Game 60: Red Wings At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread
by Joe Dunman on Feb 18, 2008 11:15 AM MST
in NHL News
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Well, the good news for the Detroit Red Wings is that they should have no trouble ending their six-game losing streak tonight against the Avalanche. They're no doubt crazy motivated to win right now, playing against an old rival and struggling to regain the momentum that has carried them through the season up until just recently. Of course, six straight losses means they still only have 15 for the whole season, but you know they're tired of seeing that "L" in the box scores.
The Avs, on the other hand, are starting to embrace the L. Or, I should say, "Commit To The L." No team looks more committed to losing right now than Colorado, with the exception of the Flyers, of course. Funny that those two teams are supposed to be the top two choices of Peter Forsberg, who is now rumored to be interested in playing for Minnesota. If his ankle doesn't explode (it will), his superb two-way play would fit right in with the Wild's defense-first system.
Anyway, back to the Avalanche/Red Wings matchup tonight. I hate to give up hope, but I'm just not seeing any real success on the horizon for the Av-beens. The coaching sucks, the power play sucks, Ryan Smyth's return hasn't been anything special, and I'm not sure Sakic and Stastny's returns will be either. Even if the team makes the playoffs (they're currently ninth in the West), they'd surely make a very quick first round exit---at the hands of Detroit. Is making the playoffs even worth that indignity?
The game is on Versus tonight. Now the Avs can embarrass themselves and their fans in front of an almost national audience. Sweet.
The game starts at 6:00 PM Mountain time, 8:00 PM Eastern. Let's hope this game doesn't suck as bad as we all assume it will.
ESPN preview.
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time
actually it's at 8:00 PM EST, 6:00 PM MT.
by Mike the Avs Fan on Feb 18, 2008 12:02 PM MST reply actions
Foppa not coming back this season
He doesn't feel confident in his foot to commit to this year:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID...
I admire him for not just going for the money grab like some guys would.
Going to the game...
to watch the Avs lose (just smack me for saying that). If nothing else, it'll be a full house and hopefully they'll put up a good fight.
The game is sold-out but would you believe you can buy a "standing room only" ticket (to stand the entire game behind the handicap seats) for the incredible price of FIFTY BUCKS! No wonder more people don't go to the games geez.
Well
Not too much going on so far in the first period. A couple of chances for Detroit, but no dice for them.
Tennis
A whole lot of back and forth, punctuated by a Detroit chance or two.
The Avs have no offense. They can barely get the puck across Detroit's blue line.
Airborne
Maltby got a whole lot of Theo's pad and went airborne into the boards.
In unrelated news, Ryan Smyth gets called for slashing, will get two minutes to think about what he's done.
Avs on the PK.
Lappy
Lappy put a huuuuuuge hit on Nicklas Lidstrom. Lidstrom has to be helped off the ice.
He got wrecked.
Lappy
DE-Stroyed Lidstrom. If you asked Nic who he was right now, I gare-un-tee he'd say 'Batman'...
Replay
Lidstrom looked like he had no idea where he was after that hit. He crumpled, then tried to get up and couldn't find his balance.
KO by Lappy.
Hey Lidas!
You just got knocked the fuck out!
That was awesome. Old Crooked Nose got the elbow up and nailed Lidas in the chops and drove his head into the glass. Beautiful.
Man, he threw him like a ragdoll, didn't he? That was awesome.
If this ends up being a concussion, the Wings are in rough shape. Sorostiboner has been playing 20+ minutes per game already. He'll mess his Depends if he plays any more than that.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:26 PM MST reply actions
Yeah...
That was a direct result of Skratch, both the giveaway and not picking up his man in front. Theo did the best he could through the screen, but "Top 3" there didn't do anything righ that shift...
That was...
...Sauer's man in front, and Sauer was on him.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:36 PM MST up reply actions
Healthy Skratch...
...didn't do anything wrong on that play. Sorostiboner just aimed it in the right spot and it was tipped on the way.
There was nothing wrong with the play. Nobody made a mistake. Everyone but Sorostiboner was covered, and if the Avs can limit the Wings so much that Sorostiboner is going to be the one doing the shooting, we're in good shape.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:35 PM MST up reply actions
Earlier
The Wings beat Skratch on the left side of Theodore, got the puck behind the net and then back out front. They had possession the entire time, and only because Skrastins didn't make any effort to break up the play.
You're right
That was Sauer's man, my bad.
However, Skratch got pwned in the corner by Zetterberg (I think) which was a giveaway, no matter how you score it.
I beg to differ
Unless the Avs are a man down, limiting ANY opponent to ONLY having one man open, is still a failure. SOMEBODY missed thier opponent, unless that's Q's brilliant new defense...
If Datsyuk and/or Zetterberg are on the ice...
...and Chelios is the one who is shooting, that's a major win for the Avs. I don't care if you have to double-team them. If you're forcing them to beat you with Sorostiboner, then you're winning.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:46 PM MST up reply actions
I guess you aren't.
Look at the Wings' numbers this year.
Zetterberg has 33 goals this year. Datsyuk has 21. Holmstrom has 20.
Sorostiboner had 1 when he took that shot.
That puck was tipped on the way to the net, and a fortunate bounce gave the Wings a goal. That doesn't change the fact that the guy taking the shot for the Wings was a guy who had scored ONE GOAL in two seasons.
Yes, if you've got the Wings locked down to where Sorostiboner is the one shooting, you're doing a good job. And a tip doesn't change that fact.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:52 PM MST up reply actions
That's short-sighted.
The Avs played that about as well as it could have been played. It was just a fluke. Both of them.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 7:04 PM MST up reply actions
Right, but...
...we're not talking about the turnover. We're talking about coverage. If you can shut down everyone but Chelios, you take that. Chelios can score a fluke goal once every couple seasons, but he can't beat you.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 7:42 PM MST up reply actions
You're talking about it
but I was talking about the turnover. I agreed with you on the shot. Given the horrible position they were put in due to Skratch's turnover, they played as well as could be expected. However, when a d-man has the puck on his stick with time in the corner, and he get's manhandled by Zetterberg, which turns into a couple of passes and then a goal, the onus is on Skratch. It was a horrible play and yet another example of why Scratch isn't getting it done, even with his extra ice time.
The way I saw it was a horrible defensive play led to the Avs being in a bad position, which they did everything to stop, but couldn't. I still lay that on Skratch, whether the goal was beautiful or flukey, it was still a goal that was a result of his poor play in the corner.
He's not...
...a fighter.
He fights, but he's not a fighter. That's why his nose looks like it does.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:48 PM MST up reply actions
You know
I never noticed how straight Georges Laraque's, Donald Brashear's, and Tie Domi's noses are. Seriously.
Then again, guys don't/didn't get a lot of good hits in on those guys.
Parker...
...looks like a mean version of Skreech from Saved by the Bell (my wife calls him "Mean Skreech"). He doesn't look like he's ever been hit in his life.
Sure, he got crumpled by Coke McSmuggles (didn't he get a serious concussion from that?), but his nose isn't bust.
Lappy is really good at beating the shit out of his opponent's fist with his own face. I have to give him that.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:57 PM MST up reply actions
How slow a line change
do the Avs need during a PP? Leo had to kill 10-15 seconds waiting for somebody to come off the bench! I blame coaching...
Holy shit
The Avalanche power play is fucking painful to watch. They finally got a couple of shots but Osgood told them to suck it.
PK
Avs on the PK after McLeod gets two minutes for being a rookie. Keep your hands on the stick, genius.
Hlinka's clearing attempts are pathetic.
SHIIIIIIITTTT
Wings score again after the puck gets a weird bounce off of Jeff Finger. Theodore tried his best but couldn't get high enough on the hard angle shot.
Damn.
Nothing they could do about that.
Messed up goal. Wangs are just getting the bounces tonight.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:47 PM MST up reply actions
First period
Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmme.
Lidstrom is out with a knee injury according to the Wings. Looked more like a concussion to me.
And things are going downhill fast.
1st period
Hlinka looks like two-week old leftovers, Skratch has ANOTHER giveaway that ends up in the back of the net, line changes are crap, everybody is fanning on passes/clears, the Wings keep getting opportunities to set up the O, the Avs can't generate crap on the other end of the ice.
Yeah, I think that about covers it.
I heard something on the radio today that aptly describes the Avs PP. Watching it makes me want to stab a baby in the face. Not MY baby, just A baby.
Hopefully...
...it's both a concussion and a knee injury.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:54 PM MST up reply actions
Re: Hopefully
Hopefully he's fine. I still won't wish injury on anybody no matter what team they play for.
Nobody is wishing an injury on anyone.
Lidstrom's injured. I didn't wish that he would get injured. But since he's injured, I'd rather he be out for the year than to have him healthy and see the disgusting vermin known as Red Wing fans get to celebrate a Cup win.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 6:58 PM MST up reply actions
Oh my god
The Versus announcer just called Colorado "The 'Lanche." Give me a break, dude. Act like you've done this before.
Whoa
Theodore gets a medal for that save. He made the sliding stop but kept his head up and corralled the loose puck. Good man.
Offense go bye bye
Well, the Avs are now totally on the defensive, allowing the Wings to shoot at will. Theodore's working his ass off.
Good lord.
Shooting drills
I wonder if the Avs practice shooting. Every shot is either wide or directly to the chest of Osgood.
Penalty
Lappy puts another big hit on the Wings.
Guite gets called for holding, the Avs bench gets called for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Red Wings 5-on-3. This is going to end badly.
I think
I may be calling it a night. There hasn't been one thing enjoyable about this game, even considering Lappy's hit.
More lackluster play from my favorite team.
I feel the playoffs slipping away...
Whelp.
Fuck you, Idiot, for getting that extra penalty. That goal is on you.
We need to be sellers at the deadline. This team is going nowhere.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 7:21 PM MST reply actions
Pathetic
Wings score again. Zetterberg again.
The Avs look horrible, like they have no idea how to play hockey anymore.
And Q should be gone tomorrow.
Fuck this
I'm done watching this "game." The Avs are getting beat on every inch of the ice. They have no offense, no defense, and they're making a good goalie look bad. Theodore should demand a trade.
Later dudes.
Hey, Idiot...
...see that? The Wings are up and they are still going hard at us.
You learning anything, you worthless fucking imbecile? We have no shot at coming back because the Wings are still bending us over and going elbow deep. They're going to keep going and going until the final horn sounds.
Calling off the dogs is for losers. And you know all about being a loser.
Man, what a fucking schmuck we have behind the bench.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 7:28 PM MST reply actions
Granato better shut the fuck up.
Because Babcock will beat the living shit out of him. Man, I'd love to see it.
Man, biggest tragedy in the history of the NHL. Wings get Babcock, and we get the three losers behind our bench.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 8:00 PM MST reply actions
Avs are laying down...
These guys have no heart. They are just giving up...why should the fans be any different.
What's new?
This team needs a purge.
I'd get rid of everyone but JoeTed, Svatos, McLeod, Leopold, Lappy and Stastny. Fuck the rest of these bums.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 8:41 PM MST up reply actions
Pathetic
Even the officials are idiots. Draper goes after Svatos after a clean hit and Svatos is tossed as well? Asinine.
Hmmmmmm
It seems like I did a good thing by not skipping college huh?
Was Theo good, or did he crap out? I see his SV% was .900, that's pretty good for a 0-4 loss.
by Mike the Avs Fan on Feb 18, 2008 9:22 PM MST reply actions
Re: Hmmmm
Theo was okay. The VS. announcers said numerous times, "its a shooting gallery for the Wings." He wasn't great, but I wouldn't call it a total meltdown either. The only goal that was a possible stop was the first one on Chelios but he was screened.
JoeTed
JoeTed was very good tonight. He had absolutely no help on the defensive end, and made a bunch of spectacular saves that would have kept the Avs in the game if there had been any offense.
It was one of the worst efforts I have ever seen from an Avs team. Which is saying something, as this team is remarkable in its lack of effort.
by Thomas @ Mile High Hockey on Feb 18, 2008 10:48 PM MST up reply actions
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