Pre-Game Talk: The Final Week (@VGK, vs LA x2)

[Ararana]

Vegas can clench both the first seed and the presidents trophy with any kind of win today. They’re going to come out crazy hard in the first period.

With no Girard and possibly no MacKinnon I’m not seeing it fam. I don’t think the Avs lose home ice to the wild though, two games at home against LA while the Wild have two in St Louis.

 

[Avsboy]

Grub will have to play out of his mind

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I don’t think any of those Eagles call ups will even be in Vegas. I highly doubt the Avs put them on a private bird last night and they sure as shit didn’t get in their vehicles and drive to Vegas after the Eagles game.

My guess is this gets these guys in Denver a few days early to use the Avs practice facility and get comfortable so they’re ready to play against LA Wednesday. If the Avs lose tonight it might be a full on AHL roster playing those final two games

 

[Grigowski]

If the players can't stay healthy for the last 3 games of the regular season

I fully expect Vegas to goon it up tonight. So basically staying healthy when a moron take runs at you isn´t that easy.

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

Vegas can clench both the first seed and the presidents trophy with any kind of win today. They’re going to come out crazy hard in the first period.

With no Girard and possibly no MacKinnon I’m not seeing it fam. I don’t think the Avs lose home ice to the wild though, two games at home against LA while the Wild have two in St Louis.

I can't imagine they let Mac sit tonight. You play him tonight unless Bednar isn't being truthful and it is more serious. Then if you lose you can sit him the last two games. To me though with Mac's competitiveness, there is no way he wants to sit against Vegas.

 

[Rumplesnipeskin]

AJ was saying yesterday that journalists are now told by the league to submit their Norris ballot ASAP.

There's a good chance that the vast majority of the votes will be in already before the end of the season, especially now with Fox', Letang's and Hedman's seasons being over.

So it looks like no matter what Makar does in the last week, it will have little to no impact on the Norris vote.

Doesn't seem like a good way to go about things, the award should be based on the entire season... just the league trying to keep votes out East, IF true

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

For those that care about the nerd side of hockey stats, Makar now has the highest GSVA per game of any defenceman. Toews and Girard are also looking great in the Athletics model.

 

[ASmileyFace]

Biggest game of the season tonight? I can't imagine they will sit MacK unless he really needs to.

 

[CharlesPuck]

Beat Vegas, beat the kings Wednesday, lose to the kings Thursday.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Imagine a wild Samwise appears tonight. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s arrived out of nowhere.

 

[ASmileyFace]

Imagine a wild Samwise appears tonight. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s arrived out of nowhere.

I sure hope so.

 

[missionAvs]

Biggest game of the season. Must win.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

For those that care about the nerd side of hockey stats, Makar now has the highest GSVA per game of any defenceman. Toews and Girard are also looking great in the Athletics model.

Cale’s better than every other player of his position in this league. It’s become that straight forward. If Hedman returns to form once recovering from whatever injury he has going on he likely regains that title but there’s no better defenseman in the world than Cale Makar right now. None.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Big game tonight yup. Avs win and we really control our own fate for the Presidents trophy, we own all tie breakers against both Carolina and Vegas.

Lose, and Vegas wins the Presidents trophy, then we are in a dog fight for 2nd, though I still feel comfortable with that 2nd place spot. We'd be up 1 point with our last 2 games being against LA at home while the Wild have to play the Blues.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Blues have 3 games left and will most likely rest some guys.

 

[the_fan]

I dont know why would the Avs try hard risk injuries to beat Vegas tonight and then 2 more games just so they can play a tougher opponent in the 1st round. Avs are better off playing the Wild than the Blues. The only thing is winning the division would give them home ice if they have to face Vegas in the 2nd round, but is that really worth risking injuries playing hard in this last 3 games?

Edit: I guess if they have to play the Wild they might want a home ice in that series.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Wild are better than the Blues.

 

[LostInMosEisley]

Avs need to win in regulation to A) stay in control of their own destiny for the division and President's Trophy and B) win the season series against Vegas (a regulation win gives the Avs 9 pts in the season series to 8 for VGK). The latter may not be that big a deal because other tie breakers will factor in first, but it'd be nice for the Avs to win every season series in this crappy all division season.

 

[Richard88]

I dont know why would the Avs try hard risk injuries to beat Vegas tonight and then 2 more games just so they can play a tougher opponent in the 1st round. Avs are better off playing the Wild than the Blues. The only thing is winning the division would give them home ice if they have to face Vegas in the 2nd round, but is that really worth risking injuries playing hard in this last 3 games?

Edit: I guess if they have to play the Wild they might want a home ice in that series.

The Avs have lost in game 7's two years in a row, with neither of those games being at home (though last years game was at a neutral venue). That being the case I'm sure they'll be keen to get home ice for as long as possible in the playoffs. Win tonight and beat LA twice at home and they'll have home ice throughout the playoffs no matter who they play.

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

Randomly get Mac, G, and Byram back tonight and win by 3? I mean crazier things have happened in the world.

 

[LostInMosEisley]

The Avs have lost in game 7's two years in a row, with neither of those games being at home (though last years game was at a neutral venue). That being the case I'm sure they'll be keen to get home ice for as long as possible in the playoffs. Win tonight and beat LA twice at home and they'll have home ice throughout the playoffs no matter who they play.

I keep going back to the 2001 run. It was huge having the two game 7s at home, especially and obviously the Cup clinching game, but it was also big in the WCF against St. Louis. They were hot coming into the WCF having just swept the Stars, and the Avs just lost Forsberg. The Avs won all 3 games of that series at home and Roy had to keep them in the games in St. Louis-- no question having to start the series at home was key to them getting and keeping control of that series.

 

[ASmileyFace]

The Avs have lost in game 7's two years in a row, with neither of those games being at home (though last years game was at a neutral venue). That being the case I'm sure they'll be keen to get home ice for as long as possible in the playoffs. Win tonight and beat LA twice at home and they'll have home ice throughout the playoffs no matter who they play.

Players have been quoted multiple times about home ice being a big advantage and a goal for the team this year. If they don't ice the absolute best possible roster tonight I'd be very surprised.

 

[the_fan]

The Avs have lost in game 7's two years in a row, with neither of those games being at home (though last years game was at a neutral venue). That being the case I'm sure they'll be keen to get home ice for as long as possible in the playoffs. Win tonight and beat LA twice at home and they'll have home ice throughout the playoffs no matter who they play.

I agree, but if the Avs really wanted that home ice, maybe they should have not lost to Sharks when they had a 2 goal lead. They would have some room for error if they won that game, now they don't. They gotta play hard to win the last 3 games, and that will always come with risk of injuries

 

[Mighty Makar]

I hope Nate plays tonight. I doubt we’ll see Saad and/or Girard til Wed or Thur.

 

[Muffin]

Avs killer Pacioretty is still out, I think we have a good shot. Just remember we outplayed Vegas last game and only lost because Dubnyk.