GDT: Game 46: Avs @ Bolts | 5:00PM MT | January 17th, 2015

[Hesher]

Too bad they couldn't get the 2nd point but the performance was really good (apart from maybe the first 10 minutes).

 

[ABasin]

Elliot is a complete mess if the neutral and defensive zone whenever he's called up.

Think of the softest defenseman in the league, or a forward that will never go into corners or board battles. That's how Elliot has looked every time he's been called up. I don't know if he's working on it, but he hasn't got much stronger and is pushed off the puck way too easily.

Elliot might have a spot on the team if we had a defensive corps that could shelter him and give him offensive minutes, but we already have Barrie filling that role. IMO, one of Barrie or Elliot have to step it up in the defensive zone before we get to see Elliot up here. Holden and Guenin have plenty of flaws, but they're still an upgrade over Elliot.

Hopefully he'll prove me wrong if he gets called up.

Elliott would probably help the Avs puck movement out of the defensive zone, but he'd make play along the boards in the defensive zone so very much worse.

I'd prefer they just played Redmond.

Maybe Elliott gets one more chance next season? Though I think his contact is up.

 

[Freudian]

 

[Avs71]

One thing I did not like seeing last night was O'Reilly get thrown down after going to the net, and he just took it. Did a hair whip, and skated away. I know it's not his game to push back, but you have to stand up for yourself sometimes. He was good otherwise though. He looks revitalized at center.

 

[Ararana]

I literally went from screaming with glee to screaming '****! don't hurt yourself!'

 

[StayAtHomeAv]

One thing I did not like seeing last night was O'Reilly get thrown down after going to the net, and he just took it. Did a hair whip, and skated away. I know it's not his game to push back, but you have to stand up for yourself sometimes. He was good otherwise though. He looks revitalized at center.

Can't retaliate and get a penalty in that situation and go down to just 3 skaters. Even if it's just a 4 on 3, it's so hard to defend with just 3 skaters. So much room on the ice.

Though, since hog tying people somehow became legal in that overtime.......

 

[captaincheese]

That was a monster hit EJ had on the beast Boyle.

 

[Avs71]

That was a monster hit EJ had on the beast Boyle.

Does anyone have the reverse angle of this?

 

[bohlmeister]

One thing I did not like seeing last night was O'Reilly get thrown down after going to the net, and he just took it. Did a hair whip, and skated away. I know it's not his game to push back, but you have to stand up for yourself sometimes. He was good otherwise though. He looks revitalized at center.

The worst part of that exchange is that he didn't even touch Bichop's glove. You know you are going to get a facewash. Get in there.

It isn't his game, and I have 0 complaints on ROR's game currently.

 

[Mules]

Do you think it makes a difference if Varly didn't get hurt in the first few weeks?

This team is starting to play like last year again ( or am I getting my hope too high?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Pickard is a goof.



Finally found a way to out shoot the opposition, and still lost

The point was huge though. Great work by EJ to get that shot towards the net, and Mackinnon did a great job to put himself in a position to get that rebound.



Varly hasn't been as dominant in the shootout this year. Not sure why it is, maybe the other teams have found something on him.



Oh well, the point keeps us in check with LAK, and San Jose who also had OT/Shootout losses. Unfortunately we lost a point to Minny, Dallas, and Calgary.

 

[Ararana]

Did anyone see the stats they showed, I think it was in the second, that compared our first 17 games, middle 17 games, and last 17 games? I knew this team was getting better but wow it really showed the trend up this team has had.

There's still plenty of games left to play, lets hope they keep the trend going up.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Pickard is a goof.



Finally found a way to out shoot the opposition, and still lost

The point was huge though. Great work by EJ to get that shot towards the net, and Mackinnon did a great job to put himself in a position to get that rebound.



Varly hasn't been as dominant in the shootout this year. Not sure why it is, maybe the other teams have found something on him.



Oh well, the point keeps us in check with LAK, and San Jose who also had OT/Shootout losses. Unfortunately we lost a point to Minny, Dallas, and Calgary.

That's Varly! Haha

 

[tigervixxxen]

First game I missed all season. What were the positives and negatives? I saw the highlights. Weird seeing Varly get deked like that in a shootout.

They did the usual "didn't start the game on time" first. Gave up 5 shots in the first minute. Got better by the end. In the second and third actually cycled, controlled the play and dominated at times. It's easily the best they looked other than that win vs St Louis. They absolutely deserved the point. MacKinnon-ROR-Landy was the best line, especially MacKinnon. Duchene has a lot of nice moments too.

 

[Freudian]

Elliott has been better defensively this year. He's got solid positioning and uses his stick well. Offensively he's playing very well. It feels like people are still thinking Elliott is exactly the same as he was with the Avs two years ago and thus don't want to give him a chance.

Also, he can QB a PP better than anyone on the team currently.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Do you think it makes a difference if Varly didn't get hurt in the first few weeks?

This team is starting to play like last year again ( or am I getting my hope too high?

Yes, absolutely. Though you can't fault Picks especially in that Nashville-Detroit stretch but having him probably would have led to 4-5 more points easily. That game in Ottawa is one that sticks out for sure.

On the MacK celly to me it looked like he thought better of it for a split second, like how he celebrated his first goal and they razzed him and told him never to do it again. so it was like half aborted.

 

[Bednars Suit Game]

Haha love Varly's reaction on the bench.

 

[Freudian]

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

EJ looked more assertive on defense yesterday, just mean. Sometimes he starts watching the puck a little too much and relies more heavily on the poke check. Needs to keep using his size like that.

 

[tigervixxxen]

The Altiboobs made an interesting point, maybe it was just typical McNab filler but it sounded good that he said having Stuart around is a benefit to guys like EJ in learning how to do those types of hits.

 

[Avsboy]

I'm always worried EJ's shoulder is going to explode on one of those hits.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Finally he landed that big hit! At the start of the season he was trying to land these every game, but missed... Great and clean hit!

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

The Altiboobs made an interesting point, maybe it was just typical McNab filler but it sounded good that he said having Stuart around is a benefit to guys like EJ in learning how to do those types of hits.

Hopefully more of our guys pick up on how mean Stuart is in the corners. He looks to hurt people and make them regret going in there to get the puck. Hejda plays physical, but he doesn't have that pure aggressiveness that Stuart displays.

 

[The Shermanator]

Pickard is a goof.

What did he do?

Love the celebration from Varly on the bench. Guy loves to win.

Even ROR is smiling.

And MacKinnon was way too far away from the boards to launch himself into them there...

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Who is that EJ hit?