GDT: Game #51 Avs @ Sharks May the Fifth & Cinco de Mayo 7:30 MT

[avsfan9]

It's a mystery, something I've wondered about multiple years now. This team and it's makeup just can't seem to get over that hump and realize that the only way you win games at this level is by playing with effort.

Still way to frequently this team just doesn't bother to show up.

Couldn't tell you if it's leadership or coaching or what. But they like to show up coast around like it's the all star game and expect to win way too often.

Last night the game falls very much so on the leaders of this team. Meaning first line and Makar and Toews. It was a shit show by those guys. And quite frankly that's disappointing at this time of the year, that's when these guys need to step up, not hide with their tails tucked.

To be fair especially this year, teams aren’t getting any time off. Every second night they are playing and it’s hard to play the domination game with no time off. We still have one of the best records in the league so obviously teams like Tampa and Vegas are going through the same things the avs are since we have nearly identical records with those teams. No team in the league is winning every game against every team they play aside from oilers and sens. Tampa is losing to Detroit every second time they play it seems like. If avs are healthy going into the playoffs we should be a handful for whoever we play

 

[Mighty Makar]

To be fair especially this year, teams aren’t getting any time off. Every second night they are playing and it’s hard to play the domination game with no time off. We still have one of the best records in the league so obviously teams like Tampa and Vegas are going through the same things the avs are since we have nearly identical records with those teams. No team in the league is winning every game against every team they play aside from oilers and sens. Tampa is losing to Detroit every second time they play it seems like. If avs are healthy going into the playoffs we should be a handful for whoever we play

We won’t be.

 

[myperbixhurts]

Maybe this team is taking it easy so they won't have any more injuries when playoffs start. There were a lot of passengers in this game.

 

[letsgoavs1921]

I’m still pissed at Bednar for not challenging that goal

 

[chet1926]

I don't think people would be so bitter around here after a loss, if the team actually looked like they gave a shit out there.

Had we peppered 45 shots, and skated hard, and out played the other team, and the other team got some fluky bounces bounces and crazy good goaltending, don't think people would say much, just chalk it up to one of those games.

But we shit the bed, played average first two periods and a completely unacceptable 3rd. It was gross watching a bottom feeder team out work us every single shift in the 3rd period.

I think this what infuriates people around here. It's one thing to lose, it's a completely other thing to lose the way we did. With minimal effort against a bottom feeder.

And this isn't a one time thing either, it seems like most of our losses this year are in the same manor. Just trash effort against teams we could and probably should beat.

Good teams don't take nights off. Not sure how many of you are old enough to remember the 2001 Avs Cup team, but they sure as hell didn't play like we played last night. Maybe once the entire year. To Cup teams every game matters, they are machines. This Avs team, I hate to say it but, they are lazy and want to get by on talent. I don't expect much better results in the playoffs than the previous couple. Might win a round on talent, but won't be able to get past a team that out works us.

 

[Islay1989]

Drama queens out in full effect I see.

 

[chet1926]

Maybe this team is taking it easy so they won't have any more injuries when playoffs start. There were a lot of passengers in this game.

Can't play to not get hurt, that's usually how you end up getting hurt.

Not too mention this is an incredibly lame excuse. And if they are doing this they should be ashamed.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Good teams don't take nights off. Not sure how many of you are old enough to remember the 2001 Avs Cup team, but they sure as hell didn't play like we played last night. Maybe once the entire year. To Cup teams every game matters, they are machines. This Avs team, I hate to say it but, they are lazy and want to get by on talent. I don't expect much better results in the playoffs than the previous couple. Might win a round on talent, but won't be able to get past a team that out works us.

We have basically the same winning % as the top 5 teams in the league? So those teams are taking games off as well I assume?

 

[myperbixhurts]

Can't play to not get hurt, that's usually how you end up getting hurt.

Not too mention this is an incredibly lame excuse. And if they are doing this they should be ashamed.

Well all the top guys were passengers in this game

 

[chet1926]

We have basically the same winning % as the top 5 teams in the league? So those teams are taking games off as well I assume?

Not sure what winning percentage has to do with anything. I never said anything in my post about having to win every single game. My point is about effort. It stunk last night. And has stunk in a good portion of our losses.

I couldn't tell you how to the other teams are losing their games, my guess is not similar to the way the Avs played last night. I'd venture to guess every team throws out a stinker here and there. But not as frequently as the Avs.

The Avs even in some wins have been incredibly lazy. That just shows how talented they are. That they can not play a full 60 and still win. Take for example the Ducks game where we were losing 4-2 after the first. Played hideously for 20, but well for 40, end up winning big.

Unfortunately this team doesn't have the bring your hard hat and lunch pail mentality every night for 60 mins. Because when they do have that mentality it's scary, they flat dominate teams. It remains to be seen if they can flip the switch to constantly on for the playoffs.

 

[chet1926]

Well all the top guys were passengers in this game

No disagreement there, they were straight trash.

 

[Turbonium]

I don't think people would be so bitter around here after a loss, if the team actually looked like they gave a shit out there.

Had we peppered 45 shots, and skated hard, and out played the other team, and the other team got some fluky bounces bounces and crazy good goaltending, don't think people would say much, just chalk it up to one of those games.

But we shit the bed, played average first two periods and a completely unacceptable 3rd. It was gross watching a bottom feeder team out work us every single shift in the 3rd period.

I think this what infuriates people around here. It's one thing to lose, it's a completely other thing to lose the way we did. With minimal effort against a bottom feeder.

And this isn't a one time thing either, it seems like most of our losses this year are in the same manor. Just trash effort against teams we could and probably should beat.

Good teams don't take nights off. Not sure how many of you are old enough to remember the 2001 Avs Cup team, but they sure as hell didn't play like we played last night. Maybe once the entire year. To Cup teams every game matters, they are machines. This Avs team, I hate to say it but, they are lazy and want to get by on talent. I don't expect much better results in the playoffs than the previous couple. Might win a round on talent, but won't be able to get past a team that out works us.

Hard to compare a team that had a regular off-season followed by a normal year to one that went through the Covid bubble and then the shortened covid season, while getting vaccines and two unexpected pauses due to covid. The mental fatigue of travel and doing nothing but sitting in your hotel room was also something no other team has dealt with.

Comparing the present to 20 years ago just doesn't make sense. This team is one of the best in the league and, if remotely healthy, has to be favored in just about any 7 game series they'll play in.

 

[Muffin]

Well all the top guys were passengers in this game

We would've won if they were passengers. They were actively hurting the team. They were on the ice for both 5 on 5 goals and took the penalty that led to the GWG.

 

[myperbixhurts]

We would've won if they were passengers. They were actively hurting the team. They were on the ice for both 5 on 5 goals and took the penalty that led to the GWG.

No disagreement there, they were straight trash.

Yeah and I'm thinking, is it a coincidence that every single one of the top guys stunk, or they just collectively didn't try hard to prevent injuries or whatnot.

 

[shadow1]

Meh. I thought Newhook looked good, and Kadri had his best game in weeks predominantly playing LW (for the first time ever?). I still can't believe it but Jost has consistently been one of the team's best forwards lately.

IMO Toews looks gassed, and the defense is sorely missing Girard. Grubauer didn't have a bad game but was definitely shaky; it felt like he was looking behind him a lot, and there were some other close calls that didn't go in.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Serious question, as you have a very good finger on the pulse of this team and organization… what is your opinion on the state of leadership for the Avs? Team? Organization? It is a serious question. And more generalized... why does this team struggle to dial up the volume over a 60 minute game?

Open to all….

I don't have an issue with this teams leadership on or off the ice. I do have an issue with the teams record when trailing. To me that's clearly a coaching/strategy problem. Jared seems to like to have a good balance of take risk but not too many risks when trailing which often leads to nothing. Patrick Roy was YOLO go balls on the table to tie the game and leave Varly on an island. It worked that first year because Varly played out of his mind and then....

Bednars system is high intensity. That's probably a big reason as to why they cant dial it up a full 60. Add in the schedule and injuries and well you get a game like last night from the top guys.

 

[Perratrooper]

One loss >> HFAvs meltdown.

I think you’re underselling how poorly we’ve played since coming back from COVID. Our special teams looked awful against one of the worst ranked units, we can’t seem to get consistent goaltending regardless of who is in net and our deadline “additions” have left a lot to be desired. We easily could have lost more than just the last game to San Jose. There’s no reason our team should be held to 6 shots in a period we were trailing or tied for the majority. Giving up a 2 goal lead to a non-playoff team is pretty disappointing.

 

[Pokecheque]

Obviously we're gonna be upset after the Avs drop an easy one like that, especially in the manner in which they did. A meltdown is certainly not warranted but concern is. Once again, the PK looks weak going into the postseason, goaltending depth is an issue again, the power play has been on and off, etc. Injuries and two COVID pauses are really taking a toll. They look out of rhythm and just plain exhausted. Not a full-blown excuse since other teams have dealt with worse, but I just can't get that mad about last night's game.

The biggest concern to me surrounds what happened to the Bolts a couple years ago. They roared out to the league's best record, cruised down the stretch, and then once the postseason started and they needed to switch it back in gear...they couldn't. I certainly hope last night was more a result of mental disengagement and not just pure exhaustion. The top line put in a supremely bad effort and settled for a lot of perimeter bullshit.

Anyway, I don't care too much what happens going forward until the playoffs start. We know they're guaranteed at least the 3rd seed in the West. Just stay healthy and be ready once the postseason starts.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

*Yawn


Once again here's Chet with that bullshit effort garbage again.


You can't outshoot every team 50-20 every night. You can't come in and out work your team every night. It literally does not happen. The Avs are a Top 5 team this season with some of the fewest regulation losses in the league. If that isn't enough for you, go watch a different sport ffs.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Friends,

Regardless of the result last night, it's a long season and the playoffs are grueling and what matters.

On behalf of Sharks fans, go win the Cup.


P.S. I apologize for Kane's elbow and Blichfeld hurting MacKinnon. Hope you forgive us.

 

[flyfysher]

Avs are a great team. However, through the course of any season there will be stinker games. Sometimes it's the reffing. I always see at least one or two games a year (or more if it's really bad) where the reffing was God awful. Then, there are the games when your team never really was in it. Maybe once or twice. And then there's others like last night when your big guns let you down. That's gonna happen. Fortunately for us, it happens less often than say the 48 point season but perhaps expectations make it more unpalatable now, especially seeing how the Lightning stepped up against the Stars. But what got me thinking was if you were paying the big guns 8+M and they played like that on more than a few nights then it would get old really fast. Let's just hope it was an aberration. I really liked that Jost and Burakovsky scored. I'll take the positives where I can find them.

 

[EscapedGoat]

*Yawn


Once again here's Chet with that bullshit effort garbage again.


You can't outshoot every team 50-20 every night. You can't come in and out work your team every night. It literally does not happen. The Avs are a Top 5 team this season with some of the fewest regulation losses in the league. If that isn't enough for you, go watch a different sport ffs.

At least there was no mention of how Landy is a terrible leader.

Take the little wins.

 

[myperbixhurts]

Friends,

Regardless of the result last night, it's a long season and the playoffs are grueling and what matters.

On behalf of Sharks fans, go win the Cup.


P.S. I apologize for Kane's elbow and Blichfeld hurting MacKinnon. Hope you forgive us.

Trade us Hertl for Graves and you're forgiven

 

[chet1926]

*Yawn


Once again here's Chet with that bullshit effort garbage again.


You can't outshoot every team 50-20 every night. You can't come in and out work your team every night. It literally does not happen. The Avs are a Top 5 team this season with some of the fewest regulation losses in the league. If that isn't enough for you, go watch a different sport ffs.

Lol, you were perfectly ok with how we played last night or even Monday, where we completely lucked out? And you are willing to chalk it up to just an off night or two?

Sorry, I'm not willing to do that. If this was a one time incident, sure shit happens. But clearly you've forgotten the entire first two months of the season where we didn't bother to show up most nights. We are back to that again. I thought we moved past that shir, but it's rearing it's ugly head at a very inopportune time.

No one expects drastic shot margins, or utter dominance every night. That's impossible. But I think it's fair to want a solid effort every night. Which we haven't been getting much of since the last covid break.

I mean two periods in the past 2 games we've managed 2 shots (2nd period Monday) and 6 shots (3rd period yesterday) against one of the worst teams in the league. How is that not a effort issue? A team with this many offensive options should be able manage around 10 at least a period.

I get the other team gets paid too, but when you are struggling to look passible against a bottom end team, it's an effort issue. It's very clear we didn't think much of SJ the last 2 games. And honestly been going through the motions a bunch since we came back from the covid break.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Lol, you were perfectly ok with how we played last night or even Monday, where we completely lucked out? And you are willing to chalk it up to just an off night or two?

Sorry, I'm not willing to do that. If this was a one time incident, sure shit happens. But clearly you've forgotten the entire first two months of the season where we didn't bother to show up most nights. We are back to that again. I thought we moved past that shir, but it's rearing it's ugly head at a very inopportune time.

No one expects drastic shot margins, or utter dominance every night. That's impossible. But I think it's fair to want a solid effort every night. Which we haven't been getting much of since the last covid break.

I mean two periods in the past 2 games we've managed 2 shots (2nd period Monday) and 6 shots (3rd period yesterday) against one of the worst teams in the league. How is that not a effort issue? A team with this many offensive options should be able manage around 10 at least a period.

I get the other team gets paid too, but when you are struggling to look passible against a bottom end team, it's an effort issue. It's very clear we didn't think much of SJ the last 2 games. And honestly been going through the motions a bunch since we came back from the covid break.

Teams have off nights. No team can or will give 100% effort every single game it’s just how life is. I mean Tampa has struggled against Detroit this year. Does that make them a fake contender? Should Stamkos lose his captaincy?