Around the NHL #5 (The Mike Smith Tracking Thread Returns)

[rt]

Soderberg and Crouse need to get it going. Tocchet brought back the beef line, even starting them for periods, and they largely did nothing. The consistent push wasn't there like the regular season.

Hopefully Soderberg shows up in a big way vs his old team if that's the draw.

I thought Soderberg had an incredible game yesterday. But I agree overall. Especially with Crouse. He’s got to either work on his puck skills or learn out to be a mean bastard. Because right now he’s not anything more than Taylor Pyatt.

 

[_Del_]

The consistent push wasn't there like the regular season.

Somebody look up offensive zone time 5v5, because while it only came in spurts in game four, I wouldn't be surprised if that line led the team.

 

[Mosby]

Soda definitely looked slow. His two positives in that series were his board work late in yesterday’s game, and then his forceful play along the boards that allowed him to get an empty netter in a previous game.

 

[Mosby]

Anyone else going to check out this Avs/Knights game?

 

[rt]

Anyone else going to check out this Avs/Knights game?

Had planned on it. But Kid’s movie on Disney+ won the popular vote. Lol.

I’m cheering for the Knights. Hopefully for the last time.

 

[XX]

Anyone else going to check out this Avs/Knights game?

Coyotes play the loser, right? Hawks were 12 seed, AZ 11. Winner of this game gets #1 seed in the west. Loser is #2.

edit: NBC just confirmed it

 

[Tom Polakis]

Coyotes play the loser, right? Hawks were 12 seed, AZ 11. Winner of this game gets #1 seed in the west. Loser is #2.

edit: NBC just confirmed it

I know that teams play to win, but when the reward for winning is playing the Hawks instead of the Coyotes...

 

[Mosby]

Another reason to prefer the Avs is I don't think they have a coaching advantage. Tocchet is better than Hynes and he's no worse than Bednar. But DeBoer would mop the floor with him (coaching wise...).

 

[Mosby]

If memory serves we have also had some pretty chippy games with the Avs over the last few years. Ever since Rinaldo decked Girard.

 

[XX]

Another reason to prefer the Avs is I don't think they have a coaching advantage. Tocchet is better than Hynes and he's no worse than Bednar. But DeBoer would mop the floor with him (coaching wise...).

I think Vegas lives rent free in the heads of most Coyotes. Reeves and Fleury especially.

Playing Colorado would be a preview of things to come.

 

[MIGs Dog]

See for yourself....

Serenity now... serenity now

 

[Grimes]

If memory serves we have also had some pretty chippy games with the Avs over the last few years. Ever since Rinaldo decked Girard.

Yeah for some reason the two teams just seem to not like each other. I feel like this has even gone back as far as Doans last year.

Good point on coaching too. I think CO has the more talented blueline but it's less experienced and they don't have a true number one.

What I'm really curious about is how much more prepared mentally all the play-in teams are than the round robin teams. Is CO going to look like start of the Nashville/AZ series for the first two games, where we are playing like game three and four? Come out and win game one and who knows which way the series goes.

Edit: f*** this is fun to talk about

 

[Grimes]

There we go Vegas!!!

 

[Jamieh]

An NHL ref should be embarassed to call that kind of penalty unless the player was so loud you could hear it in the upper deck.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Raves is a pos.

 

[rt]

These two teams are playing a game that means absolutely nothing to either of them. They both look better than Arizona and Nashville. Haha. Yikes.

I do think we will come out sharper and more alive next series though.

 

[RABBIT]

I like our goaltending better than Colorado’s. Vegas has a pretty top-tier tandem so I think they have the edge over Colorado there.

@Mosby said it best when it comes to coaching, I would prefer Tocchet face Bednar than DeBoer. I also don’t think we do well against the physical teams, and Vegas has the physical advantage over us and Colorado.

 

[Grimes]

Kadri will be due to do something stupid, give us a major at a crucial point I. The series and miss the remaining game. CO loses their 2C.

Time is a flat circle.

 

[rt]

Penalty shot goal! Unreal!

 

[Bonsai Tree]

I guess I’m the contrarian. As Kuemper is our best player it’s more likely that he can steal a game or two from Vegas than Colorado as Vegas is a lower scoring team.

 

[XX]

Raves is a pos.

No, he's an amazing asset. He constantly keeps Vegas up for the game. Same thing with Stone and Pacioretty. Vegas is cultivating a certain identity and it works really well for them.

 

[XX]

60 seconds from playing Colorado and they tie it.

 

[Mosby]

This can't go to a shootout because Lehner is trash.

 

[BigJCaRoach]

Lloyd Christmas says there is always a chance but you would have to be a major optimist to like either match-up.

 

[XX]

Colorado it is