Pre-Game Talk: Week of ghouls, ghosts and long breaks (CAR, @PHI, @NYI)

[forsbergavs32]

May as well get this party started since we have yet another 4 day break.

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[StayAtHomeAv]

Agozzino already sent back to SA (capfriendly).

 

[ASmileyFace]

I get home from 17 days with no connection to the real world and the Avs take a 4 day break. Lucky me

 

[The Kingslayer]

What a terrible schedule to start a season. So many days off in between games. W,W,L.

 

[Balthazar]

What a terrible schedule to start a season. So many days off in between games. W,W,L.

I don't know what's up with the schedule this year, it's not just the AVS it's the whole league. Did they hire new people or something? We regularly get weekdays with only 1 or 2 games and all kinds of weird stuff.

 

[dahrougem2]

The schedule for the first half of the season makes it imperative that the Avs get off to a good start and find a way to stay a few games above .500 if they have any aspirations of the playoffs, because the second half of our schedule is going to be loaded.

L vs CAR
W @ PHI
L @ NYI

 

[tigervixxxen]

Not to look ahead too much but our season rests in this stretch IMO

Thu DEC 7, 2017 (5:30 PM) @ Lightning
Sat DEC 9, 2017 (5 PM) @ Panthers
Mon DEC 11, 2017 (5 PM) @ Penguins
Tue DEC 12, 2017 (5 PM) @ Capitals
Thu DEC 14, 2017 (7 PM) vs Panthers
Sat DEC 16, 2017 (7 PM) vs Lightning
Mon DEC 18, 2017 (7 PM) vs Penguins

 

[Nalens Oga]

The schedule is shit because the NHL does what they usually do, hire a guy/guys then doesn't bother to hold them accountable and it gets progressively worse year after year. Steve Hetze Petros is the f***er in charge of scheduling. December's gonna be a tough month but optimistically, Bednar will be out by the new year then.

 

[Balthazar]

Not to look ahead too much but our season rests in this stretch IMO

Thu DEC 7, 2017 (5:30 PM) @ Lightning
Sat DEC 9, 2017 (5 PM) @ Panthers
Mon DEC 11, 2017 (5 PM) @ Penguins
Tue DEC 12, 2017 (5 PM) @ Capitals
Thu DEC 14, 2017 (7 PM) vs Panthers
Sat DEC 16, 2017 (7 PM) vs Lightning
Mon DEC 18, 2017 (7 PM) vs Penguins

Wow that's brutal. Playing twice the Pens and twice the Lightning too.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Wow that's brutal. Playing twice the Pens and twice the Lightning too.

Not to mention we seem to struggle against the Panthers too

 

[the_fan]

What a terrible schedule to start a season. So many days off in between games. W,W,L.

As far as I can remember, Avs have always had stupid schedule to start the season

 

[dahrougem2]

The schedule is **** because the NHL does what they usually do, hire a guy/guys then doesn't bother to hold them accountable and it gets progressively worse year after year. Steve Hetze Petros is the ****er in charge of scheduling. December's gonna be a tough month but optimistically, Bednar will be out by the new year then.

I mean, going to Sweden during the season also plays a big factor here.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I can understand the Sweden trip impacting the week surrounding it but this week and last weekend's 4 day breaks? It's more about not competing with the NFL and the fall schedules are always lighter but it's ridiculous and they will have to play literally every other day in Feb and March.

 

[dahrougem2]

Both us and the Senators play 14 games until the Sweden trip.

A team like Pittsburgh plays 17 games until that point, Chicago plays 16, Toronto plays 17, Edmonton plays 15.

It isn't really THAT much of a discrepancy compared to other teams.

 

[S E P H]

Wow that's brutal. Playing twice the Pens and twice the Lightning too.

True that it is brutal, but losing points against Eastern opponents, especially to the likes of Penguins and Lightning where we're expecting to lose anyway shouldn't really have major implications on Avs playoff chances IMHO. I doubt it will be a section where Avs make or break the season solely against the East, I suggest it's more about consistency overall needed for the Avs.

I'm expecting a W, L, and OTL versus all three oppositions. Flyers are playing really good and will be the toughest team, but we should have no problem lighting up Elliott (that's going to be a fun game, maybe high scoring). Darling has been inconsistent, but Hurricanes are a tough team under Peters and Islanders actually have been playing some decent hockey. All in all, we're playing teams that have played good hockey the last week, but have also faced inconsistent goaltending that Avs can absolutely take advantage of.

 

[tigervixxxen]

It doesn't matter who they are losing points to if they aren't gaining points. The point wasn't so much about opponents but that's 12 days including a b2b. But hey, every game counts the same.

 

[S E P H]

Not really, teams have made the playoffs dropping points to other conference teams. No team since the new divisional alignment off the top of my head made the playoffs dropping a consistent amount of points against divisional opponents. True Avs had a pretty good divisional record last year even with horrid awfulness we went through, but then it matters in regards of beating the teams you need to beat to make the postseason. The likes of Islanders, Jets, Coyotes, Devils, and Sabres concerning last year's standings.

 

[Foppberg]

I'm going to say OTL to Carolina, win against Philly, and an OT win against the Islanders. Philly has been really good to start the season but Gostisbehere is hurt and their defense is already young/shaky as it is. And you never know what you'll get with Elliott.

 

[Ceremony]

I saw some of the Hurricanes game last night and if we don't put twelve past this fraud Darling we're as well moving back to Quebec

 

[Pokecheque]

As I continue to beat into the ground on Twitter, the NHL needs to quit p***yfooting around the NFL. It's ridiculous in a league with that much talent to showcase that they're still afraid of a rival sport that's bleeding viewers and fans like crazy at present and showcases a completely inferior product.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I saw some of the Hurricanes game last night and if we don't put twelve past this fraud Darling we're as well moving back to Quebec

We just got shut out by Oscar Dansk. We can't assume anything.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Man these 4 day breaks are killing me.

Feels like it's been a week already since we last played.


Back to being an eternal optimist but I think we're going streaking this week. 3 Wins, with the NYI game going to OT.

 

[Freudian]

Both Varlamov and Bernier have a .905 sv%, despite playing rather well. Just goes to show how one bad game can undo several good ones.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

One Bad Apple...

 

[McMetal]

Anybody have a clue what the defensive pairs/practice lines look like for tomorrow? I'll get the GDT up tonight after work but I don't know what the lines are anymore. Is Wilson back?