Blues/Avalanche playoff series discussion

[Brian39]

As I said before, they travel in and out of Colorado pretty often so it's not like the team is ignorant of the effects of altitude.

And we have been absolutely atrocious there. In the last 3 years (playoffs included) we are 2-8-1 in Denver and have been outscored 47-27. One of the two wins came after they spent the week in the mountains to prepare. The other was the 2020/21 season opener. Whatever organizational knowledge we have to prepare to play in Denver is not translating to on-ice success.

 

[PocketNines]

I lived in Colorado for a couple years at 8,900/9,300 feet in CB/Mt. CB. The altitude adjustment is real, but at the same time when we get to the end of the series and we're assessing what changes to make for next year it's got to be focused on the overall disparity among skaters and not correct altitude strategy.

 

[joe galiba]

And we have been absolutely atrocious there. In the last 3 years (playoffs included) we are 2-8-1 in Denver and have been outscored 47-27. One of the two wins came after they spent the week in the mountains to prepare. The other was the 2020/21 season opener. Whatever organizational knowledge we have to prepare to play in Denver is not translating to on-ice success.

as someone who used to go to Colorado once or twice a year, nothing really ever helped except time

when I was about 50, and in pretty good shape for my age, I took my daughter to a Broncos game and I was sucking wind just climbing up to the nose bleed seats

side note - some of the Broncos fans enjoyed the hell out of me wearing a Kurt Warner jersey

 

[Brian39]

i dont see anyone whining about the refs.

2 sentences later

but if you are asking if the "low sticking" call was legit, the answer is NO and it was a horse shit call to make in a 2-2 game with 1 19 left

Just from this thread and the GDT after game 1 had ended

yes the officiating stunk

If refs aint giving calls (and they likely wont since we are not a league darling team), they are in deep shit unless they play better 5on5.

anyways that was boring ass game until last 5mins when the refs injected themselves into it. avs were doing those sorts of holds all game long but finally got called on 1 and we made em pay. then they did the token refalanche nonsense with a low sticking call.

officiating didnt cost the blues the game last night but are we really surprised about it being garbage? been garbage all playoffs and we are playing gary's darling team. they will do everything in their power to make sure their welfare hockey team advances.

its not a shock that the blues have a deadly PP but only got to use it once last night. colorado did not "magically" just not take penalties, they were holding and picking all night long. ref realized a 2-0 PP count looks very bad on paper so they finally called one of their cheap lazy holds. it cost them and thats why that low sticking BS call was made. that probably the worst call of the playoffs outside of missing 3 delay of game calls since those are not subjective at all.

And then you have the preemptive whining before the series started

Regular season records:

• Refalanche: 56-19-7, 119 points
• Blues: 49-22-11, 109 points

Leading scorers:

• Refalanche: Tim "The Heel" Peel, 4060 Power Plays
• Blues: RW Vladimir Tarasenko, 82 points (34 G, 48 A)

more pathetic pandering from the league to their darling 2nd round chokes

I think that last one was insinuating that the start times were an effort from the league to help the Avs. I guess that isn't whining about the refs specifically, but it is part of your ongoing "the fix is in to make sure this otherwise bad team wins" conspiracy which is totally different than whining.

I know that you just want to complain about a league conspiracy against our team (which totally isn't whining), but I'd suggest you read the rulebook. High sticking is defined as contact above the shoulders regardless of how the player receiving the stick to the face/head has his body positioned. The only exceptions are contact on a center hunched over during a faceoff or contact that is the result of a wind up or follow through on a shot. That play was not a faceoff. Schenn was not shooting the puck. Schenn swung his stick and hit him in the face with it. it 100% meets the definition of a high stick and that play gets called every time the refs see it. Learn the rules if your entire schtick is going to be calling the Avs the "refalanche" and calling the refs/league biased toward them.

 

[Brian39]

I lived in Colorado for a couple years at 8,900/9,300 feet in CB/Mt. CB. The altitude adjustment is real, but at the same time when we get to the end of the series and we're assessing what changes to make for next year it's got to be focused on the overall disparity among skaters and not correct altitude strategy.

If we don't win the series I totally agree that the disparity among skaters is by far the bigger concern and focus to address. I don't think it is a foregone conclusion that we can't step up and win the series, but roster construction has been a concern of many around here all season.

The main critique of the Leddy trade was that it wasn't enough to put us on even footing with the Avs so it felt like a waste of assets. There were also a lot of "Leddy is just straight bad" opinions that have aged poorly, but the construction of the D has been an ongoing concern that is massively more "to blame" for game 1 than altitude.

Concerns that our offensive strategy won't translate to playoff success have existed to some degree all season.

Concerns about Binner's ability to track shots from distance have existed all season. He was great in game 1, but he was also beat clean on wrist shots on medium danger chances numerous time (but got lucky that they hit the post).

I don't think anyone is saying that altitude caused every issue we have and that we easily would have walked that team if we had gotten there Saturday. My point with it has been that in a series where we need several things to go our way, taking every opportunity to gain even a minute edge should have been a no brainer.

Edit: Also, I'm very envious that you lived in the Crested Butte area. That's my personal favorite place that I've been to in the US. I loved the little mountain town I lived in for 5 years but CB is something else.

 

[PocketNines]

I agree about taking any edge we can. Altitude is worth a discussion. Let's be mindful of the altitude considerations for next year, and let's come back next year with a roster that can limit Avs shots if it wants to rather than just having to defend 15-20 shots in a given period – in either building – whenever the Avs choose to pour it on.

 

[PocketNines]

Edit: Also, I'm very envious that you lived in the Crested Butte area. That's my personal favorite place that I've been to in the US. I loved the little mountain town I lived in for 5 years but CB is something else.

It is beautiful, but it's also over and it deserves to be. I had a full time job and no housing there. It's completely unsustainable. I lived the pure hell described in this piece. Mark Reaman's quote is one of the most enraging quotes I have ever read.

 

[Brian39]

It is beautiful, but it's also over and it deserves to be. I had a full time job and no housing there. It's completely unsustainable. I lived the pure hell described in this piece. Mark Reaman's quote is one of the most enraging quotes I have ever read.

The cost of housing is one of the two reasons I moved back to St. Louis (family being the other). Our little town hasn't hit CB levels yet, but it's going that direction. $400k is the entry point for home ownership in the area and pretty much everything at that price point is either an aging 1 bedroom condo with less than 500 sq feet or a small house that needs tons of work.

My breaking point was watching my friends get rejected for the "affordable housing" that was built to address the issue of teachers not being able to live in the area. Both of them have taught at the local school for 5+ years and they have 2 school-aged kids. They didn't qualify for the home because their combined income was below the minimum income threshold. That was the big moment that shifted my opinion from "this housing market is absurd but maybe we can save enough to buy here one day" to "this housing market is profoundly broken and is going to destroy the community in the long term."

In hindsight, the long student loan pause saved us enough money that we probably could have built a good enough down payment to get into something worth living in. But we had committed to moving by that point and had we audibled and gone down that road our budget would have been extremely tight. As much as I love that town, I'm happy to not be locked into a housing market that is either going to pop or destroy the community in the long term.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Adjusting to altitude, you need either about 24-36 hours for the BPG in your RBC to change levels, or 3 weeks for the amount of red blood cell production to make a difference. Olympic athletes do that as a form of ‘natural’ doping, training at altitude. Making the argument about the amount of oxygen based on human physiology, the team’s expert consultants were right that arriving a day or two earlier than Monday morning would make no difference.

There is also a psychological component to the altitude, and talking about it too much reinforces that beyond all reason. I don’t fault the team’s approach.

That game looked a lot to me like a team that was well rested for over a week, wasn’t tested in the first round, had scouted its opponent‘s tendencies and was well prepared vs a team coming off a tough physical series who double-shifted some forwards. I think the Blues would have looked bad even if the game were played in St Louis.

 

[PocketNines]

The cost of housing is one of the two reasons I moved back to St. Louis (family being the other). Our little town hasn't hit CB levels yet, but it's going that direction. $400k is the entry point for home ownership in the area and pretty much everything at that price point is either an aging 1 bedroom condo with less than 500 sq feet or a small house that needs tons of work.

My breaking point was watching my friends get rejected for the "affordable housing" that was built to address the issue of teachers not being able to live in the area. Both of them have taught at the local school for 5+ years and they have 2 school-aged kids. They didn't qualify for the home because their combined income was below the minimum income threshold. That was the big moment that shifted my opinion from "this housing market is absurd but maybe we can save enough to buy here one day" to "this housing market is profoundly broken and is going to destroy the community in the long term."

We are moving from the firestorms that blanket the Emerald Triangle, the megadrought, the unbreathable air. We got a Front Range realtor and then when the fires swept through an evacuated area where we bid, we said F this, it's Vermont. So Montreal will be my new closest arena next season.

 

[RR10]

did you read my post?
I said nothing about Colorado, I noted that what you said about the Blues was inaccurate
I only addressed your assertion that the Blues were one the slowest teams in the league
if you took anything else from what I said you need to take a remedial course on reading comprehension
so, no, you are not "right"
Because the Avs are the fastest team in the west and probably in the league, it doesn't mean the Blues are one of the slowest
Because the Avs are faster as a team than the Blues, it doesn't mean the Blues are slow

if the Avs are one of the fastest, if not the fastest, team in the NHL, that, in and of itself, doesn't mean that the Blues are one of the slowest, this is a clear example of a false dichotomy

Even if you put Colorado aside the Blues are still one of the slower teams and it's pretty clear to me watching the games. The only 2 guys that are really fast are Thomas and Kyrou. The rest is either slightly above average, average or slow (ROR, Perron etc).

 

[TheDizee]

2 sentences later


Just from this thread and the GDT after game 1 had ended










And then you have the preemptive whining before the series started





I think that last one was insinuating that the start times were an effort from the league to help the Avs. I guess that isn't whining about the refs specifically, but it is part of your ongoing "the fix is in to make sure this otherwise bad team wins" conspiracy which is totally different than whining.

I know that you just want to complain about a league conspiracy against our team (which totally isn't whining), but I'd suggest you read the rulebook. High sticking is defined as contact above the shoulders regardless of how the player receiving the stick to the face/head has his body positioned. The only exceptions are contact on a center hunched over during a faceoff or contact that is the result of a wind up or follow through on a shot. That play was not a faceoff. Schenn was not shooting the puck. Schenn swung his stick and hit him in the face with it. it 100% meets the definition of a high stick and that play gets called every time the refs see it. Learn the rules if your entire schtick is going to be calling the Avs the "refalanche" and calling the refs/league biased toward them.

show me where its stated that i said the refs cost them the game

have fun wasting more of your time LMAO and good luck

 

[BlueDream]

Even if you put Colorado aside the Blues are still one of the slower teams and it's pretty clear to me watching the games. The only 2 guys that are really fast are Thomas and Kyrou. The rest is either slightly above average, average or slow (ROR, Perron etc).

I don’t even think it’s a speed issue though. ROR isn’t fast but he was by far our best skater in that game. He’s the only skater that played well.

Guys like Thomas can skate well but he did nothing.

Yes the team looked slow but it’s more because they just looked overwhelmed and like they had no idea what to do.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

It is beautiful, but it's also over and it deserves to be. I had a full time job and no housing there. It's completely unsustainable. I lived the pure hell described in this piece. Mark Reaman's quote is one of the most enraging quotes I have ever read.

Thank you for sharing that article.

I feel sad, but, unfortunately, this is the United States we live in. Money is all that matters. People don’t.

Fortunately, I’ve gotten to the point of focusing on, primarily, having just a little more than enough and doing what I can to develop, enrich, broaden and deepen my human consciousness experience.

However, I think my consciousness would thank me for purchasing a home in that mystical Crested Butte fantasticalness.

One can do some major connecting in the mountains.

OK, that’s enough kooky shit for the next minute or two.

 

[Xerloris]

If we don't win the series I totally agree that the disparity among skaters is by far the bigger concern and focus to address. I don't think it is a foregone conclusion that we can't step up and win the series, but roster construction has been a concern of many around here all season.

The main critique of the Leddy trade was that it wasn't enough to put us on even footing with the Avs so it felt like a waste of assets. There were also a lot of "Leddy is just straight bad" opinions that have aged poorly, but the construction of the D has been an ongoing concern that is massively more "to blame" for game 1 than altitude.

Concerns that our offensive strategy won't translate to playoff success have existed to some degree all season.

Concerns about Binner's ability to track shots from distance have existed all season. He was great in game 1, but he was also beat clean on wrist shots on medium danger chances numerous time (but got lucky that they hit the post).

I don't think anyone is saying that altitude caused every issue we have and that we easily would have walked that team if we had gotten there Saturday. My point with it has been that in a series where we need several things to go our way, taking every opportunity to gain even a minute edge should have been a no brainer.

Edit: Also, I'm very envious that you lived in the Crested Butte area. That's my personal favorite place that I've been to in the US. I loved the little mountain town I lived in for 5 years but CB is something else.

I certainly believe that the altitude hurt us but how many of us are as well conditioned as these guys are? Could their actual conditioning make the effects not as severe as for "normal" people?

 

[PocketNines]

Thank you for sharing that article.

I feel sad, but, unfortunately, this is the United States we live in. Money is all that matters. People don’t.

Fortunately, I’ve gotten to the point of focusing on, primarily, having just a little more than enough and doing what I can to develop, enrich, broaden and deepen my human consciousness experience.

However, I think my consciousness would thank me for purchasing a home in that mystical Crested Butte fantasticalness.

One can do some major connecting in the mountains.

OK, that’s enough kooky shit for the next minute or two.

The mountains there are spectacular. Colorado is a beautiful state. I watched the 2013 Kings series and 2014 Hawks series there. I was there in 2012 to vote for legal weed.

 

[PocketNines]

Very impressive adjustments by Berube and some good puck luck with the deflections. Binnington has been dialed in and the team played a veteran game. The first playoff win against Colorado in regulation ever. Hopefully Colorado cannot readjust successfully and I like what I'm seeing with Makar

 

[TheDizee]

win at home and win the series.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Need everyone coming to the fight

DP/ROR
Russians to include Torpedo
Kids
Schenner/Saad/Bozak
D corps
Binner

 

[ChicagoBlues]

The mountains there are spectacular. Colorado is a beautiful state. I watched the 2013 Kings series and 2014 Hawks series there. I was there in 2012 to vote for legal weed.

I've got one more year in Phoenix and then I'm outta here. Planning my exit strategy now.

 

[execwrite1]

Another Mile High Choke?

Oh, boy. Was Wayne Gretzky right? “The Great One” is now the TNT analyst who perfectly predicted the first round, 8-0, in his playoffs bracket. Moving on to the second round, Gretzsky’s lone upset was the Blues over the Avalanche. Gretzky is still shooting his shot.

The Blues now have presented the perfect obstacle for the Avs. Beat St. Louis, a recent Stanley Cup champ, and the Avs can open the floodgates to a half-decade of Stanley Cup runs. Fall to St. Louis, and the Avs will earn a reputation as frontrunners who can’t win it all.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I think there are times when the team struggles where people start to question if Berube is genuinely a good coach, but last night should put that to bed IMO. It's not just changing goalies at the right time or going with 11/7 to shelter the minutes of some of the guys and maximize the PP with Perunovich, but tweaking lines in an effective way, the decision to go with 5 forwards on the 5v3. Berube is good at managing the players, and also with his staff. Montgomery has done great work with the PK and Ott with the PP. Montgomery being a great coach makes sense because he always was just had off-ice stuff, but Berube has done great work in developing Ott and Van Ryn.

 

[TheDizee]

Another Mile High Choke?

Oh, boy. Was Wayne Gretzky right? “The Great One” is now the TNT analyst who perfectly predicted the first round, 8-0, in his playoffs bracket. Moving on to the second round, Gretzsky’s lone upset was the Blues over the Avalanche. Gretzky is still shooting his shot.

The Blues now have presented the perfect obstacle for the Avs. Beat St. Louis, a recent Stanley Cup champ, and the Avs can open the floodgates to a half-decade of Stanley Cup runs. Fall to St. Louis, and the Avs will earn a reputation as frontrunners who can’t win it all.

you love to see it.

they've lost 1 game and are melting down. imagine if we can really apply some pressure on them by taking care of business at home.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

I think there are times when the team struggles where people start to question if Berube is genuinely a good coach, but last night should put that to bed IMO. It's not just changing goalies at the right time or going with 11/7 to shelter the minutes of some of the guys and maximize the PP with Perunovich, but tweaking lines in an effective way, the decision to go with 5 forwards on the 5v3. Berube is good at managing the players, and also with his staff. Montgomery has done great work with the PK and Ott with the PP. Montgomery being a great coach makes sense because he always was just had off-ice stuff, but Berube has done great work in developing Ott and Van Ryn.

Yeah, he has that succinct communication style and you think about his playing style some too, and it’s a easy to put him in a stereotypical box as a coach. The type with the 3-4 year expiration date that the league has historically been littered with, that often get immediate success and rapidly diminishing returns. Those coaches often do well for themselves, but have to hopscotch around, so not exactly knocking them, but he’s proving to be more sophisticated than just all that, as you point out.

 

[WeWentBlues]

Great game last night with some puck luck on the first two goals. Crazy to think we were 1 shot from being up 2-0 in this series.

With that being said, our execution last night wasn't perfect and there is still room to get better. While it worked out in our favor, Nichuskin almost had a breakaway from a bad exchange at the blueline on the PP. Need to clean that up for sure.

Same thing happened early in the 3rd that led to the 2-on-that resulted in a pretty weak slash call on Perron and an Avs PP goal. Had Perron not later scored to make it 3-1, I think the Avs would have tied it. Really need to be careful with the puck at the top of the zone.

Also nice to see a few good hits on Makar and Girard last night. Need to keep hitting those two when given the chance.