GDT: Operation: Icecrime {COL vs BUF, 1/2/2025}

[SirLoinOfCloth]

This is why I watch the Altitude feed, yes Ryker and Moser can be doofuses at times, but I enjoy seeing people celebrate the Avs, not announcers who shit on us with every possibility, or hearing about how amazing the other team is. I want my homerism because I am a homer, too. f*** the haters.

Moser
Rycroft
2028

 

[Metallo]

I think I have the credit for "How you Drouin?" (with associated gif) or at least I developed it independently w/o having heard it first. I believe it was sometime in fall 2023.

(This add is bought and paid for by me.)

 

[Gumballhead]

I don't have a soft spot for any other fan base. They can all lick my taint.

That sure sounds like a soft spot.

 

[Foppa2118]

1st star of the game should have gone to that dirty rat Benson. 3 unanswered goals in the 3rd plus the OT winner.

Sabres were playing great. Avs were getting out competed and muscled out of the rink. Then that pos recklessly crashes the net, spins backwards suddenly right into Kelly, who of course braces and gives him a light shove, and Benson just happens to fall on Wedgewood’s leg. Then he scores on an empty net with Wedge down and celly’s hard, even though he knows he injured Wedge. Then after the scrum keeps going back at the Avs laughing at them. Then does another over the top high five run on the bench. Not at all convinced he didn’t fall on Wedge on purpose. Serious Matt Cooke vibes from that guy.

I don’t think people realize how bad other broadcasts are. I was forced to watch the Sabres broadcast, and it was incredibly biased with homerism. Complaining about plays left and right. Complaining about icings that were at best 50/50 plays they should have lost. Rob Ray even said he’s starting to hate the Avs after the game, and the homer PBB guy agreed. No props at all for the comeback, just bitterness.

Thought Byram had a good game. Some good defensive plays in the D zone, and neutral zone to stifle rushes, plus a nice goal. Mitts had a nice pass on the PP goal, but outside of that I thought he was pretty invisible again unfortunately.

Great play by Toews in OT. Defends Thompson perfectly on the zone entry, then bodies him up against the glass, chips the puck free for the breakaway, then buries a sneaky clutch goal low blocker. He’s been playing much better lately. Hope it can continue.

Great comeback win. Thanks Benson.

 

[Gumballhead]

I don’t have any issue with Benson staying with the play and scoring, you want your players playing until the whistle and that’s fairly heads up for a 19 year old. The celebration would’ve been a lot less irksome if he wasn’t such a cocky little shitass.

But as everyone has seen and keeps mentioning, they blow plays dead all the time during scoring chances, presumably to protect the players. Obviously most eyes were on the goal at that point so it was a decision to just let Wedgy writhe around in there until the next thing happened. Completely stupid. There’s some sense of fraternity between the players and officials because they all played hockey at some point, and a puzzling and arbitrary decision like this to just let things continue cheapens that bond. Too bad the league never addresses this bullshit and has sliding sets of rules.

 

[Foppa2118]

I like Middleton, but wtf was he doing on goal #5?

Thompson kicked his legs out from under him.

Ref (not TJ Luxmore) staring right at it. Puck was in an awkward spot, and Middleton was going to reverse it behind the net on the backhand, while Thompson flew by, so he probably would have been ok.

@RoyIsALegend

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Thompson kicked his legs out from under him.

Ref (not TJ Luxmore) staring right at it. Puck was in an awkward spot, and Middleton was going to reverse it behind the net on the backhand, while Thompson flew by, so he probably would have been ok.

@RoyIsALegend

My issue is he came to a full stop, looked down, took way too long.

That should be a simple retrieval while skating and either rifling it around the glass or making a pass to the sideboards.

It’s a limitation of the player.

 

[Foppa2118]

My issue is he came to a full stop, looked down, took way too long.

That should be a simple retrieval while skating and either rifling it around the glass or making a pass to the sideboards.

It’s a limitation of the player.

Yeah, but look where the puck is when he looks back down.

It bounced a little too far out and now it's rolling and on his backhand. Not really his skill set to do a quick deke and fire it, or quickly tap it forward so he can take it on the forehand again. He's gotta make the simple play to protect the puck.

Not the ideal play, but it's ok given his skill set IMO.

 

[Snow Arc]

I want that whistle blown.

But I think the hate is that this twat celebrated so hard after scoring against a clearly injured goalie.

Kadri was pushed into Binnington and I didn't mind a bit

 

[dahrougem2]

Kadri was pushed into Binnington and I didn't mind a bit

We didn't score on that play, though.

 

[wayninja]

We didn't score on that play, though.

In a way we did though

 

[expatriatedtexan]

My issue is he came to a full stop, looked down, took way too long.

That should be a simple retrieval while skating and either rifling it around the glass or making a pass to the sideboards.

It’s a limitation of the player.

Yeah, but look where the puck is when he looks back down.

It bounced a little too far out and now it's rolling and on his backhand. Not really his skill set to do a quick deke and fire it, or quickly tap it forward so he can take it on the forehand again. He's gotta make the simple play to protect the puck.

Not the ideal play, but it's ok given his skill set IMO.

I see both of y'alls point. I like the guy myself, but he's not refined enough for every day useage.

He's still a work in progress, but is his "work in progress" better than say CDH's or, god rest his soul, Kylington's. If it is, then he should stay up and continue to get time in one of their spots. If he's not, then send him back down to work with Schneekloth.

Although, having directed video sessions with Pratt and Heimlic follwed by on ice sessions with Petersen, could help him a ton as well. I just wonder how much more we can get from him at his age, but then again Jacob was a late bloomer as well.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Kadri was pushed into Binnington and I didn't mind a bit

If not for that the Blues beat the Avs easily. And the Oilers would have an easy time in the WCFs. Since the only reason they lost to the Avs was the refs cheating.

The legendary 22 Oilers, who are the best team in the history of sports since Gretzky left Edmonton would easily have swept Tampa. And that experience winning the cup pushes them above Vegas the next year and Florida in game 7 the year after.

Calle Rosen (and the cheating refs) derailed a sure thing dynasty.

 

[Ceremony]

The 2022 Avalanche made history by being the only Stanley Cup Champions who actually lost two series in the playoffs. Truly a team for the ages.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Thompson kicked his legs out from under him.

Ref (not TJ Luxmore) staring right at it. Puck was in an awkward spot, and Middleton was going to reverse it behind the net on the backhand, while Thompson flew by, so he probably would have been ok.

@RoyIsALegend

Damn, so clear trip. How did they miss that? Disaster game

 

[Miri]

Damn, so clear trip. How did they miss that? Disaster game

They were busy congratulating themselves on their splendid job with Bensons goal.

 

[John Mandalorian]

1st star of the game should have gone to that dirty rat Benson. 3 unanswered goals in the 3rd plus the OT winner.

Sabres were playing great. Avs were getting out competed and muscled out of the rink. Then that pos recklessly crashes the net, spins backwards suddenly right into Kelly, who of course braces and gives him a light shove, and Benson just happens to fall on Wedgewood’s leg. Then he scores on an empty net with Wedge down and celly’s hard, even though he knows he injured Wedge. Then after the scrum keeps going back at the Avs laughing at them. Then does another over the top high five run on the bench. Not at all convinced he didn’t fall on Wedge on purpose. Serious Matt Cooke vibes from that guy.

I don’t think people realize how bad other broadcasts are. I was forced to watch the Sabres broadcast, and it was incredibly biased with homerism. Complaining about plays left and right. Complaining about icings that were at best 50/50 plays they should have lost. Rob Ray even said he’s starting to hate the Avs after the game, and the homer PBB guy agreed. No props at all for the comeback, just bitterness.

Thought Byram had a good game. Some good defensive plays in the D zone, and neutral zone to stifle rushes, plus a nice goal. Mitts had a nice pass on the PP goal, but outside of that I thought he was pretty invisible again unfortunately.

Great play by Toews in OT. Defends Thompson perfectly on the zone entry, then bodies him up against the glass, chips the puck free for the breakaway, then buries a sneaky clutch goal low blocker. He’s been playing much better lately. Hope it can continue.

Great comeback win. Thanks Benson.

I watched the Buffalo broadcast and agree that it was bad in that they were trying to construct a story but were somewhere between aggressive and passive aggressive when it came apart at the seams.

 

[Foppa2118]

We didn't score on that play, though.

Kadri was also genuinely pushed in from behind.

Benson flew in recklessly, then did a quick 180, and basically ran into Kelly, who sort of shrugged him off, and he fell on Wedgewood fairly easily IMO.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

 

[Foppa2118]

I see both of y'alls point. I like the guy myself, but he's not refined enough for every day useage.

He's still a work in progress, but is his "work in progress" better than say CDH's or, god rest his soul, Kylington's. If it is, then he should stay up and continue to get time in one of their spots. If he's not, then send him back down to work with Schneekloth.

Although, having directed video sessions with Pratt and Heimlic follwed by on ice sessions with Petersen, could help him a ton as well. I just wonder how much more we can get from him at his age, but then again Jacob was a late bloomer as well.

Yeah, I agree with @RoyIsALegend that it shows a bit of a limitation in his skill set, and he's not a great top 6 regular in Bednar's system, but the fact the puck was rolling on his backhand, makes it a bit tricky as well.

A lot of D men in the league might have tried to quickly deke to the forehand to fire it off the glass, but would have flubbed the rolling puck, and turned it over. Some good ones maybe too.

It does show some limitation in Middleton's skill set to not have a soft touch under pressure, but because of that, I'm ok with him making the simple play. I want him making that play personally.

Probably would have worked out fine, if he didn't have his legs kicked out from under him.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

I see both of y'alls point. I like the guy myself, but he's not refined enough for every day useage.

He's still a work in progress, but is his "work in progress" better than say CDH's or, god rest his soul, Kylington's. If it is, then he should stay up and continue to get time in one of their spots. If he's not, then send him back down to work with Schneekloth.

Although, having directed video sessions with Pratt and Heimlic follwed by on ice sessions with Petersen, could help him a ton as well. I just wonder how much more we can get from him at his age, but then again Jacob was a late bloomer as well.

It's just my opinion, which counts for a lot since I'm never wrong, but he needs to get more time in at the NHL level to get more used to the speed of the game and how quickly he needs to make decisions.

For his size I don't think his skating is necessarily that bad. He needs to figure out where he needs to be just a little quicker.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I don't think there are any issues with Middleton's skating, he is quite mobile for a guy that big.

My concern is the same concern I've had since watching him play his first couple of games this year. I say it over and over, but this Avs team needs defensemen to be able to retrieve pucks, skate them out, and complete longer passes than almost any other team in the league asks of their D. Our breakout has our forwards in the neutral zone, usually all three of them.

He is rough in his puck handling. Could be a confidence thing, could just be a skill limitation, but that will be his biggest stumbling block. He's had more than a few turnovers by being unable to retrieve a puck with speed, skate it out, or make a smooth pass. There won't be a forward 5 feet away from him to make a quick, sloppy pass to. He has to get the puck, turn and move, and complete a long pass. That, or consistently bank it back for his D partner.

This is just the reality of a Bednar defenseman.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't think there are any issues with Middleton's skating, he is quite mobile for a guy that big.

My concern is the same concern I've had since watching him play his first couple of games this year. I say it over and over, but this Avs team needs defensemen to be able to retrieve pucks, skate them out, and complete longer passes than almost any other team in the league asks of their D. Our breakout has our forwards in the neutral zone, usually all three of them.

He is rough in his puck handling. Could be a confidence thing, could just be a skill limitation, but that will be his biggest stumbling block. He's had more than a few turnovers by being unable to retrieve a puck with speed, skate it out, or make a smooth pass. There won't be a forward 5 feet away from him to make a quick, sloppy pass to. He has to get the puck, turn and move, and complete a long pass. That, or consistently bank it back for his D partner.

This is just the reality of a Bednar defenseman.

I think he's on the Avs, because like with MacDermid, the team, and especially the stars like Nate, want a guy like that on the team. Helps with their confidence, and confidence can be fragile on this team.

Like Dermy, he'll likely see spot duty in the regular season, especially after they make a defenseman trade or two, and probably won't play in the playoffs.

So in that sense, as long as he can skate, his puck skill limitations shouldn't come into play often enough to hurt the team too much. That's why Bednar is ok playing him. Otherwise he'd call up MacDonald or something.

 

[MarkT]

Tough games by Mitts and Moose, the latter of whom did his "I'm the best RW in the game for 5 seconds a night" routine with a sick snipe. Fvck dude, Jonathan Drouin out works you when he's sitting on the bench, play with the same passion your coach showed last night.

I'm not as harsh on Rantanen as that, but one thing I think most people missed is that the Byram goal was his fault. In the replay you can see he was covering the right point when Manson pinched. When the puck comes to his point, he tries to keep it in, then while it's being contested, he stays way too close to the line, so Byram is able to blow right past him when the Sabres win the puck battle. If you look at the replay, you can see Middleton has created a huge gap to avoid getting beat, while Rantanen's gap is tiny.

The video below starts with that play:



So yes he scored a clutch goal, but he enabled the other team to have a 2 on 1 against.

Edit: he also stopped skating once Byram was passed him. If he had kept skating he might have been able to disrupt Byram's deke or shot. I've seen him coast on backchecks wayyyyy too often this season.

____________________________________________________

On another note, I can't remember the last time I saw the crowd at an Avs game go that crazy like they did after Toews scored. I feel like people were jumping all over each other.