Why can’t every game be on a weekend afternoon? They’re always more fun, everybody is always in a good mood and the hockey always seems to be good too. Well, not if you were a New Jersey Devils fan Sunday.
Pretty easy win for the Avs, whose playoff hopes remain on life support. But, hey, could be worse.
The grades:
Mikko Rantanen (B) – He had a couple of “wow” skill moves with the puck and generally was hard to play against. Nothing on the score sheet, but a good showing nonetheless.
Nathan MacKinnon (A-) – Had a solid assist on the first goal by Tyson Barrie, and an empty-netter. He had some kind of leg ding in the third period and, while he kept playing, seemed to be bothered by it. At least for a shift or two. By game’s end, he seemed back to normal.
Derick Brassard (B-) – He had a couple really nice passes. But, in general, his presence has been less noticeable in the last few games.
Alexander Kerfoot (B) – Had a great scoring chance in the first period, but just missed. Just has had trouble producing points of late, but I thought he played pretty well here.
Carl Soderberg (C+) – Had a rough day in the faceoff circle, which is unusual. He lost nine of 11 draws. But he was perfectly OK otherwise.
Matt Calvert (B) – Solid, workmanlike game. Played well on the PK, blocking a couple shots.
Sven Andrighetto (A) – Assisted on both Avs goals. He’s been better of late. Probably too late to save his job for next year here, but at least he’s still out there competing.
Colin Wilson (C+) – Had a brilliant scoring chance early in the game, but held on to puck too long and got it stripped. Just hasn’t given much on the score sheet in a while.
Tyson Jost (B-) – Good puck-possession numbers. But didn’t get name on score sheet. Possessing the puck is good. Doing something tangible with it is even better.
J.T. Compher (B-) – I mean, solid game I guess. He had OK puck-possession numbers and didn’t get any points, but this isn’t the NBA, where top players score every game.
Gabriel Bourque (B) – Played 12:42, pretty high for him, and was a plus-1.
Ryan Graves (B) – He played as a fourth-line forward in this one, on right wing on a line with Andrighetto and Bourque. And you know what? I thought he looked good as a power forward. Had three shot attempts in game.
*Update: No, Graves didn’t actually play up front as much as I thought, after looking at the shift charts. My bad.
Erik Johnson (B) – Solid game, nothing too flashy. That works fine for a defenseman’s report card.
Sam Girard (B) – Similar game to his partner, Johnson. He did make a very nice pass to Brassard early in the game that could have easily resulted in a goal. Be nice if he could put up a few more points, but he’s good pretty good the last couple games.
Nikita Zadorov (B+) – Like every Avs defender, he had a solid game. He moved his feet well and generally was solid with puck.
Ian Cole (B) – He got called for another kneeing penalty, which he was definitely not happy about. Solid effort otherwise.
Patrik Nemeth (B) – Solid showing, pretty physical out there. I think he’s been pretty good for a while now, for the most part. He’s probably not coming back next year, but hey.
Tyson Barrie (A) – Two goals. Hey, one was one of the luckier ones you’re ever going to see. But it came as a result of him putting a puck on the net.
Philipp Grubauer (A) – His third shutout of the season. If he is to be the new No. 1 goalie next year, as I anticipate (yes, this is me saying I don’t think Varly will be back) he’s given fans more hope with his play of late.
0 Comments (4 conversations)
Ceimbert
Just imagine if they gave Greer 12:42 a game rather than Bourque.
Bob_W
If you go back to Bednar’s comments after the last loss I think you will understand why Bourque plays. He isn’t talented and doesn’t have a lot of skill but when he is on the ice he gives everything he has. He doesn’t take shifts off. He kills penalties well. He checks with his legs not his eyes and he rarely turns the puck over. If any of the more talented players who are scratched or in Loveland would follow this example they would be playing as regularly as Bourque.
David C McKinnis
From interviews I’ve read with him, Greer believes he should playing with the Avalanche too. That’s why he’s not.
gtq
Jost has been really good on the puck the last couple of games. I am finally starting to feel some hope he may approach his initial projections.
Chris DeMott
I want AJ Greer on the Avs too… so that I don’t have to read about him in the comments every game. ;-]
David C McKinnis
Ha!
tkredbrewer
Well since it’s the end of the season I feel like I can give you guys grades too. Since there isn’t a feedback button I can find. I like you guys. I really do. That’s why I paid for a one year sub. But you have not put yourselves above the level of the available free content like you did last year. There is not daily content. The free opposition has that. There is not enough analysis. When you guys do it it is excellent, but there are like five pieces a year. Not enough. Podcasts. Cool. But I don’t want to pay to listen a bunch of Emms and errs. Keep podcasts if you want but make that an available transcript for people that don’t have 45 minutes to listen to rambling. Or people that are checking up on the avs on their poop break. Whatever. Anyways, analysis. Locker room reactions. Breakdowns of plays, decisions, and how the team as a whole is doing. Things I can’t get from someone who doesn’t have credentials. That’s why I pay you. Mostly all I’ve gotten this year is recaps and grades, and I can get that from anywhere. They’ve been good recaps and grades, but I’m just saying after last year’s excellent coverage I’ve been disappointed this year. I think I’ve read like three analytical pieces, that while excellent, are just too few and far between. I check in every day, and there are only new articles on game day. Fine for August, not fine for paid content. Not when your free competition is putting out multiple articles. Terrible spell check and questionable ethics, but they have content. And it’s free. That’s my two cents from a paid subscriber.