Grubauer would not have made that pad save on Carrier and the Avs would have lost.We'll that's about a dominant 2-1 game that you'll ever see.
Without a horseshoe shoved up Ingram's ass that could have result been a carbon copy of the other nights 7-2 whipping or worse. Nashville really can't expect to rely on that kind of goaltending moving forward. It just not realistic.
That was very much a game we would have lost years previously. But we stayed mentally focused, never made the big mistake, and never let up. Games like that can be frustrating but we found a way to win and that's all that matters.
Hell no. Burakovsky isn't perfect but he's working his butt off on the 3rd line and he's also using his speed to skate the puck out of the defensive zone at the very least. He's backchecking and playing his guts out. Sure, he'll make the odd mistake and so will a bunch of different players but the leash with guys like Burakovsky and Girard is short with some fans on here - basically whenever they make a bad play it gets amplified to the point where nothing else they do correctly matters.Soooo do we take Burakovsky out of the lineup? I get that he has an X factor when he’s on, but my god he is making terrible offensive decisions. The shot in OT gave me flashbacks to Ryan Graves last season. We have Newhook and Cogliano in the wings and I thought LOC was better than Bura.
Absolutely this. That's what I'd do as well.Hynes held the Duchene line out for a shift in OT to then match them against our 3rd line of Burakovsky-Compher-NAK and it worked as they got a good shift with a prime scoring opportunity just before the Makar goal on the next shift. Gotta think he'll try to do that again on home ice so ideally Bednar tries to mitigate that by balancing lines a bit, something like this:
Landeskog -- Mackinnon -- Rantanen
Nichuskin ------ Kadri ----- Burakovsky
Lehkonen ------ Sturm ---- Compher
Cogliano ------- Helm ----- O'Connor
That would be a good way to mitigate Nashville having the last change, as the 3rd line would be MUCH improved defensively. If Hynes wants to target the 3rd line they could very well get shut down by Lehkonen and Sturm and thereby leave our top 2 lines to feast on their middle 6 with both lines carrying offensive threat.
If Cogs isn't good to go I'd like to see Newhook get a chance too. Also Byram needs to be given more minutes. He looked as good as he has since being back, starting to regain his early season form - which is bad news for opponentsGrubauer would not have made that pad save on Carrier and the Avs would have lost.
Hell no. Burakovsky isn't perfect but he's working his butt off on the 3rd line and he's also using his speed to skate the puck out of the defensive zone at the very least. He's backchecking and playing his guts out. Sure, he'll make the odd mistake and so will a bunch of different players but the leash with guys like Burakovsky and Girard is short with some fans on here - basically whenever they make a bad play it gets amplified to the point where nothing else they do correctly matters.
Absolutely this. That's what I'd do as well.
I’m ok with Byram’s usage. He looks more confident and could easily handle more minutes, but he still hasn’t played a lot of hockey this year.If Cogs isn't good to go I'd like to see Newhook get a chance too. Also Byram needs to be given more minutes. He looked as good as he has since being back, starting to regain his early season form - which is bad news for opponents
If Cogs isn't good to go I'd like to see Newhook get a chance too. Also Byram needs to be given more minutes. He looked as good as he has since being back, starting to regain his early season form - which is bad news for opponents
Cale already smeshed thats why
I think Sturm was a bit happy with that OT goal lol
I don't mind limiting Byram's minutes at even strength, I do think they should give him some PP time though.If Cogs isn't good to go I'd like to see Newhook get a chance too. Also Byram needs to be given more minutes. He looked as good as he has since being back, starting to regain his early season form - which is bad news for opponents
I don't mind Girard and Byram on the PP together.I don't mind limiting Byram's minutes at even strength, I do think they should give him some PP time though.
Yah PP2 just aint doing much right now. I dont think Bednar is going to remove Girard. What should happen is putting Newhook back in the lineup and into the bumper. After last night NAK can sit.I don't mind limiting Byram's minutes at even strength, I do think they should give him some PP time though.
I think Sturm was a bit happy with that OT goal lol
I know we've been winning so far but I would love to get the top line and the Nuke-Kadri-Bura lines back together well it will probably happen if we're in trouble in game 3-4. Also would love to have Newhook over NAK. I know the latter has been more physical but boy I'm legit scared when I see Bura-Compher-NAK in their own zone it sometimes looks like the puck will never get out. I've noticed that NAK keeps the puck too long in his own end which creates more turnovers. I think having fast skilled guy like Newhook would allow more space for Burakovsky who can't find lanes to shoot right now. As I said previously Compher has been very good so far and this is coming from someone that kept shi***** on him through the seasonBednar is once again out thinking himself with his playoff lines.
Kadri + Landeskog does not work and has never worked. We know who Burakovsky is, and we know he won't play well with Aube-Kubel and Compher. Kadri had a career season centering Burakovsky and Nichushkin; that trio needs to be re-united.
Every post-season, without fail, Bednar breaks up the top line to try to spread the scoring, and it never works. Just take a look at this:
Regular Season Post-Season 2019 Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Kerfoot-Compher-Wilson
Nieto-Soderberg-Calvert
Bourque-Jost-Andrighetto/BrassardLandeskog-MacKinnon-Kerfoot
Wilson-Soderberg-Rantanen
Nieto-Compher-Calvert
Bourque-Jost-Brassard2020 Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Burakovsky-Kadri-Nichushkin
Namestikov-Compher-Donskoi
Nieto-Bellemare-CalvertNamestikov-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Landeskog-Kadri-Nichushkin
Burakovsky-Compher-Donskoi
Nieto-Bellemare-Calvert2021 Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Saad-Kadri-Burakovsky
Nichushkin-Jost-Donskoi
O'Connor-Bellemare-CompherSaad-MacKinnon-Rantanen
Landeskog-Compher-Nichushkin
Burakovsky-Jost-O'Connor
Newhook-Bellemare-Donskoi
This is the fourth year in a row Bednar's broken up the best line in hockey in the post-season. They re-united at the end of Game 2, so maybe there's hope.
I actually agree about advanced stats, but damnit I saw an opportunity to use a meme and I damn well took it.This is why I have a problem with advanced stats, you look at that and you think G was a force. For the most part what he did was skate up the left side boards, run out of room and then get rid of the puck to whoever is close. I think he’s still hampered by something, even when he does his spin it seems like an absolute chore. He’s displaying some tunnel vision out there.
He's not playing bad, and he's not putting the Avs in bad positions (aside from the goal against last night). It's similar to Rantanen, most of my issues with both of them is that I've seen them both do more and we need that as the playoffs go on.I actually agree about advanced stats, but damnit I saw an opportunity to use a meme and I damn well took it.
Also I think G is getting waaaay too much hate around here.
He's not playing bad, and he's not putting the Avs in bad positions (aside from the goal against last night). It's similar to Rantanen, most of my issues with both of them is that I've seen them both do more and we need that as the playoffs go on.
A boneheaded decision would have been to pinch in a situaton where youwill clearly not be there on time. G pinched in a situation where he was totally on time. He just missed to intercept. It was poorly executed but the decision was not boneheaded. I'll conceive that it was a tad agressive but we see that kind of pass interception very often and its fine... as long as you don't miss...It wasn't a fluky play, it was a simple play, that Girard turned into an adventure by making a boneheaded decision. If this had been Graves or Cole or someone like that making that play we'd be all over them for it.
Girard is being propped up by Manson who is playing very solid hockey.
Not to mention the fact that through 2 games the Avs are dominating play, so realistically it's tough for anyone to look truly bad.
But I'd say G and Rantanen have easily been the two worst players compared to expectations.
I'll never forgive Kadri for not elevating the puck on that golden chance Byram dropped on him
I actually like what the coaching staff is doing with Byram. He's 20 years old with only 61 NHL games under his belt. Seems to me that they're letting him absorb playoff minutes while mostly sheltering him. I'm fine with this treatment throughout this years playoffs assuming everyone is healthy.
That’s my hope as well. If Mac and Makar slow, hopefully Rantanen and Bura can help offset on the offensive side of things.There's a good chance not everyone is going to be firing all at the same time though. Gotta be happy we have the depth to overcome some struggling while the rest thrive.
Byram does need pp2 time, and offensively, Girard has been bad. But to say he’s been poor defensively is just wrong and certain posters trying to push a narrative. He’s taken the assignments given him and dealt with the physicality just fine. We can put a microscope on each shift and find a gaffe here and there, but guess what? Same for Makar, Toews and every other player on this roster.Lauraskee's love for Cole seem rational with how hard Girard is being defended around here. Can you imagine if Zadorov or Burakovsky were to perform like that, well no need to imagine just look back at some of the threads to see all the vitriol directed at them and that's with Burakovsky having a better season than Girard's ever had. I've even seen some pushing Byram to be traded so he doesn't threaten Girard's position on the team . But seriously replace Girard with Byram on pp2 already.
But G’s a f***ing hockey midget with a waffle shot and a piss missile clapper. His fancy spins ain’t fooling no oneThat’s my hope as well. If Mac and Makar slow, hopefully Rantanen and Bura can help offset on the offensive side of things.
Every player can’t be amazing every night but as long as no one’s costing them and they find a way, that’s all that matters to n the end.
Byram does need pp2 time, and offensively, Girard has been bad. But to say he’s been poor defensively is just wrong and certain posters trying to push a narrative. He’s taken the assignments given him and dealt with the physicality just fine. We can put a microscope on each shift and find a gaffe here and there, but guess what? Same for Makar, Toews and every other player on this roster.
There’s a serious herd mentality on this forum that when one person points to a bad play, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. It makes it hard to take seriously when a small mistake gets blown up over 5 pages even though a player has played fine overall. Why don’t we wait to freak out when it’s something relevant?
Yes, Girard deserves criticism for his attempted block las night, and he got it too. But every time he gets touched people freak out even though he fights through it and doesn’t cough it up. If he misses a pass, people freak out that he’s a hockey Pejorative Slur. If his shot gets blocked, people lose it…. These plays happen just as much to most players on this team without the drama and freak out.
That’s why people “defend” Girard, and would for any other player that get as unfairly scrutinized as he does. There may yet be games this playoffs where he deserves it, but that hasn’t happened yet in the slightest.
This whole post just…Except it's not just one "small" mistake, that goal changed the momentum of the game. Girard just doesn't have much to offer. His supporters will hype up his ability to move the puck out of the zone even though a key part of that is actually winning puck battles which he doesn't do, even his puck retrieval isn't too good cause his straight line speed is rather lacking for a smaller defensemen that relies on his skating and he has a tendency to giveaway the puck if somebody breathes on him. If he was talented like Rantanen then sure I can see why he'd have staunch defenders of his game and why we should overlook these things but simply put he's not, at this point I don't think he's even as talented as Kerfoot.
Every other player takes their licking on these boards when the play bad but Girard always gets a ton excuses by his supporters who actually push this herd mentality your speaking by deflecting criticism towards other players like Nemeth and Graves. Girard can make one competent play and suddenly his supporters will praise him by saying shit like he was our best player tonight, meanwhile Mackinnon will make a dozen good plays casually and get a couple of points and still get flak for a bad OT decision or some minor shit like that.
…Who is getting picked apart for not being able to handle the physicality, when in reality he’s dealt with it fine through these two playoff games. Offensively, he’s been poor, yes.But G’s a f***ing hockey midget with a waffle shot and a piss missile clapper. His fancy spins ain’t fooling no one