Avs and Predators tonight, a rematch of the fun playoff series last spring. It seems like about two weeks since that game Saturday against the Canucks, so I’m curious to see how the Avs come out tonight. They should come out with plenty of energy, one would think, but long layoffs generally aren’t good for hockey teams.
Some lineup stuff:
No Tyson Jost, no Sven Andrighetto, no J.T. Compher.
The news is encouraging on Jost and Sven 10 though; both skated this morning with regular jerseys on. But Jared Bednar wants to give them a bit more skating and practice time before inserting them back in the lineup. Wouldn’t surprise me if they are in the lineup Friday in Winnipeg.
Mark Barberio will be the scratch on defense. Semyon Varlamov in goal.
I think, to sum up what Bednar thinks has been going wrong of late, he thinks the forwards and defense have been a bit too gapped out from each other, especially coming back into the defensive zone. But Bednar essentially said the loss Saturday in Vancouver was mostly on goalie Philipp Grubauer, who just couldn’t stop anything.
Bednar was NOT happy with his team’s work ethic in Calgary. He is really going to start cracking down, if he hasn’t already, on stuff like that. The one thing this Avs team still can’t afford to have is a complacent, “We’re pretty good, aren’t we?” attitude. Because they’re just not on that overall talent level yet, 1-18.
I don’t think the injuries have helped at all, either. I think the loss of Compher, particularly, has hurt the team a lot. And, there is no word on when he might be back. Nothing. I think the Avs really miss his versatility and speed, even though the Avs have gotten more secondary scoring of late.
I think this obviously will be a very tough game tonight, but a winnable one if they just put their work boots on. This team has to get that underdog mentality back a bit, in my opinion. Friday night and Sunday’s games are going to be tough enough, on the road again in Canada. They need to treat this game like a late-season, hugely important one if they don’t want to start sliding back toward .500-level mediocrity.
0 Comments (3 conversations)
jpwheels
Good call on the Avs needing to approach things as an underdog again.
The only thing this team has proven is that it has potential.
There has been a bunch of chatter about how good the top line is, the improved defense, and the hot goaltending.
All of that is true. But coasting at all based on what has already been achieved will only hold this team back.
brandonwatson
The one thing I am seeing consistently is skaters quitting later in the games. Slow to clear zones. Slow to get back. Slow to get off. Slow. Not incapable. Not tired. Lazy. Slow. And it’s super frustrating to watch when I see it.
gtq
I look at lines 2-4 and to me we don’t look like a playoff team. I felt that way on opening day and I haven’t seen anything to change my mind.
– People acted like Calvert was a huge upgrade over Comeau. He’s younger that’s it. Comeau has had the better career.
– I think we’ve upgraded our defense and our goaltending depth, but our goaltenders are still under siege every game. At some point one has to look at the Bednar “system” and ask if shot suppression is never going to be a part of it.
– When if ever will we address the faceoff problem? The team and the players seem to dismiss it as being a significant issue. We send McKinnon out for a faceoff following the other team’s icing or on a power play and we lose possession. No way guys like we have should be this horrible on faceoffs. It simply means they don’t work at it enough.
Cerveau
Well said, Gtq.
I don’t think we have a playoff team yet, either.
I wonder what it would be like if Mack, Miko, and Gabe each had their own lines, instead of concentrating all the top talent in just one line? Just brainstorming… something like:
Jost, Mack, Andrigetto,
Kerfoot, Miko, Comfer (when he gets better)
Soderberg, Landy, Calvert
Dano, Nieto, Dries
I’m not really thinking about position for the above lines, just about guys that seem like they might have similar energy.
Players like Kerfoot and Jost might do better when they support the major talent rather than being matched with guys at their same medium level.