Originally Posted by Bearcat:
As uninteresting as the past two games have been (wouldn't necessarily say boring just because of the scores), it really sets up a game 4 where you really have no freakin clue what's going to happen.
Any other teams, I'd say it's likely a full reset to a game 1 style (not this series' game 1) defensive battle, but even when the Avalanche have really focused on helping out Francouz, they still scored 4 goals and had 30+ shots.
Strange how it's worked out... after game 1 I wanted 6 more OT games. But then after 7-0 and now wanting to rebound from 6-2, it puts a little pressure to "salvage" a 3 game to 1 lead tonight. And I don’t pay a ton of attention to the talking heads, but they were REALLY trying to make a goalie controversy during game 3, so it would be annoying to have to listen to the same old narratives given another loss.... but hey, at least altitude will be on their side for 2 out of 3 after tonight. :-)
As I thought back on the game and the excuses for Tampa looking like shit in Denver, I sometimes wonder if people just don't fully appreciate the minor differences in the rules for home vs. away - namely, the last change. Especially in a game where there are a lot of stops (which the past couple of games have been), there's a pretty solid cumulative advantage to having the matchups you want out there 70% of the time (or whatever). And when depth becomes an issue (which it is for both teams), it becomes even more of a factor since you can just load up against the other team's best players and not worry so much about what happens when you have Aube-Kubel on the ice.
Sure seems like that's a much better explanation (well, that plus goaltending) than the altitude.
In theory, the faceoff rules could make a difference as well, but the Avs are pretty used to losing that battle. :-) [Reply]
Looking like Kadri is PROBABLY playing tonight, but he won't be anywhere near 100% according to Bednar. Kuemper is likely in net (based on how they usually practice). [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
As I thought back on the game and the excuses for Tampa looking like shit in Denver, I sometimes wonder if people just don't fully appreciate the minor differences in the rules for home vs. away - namely, the last change. Especially in a game where there are a lot of stops (which the past couple of games have been), there's a pretty solid cumulative advantage to having the matchups you want out there 70% of the time (or whatever). And when depth becomes an issue (which it is for both teams), it becomes even more of a factor since you can just load up against the other team's best players and not worry so much about what happens when you have Aube-Kubel on the ice.
Sure seems like that's a much better explanation (well, that plus goaltending) than the altitude.
In theory, the faceoff rules could make a difference as well, but the Avs are pretty used to losing that battle. :-)
I lived in Denver for almost 20 years and never once noticed the altitude, even when I first moved there. Only time I ever noticed it was at the top of ski lifts where the drop off point was 11,000 ft or higher and there was a catwalk to navigate to get to the start of a run. The effect of altitude at 5,000 ft is greatly exaggerated imo. Likely more mental than anything. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
As I thought back on the game and the excuses for Tampa looking like shit in Denver, I sometimes wonder if people just don't fully appreciate the minor differences in the rules for home vs. away - namely, the last change. Especially in a game where there are a lot of stops (which the past couple of games have been), there's a pretty solid cumulative advantage to having the matchups you want out there 70% of the time (or whatever). And when depth becomes an issue (which it is for both teams), it becomes even more of a factor since you can just load up against the other team's best players and not worry so much about what happens when you have Aube-Kubel on the ice.
Sure seems like that's a much better explanation (well, that plus goaltending) than the altitude.
In theory, the faceoff rules could make a difference as well, but the Avs are pretty used to losing that battle. :-)
Yeah, and TB in particular has a shutdown line they want out there against MacKinnon... and then Burakovsky didn't even travel. And on the other side it says something that TB would rather have not much more than a warm body in Point on the ice over one of their depth guys, and now they're dealing with him being out and maybe Paul.
The last change is definitely something that doesn't get talked about unless maybe a guy like Gretzky is chiming in, and I don't pay terribly close attention to it at times since the game is so fluid in that regard.
Interesting about Kadri, too... really didn’t expect him back until maybe game 6 or 7, but of course can see why they might try it now with Burakovsky out (I assume). At a certain point, whoever plugs that hole in the lineup might only be out there for 5 minutes anyway. [Reply]
Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks:
I lived in Denver for almost 20 years and never once noticed the altitude, even when I first moved there. Only time I ever noticed it was at the top of ski lifts where the drop off point was 11,000 ft or higher and there was a catwalk to navigate to get to the start of a run. The effect of altitude at 5,000 ft is greatly exaggerated imo. Likely more mental than anything.
I've read that some people who live at altitude and run a couple miles a day or whatever will go elsewhere and notice how much easier it is cardio-wise, but the fact is we're talking about world class athletes who were in town days before the series started and a week by the time game 2 came around.
And they also looked terrible from the start and with an extra day of rest... it's not like they made it a game for a while and then fell apart. And as DaFace said the other day, that's after the Blues split their first two games in Denver and won game 5 by looking stronger as the game went on.
I'd much rather listen to the talking heads analyze line match ups, but you're lucky if there's one segment on that over the course of pregame, intermissions, and post-game. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bearcat:
Interesting about Kadri, too... really didn’t expect him back until maybe game 6 or 7, but of course can see why they might try it now with Burakovsky out (I assume). At a certain point, whoever plugs that hole in the lineup might only be out there for 5 minutes anyway.
Yeah, Burky is out. Sounds like he never left Denver.
As for Kadri, they haven't announced anything, but he was practicing with the 2nd powerplay unit this morning, which would be an odd move if he's not playing. Bednar was, not surprisingly, noncommital. [Reply]
I'll never understand teams that can a coach after what has, by most measures other than post-season success, been a fantastic season.
Word of a coaching change i. Florida. Jack Adams finalist, Andrew Brunette is out as head coach. Paul Maurice is believed to be in the process of being hired.
Originally Posted by DaFace:
I'll never understand teams that can a coach after what has, by most measures other than post-season success, been a fantastic season.
Word of a coaching change i. Florida. Jack Adams finalist, Andrew Brunette is out as head coach. Paul Maurice is believed to be in the process of being hired.
The NHL does this more than any other league. Coaches in the NHL get fired left and right. Regardless of regular season success, even in the first season. [Reply]
Originally Posted by JudasRising20:
The NHL does this more than any other league. Coaches in the NHL get fired left and right. Regardless of regular season success, even in the first season.
Yeah, I know. Just seems odd to me. If the Avs were run by Florida's GM, Bednar would have been canned like 5 times by now. :-) [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
Yeah, I know. Just seems odd to me. If the Avs were run by Florida's GM, Bednar would have been canned like 5 times by now. :-)
Especially after they had by far the worst record in the league his first year.
Now he's two wins away from becoming the first coach to ever win the championship hat trick — ECHL, AHL and Stanley Cup. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
Yeah, I know. Just seems odd to me. If the Avs were run by Florida's GM, Bednar would have been canned like 5 times by now. :-)
Yeah, I love Sakic.... there's never any panic and he understands stability is a good thing. [Reply]
