GDT: WCQF: Game 2 - Avs @ Stars, 7:30 MT - "I've Heard It Both Ways" Edition

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

But that's just it--Nelson isn't a hard forechecker. And that line expends so much energy just getting out of their zone they have to change before even trying to set something up at the other end of the ice. Nuke has been doing a lot of the puck carrying duties on that line and it's clearly wearing him out, and it's also just not his specialty.

Necas has been throwing the body a bit more than expected. He can get in on the forecheck with Nuke. Let old man Nelson chill.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I don't care what is statistically true. The Avs were better for most of Game 1 and most of Game 2.

We can quibble about when Dallas started to take over in Game 2, but Dallas has not played better than the Avs for the balance of the two games so far.

Their lineups have nothing to do with gameplans. If we're giving credit to gameplans, then it should be based on who controlled the play more. That was the Avs.

I don't think gameplan had anything to do with the Avs losing either, but that's just my opinion.

Also the Avs went from playing an awful 3rd to being pretty good in OT. Which would imply Bednar did something productive during the intermission. But I’m guessing that doesn’t count.

 

[illegitimate]

I really can’t listen to DNVR podcast anymore. Even Eric Lacroix is saying stupid stuff. I thought he would at least make some sense but no. He said Avs didn’t play hard that’s why they lost. I mean really? We lost in OT, if we didn’t play hard, the game wouldn’t be that close. We would lose like 6-3 or something. I’m done with that podcast

lord just give me evan and meghan and someone who played hockey and can finish a thought in under sixty seconds

 

[jaisen73]

I refuse to panic with a series 1-1 against a very good team that needed OT to get their win. Sure, 2-0 would be awesome and very, very difficult for Dallas to overcome but I can damn near guarantee that if the Avs had won last night and then, say, drop Game 3 the level of panic from merely being up 2-1 in the series would be the same as so many today.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

Also the Avs went from playing an awful 3rd to being pretty good in OT. Which would imply Bednar did something productive during the intermission. But I’m guessing that doesn’t count.

You also don't have the second most come-from-behind wins in the league and be incapable of making adjustments. We won 49 games this year, of which just under half were after trailing in the game, 1/3 of those we were trailing entering the third period.

 

[Foppa2118]

Well they obviously flipped the switch and are playing a lot better now in the playoffs. It’s not like the Avs have played poorly, it’s just that people have underestimated Dallas thinking without Heiskanen and Robertson they were done and we were gonna win the series easily, but that’s not the case

The Avs also clearly have another gear they can get to. I think for those that know this team, they're not quite firing on all cylanders.

IMO that's self inflicted too.

All of that combined with going back to home ice, where they were tied for 4th in the NHL this year in wins, is a sign that they can play better. Especially if Bedsy switches up the lines.

Meanwhile that might have been the Stars best in the third and OT.

 

[Avsfan1921]

I really can’t listen to DNVR podcast anymore. Even Eric Lacroix is saying stupid stuff. I thought he would at least make some sense but no. He said Avs didn’t play hard that’s why they lost. I mean really? We lost in OT, if we didn’t play hard, the game wouldn’t be that close. We would lose like 6-3 or something. I’m done with that podcast

I agree. I’ve only tried to listen a couple of times and I know some here seem to enjoy him but I don’t think he brings anything a regular fan wouldn’t. He’s been incoherent every time I’ve tried to listen. Rambles, stutters and makes what I think are poor judgements on how a player/game played out.

 

[Foppa2118]

Stars have their weaknesses on D, we have ours. It’s not like our D is perfect. Stars took advantage of our weakness on D when they scored the OT goal with EJ on the ice

TBF EJ was on the ice for a total of 11 seconds.

As soon as his feet touched the ice after jumping over the boards, he had to sprint back into the D zone because Wood turned the puck over at the blueline, then turn around to control the gap, then move laterally almost across the entire ice, then keep his head down after trying to block the shot, so Wood didn't decapitate him.

He did get caught a step behind skating laterally to block the initial shot, but it would have been fine if either he or Wood was able to stay with Blackwell, but Wood being too aggressive and then jumping over EJ and skating into the corner, took them both out of the play.

It was a group F up on that play with Drouin not clearing the puck and Blackwood staying in the butterfly.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Dressing a 4th line plug is now considered a masterclass?

When they score the OT winner, yep.

 

[dahrougem2]

Avs look stifled at even strength. The DeBoer effect is real with this team. If they can't get breakthrough at home they're in big trouble.

How do they look stifled at even strength? They've scored - not including the ENG - 5 of their 7 goals at even strength in this series.

Dallas has scored 3 of their 5 goals at even strength. Wouldn't that also make the Stars seem stifled at even strength?

What tilts the analytics heavily in Dallas' favour is the 3rd period of game 2. That's it.

 

[the_fan]

The Avs also clearly have another gear they can get to. I think for those that know this team, they're not quite firing on all cylanders.

IMO that's self inflicted too.

All of that combined with going back to home ice, where they were tied for 4th in the NHL this year in wins, is a sign that they can play better. Especially if Bedsy switches up the lines.

Meanwhile that might have been the Stars best in the third and OT.

Not clicking on all cylinders could also be due to the opponent having a good team defense. Even without Heiskanen, Stars play the same way, and their team defense has always been very good, yet we won game one 5-1 and barely lost game two in OT. Again, I think you guys are just expecting much more from this series than you should. It’s not gonna be a cakewalk

 

[Foppa2118]

Not clicking on all cylinders could also be due to the opponent having a good team defense. Even without Heiskanen, Stars play the same way, and their team defense has always been very good, yet we won game 5-1 and barely lost game 2 in OT. Again, I think you guys are just expecting much more from this series than you should. It’s not gonna be a cakewalk

True it could, but I don't think that's the reason.

I think our dissatisfaction with the line combos, is because we can see the chemistry is just a bit off with the top two lines. Nate's line is working ok mostly because of him.

The Stars are playing ok defensively, but the Avs breakout is still working, and they're still generating good chances.

I don't think the Stars have shut them down or anything so far. They're just not clicking offensively and not burying their chances. That's the self inflicted part.

 

[the_fan]

True it could, but I don't think that's the reason.

I think our dissatisfaction with the line combos, is because we can see the chemistry is just a bit off with the top two lines. Nate's line is working ok mostly because of him.

Scoring goals is a lot harder in the playoffs than regular season, so I understand why Bednar wanted to keep Nate and Necas together to maximize their offensive production, but I would like to see a change and looks like Bednar will make changes for game 3

 

[dahrougem2]

True it could, but I don't think that's the reason.

I think our dissatisfaction with the line combos, is because we can see the chemistry is just a bit off with the top two lines. Nate's line is working ok mostly because of him.

The Stars are playing ok defensively, but the Avs breakout is still working, and they're still generating good chances.

I don't think the Stars have shut them down or anything so far. They're just not clicking offensively and not burying their chances. That's the self inflicted part.

I don't know that Nate's line is working all that well. Only the one 5v5 goal since the other even strength goals were Nate empty netter alongside 25/94, and the goal last night with 25 instead of 88.

Nate's line has allowed the most chances and high danger chances of any line we've trotted out, even more than the universally panned 2nd line. Some of that is more minutes = more chances both ways, but I also haven't been a huge fan of their play together thus far.

 

[Tralfamadore]

How do they look stifled at even strength? They've scored - not including the ENG - 5 of their 7 goals at even strength in this series.

Dallas has scored 3 of their 5 goals at even strength. Wouldn't that also make the Stars seem stifled at even strength?

What tilts the analytics heavily in Dallas' favour is the 3rd period of game 2. That's it.

Referring more to the top 6 specifically.

 

[Muffin]

I really can’t listen to DNVR podcast anymore. Even Eric Lacroix is saying stupid stuff. I thought he would at least make some sense but no. He said Avs didn’t play hard that’s why they lost. I mean really? We lost in OT, if we didn’t play hard, the game wouldn’t be that close. We would lose like 6-3 or something. I’m done with that podcast

I mean to be fair he said the top players didn't play hard and they didn't do anything 5 on 5. You can't say that MacKinnon/Makar gave the same effort LOC did.

 

[Vaslof]

This doesn't match the eye test at all but Bednar loves advanced stats so that's more than likely the reason the top 6 is like that..

Wait so.. Bednar loves advanced stats, but that line he keeps together has the worst stats, so Bednar intentionally plays the worst line to sabotage the Avalanche? But also the eye test doesn't match, so the worst line is actually the best line and Bednar is trying to sabotage the Avs but is accidentally playing the good line because he trusts in stats which don't match the eye test?

No need to answer, I don't care.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't know that Nate's line is working all that well. Only the one 5v5 goal since the other even strength goals were Nate empty netter alongside 25/94, and the goal last night with 25 instead of 88.

Nate's line has allowed the most chances and high danger chances of any line we've trotted out, even more than the universally panned 2nd line. Some of that is more minutes = more chances both ways, but I also haven't been a huge fan of their play together thus far.

Yeah I mostly said his line is working because of him, because he's still creating good chances for himself.

I want to see Necas with Nelson like everyone else, but truthfully Marty hasn't played that well since he came back from his neck injury.

His passing has been way off the mark from what it was before. Almost Mittelsdadt level hope plays sometimes. He can make those plays if he's executing them well, but he's not right now.

Honestly looks like he's not bearing down on his passes enough. He telegraphs them a bit and he doesn't snap them with the kind of mustard he was before. Results in too many turnovers instead of chances.

 

[hardnosed]

TBF EJ was on the ice for a total of 11 seconds.

As soon as his feet touched the ice after jumping over the boards, he had to sprint back into the D zone because Wood turned the puck over at the blueline, then turn around to control the gap, then move laterally almost across the entire ice, then keep his head down after trying to block the shot, so Wood didn't decapitate him.

He did get caught a step behind skating laterally to block the initial shot, but it would have been fine if either he or Wood was able to stay with Blackwell, but Wood being too aggressive and then jumping over EJ and skating into the corner, took them both out of the play.

It was a group F up on that play with Drouin not clearing the puck and Blackwood staying in the butterfly.

100%. It was a complete fire drill because of the long change in the 1st OT. It's hockey 101. When you have the long change, you cannot lose the puck at the opposing blue line. Have to get it deep so you have an orderly change. Wood put his defensemen in a bad spot there and he knew it after the game.

 

[the_fan]

I mean to be fair he said the top players didn't play hard and they didn't do anything 5 on 5. You can't say that MacKinnon/Makar gave the same effort LOC did.

That’s because Dallas always keys on our top players more than our 3rd and 4th lines. Nate and Cale are always gonna play against their best defensive players, while LOC and the bottom 6 draw easier match up

 

[Tralfamadore]

That’s because Dallas always keys on our top players more than our 3rd and 4th lines. Nate and Cale are always gonna play against their best defensive players, while LOC and the bottom 6 draw easier match up

Yes that's how hockey works.

 

[Balthazar]

Wait so.. Bednar loves advanced stats, but that line he keeps together has the worst stats, so Bednar intentionally plays the worst line to sabotage the Avalanche?

No. What the f*** are you talking about?

 

[Vaslof]

No. What the f*** are you talking about?

Your thinking.

 

[Balthazar]

Your thinking.

People wonder why Bednar isn't playing Mack with Drouin and Nuke.

Your stats show that this line was the worst line.

That explains why Bednar doesn't play them together.

That's it.

 

[the_fan]

Yes that's how hockey works.

It is, and my point is, if Nate and Cale aren’t producing a lot, it doesn’t mean they’re not playing hard. It means they are getting tougher matchups. That’s why a team with most depth, wins in the playoffs