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I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about the Jets. For years, the Thrashers were the NHL team closest to me and I paid absolutely zero attention to them. Now that they've been in our division for a third of a season and we've seen them exactly once, I guess it's time to figure out what the deal is up there.
From what I remember, they're a big team and like to clog up the middle like everybody else. Awesome, just what I'm dying to see more of. They sit 21st in scoring and 17th in goals against, and their power play flat out sucks at 11.3%.
Last time these teams clashed, the Jets ended up with a 2-1 lead halfway through the 2nd period. Jan Hejda tied it up in the 3rd with a Howitzer shot from the point, and Tanguay and the Captain set up Stats for the GWG. Yes, Tangs! This game was so long ago even Steve Downie played in it, so it's tough to glean much.
The Men from Manitoba took on the hated St. Louis Blues in their most recent contest Tuesday night, falling 2-1 on a late PPG from your favorite and mine, Kevin "The Pride of Greenwich, Connecticut" Shattenkirk. What a way to go. On a positive note, the Jets scored their first power play goal in 9 games to jack their season PP% from 10.8% all the way up to 11.3%.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Except not as exciting RT <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLJets">@NHLJets</a>: "The game was a 'chess match' type of game." -Noel</p>— Jason Brough (@JasonPHT) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonPHT/statuses/410621954379378688">December 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
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The Avalanche spent Tuesday night watching Adrian Dater's twitter feed to see how bad they were playing against Phoenix, how many scouts the Habs had at the game and how awful the crowd was at the Pepsi Center.
Time to face facts, the Avs are in what is now a prolonged slump. The skill guys aren't scoring at all, the power play is a numb suckhole and the defense can no longer drive possession in any kind of way like they were at the beginning of the year.
There are plenty of excuses why the skill guys are putting up donuts, Downie got traded, Tangs is broken, Dutchy's foot hurts, the opponents are playing defense too well, etc. I don't buy it. There's more than enough talent to score a sufficient amount of goals per game to get 2 points every night. The question is: How to do it? Is this a strategic funk? Tactical flaws? That's something the staff and players need to figure out together, and stat. We can dream all we want about some mythical trade that will solve all our issues, but without getting what we have back on track, trading for Bossy, Trottier and Potvin in their primes wouldn't make a long-term difference.
So what do we want to see from the Burgundy & Blue tonight? First of all, this is a good start:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>After loss to Coyotes, Patrick Roy said he is looking for more stability and may not change lines as frequently.</p>— Julie Browman (@JulieBrowman1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JulieBrowman1/statuses/410629866619277312">December 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
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I'd honestly be fine going back to 90/9/15 and 92/26/11 and 7/29/25 just for grins. It seems as the talent has been compacted, effectiveness has dwindled.
Score some goals, STOP BEING BORING and win the game. Done.
Schedule:
Avalanche at Winnipeg 8:00pm ET, 6:00pm MT - TV on Altitude and also some Canadian channel I'm sure
Links:
The opposition blog - Arctic Ice Hockey
NHL standings viewed in Wild Card mode, which is how I hear we're supposed to be doing it
Team stats from nhl.com
Avalanche Individual Stats
Fancy stats from Extra Skater
Avs lineup:
Considering Patrick's comments post-game, I'm not sure whether last game's lines are the ones he wants to go with long-term, or whether he wants to go back to the original setup or what. Here's a wild freakin' guess:
Landeskog/MacKinnon/O'Reilly
McGinn/Stastny/Mitchell
Talbot/Duchene/Parenteau
McLeod/Cliche/Bordeleau
Guenin/Johnson
Benoit/Sarich
Holden/Barrie
Varly
JSG
Injuries/Scratch: Malone (scratch), Hejda (knee), Wilson (back), Tanguay (knee/hip)
Jets lineup:
Just going to c&p these from our pals over at Arctic Ice Hockey. Please submit any corrections you see fit, I can take it.
Ladd/Little/Wheeler
Thorburn/Jokinen/Setoguchi
Halischuk/Scheifele/Frolik
Wright/Albert/Peluso
Enstrom/Byfuglien
Clitsome/Trouba
Stuart/Ellerby
Pavelec
Injuries: Kane (LBI), Bogosian (groin), Postma (leg), Slater (hernia)
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For those of you unfamiliar with the Monsters Desk, I like to do a little thing called Pre-game Tunes to set the stage for the games. Just a few songs reflecting the current mood, sometimes with a vague theme. Enjoy!
"Whole Lotta Rosie" from Bon Scott-era AC~DC. Reminds me of the PP
"Funky Cold Medina" from Tone-Loc. And we go a little somethin' like this...
"Detachable Penis" from King Missile. Self-explanatory
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GDT should be up an hour or so before game time and of course a recap will follow.
Next up: The Minnesota Wild and a bunch of trophies are coming to the Pepsi Center on Saturday