire team plays half games and only one guy (Calvert, well maybe Mack too) out there showing any heart? Avs just suck right now at play full games and people just blaming goaltending is pathetically stupid. Like what, you want Frank back in net? Gee, i seem to remember how much love he got from the people on here after his last game in net. We seriously need to STOP blaming goaltending for a total team collapse. Anyways on to the next one.

First goal was bad, reversed goal was bad and the OT goal he didn’t even look like he tried to make a save. Not just picking on him like people seem to think posters are but he has not been good at all. As of right now, yes, Francouz would be better to go with. He’s had 2 bad games where Grubauer has been bad to mediocre almost the whole season.

Plus you seemed to have glanced over where i said the TEAM played bad in OT and Bednar is a big part of the issues by not making adjustments throughout this very thread. But nice cherry picking.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

First goal was bad, reversed goal was bad and the OT goal he didn’t even look like he tried to make a save. Not just picking on him like people seem to think posters are but he has not been good at all. As of right now, yes, Francouz would be better to go with. He’s had 2 bad games where Grubauer has been bad to mediocre almost the whole season.

Plus you seemed to have glanced over where i said the TEAM played bad in OT and Bednar is a big part of the issues by not making adjustments throughout this very thread. But nice cherry picking.

Wait, you think the disallowed goal would be considered bad? That’s absurd. That’s a royal road one timer labeled top shelf.

 

[El Travo]

First goal was bad, reversed goal was bad and the OT goal he didn’t even look like he tried to make a save. Not just picking on him like people seem to think posters are but he has not been good at all. As of right now, yes, Francouz would be better to go with. He’s had 2 bad games where Grubauer has been bad to mediocre almost the whole season.

Plus you seemed to have glanced over where i said the TEAM played bad in OT and Bednar is a big part of the issues by not making adjustments throughout this very thread. But nice cherry picking.

This is just a bad take. The disallowed goal was a cross seam one-timer that no goalie was going to stop. The first legitimate goal wasn't great, sure. The second goal came off a f***ing point blank one-timer after a defensive collapse and nobody was around to help with the rebound. The OT goal had the guy just walk right in from the point and pick his corner.

Like f***, MacKinnon gets a floater goal from the point every now and again and we act like it's a snipe that no goalie would have stopped. But when a guy has time to watch the LotR extended edition before picking a corner you all freak out like Grubauer is at fault.



Tonight's game we ran into a hot goalie who also had the luck of 4+ posts saving his ass.

 

[katfude]

.909 and the 3rd worst GAA ain't gonna cut it.

 

[Grigowski]

This team will end up fighting for another Wild Card. I dont know how many times we blew a lead in the last couple of weeks, but this is getting beyond stupid. Time to make some changes and bring in some help.

This is last years "slump" all over again.

You want home-ice in the playoffs? Yeah, that get your f***in shit together!

 

[Freudian]

Avs outshot them 2:1 and hit three posts. Unlucky not to get a win in regulation.

OT struggles continue. MacKinnon cheated on getting a breakaway and his guy walked in and scored.

 

[The Merchant]

Starting to have some serious reservations about this team and man does it suck to admit that. They may have had a bad skid at this time last year too, but at least then they weren't blowing leads they way they are now. Aside from scoring an absurd amount of goals the only noticable habit they've established is choking.

 

[Foppa2118]

Grubauer and linesman cost the Avs this game. Should have been 2 points for the Avs and the Stars 0, but the Avs end up with 1 and the Stars get 2 instead.

Terrible drop by the linesmen on the OT winner. Pavelski cheats on the face-off and just leaves his stick there blocking Landy's. Then the linesman waits and essentially just hands the puck to Pavelski and they score. Awful play by the linesman.

Grubauer has got to get his act together. Bad rebound on the tying goal, then gets beat low glove from the high slot with no screen. If he and Francouz can't get back on track, they may very well play themselves out of the playoffs. You can't be a playoff team without good goaltending in todays NHL.

 

[klozge]

Remember, remember the 19th of December

 

[Foppa2118]

When asked directly, he said "it's a team sport" and "it's about the d-zone coverage." When asked about his own performance he refused to answer.

It's a team sport when asked about him personally, but he has no problem blaming the PK and guys taking penalties. Then says what he saw on the OT winner was they lost the face-off or fumbled the puck.

Not that he gave up a goal glove side on an unscreened wrist shot from 30 feet out and literally refuses to answer how he'd assess his own play.

Why can't he just say, "The team needs to be better and so do I?" I don't understand why that's so hard?

 

[Nihiliste]

The circumstances keep changing but the results stay the same - yet another blown lead. Starting to rival last years mid season collapse

 

[tucker3434]

Oh hey, waking up to another blown 3rd period lead. Great. We have to lead the league in those.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

So Grubauer blamed what was in front of him again? What a f***ing loser. The Avs played phenomenal. They just got a glimpse of competent goaltending on the other side.

Also I noticed during the game there was a play where Cole tried to knock down a puck with his stick that was headed towards Grubauer (which I know is dumb) and Grubauer covered it after a slight change of direction and then appeared to go off on Cole right there on the ice. Cole’s a terrible, terrible hockey player but is known for being a leader and a locker room guy loved by his teammates. That’s not going to go over well. Neither will Grubauer constantly calling out the team when he can’t make a timely save.

This relationship might not last. Sakic is all about building that room right.

 

[Spilot23]

I would love to blame Grubs for last night but he gave one bad goal which was the first one same with Bishop. The team cannot collapse defensively because as seen last night it only takes one bad play or coverage in our own zone to make us pay. One thing is clear the team needs to play 60 minute games, get better in faceoffs (killers in OT and late 3rd) and for the love of god do something with the powerplay. With the players we have it's a freaking mystery that we s*** in PP ffs we are 18th while teams like the Habs, Sabres and Yotes are ahead of us. On paper this should be one of the most lethal PP but clearly something isn't working I think they are just way too predictable.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

You can’t blame Grubauer individually for the loser but “goaltending” 100% was the difference.

Avs dominated play. Dominated stats. Drastically out shot them and out chanced them. Bishop made some timely saves that he really had no business making. Grubauer didn’t.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I mean what can you do really? The Avs playes a phenomenal game at even strength.


But when your PP, PK, and goaltending are struggling it is very hard to win games just off of quality 5 on 5 play.



That said, I really dont think its panic time at all. Our even strength game is very very good and that's what matters the most. Goaltending needs to sort itself out. Likewise with the PP. A group of MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen, Landeskog, Kadri, etc. Will sort things out soon enough and go on a solid hot streak where they operate at 50% for 6 or 7 games in a row here soon enough.


The big area of concern I have is the PK. It's just becoming more and more clear that our Defenders aren't great PKers. A guy like Cole or Zadorov can block shots decently well, but they are absolutely brutal at getting sticks in passing lanes. We need a Dman who is actually a positive impact player on the penalty kill because right now our best penalty killer on the back end is Graves, and he should be the #4 guy in a 4-man rotation.


Also cant help but think of the impact Pageau would have on the PK. He literally checks off every box of what this team needs right now. Hopefully Joe sees this and just pays up to get someone like Pageau or Coleman out of New Jersey.


Frustration starting to set in that these quality games aren't turning into Ws but Bednar is absolutely right. They're doing tonnes of things right. Just need to tighten up a few minor details and start getting some timely saves from our goaltending.

 

[Avs71]

It’s just not an Avalanche year without a mid-season meltdown, requiring a big playoff push.