Post-Game Talk: Jets 1 - Avs 0 Another F N Bagel

[Jets 31]

I found your breakouts to be really interesting in the first period.

Almost no forwards in the defensive zone, encouraging both defensemen to skate up with the puck. Two forwards in the neutral zone, usually one on the boards for an easy chip-in play or one rushing through the middle. The third forward high almost cheating offside is what caught my eye. It's very dependent on having D who can make that 20-30 foot pass and being comfortable doing so. If you don't have that, it's going to result in lots of neutral zone turnovers and failed breakouts. You were in behind us a good 4-5 times in the first period alone.

The Avs made an adjustment in the second period, dropping the two defensemen deeper and keeping a third forward low as well. It was a good coaching adjustment and made your breakouts harder. Only one forechecker on the two D breaking out and since you had all 3 forwards out of the zone, there was only the side-to-side D option or forcing it into the neutral zone. The two high Avs forwards were able to get body on body and sticks on pucks after the first pass. This was a key adjustment to stop the huge threat you were introducing in the first period with the third forward high/cheating behind the D.

I also really liked your cycle game for the most part. Tons of close support from the 3 forwards. The wide forward was well inside the hashmarks when the puck wasn't on his side, allowing for this tight, close triangle and one-time passes on the cycle. Most teams keep that third forward in the slot at the most, you had all 3 close together many times. That takes forwards with high IQ who can make the quick passes and read off each other.

Ehlers, in particular, was really doing it well. Since the Avs had to then shift bodies over to cover the 3 forwards close, Ehlers was able to cycle high by the D and use his speed to get over to the open side of the ice. I noticed on almost every high cycle(faceoff dot or higher), he was coming up the blueline with speed to immediately straddle the line and shift focus to the weak side of the zone.

Again, I really enjoyed this game despite my team losing. Solid, and in your case great, goaltending from both sides. Tight checking and coaching adjustments throughout. Had a playoff feel.

Very good summary.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

One thing I noticed from the Avs is their neutral zone coverage was passive, they often gave up the red line easy to protect the blue line as a 5 man unit. Is that typical of the Avs or a way to slow down the speed of the Jets forwards?

I think it was an adjustment just to stop your third man high behind the defensemen which was killing us in the first period. Definitely not usually like that, had to drop for the adjustment.

 

[Moloch]

We beat the Avalanche and someone thinks the coach needs to work and figure out a way to play against them.

I've read that three times now and I'm still shaking my head.

because we didnt beat them, our goalie did, flat out

 

[jokesondee]

He's pretty good i guess.....

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The Avs may not even make the playoffs with their injuries and record.

Their injured players will come back, except for Landeskog. Of course, they will have more injuries. So will every other team. It is too early to say that their record puts them in a hole they won't be able to climb out of.

I think what you probably should have said is that they may not even make the PO with their goaltending. Last night was not typical.

 

[Jets 31]

because we didnt beat them, our goalie did, flat out

Our goalie is also one of our players and he's paid quite well to stop the puck.

 

[Gm0ney]

Our goalie is also one of our players and he's paid quite well to stop the puck.

Wins are a team stat, as they say...although Hellebuyck should get full credit for that one last night.

 

[Buffdog]

Yes ... BUT
We can't count on our goaltender to win a 7 game series like that. He could be really, really good and we lose 2-1.

As it happened last night their goalie also played his best game of the season or we might have scored more than 1. So there is that. But apart from the goaltending, that game looked too much like last year's PO series.

We don't have to with the Avs. Their goaltending *should* lose them at least a couple of games over 7. Last night was a huge outlier for Georgiev

 

[voyageur]

Wins are a team stat, as they say...although Hellebuyck should get full credit for that one last night.

There's a couple of d-men who saved goals on rebounds and tap ins. Team game.

 

[buggs]

I just saw the heritage praccy jerseys - do they sell those?

I don't think so. I have one of them, but I bought it back after the heritage classic game in Winnipeg. Game issued or whatever the proper term is. But it was very limited and mine is massive - size 58. Works well over a parka in winter but I get a little hot in the arena.

 

[voyageur]

We are 13-1, i will say that again 13-1, last night was the first game in the first 14 games that we needed Helly to play well to win . Colorado is a very good team with 2 of the best players in the entire league, some here are expecting too much i think. The Jets are a very good team but they aren't going to play the perfect game 80 times this season.

The way Mackinnon, Rantanen and Makar can change momentum is the sign of a talented team. And it seems like Mackinnon is always out there every other shift. Unless you are on the PP. They were missing some firepower. Nichushkin comes back next week. Drouin is on a team that fits his skillset. Some grinders missing too. I'd be surprised if the Avs don't go on a win streak again at some point this season. They know what it takes to make the playoffs. I think the Jets do too.

 

[Dr Amazing]

Nice awesome shutout Hellebuyck that was hellecool go Jets go.

 

[Buffdog]

I found your breakouts to be really interesting in the first period.

Almost no forwards in the defensive zone, encouraging both defensemen to skate up with the puck. Two forwards in the neutral zone, usually one on the boards for an easy chip-in play or one rushing through the middle. The third forward high almost cheating offside is what caught my eye. It's very dependent on having D who can make that 20-30 foot pass and being comfortable doing so. If you don't have that, it's going to result in lots of neutral zone turnovers and failed breakouts. You were in behind us a good 4-5 times in the first period alone.

The Avs made an adjustment in the second period, dropping the two defensemen deeper and keeping a third forward low as well. It was a good coaching adjustment and made your breakouts harder. Only one forechecker on the two D breaking out and since you had all 3 forwards out of the zone, there was only the side-to-side D option or forcing it into the neutral zone. The two high Avs forwards were able to get body on body and sticks on pucks after the first pass. This was a key adjustment to stop the huge threat you were introducing in the first period with the third forward high/cheating behind the D.

I also really liked your cycle game for the most part. Tons of close support from the 3 forwards. The wide forward was well inside the hashmarks when the puck wasn't on his side, allowing for this tight, close triangle and one-time passes on the cycle. Most teams keep that third forward in the slot at the most, you had all 3 close together many times. That takes forwards with high IQ who can make the quick passes and read off each other.

Ehlers, in particular, was really doing it well. Since the Avs had to then shift bodies over to cover the 3 forwards close, Ehlers was able to cycle high by the D and use his speed to get over to the open side of the ice. I noticed on almost every high cycle(faceoff dot or higher), he was coming up the blueline with speed to immediately straddle the line and shift focus to the weak side of the zone.

Again, I really enjoyed this game despite my team losing. Solid, and in your case great, goaltending from both sides. Tight checking and coaching adjustments throughout. Had a playoff feel.

Awesome analysis. I wish we spent more time on this forum actually breaking down play rather than bickering over stats and numbers. The problem is that I think that some of the guys who just look at stats have never played the game and can't understand what's going on out there on a detailed level (whichvof course leads to the numbers that they bitch about)

Its interesting that you noticed the zone exits like that... so did I. In April, most of the exits to start the series were uncontrolled... our d were getting to the puck and just turning around and lobbing it into the neutral zone which allowed the Avs to regroup and counterattack on the rush, which they're deadly at

As the series went on, there was a more concerted effort for controlled exits.

The adjustment that it looks like Arniel made last night was to have the D read pressure and exit the zone with the puck if they had no pressure or to stretch it up to the forwards in the neutral zone if they did. The idea being that the F in the neutral zone gets his stick on the puck on the other side of the red line to send it deep to negate the icing. That's forcing the Avs all the way back into their zone to regroup instead of coming in waves from the neutral zone

The Avs were also pinching their D aggressively most of rhe night. Sending that F early makes them respect that and forces them to back off, relieving that second wave of puck pressure

 

[Hobble]

We beat the Avalanche and someone thinks the coach needs to work and figure out a way to play against them.

I've read that three times now and I'm still shaking my head.

I’m not suggesting I didn’t like the performance or the outcome. I just meant figuring out a way to play them without the Avs consistently taking over 50-80% of a game offensively.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

We don't have to with the Avs. Their goaltending *should* lose them at least a couple of games over 7. Last night was a huge outlier for Georgiev

True. But just as I don't want to rely on our goaltending being that good all of the time, I don't want to rely on theirs continuing to be as bad as it has been all of the time.

Their goaltending did cost them the first PO game last year. Even if it had cost them 2 more, they win the series. Just takes them a little longer.

Last night's game showed the rest of the league the Jets vulnerability, a fast, hard forecheck. Not all teams can do that but probably most/several PO teams can. Jets will need to learn to counter that better.

 

[Moloch]

True. But just as I don't want to rely on our goaltending being that good all of the time, I don't want to rely on theirs continuing to be as bad as it has been all of the time.

Their goaltending did cost them the first PO game last year. Even if it had cost them 2 more, they win the series. Just takes them a little longer.

Last night's game showed the rest of the league the Jets vulnerability, a fast, hard forecheck. Not all teams can do that but probably most/several PO teams can. Jets will need to learn to counter that better.

If I'm Pete DeBoer rn, im watching last nights game on repeat

 

[Buffdog]

True. But just as I don't want to rely on our goaltending being that good all of the time, I don't want to rely on theirs continuing to be as bad as it has been all of the time.

Their goaltending did cost them the first PO game last year. Even if it had cost them 2 more, they win the series. Just takes them a little longer.

Last night's game showed the rest of the league the Jets vulnerability, a fast, hard forecheck. Not all teams can do that but probably most/several PO teams can. Jets will need to learn to counter that better.

Agreed 100%. I hate to say it because I HATE it when other teams do it to us, but maybe we have to run some picks in the d zone. Pretty sure Dallas does a lot of that IIRC. Take away lanes that they use to pressure the puck

In the meantime, I still think it's delusional to think that we'll outshoot and outchance a team with that kind of talent regularly. I'd say that we have a better chance of Helle stealing 4 games out of 7 from them than us actually winning a matchup vs Mackinnon 4 games put of 7

If we're gonna beat them in the playoffs, there will be a whole lot of bending and hopefully not much breaking

because we didnt beat them, our goalie did, flat out

Helle isn't a part of "us"?

He will be pissed to hear that lol

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Also it was exactly one game.


I wonder if Arniel and staff will do more of that - potentially rotating different forwards through just to give pp2 a bit more oomph.

Outside of Perfetti there really isn't elite puckhandling/ moving on that second unit.

How successful has the 2nd unit been prior to that?

 

[winnipegger]

We should definitely crush any dissent on here that suggests we will or could lose a game.

 

[Flair Hay]

Always great to grab a win. Even more so against a team thats got your number.

I think there is concern that our system is having difficulty beating their system. Their play style seems to work well against us for whatever reason. This game certainly didn't quell that concern. Hopefully we get better adjusted to their style as we play more over the year.

Staying out of the box had a big impact. They were 6/16 last year in the playoffs against us. Only 2 PIM is huge for keeping these guys off the board.

Last year's series the Lowry line got uncharacteristically picked apart for 5 goals 5v5 and struggled on the PK. Tonight they held up in the end.

TLDR; these Avs studs are hard enough to defend. But we can do it better when we don't make it easy for them.

 

[winnipegger]

I found your breakouts to be really interesting in the first period.

Almost no forwards in the defensive zone, encouraging both defensemen to skate up with the puck. Two forwards in the neutral zone, usually one on the boards for an easy chip-in play or one rushing through the middle. The third forward high almost cheating offside is what caught my eye. It's very dependent on having D who can make that 20-30 foot pass and being comfortable doing so. If you don't have that, it's going to result in lots of neutral zone turnovers and failed breakouts. You were in behind us a good 4-5 times in the first period alone.

The Avs made an adjustment in the second period, dropping the two defensemen deeper and keeping a third forward low as well. It was a good coaching adjustment and made your breakouts harder. Only one forechecker on the two D breaking out and since you had all 3 forwards out of the zone, there was only the side-to-side D option or forcing it into the neutral zone. The two high Avs forwards were able to get body on body and sticks on pucks after the first pass. This was a key adjustment to stop the huge threat you were introducing in the first period with the third forward high/cheating behind the D.

I also really liked your cycle game for the most part. Tons of close support from the 3 forwards. The wide forward was well inside the hashmarks when the puck wasn't on his side, allowing for this tight, close triangle and one-time passes on the cycle. Most teams keep that third forward in the slot at the most, you had all 3 close together many times. That takes forwards with high IQ who can make the quick passes and read off each other.

Ehlers, in particular, was really doing it well. Since the Avs had to then shift bodies over to cover the 3 forwards close, Ehlers was able to cycle high by the D and use his speed to get over to the open side of the ice. I noticed on almost every high cycle(faceoff dot or higher), he was coming up the blueline with speed to immediately straddle the line and shift focus to the weak side of the zone.

Again, I really enjoyed this game despite my team losing. Solid, and in your case great, goaltending from both sides. Tight checking and coaching adjustments throughout. Had a playoff feel.

I think your team only loses this game 1 or 2 times out of ten, the play was lopsided at times. I sincerely hope these teams meet again but hopefully in the 2nd round

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I agree with those who say we should try to learn from this game, but I thought we were the better team in the first half and they were better in the second half when they were getting desperate to score. It’s not like they blew us out all night.

I also think both teams got ‘goalied’.

Agree both teams got goalied. One more than the other though.

I think the swing in play began midway through the first. It built up from there. We stayed with them through the 2nd period, but just hanging on. The shot count was similar but I thought they were much more dangerous. Then they really took over in the 3rd.

 

[Moloch]

Agreed 100%. I hate to say it because I HATE it when other teams do it to us, but maybe we have to run some picks in the d zone. Pretty sure Dallas does a lot of that IIRC. Take away lanes that they use to pressure the puck

In the meantime, I still think it's delusional to think that we'll outshoot and outchance a team with that kind of talent regularly. I'd say that we have a better chance of Helle stealing 4 games out of 7 from them than us actually winning a matchup vs Mackinnon 4 games put of 7

If we're gonna beat them in the playoffs, there will be a whole lot of bending and hopefully not much breaking


Helle isn't a part of "us"?

He will be pissed to hear that lol

I was responding to the idea that "we beat them, so we don't need to make any further adjustments"

We did not look good for the back half of that game and as many have said, the playoff PTSD was in full effect. Our coaches would be stupid to look past this game without further analysis. Hey, im happy we won. But there's a lot to learn from this, and pretending we won in a fashion that emphasizes our strength beyond goaltending is just shortsighted.

 

[Buffdog]

I was responding to the idea that "we beat them, so we don't need to make any further adjustments"

We did not look good for the back half of that game and as many have said, the playoff PTSD was in full effect. Our coaches would be stupid to look past this game without further analysis. Hey, im happy we won. But there's a lot to learn from this, and pretending we won in a fashion that emphasizes our strength beyond goaltending is just shortsighted.

So you think that we can compete talent vs talent with the Avs come out on top without factoring Helle in?

How do you "be better" than the 2nd best forward and best defensemen in the world?

 

[Jets 31]

So you think that we can compete talent vs talent with the Avs come out on top without factoring Helle in?

How do you "be better" than the 2nd best forward and best defensemen in the world?

Exactly.We don't have a Mackinnon and Makar but they don't have a Helly.