Series Talk: WCSF: Colorado Avalanche (C3) vs Dallas Stars (C1) | Stars win 4-2

[Ararana]

you guys don't realistically think this is still a winnable series - right?
this was over before puck drop yesterday.

I gave up on the series after game 3. Not because the Avs went down in the series 1-2 but the way those three games unfolded was telling enough.

Nuke and Toews going out just cemented it.

 

[wayninja]

you guys don't realistically think this is still a winnable series - right?
this was over before puck drop yesterday.

Of course I think it's winnable. On the other hand, I still think we can win the Vegas series.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Just because Mitts doesn't shoot the puck a lot, does not mean he has not been a threat. Dude has 8 points in 9 games while playing excellent defensive hockey. He has only not put up a point in 3 games. Which is the same as Makar and only 1 less than MacK and Rants. For guys who have played the majority of the playoffs, he is 2nd in xGF/60 only behind Lehky. He leads the team in slot passes by a mile. Along with all of this, he was one of a few to actually give a shit last night.

There are many things to take from this postseason (most of them negative), and one of them is Mitts is clearly a gamer.

As I was reading this, it dawned on me that Mitts is also doing that at even strength only pretty much, while the others get served an all you can eat buffet of PP minutes.

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

While I think the chances of a comeback are very slim given the history of this team's responses during really difficult times, I do hope they at least go down swinging. I would hope that the guys we acquired to be "playoff-type warriors" (ie. Colton, Trenin, Duhaime) play like it. Where is the Colton that fought LOC? Time to stop playing like little b*tch boys and stand up for yourself when you're getting slashed and hooked outside the play by Jamie Benn.

 

[S E P H]

Here's the thing, Avs got a Cup and our M.O. has always been about making shrewd trades to increase depth. We've had this characteristic all the way back since the Roy trade. This isn't anything new as Avs have never done a proper rebuild, hell we traded our 1st for Varlamov right in the middle of a rebuild lol. We have our Cup and this core is very capable of winning (or should win) more within a 5 to 8-year period.

The Stars do not have a Cup and have failed their entire existence since the mid-2000s, including this core. HOWEVER, with all that said, the Stars are in this position because of their drafting and the Avs need to rely on giving up assets for the likes of Walker, Trenin, etc. because of their miserable drafting record. Avs have to rely on Cogliano and his below-average everything, especially his lack of ability on the PK nowadays because Avs haven't drafted somebody who could've replaced him. We're going nuts for LOC because the Avs haven't drafted a player like him, not even in the 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th round which is what you should be hitting with at least one pick in 3-5 years. It has been shambolic and why we're down 1-3 against a very deep team that have scoring options on almost every line. And the picks we hit on - such as Aman as a 7th rounder - decide to GTFO, looked bloody good last game against the Oilers.

 

[John Mandalorian]

I think they found themselves in the bottom third of the last game. I think the Avs survive game 5. It feels like something shook loose. They mixed up dump and chase with zone entry. It’s a little like option football from the 90s. If you never feed it to the fullback, they overcommit to the edge.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

you guys don't realistically think this is still a winnable series - right?
this was over before puck drop yesterday.

MacK, Makar and Rantanen gave up before the game. It was just tough to watch.

So yes, the series is done. They will try to save a face bit on game five, but they will go down in the end.

That's how I see it.

That doesn't do anything. Plus, they play even better when he's out of the lineup like in last year's playoffs.

You gotta hit #4 hard and often and Tanev as well. Colton's hit last night was the only thing he's done all series but was a step in the right direction.

It's so weird. We acquired these guys to be hard to play against and it's almost as if they feel like they need to be skill guys on this team... or they just aren't being coached right. WTF...

Colton
Wood
Trenin
Duhaime

We should be annihilating their D and instead most of the time, we're barely engaging physically. To me, that's a coaching issue. These guys are scared to take penalties or something...

True but of course we are trying to avoid penalties. Maybe too much.

 

[dahrougem2]

Going back to last season, Colorado has scored the 1st goal of the game in only 3 of their previous 16 playoff games.

It likely won't be 4 tomorrow.

This is Sacco era stuff from the team. They NEVER start games well.

 

[Balthazar]

Going back to last season, Colorado has scored the 1st goal of the game in only 3 of their previous 16 playoff games.

It likely won't be 4 tomorrow.

This is Sacco era stuff from the team. They NEVER start games well.

They did in game 3...but failed to score.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Going back to last season, Colorado has scored the 1st goal of the game in only 3 of their previous 16 playoff games.

It likely won't be 4 tomorrow.

This is Sacco era stuff from the team. They NEVER start games well.

How was this during our cup run? Did we score first?

 

[dahrougem2]

How was this during our cup run? Did we score first?

11 of 20 games IIRC.

 

[the_fan]

How was this during our cup run? Did we score first?

We scored 1st in every game vs Preds
Blues scored 1st in every game in the 2nd round
We scored 1st in 2 of the 4 games vs Oilers
Scored 1st in 3 of the 6 games vs Tampa

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

11 of 20 games IIRC.

Way better eh

 

[Balthazar]

We scored 1st in every game vs Preds
Blues scored 1st in every game in the 2nd round
We scored 1st in 2 of the 4 games vs Oilers
Scored 1st in 3 of the 6 games vs Tampa

Avs were a different animal back then. Regular season and playoffs.

This year's regular season sucked ass with Mack doing everything alone and the team getting regularly outplayed. This was no 2022.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Avs were a different animal back then. Regular season and playoffs.

This year's regular season sucked ass with Mack doing everything alone and the team getting regularly outplayed. This was no 2022.

I think MacK spent all his energy chasing Gretzky record and putting up all those points. A waste.

We need a team good enough, which can save the best energy for the playoffs. That should be the goal for the off-season.

 

[dahrougem2]

We scored 1st in every game vs Preds
Blues scored 1st in every game in the 2nd round
We scored 1st in 2 of the 4 games vs Oilers
Scored 1st in 3 of the 6 games vs Tampa

Avs scored first in game 5 vs Blues and game 4 vs Oilers

 

[the_fan]

Avs scored first in game 5 vs Blues and game 4 vs Oilers

Game 4 and game 2 we scored 1st vs Oilers, and we did score 1st in one of the 6 games vs Blues. I was wrong there yes

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

I tuned out from the playoffs after reading about the pre game announcements yesterday. I got deflated.

I am trying to find the motivation to watch the game tomorrow. Could someone help me list some players that probably play their last game for the Avs tomorrow besides the deadline acquisitions (if the Avs lose)?

I assume Cogliano is one of them.

I feel quite confident Drouin will be resigned.

 

[dahrougem2]

I tuned out from the playoffs after reading about the pre game announcements yesterday. I got deflated.

I am trying to find the motivation to watch the game tomorrow. Could someone help me list some players that probably play their last game for the Avs tomorrow besides the deadline acquisitions (if the Avs lose)?

I assume Cogliano is one of them.

I feel quite confident Drouin will be resigned.

If I was a betting man I would say all of:

Parise
Cogliano
Trenin
Duhaime
Walker
JMFJ

will be playing their final games as Avs, a strong possibility for Drouin as well

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I tuned out from the playoffs after reading about the pre game announcements yesterday. I got deflated.

I am trying to find the motivation to watch the game tomorrow. Could someone help me list some players that probably play their last game for the Avs tomorrow besides the deadline acquisitions (if the Avs lose)?

I assume Cogliano is one of them.

I feel quite confident Drouin will be resigned.

I feel like when I hit enter on this, a portal will be opened and I will be yelled at, but tomorrow could be Mikko Rantanen's last game as an Av as well. Better than 50% chance of it if I was the GM.

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

If I was a betting man I would say all of:

Parise
Cogliano
Trenin
Duhaime
Walker
JMFJ

will be playing their final games as Avs, a strong possibility for Drouin as well

Cogliano and Jack Johnson, I love those guys. Cogliano was a great mentor for our cup winning team. Everytime I see Jack Johnson on the bench or in locker room footage he seems like an awesome guy. Both these guys make me happy in a similar way as Bellemare and especially Calvert did.

Trenin and Duhaime are great bottom 6 forwards.

 

[MacKaRant]

I feel like when I hit enter on this, a portal will be opened and I will be yelled at, but tomorrow could be Mikko Rantanen's last game as an Av as well. Better than 50% chance of it if I was the GM.

My guess is that Avs would go "own rental" route with Mikko next year even if they do plan to move on. As I've mentioned before, there is no shortage of examples of bringing key players to the brink of UFA status (Landy, Nichushkin). There has been something off with Mikko this year in particular and maybe it gets fixed in the summer, especially since it's a contract year.

 

[BaconNater]

Oh crap are the Avs going to be 1st team eliminated? Is that better for flying under the radar and hopefully everyone forgets about this horrible round?

 

[dahrougem2]

I feel like when I hit enter on this, a portal will be opened and I will be yelled at, but tomorrow could be Mikko Rantanen's last game as an Av as well. Better than 50% chance of it if I was the GM.

50?

It would be 100 if I was GM.

Quick retool around 29/8 with loads of depth rather than a top heavy roster.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Oh crap are the Avs going to be 1st team eliminated? Is that better for flying under the radar and hopefully everyone forgets about this horrible round?

I'd like to give you a positive spin on that pardner.

The Avs are going to be the first team eliminated in the second round. At least we didn't backslide to getting tossed in the first round or missing them all-together.