Game 73 Recap: Sharks 3, Avalanche 1
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 23, 2009 9:55 AM MDT
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The Minister of Defense contributed, but it wasn't enough
Photo courtesy Dan Smith (Getty)
It's such a foreign experience, following an Avalanche team out of playoff contention (not officially, though - the Avs are still at least a few games away from being mathematically eliminated). It's taken a little bit of soul searching to generate my official position on the Ti4T subject. The bottom line is that I think I'm in the same boat with most Avalanche fans. I am not rooting for the Avs to lose, but I'm not going to be upset if they do...under one condition: they have to compete. Crap like the Edmonton debacle is unacceptable.
Losses like last night, where the team played good enough to win but couldn't pull it off (something we've seen all year long), I can totally live with.The Avs played the Sharks well; there's no morning after embarrassment after this one, even though there are certainly areas that need work. Like, all of them.
One thing that bugs me about non-Altitude feeds (besides the Minister of Defense and TJ Max crap) is that the out-of-town guys ALWAYS say the reason for the disappointing season is the goaltending. The only exception I can think of to the previous sentence is Marc Crawford, who said our defensemen too often look like they are in a fire drill. He's 100% correct, and shouldn't be the only one able to see that. And as far as I can recall, no one has really singled out the offense as a contributor to our downfall. In fact, recently I heard someone (can't remember who) saying that our offense was definitely not the problem. Last night was the 11th time in 12 games that we've scored 2 goals or less in regulation. Yes, folks, the goaltending has been terrible. But so has the play of our defensemen and our offense (don't even get me started on special teams *cough* 5 minute powerplay). Blaming the goaltending is a simple cop out - our problems are much, much deeper.
Besides changing (slightly) how I root for the team, I'm also watching the games a little differently. For the final 10 games, I'm focusing each night on one position to give me some additional fodder for the final grades this summer. Last night, I was studying the centers - Wolski, Hensick, Galiardi and Guite. I have to say, I was rather surprised by Hensick's effort - or lack thereof - in the game. When he had the puck, it wasn't so bad. When he didn't...he was in full coast mode, and he missed a lot of offensive opportunites because of it. And he was 100% nonexistant defensively, completely stopping on any play in which the puck carrier was between him and the net. Since I was keying in anyway, I saw Michalek's game winning goal late in the 2nd quite a bit differently than I normally would. That play started behind the San Jose net. Hensick and Michalek were racing to the puck in the corner. Hensick made a pretty good play to knock Michalek into the boards, but Michalek still ended up with the puck and off he went in the other direction. Now, Hensick went into the boards and by the time he got his legs back he was a step or so behind Michalek. Instead of skating hard to get back into the play, Hensick lazily strolled down the ice. By the time Michalek was getting the puck back in front of the Colorado net, Hensick was just inside the blueline, coasting. I am sure that Michalek is faster than Hensick by a far bit, but there is no reason for Hensick to be 65 feet behind a player who left the boards on the other side of the rink just moments before you did. Well, there is one reason: lack of effort. And that is discouraging.
Lawrence Nycholat was injured just a few shifts into the game after Jonathan Cheechoo boarded him. Cheechoo was ejected from the game. Nycholat looked to have injured his arm on the play and I have a sneaking feeling that we won't see him again this year. With Ruslan Salei back in the lineup, Michael Vernace got the call over Derek Peltier for the final slot. He's playing rather well, and Drew Remenda singled him out a couple of times for his smart play in his own end.
Marek Svatos did not play in the 3rd period at all. According to Dater, it's a head injury. That's...what...4 head injuries in a couple of weeks, isn't it?
It's nice to finally see Tony Granato giving some of the youngsters a chance. Hensick played with Ryan Smyth and Brian Willsie (yes, I dissed Hensick above, but we need to see him play to be able to evaluate him). Galiardi spent much of the game with Milan Hejduk; he's playing awfully small on the ice, but he's shown some good flashes when he gets space.
- Two of the eight empty net goals against the Avs this year have been scored by the Sharks.
- Galiardi has been good (by Avalanche standards) in the faceoff circle so far - he's 11 for 23 in his two games (48%)
- The Avs outshot the Sharks 17-9 in the 3rd period.
The Avalanche host the Ducks on Wednesday.
Cheechoo drove Nycholat headfirst into the boards in a corner near the Colorado net. Although Nycholat appeared to dip his shoulder right before Cheechoo arrived, possibly compounding the hit's severity, Nycholat was down on the ice for several moments before skating to the dressing room under his own power. - AP
"I thought it was an outstanding hockey game. Obviously, they were able to make the most of one more chance than we were," Avs coach Tony Granato said. "I thought, from start to finish, we played pretty solid." - Adrian Dater, Denver Post
Alexei Semenov with 2 assists? Take THAT, Scott Hannan. - Mr K, Fear the Fin
The only reason for [Sakic] to try to play again this season, even if it's only the back-to-back home games against St. Louis and Vancouver in the final weekend, on April 11 and 12, is to wave goodbye. - Terry Frei, Denver Post
Had my first face-to-face “meeting” with a blogger tonight. Because he wants to remain anonymous, he will be referred to now and from this point forward as his actual anonymous blogger name, Jibblescribbits. - Adrian Dater, All Things Avs [I talked with AD yesterday, and I tried to get him to tell Jibs that he was only meeting him because he thought he was Doug Knight of the San Jose Mercury News]
Rick Sadowski is back folks. After the unfortunate demise of the Rocky Mountain News, Sadowski is now an NHL.com correspondent. I'm not sure if it's a full-time gig or just freelance but it's good to see Rick continuing his hockey writing. - Shane Giroux, Avs Talk
I have watched a lot of NHL hockey and I don't think my game really resembles anyone. I have a lot of similarities with a guy like Robyn Regher who can make a good first pass, helps out a powerplay from time to time and is sounds defensively but we also have our differences. - Cameron Gaunce, School Your Pool
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I talked with AD yesterday, and I tried to get him to tell Jibs that he was only meeting him because he thought he was Doug Knight of the San Jose Mercury News
Nice try. You should see what I have planned for 4-1 this year :)
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 23, 2009 10:02 AM MDT reply actions
And as far as I can recall, no one has really singled out the offense as a contributor to our downfall. . . . Last night was the 11th time in 12 games that we’ve scored 2 goals or less in regulation.
I totally agree with this, and it is a point I brought up on the NHL Prospect fanpost, because there was so much talk about goaltending on that post. So, in looking for a new goaltender, the Avs are pretty much going to have to find a goaltender better than Thomas, whose GAA is 2.11. That new goaltender, of course, is going to have to have a GAA better than Thomas playing behind the Keystone Cops Avs Defense, and for a salary of something like 1.2 million. Good luck with that. So, unless this team starts scoring more goals next year, and unless the defense starts providing some real goal support, I don’t think we are going to see too many wins, despite a change in goaltending.
I have found it funny this year when reporters and fans throw the goaltending under the bus when the team is shutout 0-2, instead of throwing the real culprits under the bus: the offense.
I think Ben Guite summed it up best in the 3/20/08 Denver Post article after the horrendous Oilers game:
“There’s been some serious flaws in our game all year.”
I hope a lot of those flaws are corrected before next season.
Hey, you might not have realized that by losing to the Sharks last night, the Avs allowed the Sharks to climb over the Red Wings in the Western Conference standing. Great they could be the Red Wings spoilers by losing!
Oh, and I really don’t want to know what favors were exchanged with Dater for that really nice blogger write-up he did.
Avs. Sticking it to the Red Wings
So, in looking for a new goaltender, the Avs are pretty much going to have to find a goaltender better than Thomas, whose GAA is 2.11. That new goaltender, of course, is going to have to have a GAA better than Thomas playing behind the Keystone Cops Avs Defense, and for a salary of something like 1.2 million. Good luck with that. So, unless this team starts scoring more goals next year, and unless the defense starts providing some real goal support, I don’t think we are going to see too many wins, despite a change in goaltending
Why do you insist on bringing logic to this conversation? You know it will end in tears…
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
Also very interesting
since you mention the ‘defense providing some real goal support’.
Last night they showed some stats about San Jose and the fact that they have 4 defense man with 30+ points.
Boyle – 14g 36a = 50pts
Blake – 10g 33a = 43pts
Ehrhoff – 8g 26a = 34pts
Vlasic – 5g 28a = 33pts
Those four players rank 8-10 in team scoring respectively.
The Avs?
Liles is the only D-man with 30+ pts
Liles – 10g 26a = 36pts (Liles is 4th in scoring)
Salei – 4g 17a = 21pts (8th)
Clark – 2g 10a = 12pts (16th)
Hannan – 1g 8a = 9pts (19th)
Foote – 1g 6a = 7pts (20th)
Avs also only have 2 players with 50pts or better. The Sharks? they have seven 50pt scores including Boyle.
I’m sure DD could add some light on how many goals we are down this season compared to last season, I’m sure it’s pretty ugly, almost as ugly as goals against. Bottom line though is the Avs lead the league in one goal games played and one goal games lost. If the offense comes up with one more goal in those games, we at least benefit from the loser point in OT/SO, or better, we win in OT/SO.
Blame defense, blame goaltending, and heap just as much blame on the offense. No one element of this team is to blame, it all sucks right now.
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Mar 23, 2009 1:25 PM MDT up reply actions
I just wanted to add that the Avs only have three players on the current roster that have proven they can break 50+ points; Stastny, Smyth, and Hejduk. Hejduk is good for 50-60 points per season, Smyth is good for 60+ points, and Stastny historically is good for 70+ points. Additionally, the Avs don’t have a single player on the current roster with a + rating. We basically have one good scoring line that can’t be expected to score night in and night out. The only line combo I can think of which could be a good second line going forward is Svatos-Wolski-Stewart. That being said, they still don’t compare to SJ’s top six or seven.
After looking at the players numbers, I am realizing the Avs do have talent issues. That, coupled with a coach who doesn’t know how to use the talent we have, is breaking this team. Without bringing in a few key pieces, this team will stay at the bottom of the NHL for a while.
An ounce of confidence can carry you a mile toward winning. Oh, and Red Wings suck.
We basically have one good scoring line that can’t be expected to score night in and night out
My question is what happens to that one good scoring line when it, along with all the others, keeps getting broken up? I don’t play hockey, but it would seem like changing line partners would create some chemistry and rythmn problems. I understand with injuries it has necessitated some changes in lines, but once a line starts having some chemistry and producing, leave it alone already!
Avs. Sticking it to the Red Wings
The problem I see with one scoring line
is that the other team know exactly who to put their best defensive unit up against. You have to try and balance out at least two lines that can score and then take what you get from the third and forth units when possible.
I would also think that chemistry is a big plus on each line, some times you can plug a guy in and he does all the right things, but if the lines have chemistry, they know what each element/player is going to do, then the play can become automatic. In defense of Granato, he has stayed pretty consistent with his lines and has made a lot fewer changes that did Q. Most of the changes he has made have been created by injuries….but not all of them. Some of his more recent line combinations have me scratching my bald head.
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Mar 23, 2009 6:01 PM MDT up reply actions
Chemisty is huge
Take it from a previous hockey player. Not as much as skill, but it really helps knowing who is good at doing what.
For me, I was a player-maker through and though, so my linemates would know to be in good position for the pass if I got a hold of the puck.
G has been good with lines, until recently. I wonder if that’s cause he’s secretly tanking the team?
2008-2009 Avalanche: It's like watching a car crash.
3 years ago, the Avs D scored 34 goals. Not terrible, but definitely room for improvement (remember, our 3rd highest scoring D that year was Ken Klee with 19 points) Last year it improved by -3 to 31. This year, it’s 26.
The assists have been an even bigger drop – from 116 to 98 to 83 so far this year.
Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 23, 2009 2:12 PM MDT up reply actions
San Jose’s top five paid d-men? 167 pts, $16.802 mil
Avs top five paid d-men? 85 pts $16.225mil
Having a competent, NHL caliber, GM and coach? Priceless.
Get rid of the loser point
08-09 Avs- can we decline the penalty?
OUCH!
+1
MHH: Like the Avs organization, we’ve now officially lost our minds.
I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.
by Americanario on Mar 23, 2009 6:01 PM MDT up reply actions
In that vein
San Jose flashed Coach Todd McLellan on the jumbotron last night, and he received a standing Ovation.
It was a royal kick in the nuts
by Jibblescribbits on Mar 23, 2009 6:35 PM MDT up reply actions
Could you hear me clapping from Oklahoma? Cuz I was. Why didn’t he even get a phone call from management?
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
Because they borrowed Arny's bong?
Only reason I have now.
2008-2009 Avalanche: It's like watching a car crash.
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