GDT: Game 16: Avs @ Jets | 6 PM MT | November 9, 2018 | Oh No, We Suck Again

expatriatedtexan

Habitual Line Stepper
Aug 17, 2005
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I saw a lot that I liked in this game. There was some shit that made me cringe, but still there was some good. It's time to ramp up Kam's ice time. My thoughts only but the top line needs to have less minutes. They need to be fresh and ready to go every time they are on the ice. I think they are out there too much.
 

HartKinnon

Registered User
Nov 25, 2010
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Jets had a seven day rest from their last game and dominated the Avs for first ten minutes like Avs were some random AHL squad. If Avs had that much of time between the games I think half of our squad would have to learn how to skate again.
 

Foppa2118

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Oct 3, 2003
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Girard and Varly the only players that deserve praise in this one. Honorable mentions to Cole who continues to play really gutsy hockey and Zadorov who played another solid defensive game.

I don’t know who was wearing #29 in this game but it wasn’t Nathan MacKinnon. Tons of turnovers, tons of weak back checks, tons of bad decisions all over the ice. Nearly every shift he found a way to make a mistake. That might have been his worst game in an Avalanche sweater.

Nate played so well early this year that he deserved some slack for a bad game or two, but he’s just reached his limit. He needs to be better or this team is gonna be out of the playoffs. It’s as simple as that.

Refs found a way to impact the game again. After the Avs were swarming the Jets for a really long time and within one goal, they miss Jost getting a blatant high stick along the right side boards. Then Dries takes a penalty about 15 seconds later, and the Jets score instantly. Should have been the Avs on the PP not the Jets who quickly made it 4-2.

The Avs lost this game in the first two periods though. Everyone knows you can’t play one period and expect to win.
 
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Foppa2118

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Oct 3, 2003
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I don't see why Varly is catching heat for this loss. He made a shit ton of grade A saves in this game. Could have been 6-0 after two periods.

The goal he's criticizing for was a much tougher save than people realize. Within three seconds the shot from the right circle was blocked, bounced into the high slot, then passed to the left point, where it's one touch passed down to the goal line, where it was one timed five hole as Varly's moving to hold the post.

He had to get set for four different shots in that sequence. Sure it would have been great if he could make yet another huge save, but that is not an easy save to make on a great shot.

 

Colorado Avalanche

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The Avs are a team in a really weird spot. It's still a rebuilding roster, but you damn sure don't want to waste the prime years of MacKinnon and Landeskog, especially with them on their respective contracts (MacKinnon more so).

There's just too much of a gap. Not enough talent on the team, and the youth we do have is either extremely injury prone (Compher/Andrighetto) or not ready for big time roles (Jost/Kerfoot/Kaut/Girard).

Not saying that Sakic should be making rash decisions for a quick in-season fix, but something has to be done. You can't waste this season, not after making the playoffs last season.

Exactly. You can't wait forever. We have top in the form of their life but nothing to back them up. I think we have good luck moving defense and goaltender but offensive depth is lacking. If we got more support from other lines, I think we could do Well, even a run in playoffs.
 

Colorado Avalanche

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We have to knock it out the park with the two top 5 picks next draft. It could set us up nicely here for sometime. Im so sick of seeing guys like Wilson in the top 6. I want Wilson in the bottom 6 and off my PP.

This could be real possibility and if that happens, we should be powerhouse in this league for a few years. No one would have the same amount of cheap talent what we have. Almost every player on sweetheart deals. (other than Rintin and Barrie). Barrie would be traded any way..
 

Raucherhusten

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Aug 24, 2017
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I do not want Q back. Not at all.

And yeah, it wasn't all bad yesterday. Heck, we lost 5 in a row but we were in all of these games until the end. That is probably what happens with a young teams - you get streaky. Right now we are on a cold one but we will get out off that funk eventually. Hopefully it's not too late by then.
 
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Goulet17

Registered User
May 22, 2003
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On a positive note, I focused on Girard quite a bit during the game in terms of his breakouts and skating with the puck. I thought he was tremendous for most of the game and made some Jets players look absolutely foolish at times, including Wheeler and Scheifele. I had to stop the game and watch a few Girard sequences multiple times because they were simply that good. It appeared that the Jets were becoming frustrated with him and their inability to disrupt his game and catch, which led to some cheap plays (some of which may have been simply designed to throw him off of his game).

He has struggled at times lately, but he seems to have found his game against Nashville (even though he was a -3 in that game, which I believe was misleading) and even more so against Winnipeg.

Girard does some little things that are simply outstanding. His biggest deficiency at the moment appears to be his shot, which I think he simply needs to work on getting through better in traffic, as I don't believe that you need a canon shot from the point in today's NHL.

On another note, Rantanen impressed me at times. The MacKinnon line struggled over all to create and teams really have done a nice job eliminating their transition chances in open ice and on the PP. They have looked strong at times when they cycle the puck down low at even strength. Rantanen has shown flashes this year of finally understanding his strength on the puck and simply controlling plays down low. It is something that he needs to consistently apply but I can see him continuing to develop that part of his game.

I have no idea what was/is going on with MacKinnon, but one of his biggest issues is that he is thrown off his game mentally far too often. He is easily frustrated and teams recognize this and play him accordingly. I think he also needs to do a better job of focusing on his positional defensive play and competing at times. He is trying to cheat too much to the offensive game (a perimeter based offensive game).
 
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agentblack

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Apr 11, 2011
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I hated to be right skippin this one but against some of the best in the league this team doesnt have it they never did. Avs could have been undefeated and still gotten stomped.
 

Bender

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Sep 25, 2002
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I think byfuglien is the player I hate the most in the entire league...he gets away with a metric ton of stuff and even when he does something so frikkin' obvious as hit someone well after the whistle he complains to his 'buddies' the refs like he should be able to do whatever the f*** he wants. It's complete BS and it's been like that for a real long time.

As for the Avs :

- Patrik Nemeth is playing like a past (and possibly future) waiver claim. That guy needs to get him game in order in a hurry...he's been awful.
- Tyson Barrie for the most part has been atrocious this season. I don't know what the deal is but we need him to be better or else it's going to become extremely obvious to Joe Sakic that the 'gamble' to move him out for some 2nd line help knowing that there's a strong chance we bring in Makar at the end of the year is something he needs to do. Seems like the more responsibility we give to Girard, the more he seems to wilt away.
- the Avs were 7-2-3 with Jost centering the 2nd line - maybe the secondary scoring wasn't good but at least we were winning games. What we got going on right now, isn't working. Bednar needs to do a RESET on this lineup and get them back to playing how they were to start the year

All is not lost, still having a winning record after playing 10 of 16 games on the road is still good but they need to get their shit together ASAP!
 

Vaslof

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Feb 1, 2017
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- the Avs were 7-2-3 with Jost centering the 2nd line - maybe the secondary scoring wasn't good but at least we were winning games. What we got going on right now, isn't working. Bednar needs to do a RESET on this lineup and get them back to playing how they were to start the year

Kerfoot was also better when on the wing imo. Dries has been good, but Kerfoot - Jost - Wilson would be our best bet, at least until Andrighetto returns.

Speaking of Wilson, I love how fast he is skating this year. That's not what I expected his strength to be.
 

Bender

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Sep 25, 2002
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Kerfoot was also better when on the wing imo. Dries has been good, but Kerfoot - Jost - Wilson would be our best bet, at least until Andrighetto returns.

Speaking of Wilson, I love how fast he is skating this year. That's not what I expected his strength to be.

Wilson has for sure been much better with his skating and overall play this year. But he is in no way, shape or form a 2nd line player.

Bednar may not feel like he has any better options but that guy is going to limit whoever he's playing with on a 2nd line.

The Avs definitely need a 2nd line that can be a threat to take some of the pressure off our top line. But our youngsters aren't quite there yet. Jost is still developing...I think we will see him progressing at a pace like Bo Horvat did in Vancouver, it just takes time.

I'd still prefer to have a mix of Jost, Kamenev and Kerfoot on our second line than to stick Wilson there. That or move Soda up to 2nd line and give him some real linemates but I think it's clear Bednar isn't going to do that.
 

Perratrooper

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May 26, 2016
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It’s kinda sad that our second and third line outplayed our top line for the most part last night.

I think it’s time to switch up the D-pairings as well. It’s very clear that Zadorov is starting to get his groove back as he usually starts slow, Girard although a little inconsistent played spectacular last night and Cole always brings a steady presence.

My suggestion:

Zadorov-Johnson
Girard-Cole
Nemeth-Barrie
 

S E P H

Cloud IX
Mar 5, 2010
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Toruń, PL
- Patrik Nemeth is playing like a past (and possibly future) waiver claim. That guy needs to get him game in order in a hurry...he's been awful.
Barberio is a terrible player, like doesn't belong in the NHL bad, but Nemeth has absolutely regressed to a waiver claim again. I also have bad things to say about EJ, but he at least redeemed himself by scoring a goal. As I said yesterday, the team is playing some really stupid hockey at the moment.
 

Foppberg

Registered User
Nov 20, 2016
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I'm confident that we'll turn it around, every team goes through slumps like this, especially bubble teams. Only worry is that when you're a bubble team these slumps can define your season.

Long term we have solid pieces coming up, so even though right now kind of sucks I'm optimistic.
 

the_fan

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I really think coaching is the biggest issue right now. I mean you dont go from 6-1 record looking like a top team, to suddenly 5 game losing streak and looking like a lottery team, specially when you dont have injuries to your top players.

Bednar cant get the team ready to play after long breaks, he can't get the team to win in OT, and he's not very good at in game adjustments. The team is still too predictable.

I wouldn't mind a coaching change
 

shadow1

Registered User
Nov 29, 2008
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Bednar needs to do something with the forward lines. Something like:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Jost
Kerfoot - Soderberg - Rantanen
Calvert - Kamenev - Wilson
Nieto - Dries - Bourque

Change something up, and stop playing fourth line guys 12-15 minutes a night. Give Soderberg some talent to play with.
 

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