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

[Vaslof]

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.

Ah sorry you didn't have the full picture. Replacing MacKinnon with Nelson makes the line worse. And that is the line he is playing. If he followed advanced stats he would break up JD and Nuke, which is what me and a few others want, as opposed to running them together with MacK which hasn't worked.

 

[The Pwnerer]

I don't know how some of you guys do if but I already need a break from last night. Already emotionally spent and pissed! Playoff hockey is seriously something else. I need to ban reading these forums the day after but I can't!

 

[Chiarelli]

Truth is these are two very good teams and quality chances have been tough to generate. I get the frustration with the second line - I would swap necas with nuke.

Basically the only groups that have consistently looked good are Dallas’ third, our fourth, and both goalies. Duchene and Rantanen both have no points for Dallas - essentially offence only or they’re useless players. It’s just a tight matchup with very little room for chances out there

 

[Tralfamadore]

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

This is also the admission then that the Stars best players are better defensively than the Avs best players are offensively which I refuse to believe. Cale and Nate are supposed to be top 5 players in the league. Time to dominate. Not writing them off or anything I just hope they show up at home.

 

[the_fan]

Truth is these are two very good teams and quality chances have been tough to generate. I get the frustration with the second line - I would swap necas with nuke.

Basically the only groups that have consistently looked good are Dallas’ third, our fourth, and both goalies. Duchene and Rantanen both have no points for Dallas - essentially offence only or they’re useless players. It’s just a tight matchup with very little room for chances out there

Exactly. Seems like a lot of people think Nate, Necas, Cale should each have 10 points already and we needed to sweep the Stars. It doesn’t work that way. We are playing against a very good team. This is not the 1st round vs the Preds in 2022

 

[avalanche_country]

Didn’t the Avs lose all 3 home playoff games to Dallas last year?

Blowing that game last night was a kick in the balls.

 

[the_fan]

This is also the admission then that the Stars best players are better defensively than the Avs best players are offensively which I refuse to believe. Cale and Nate are supposed to be top 5 players in the league. Time to dominate. Not writing them off or anything I just hope they show up at home.

Nate has 4 points with 3 goals in 2 games. Cale has 2 points in 2 games. We are playing on the road. I think those are very respectable numbers for those 2 considering that we’re playing against a defensively sound team

 

[Tralfamadore]

Nate has 4 points with 3 goals in 2 games. Cale has 2 points in 2 games. We are playing on the road. I think those are very respectable numbers for those 2 considering that we’re playing against a defensively sound team

Those numbers don't tell the whole story at all.

 

[the_fan]

Those numbers don't tell the whole story at all.

Those numbers say that this series is going exactly how it should be going. We needed to win at least one to steal home ice and we did, and we almost won game 2 also

 

[Tralfamadore]

Those numbers say that this series is going exactly how it should be going. We needed to win at least one to steal home ice and we did, and we almost won game 2 also

They're in fine shape yes but don't like the way the games have been trending.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Nate has 4 points with 3 goals in 2 games. Cale has 2 points in 2 games. We are playing on the road. I think those are very respectable numbers for those 2 considering that we’re playing against a defensively sound team

Makar doesn't look great.

MacK at times looks dangerous but the Stars seem to be collapsing back and letting him fire from a bit further out. Unscreened because the Avs top 6 don't stand in front of the net. That's peasant hockey.

I wouldn't say MacKs been limited to the perimeter but most of his shots and puck possession time doesn't feel like it's coming from the dangerous areas. Just a bit further out.

If there's a player in front of the net for a screen and tip and rebound it's a different story.

 

[the_fan]

They're in fine shape yes but don't like the way the games have been trending.

We beat them 5-1 in game one. That’s a blow out. What else did you expect? 10-1?

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

If there's a player in front of the net for a screen and tip and rebound it's a different story.

 

[the_fan]

Makar doesn't look great.

MacK at times looks dangerous but the Stars seem to be collapsing back and letting him fire from a bit further out. Unscreened because the Avs top 6 don't stand in front of the net. That's peasant hockey.

I wouldn't say MacKs been limited to the perimeter but most of his shots and puck possession time doesn't feel like it's coming from the dangerous areas. Just a bit further out.

If there's a player in front of the net for a screen and tip and rebound it's a different story.

I’m not saying we’ve been perfect, but winning at least one in Dallas is what matters the most. If we lose game 3 at home, I’ll start to worry

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Nate has 4 points with 3 goals in 2 games. Cale has 2 points in 2 games. We are playing on the road. I think those are very respectable numbers for those 2 considering that we’re playing against a defensively sound team

What the f*** do you think you're doing just being the most reasonable one around here?!

 

[AllAboutAvs]

The goal was to at least split the two games in Dallas to gain home-ice advantage. Mission accomplished.....but people here are once more overreacting after a loss. Overall the Avs had one bad period of hockey in those two games. Take out the 3rd period last night and the Avs have mostly overplayed the Stars 5v5. But forget that....they loss so here comes the regulars with "Fire Bednar", "DeBoer owns Bednar", and let's not forget our favorite @nammerus with his usual "CMac sucks" which by the way he has voted for the Avs to win it all in the "Who do you think will win the SC" on the main board so what does that make the other GMs?

People complain about the Landy decision but what if it was still Landy's decision? nobody knows right now and we will probably never know.

With that said I will say this....about a week ago I said I was very disapointed in Nelson's play with regard to winning battles and puck control. Many people responded by saying it was ridiculous as he was scoring at the same space as his NY pace. I stressed that my comments were not due to his production but to what I just pointed out but it didn't stop people to say that he was doing just fine. Well I'm glad people are seeing it too now. He sucks at controlling the puck and as soon as somebody touches him he loses the puck. He also loses 90% of his puck battles. And now he is not producing on top of that. At least he is playing pretty good defense.

Just like everybody else I would prefer to go back to the other lines but Bednar will be able to line match at home so let's see what he does. With that advantage I would like him to give Malinski a chance though.

I do think it is very important that we win the two home games though.

 

[the_fan]

What the f*** do you think you're doing just being the most reasonable one around here?!

I’m really not sure if the expectation around here was the Avs sweeping Dallas, otherwise I don’t know what the problem is. Before the series, I for one was worried losing both games in Dallas but was expecting to win at least one and we did.

Back home now, where we get the matchup advantage and stuff like that, I think we should be better, but I’m still not expecting it to be easy where we win both home games. It’s just gonna be a tough series, and Dallas might get Heiskanen back and hopefully we finally see Landy

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I’m really not sure if the expectation around here was the Avs sweeping Dallas, otherwise I don’t know what the problem is. Before the series, I for one was worried losing both games in Dallas but was expecting to win at least one and we did.

Back home now, where we get the matchup advantage and stuff like that, I think we should be better, but I’m still not expecting it to be easy where we win both home games. It’s just gonna be a tough series, and Dallas might get Heiskanen back and hopefully we finally see Landy

Yep. I mean, we're the lower seed! I voted Avs in 7..

 

[drhiii]

I woke up still mad about the loss at 5:50am EST after getting only 4hrs of sleep last night. Now I read about the shit that Bednar said in the presser about Landesog. Get the f*** out of here with that. Now I am irate that we are doing that bullshit. Are we making a movie or trying to win a Stanley Cup?

100% agree.

The last 3ish years have had a couple very square peg round holing events that would never have allowed them to continue, in the manner they have. Endless examples of this in history. We all have seen this in our personal experiences. The amount of energy expended, depleted, into propping up... hardly ever goes well.

Unless you are making that movie. But at what cost?

A solution? Lower expectations. What a drag...

 

[the_fan]

Yep. I mean, we're the lower seed! I voted Avs in 7..

I voted Avs in 6 but that’s more of being hopeful than thinking we actually can win it in 6. This could easily go to 7 games, and I wouldn’t even be surprised if we lose the series. It will be super disappointing if we lost to Dallas without their 2 key players but here is why it’s worrisome….

I know Dallas has this plugs on D like Ceci, Lyubushkin etc.. but the thing is, Dallas plays simple game, they play team defense and keep things simpler than let’s say Avs. D-men like Ceci, Lyubushkin would struggle with the Avs because we don’t keep things simple.

Avs like to play that high tempo, always moving the puck instead of just throwing the puck off the boards to get it out of the zone. We’d be in trouble with d-men like that, but not Dallas. They can make this d-men play that simple game where they don’t have to be puck movers and stuff

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

I’m not saying we’ve been perfect, but winning at least one in Dallas is what matters the most. If we lose game 3 at home, I’ll start to worry

Silly posts about golfing after game 6 aside I do worry that the Avs don't look dominant against a Dallas team missing its franchise player and another top liner.

Can they get by Dallas? Probably.

Does it bode well for the rest of the playoffs if the Avs need to squeek by a very flawed team that's missing key players?

The team looks like it's just off and it's missing something. Maybe they show more life at home. Maybe they've learned from previous years and aren't gassing themselves trying to win by 3 goals instead of 2 goals. And they're saving something. Maybe Bednar has some answers.

Maybe Nelson didn't sit beside Captain America in third grade in 1936.

 

[the_fan]

Silly posts about golfing after game 6 aside I do worry that the Avs don't look dominant against a Dallas team missing its franchise player and another top liner.

Can they get by Dallas? Probably.

Does it bode well for the rest of the playoffs if the Avs need to squeek by a very flawed team that's missing key players?

The team looks like it's just off and it's missing something. Maybe they show more life at home. Maybe they've learned from previous years and aren't gassing themselves trying to win by 3 goals instead of 2 goals. And they're saving something. Maybe Bednar has some answers.

Maybe Nelson didn't sit beside Captain America in third grade in 1936.

We almost beat Dallas back in bubble playoffs in game 7 having a 3rd string goalie in net, so anything is possible. They can beat us without Heiskanen and Robertson. Avs just have to make sure that doesn’t happen

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

We almost beat Dallas back in bubble playoffs in game 7 having a 3rd string goalie in net, so anything is possible. They can beat us without Heiskanen and Robertson. Avs just have to make sure that doesn’t happen

The Avs gutted out a tough 6 game series last year with a third stringer in net.

 

[the_fan]

The Avs gutted out a tough 6 game series last year with a third stringer in net.

Technically Georgiev is not even a 3rd stringer in the NHL. He’s more of a no stringer. Probably a future KHL goalie

 

[The Kingslayer]

Deserved to lose. When you play Wood instead of Vesey and then play Wood in OT you deserve to lose. Pity. Blackwood was once again great. The second line has been total trash and wouldnt you know it Martin Necas disappearing when it matters most. Shocker.