Foppa2118
Registered User
- Oct 3, 2003
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My Reasons For The Avs Loss (in order of importance)
Avs Stars Weren’t Stars
MacKinnon didn’t look right all playoffs. Something was very off. Just missing that intensity and power element to his game. Played like his dog had died or something. Better the last couple games, but he also played better in almost every regular season game this year. Wasn’t Dallas either, he looked the same against Winnipeg. Just didn’t skate and compete like normal. He laid back and tried to read the play, instead of moving his feet and causing the other team to react to him like he usually does. Very strange for a guy known to step up in the playoffs. Very clearly a mental thing. Proof is when he scored his goal in game 5, he suddenly had some very noticeable jump he didn’t have before.
Mikko didn’t really look right all season. Got by on his supreme talent. Same with Nate, it was too little too late in the playoffs. Also very clearly a mental thing. Just like after Nate’s goal, when Mikko scored his goal in game 6, he had a noticeable jump in his step he didn’t before, but it didn’t last more than a couple shifts.
These guys got in their own heads, and then when they had some success it gave them some brief confidence, and they played like normal. But it should have come before that.
Not Enough Compete
The Avs simply got out competed by Dallas. Especially early. And especially to start games in the first period, where they usually gave up the first goal.
The fact they were arguably the better team in the last couple games, shows it wasn’t a systems issue, or a lack of ability to beat Dallas, they just didn’t work for it.
They were slow in their decision making, slow in their passing, slow in their shots. Before the last couple games, they were slow when they had plenty of room to skate.
They just didn’t play with enough pace, and again it wasn’t Dallas, because at the end of the series they did play with pace. That wouldn't be the case at the end of a series if the other team was slowing them down. It would just be more effective against them, because by then they'd be tired from a long series on top of what the opposition was doing.
Missed Chances
So many missed chances in this series. Again this stems from compete level. When you compete you bear down on your chances, and fire the puck through the net. When you don’t, you miss wide open nets, on your best opportunities.
Avs struggled with this in the last game especially. 3 or 4 grade A chance they could have scored on but didn’t. A couple from Lehky. One from Mikko. One or two others. Then in OT they look like they tightened up, afraid to play their usual aggresive game, because now one mistake could end their season. Dallas could afford to make a mistake so they played more loose.
3rd Line Wasn’t Good Enough
Colton and Wood just weren’t a factor often enough. A few shifts here and there, but in the playoffs, especially if your top guys are getting shut down, you need your 3rd line stepping up. We’ve seen this countless times from teams that made deep runs. The 3rd line is a consistent positive factor, and they just weren’t often enough in these playoffs.
Not Enough Big Bodies Playing Heavy
Duhaime and Manson were the only ones playing a playoff style heavy game. Like a repeat from last year, Val let the team down again unfortunately, and they desperately needed a big forward to drive the net, screen a goalie playing well, get deflections, and score some ugly goals against a team playing well defensively.
Wood played too much on the perimeter IMO. He’s one of the few big bodies on this team. They needed him causing more havoc in front of the net. Even if he didn’t score, he’d still help the team by playing there more often. Generating momentum, getting the opposition off their game, and drawing penalties for their PP to be the difference in a game.
Not Enough Offense From D Core (aside from Makar)
This used to be a strength of this team. Now it’s a weakness. Without Cale, they have essentially no offense from defenseman anymore. If something happens to him they're screwed.
Toews didn’t play like he wanted to score a goal all playoffs. Girard played well for the most part, but his shot is simply too easy to block or save, so nothing ever comes from it. Walker was a total non factor in pretty much all the games after the first couple after the deadline. JJ we can’t expect offense from. Manson is their 2nd best offensive defenseman and that simply can’t be the case.
Manson - 11 GP - 2 goals - 7 points
Toews - 10 GP - 1 goal - 6 points
Girard - 9 GP - 0 goals - 3 points
Walker - 11 GP - 0 goals - 0 points
Johnson - 11 GP - 0 goals - 0 points
Jones - 3 GP - 0 goals - 0 points
The real problem here is that they don’t have enough money or assets to really fix this problem, and they’re not gonna have a high enough draft pick to address it without getting lucky either.
D Core Not Hard Enough To Play Against
The Avs defense got muscled around a bit too much against Dallas, specifically Benn. I’m not sure if they’ll do it, but they really need to tweak the D core IMO. They need another big body that can skate so they can play in the top 4 like Manson.
They can get away without it during the regular season, but that’s not real hockey. That hockey that has been manufactured to create goals, by taking away tools defenseman are still able to use in the playoffs. The playoffs are hockey like they’ve always been played and require what they’ve always required to win.
Conclusion
The Avs didn’t lose because of coaching or systems. They didn’t lose because of goaltending. These are popular narratives, and narratives don't die off easily here, but they weren’t the difference. Dallas played great, and deserved to win, but the Avs beat themselves again.
They lost this series early on by putting themselves in a hole. They played well enough to win at the end of the series, but it was too little too late.
Reminded me of the Vegas series loss. Didn’t compete in the early and middle portion, then found their legs, and found their game late, but because of the hole they put themselves in, they didn’t give themselves any margin for error. A blown back check or a breakdown was enough to end their season.
Landy can't come back soon enough. This team desperately needed his leadership during games this year. The other guys tried to step up in his absence, but they just couldn't fill the void. Anotehr long season. Avs core has some soul searching to do, and CMac has some tweaks to make.
Avs Stars Weren’t Stars
MacKinnon didn’t look right all playoffs. Something was very off. Just missing that intensity and power element to his game. Played like his dog had died or something. Better the last couple games, but he also played better in almost every regular season game this year. Wasn’t Dallas either, he looked the same against Winnipeg. Just didn’t skate and compete like normal. He laid back and tried to read the play, instead of moving his feet and causing the other team to react to him like he usually does. Very strange for a guy known to step up in the playoffs. Very clearly a mental thing. Proof is when he scored his goal in game 5, he suddenly had some very noticeable jump he didn’t have before.
Mikko didn’t really look right all season. Got by on his supreme talent. Same with Nate, it was too little too late in the playoffs. Also very clearly a mental thing. Just like after Nate’s goal, when Mikko scored his goal in game 6, he had a noticeable jump in his step he didn’t before, but it didn’t last more than a couple shifts.
These guys got in their own heads, and then when they had some success it gave them some brief confidence, and they played like normal. But it should have come before that.
Not Enough Compete
The Avs simply got out competed by Dallas. Especially early. And especially to start games in the first period, where they usually gave up the first goal.
The fact they were arguably the better team in the last couple games, shows it wasn’t a systems issue, or a lack of ability to beat Dallas, they just didn’t work for it.
They were slow in their decision making, slow in their passing, slow in their shots. Before the last couple games, they were slow when they had plenty of room to skate.
They just didn’t play with enough pace, and again it wasn’t Dallas, because at the end of the series they did play with pace. That wouldn't be the case at the end of a series if the other team was slowing them down. It would just be more effective against them, because by then they'd be tired from a long series on top of what the opposition was doing.
Missed Chances
So many missed chances in this series. Again this stems from compete level. When you compete you bear down on your chances, and fire the puck through the net. When you don’t, you miss wide open nets, on your best opportunities.
Avs struggled with this in the last game especially. 3 or 4 grade A chance they could have scored on but didn’t. A couple from Lehky. One from Mikko. One or two others. Then in OT they look like they tightened up, afraid to play their usual aggresive game, because now one mistake could end their season. Dallas could afford to make a mistake so they played more loose.
3rd Line Wasn’t Good Enough
Colton and Wood just weren’t a factor often enough. A few shifts here and there, but in the playoffs, especially if your top guys are getting shut down, you need your 3rd line stepping up. We’ve seen this countless times from teams that made deep runs. The 3rd line is a consistent positive factor, and they just weren’t often enough in these playoffs.
Not Enough Big Bodies Playing Heavy
Duhaime and Manson were the only ones playing a playoff style heavy game. Like a repeat from last year, Val let the team down again unfortunately, and they desperately needed a big forward to drive the net, screen a goalie playing well, get deflections, and score some ugly goals against a team playing well defensively.
Wood played too much on the perimeter IMO. He’s one of the few big bodies on this team. They needed him causing more havoc in front of the net. Even if he didn’t score, he’d still help the team by playing there more often. Generating momentum, getting the opposition off their game, and drawing penalties for their PP to be the difference in a game.
Not Enough Offense From D Core (aside from Makar)
This used to be a strength of this team. Now it’s a weakness. Without Cale, they have essentially no offense from defenseman anymore. If something happens to him they're screwed.
Toews didn’t play like he wanted to score a goal all playoffs. Girard played well for the most part, but his shot is simply too easy to block or save, so nothing ever comes from it. Walker was a total non factor in pretty much all the games after the first couple after the deadline. JJ we can’t expect offense from. Manson is their 2nd best offensive defenseman and that simply can’t be the case.
Manson - 11 GP - 2 goals - 7 points
Toews - 10 GP - 1 goal - 6 points
Girard - 9 GP - 0 goals - 3 points
Walker - 11 GP - 0 goals - 0 points
Johnson - 11 GP - 0 goals - 0 points
Jones - 3 GP - 0 goals - 0 points
The real problem here is that they don’t have enough money or assets to really fix this problem, and they’re not gonna have a high enough draft pick to address it without getting lucky either.
D Core Not Hard Enough To Play Against
The Avs defense got muscled around a bit too much against Dallas, specifically Benn. I’m not sure if they’ll do it, but they really need to tweak the D core IMO. They need another big body that can skate so they can play in the top 4 like Manson.
They can get away without it during the regular season, but that’s not real hockey. That hockey that has been manufactured to create goals, by taking away tools defenseman are still able to use in the playoffs. The playoffs are hockey like they’ve always been played and require what they’ve always required to win.
Conclusion
The Avs didn’t lose because of coaching or systems. They didn’t lose because of goaltending. These are popular narratives, and narratives don't die off easily here, but they weren’t the difference. Dallas played great, and deserved to win, but the Avs beat themselves again.
They lost this series early on by putting themselves in a hole. They played well enough to win at the end of the series, but it was too little too late.
Reminded me of the Vegas series loss. Didn’t compete in the early and middle portion, then found their legs, and found their game late, but because of the hole they put themselves in, they didn’t give themselves any margin for error. A blown back check or a breakdown was enough to end their season.
Landy can't come back soon enough. This team desperately needed his leadership during games this year. The other guys tried to step up in his absence, but they just couldn't fill the void. Anotehr long season. Avs core has some soul searching to do, and CMac has some tweaks to make.
