Blues/Avalanche playoff series discussion

[execwrite1]

Per Lou -

Armstrong's famous words of, "When you have a team down 2-0, you need to take the knife and jam it through their eye into their brain and kill them," still to this day resonate here.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Do we try to skate with them or do we rough them up?

I’m reminded of the Blues spasm of crazy hitting in game #3 against the Wild after we went down 2 goals. It yielded zero goals for us and another Dman hurt (Krug).

I think the Avs would love for us to try to play a hitting game and wait for us to blow coverage because of it. Hitting needs to be controlled and with purpose. Taking yourself out of the play against a fast skating team like the Avs is dumb IMO. Wearing them down over time with smart, repetitive hitting is the way to go.

Be relentless

 

[Brian39]

I’m reminded of the Blues spasm of crazy hitting in game #3 against the Wild after we went down 2 goals. It yielded zero goals for us and another Dman hurt (Krug).

I think the Avs would love for us to try to play a hitting game and wait for us to blow coverage because of it. Hitting needs to be controlled and with purpose. Taking yourself out of the play against a fast skating team like the Avs is dumb IMO. Wearing them down over time with smart, repetitive hitting is the way to go.

Be relentless

Agree completely.

Every time we have a chance to finish a hit on the forecheck, we need to take it. We don't need to chase those hits, but when the hit is the proper play, it needs to be delivered with force and intention. We passed up some hits last night, which was fine because we had full control of the game and had no need/desire to increase the physicality. But that switch has to get flipped the other way starting in game 1.

When the hit is there, it has to be taken every time.

 

[Meatball]

Something to help get us in the killing mood:

 

[TK 421]

Agree completely.

Every time we have a chance to finish a hit on the forecheck, we need to take it. We don't need to chase those hits, but when the hit is the proper play, it needs to be delivered with force and intention. We passed up some hits last night, which was fine because we had full control of the game and had no need/desire to increase the physicality. But that switch has to get flipped the other way starting in game 1.

When the hit is there, it has to be taken every time.

Brian can you give your take on how you think our goaltending gets handled in this series?

If I recall correctly Colorado has really benefitted from Binny having a difficult time tracking shots from the point. Do you think he'll have a short leash and do you think Husso is better at that particular aspect of tending?

Just speculation on my part but I think Husso could end up being an x factor coming off the bench should Binny struggle. All in all I feel really good about our goaltending with two guys who could start.

 

[Ridge1982]

This is where the fun ends. Yea, Leddy and Bortz are back, but The Avs will run circles around us in 5.

 

[Turbonium]

Best of luck to the Blues, should be a great series to watch. Hope injuries don't pile up, this series deserves 2 healthy rosters. May the better team win both this series and the cup. Cheers!

 

[PocketNines]

Avs came out 5-0 in the first period of Game 1 last series. They have a shock and awe mode they can get into, especially in their building. They can rock goalies fast. This is going to test the Blues' momentum resiliency like no other team left playing.

This is a bit of freeroll mode. The Avs are heavy favorites. The Avs have the pressure of history with their second round woes and have had this round circled all year. The Cup also, but this round specifically is their success/failure marker. Blues have experience but no pressure. This sets up a situation where the Avs could be goalie'd. Binnington is a career .895 against Colorado, so we will have to believe it when we see it. It's a major challenge for him, he has to keep the Blues in games.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

If Binnington plays the whole series, that means we won.

If both goalies play, that means at some point we’ll be down in the series, and the end result could end up going either way.

 

[Brian39]

Brian can you give your take on how you think our goaltending gets handled in this series?

If I recall correctly Colorado has really benefitted from Binny having a difficult time tracking shots from the point. Do you think he'll have a short leash and do you think Husso is better at that particular aspect of tending?

Just speculation on my part but I think Husso could end up being an x factor coming off the bench should Binny struggle. All in all I feel really good about our goaltending with two guys who could start.

Game by game. We know that both of our goalies can play extremely well. Both have done it for long stretches. No need to plan anything beyond the next game. Binner is in net for game 1. His play will dictate who is in net for game 2. I think his leash is longer than "lose 1 game and you're out of the net" but I also don't think his leash is long enough to get game 2 if he looks like he did against Colorado in his last game of the regular season.

A ton happens in short time frames during the playoffs. 10 days ago Husso was coming off a 37 save shutout in his playoff debut and we all agreed that the net was his unless/until proven otherwise. Binner was in net 5 days later. Another 5 days have gone by since then and Binner is the undisputed starter for game 1 in Denver. I don't think the staff is mapping out multiple scenarios and which goalie starts in each one. Binner is the guy in game 1 and then you make a decision for game 2 based on how game 1 goes.

I have some concerns about Binner's game vs Colorado. He's always been a bit below average tracking wrist shots through traffic and Colorado's offense executes those plays better than any team in the league. But Binner also looks dialed in right now and has had some stellar games against Colorado in the past. He could absolutely string together enough to start every game (and win the series).

 

[PocketNines]

ESPN did a 10 minute feature on Binnington where he talks about his whole career to this point and this year specifically. Sorry I don't have the link handy but Emily Kaplan twitter is where it is

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

ESPN did a 10 minute feature on Binnington where he talks about his whole career to this point and this year specifically. Sorry I don't have the link handy but Emily Kaplan twitter is where it is

I thought it was done very, very well, and wish it was longer than ten minutes.

 

[Xerloris]

Agree completely.

Every time we have a chance to finish a hit on the forecheck, we need to take it. We don't need to chase those hits, but when the hit is the proper play, it needs to be delivered with force and intention. We passed up some hits last night, which was fine because we had full control of the game and had no need/desire to increase the physicality. But that switch has to get flipped the other way starting in game 1.

When the hit is there, it has to be taken every time.

The Avs have a few hotheads that it would be great to antagonize until they lose their shit.

This is where the fun ends. Yea, Leddy and Bortz are back, but The Avs will run circles around us in 5.

Then why bother being here if you don't have hope?

If Binnington plays the whole series, that means we won.

If both goalies play, that means at some point we’ll be down in the series, and the end result could end up going either way.

Or it means He was owning the Avs so badly Kadri took another suspension to take him out and with kadri that's always a legit possibility.

 

[RR10]

Do we try to skate with them or do we rough them up?

We couldn’t even rough up Minnesota. Avs are faster, more skilled and physical than the Blues. Should be over in 4 or 5 games. Blues only chance is a combination of luck and unreal effectiveness. The main problem is defense and the lack of speed. One of the slowest teams in the league vs the fastest.

 

[EastVillageBlues]

The Blues won't be favorites in this series but they can absolutely beat Colorado.

We seem to have the advantage on special teams, size, forward depth and experience the time of year when it counts. That is enough to potentially win a 7 game series against the Avalanche. The top end talent on the Avalanche is much better than our top end talent and the difference is wide enough to make the Avalanche the better team on paper even if we have more depth.

We will need continued special teams success, 2019 Binnington, ROR to be more effective at neutralizing Mac than the last go round, our defense to play well despite injuries and we will need to exploit their bottom six with our deeper group up front to win. Its doable but that is an absolute beast of a team over there!

IF we take down Colorado, we can take down anyone in the Cup Finals should we be lucky enough and good enough to get there. I feel winning this series would propel us to said Cup finals. Time will tell.

I think we'll need more than ROR to shutdown their top guys. Especially for games on the road, with their top players as they are.

We will need other forwards that have good defensive capacities, such as Saad, Schenn, Barbie, ect, to step up their two way games as well. Our D will need significant help, if we want to hold their top guns in check, in order for our own offense and PP to take over.

 

[joe galiba]

We couldn’t even rough up Minnesota. Avs are faster, more skilled and physical than the Blues. Should be over in 4 or 5 games. Blues only chance is a combination of luck and unreal effectiveness. The main problem is defense and the lack of speed. One of the slowest teams in the league vs the fastest.

trying to figure out who is slow on the Blues
Leddy, Parayko, Faulk, Perunovich, Rosen, all have good to great speed
Scandella and Bortz aren’t slow
Krug top end speed isn’t great but he is a great skater otherwise and anticipates well

Saad, Kyrou, Thomas, Vladi, Toro, Buch have very good to great speed
Barby, Schenn, Bozak(since coming back from his injury) are all good skaters
Parron and ROR don’t have top end speed but both play way faster because of their brain
and if Walker plays he is a good skater as well

how are we one of the slowest teams in the league?
that seems like an old trope from the Backes/Hitchcock era

 

[Meatball]

We couldn’t even rough up Minnesota. Avs are faster, more skilled and physical than the Blues. Should be over in 4 or 5 games. Blues only chance is a combination of luck and unreal effectiveness. The main problem is defense and the lack of speed. One of the slowest teams in the league vs the fastest.

Not liking this because I agree, but because I love you doomers.

It'll be a privilege to go down in defeat with you.

 

[execwrite1]

The Avs are a great regular season team that hasn't won anything yet. The core players of the Blues are Stanley Cup champions. Advantage St. Louis.

Must split the first two in Colorado. Then critical to win Game 3. At that point either we put Avalanche up against the wall or turn into a best of 3 series.

 

[Fez Whatley]

We need a refalanche slayer

 

[AjaxManifesto]

We are serious underdogs.

I'm fine with that.

Play expectation free. Play fearless.

 

[Louie the Blue]

I'm petrified matching up against Toews and Makar.

Makar's like a cheat code that skates and Toews is a very solid defenseman in his own right.

Faulk and Parayko, as much as I like them (in general), they do not come anywhere close to the stratosphere of Makar and Toews.

Avs have a better top 6, but I don't think it's as much of an edge as some posture it to be, specifically with how the Blues can roll out 3 lines without seeing much drop in offensive production (when things are rolling well).

For the Blues to win this series, ROR has to shut down Mackinnon, let Makar be the only guy that kills the Blues, and Binnington needs to play like it's 2019. No big deal.

 

[PocketNines]

If the Blues win, it will take 1) a big series from Binnington, 2) winning both special teams contests (I prefer mostly swallowed whistles aesthetically, but the delay of games and high sticks are automatics and they still happen), 3) Blues depth all plays well simultaneously, and 4) Makar not wrecking shop. Lot of ifs but it's conceivable, just unlikely.

 

[Louie the Blue]

If the Blues win, it will take 1) a big series from Binnington, 2) winning both special teams contests (I prefer mostly swallowed whistles aesthetically, but the delay of games and high sticks are automatics and they still happen), 3) Blues depth all plays well simultaneously, and 4) Makar not wrecking shop. Lot of ifs but it's conceivable, just unlikely.

I think Makar can destroy worlds ala Kaprizov and that's fine as long as no one else does.

 

[PocketNines]

If Makar is having a big series I personally do not believe the Blues are going to win

 

[mk80]

I think we are a much different team than last year, and really other than Krug and Scandella we are coming into the series at relatively full strength which is a big difference. Our offense if everyone is going is much better than last season, and I think we can limit the Avs if we play a good team game and Binnington is locked in which he seems to be.

I think the Blues are one of the top threats for stopping the Avs run this season, and we can steal the series. But I'm also coming in with the attitude that my goal of winning the first round this season has been accomplished, the Avs are the heavy favorite and a good team, and their window is open this year.