Game 47 Recap: Avs play like shit, lose 3-1.

Game 47 Recap:

Must win. There, I fucking said it.

Game on. Recap commence.

TANGENT 1: The camera just showed the ice during the anthem. It looked fucking awful. I really hope that doesn’t slow the Avs down.

Period 1:

TANGENT 2: Fuck you Hitchcock, you fat, poorly suited fuck.

After a few Blues icings, Talbot got had a nice chance off Cliché’s faceoff win. Yet, Elliott was there however.

After a nice breakout by the Avs, MacKinnon flew down the ice and dumped the puck in. Oshie had to obstruct MacKinnon and got called. PP for the Avs.

PP1: The first unit had great possession in the Blues’s zone but every pass seemed a bit off and the Avs couldn’t score or generate a shot.

After some nice pressure by the Avs, Steen came down the ice and took advantage of a broken defensive play that saw him walk in close on Varly, but Varly was there to smother it.

9 minutes in saw the Blues gain possession low behind Varly and Schwartz fed Gunnarson out high who fired a shot that deflected off of Tanguay and past Varly. 1-0 Blues.

The Avs followed suit with their 4^th line and had two amazing chances, first on Cliche, then on Briere.

The Avs then had another neutral zone break down and saw Pietrangelo have a great chance, but Varly came up with a huge save.

After some good pressure by the Blues’ 4^th line the Avs were finally able to gain momentum and get into the Blues’s zone. After a mid-zone shift, the Duchene came out and saw Iginla get 2 really good chances that just wouldn’t come off right. After the puck came back down low, Shattenkirk turned the puck over right to Tanguay who fed Iginla in front. The puck bounced away from Iginla, but right to Duchene who spun around, fed it in front, and it deflected off the Blues stick and behind Elliott. 1-1.

After a few good shifts by the Blues, Varly had to come up big, but the Avs managed to keep the Blues on the outside. After a scary chance form the Blues, Talbot and McLeod came flying back on a 2 on 1 and Elliott had to come up equally big.

With under a minute left, the Avs were keeping pressure but Landeskog’s feed to the point was stopped by Schwartz and he spring a 2 on 1. Landeskog eventually swatted the stick out of Schwartz’ hand (probably a good play) and got called for slashing.

PK1: Only a few seconds, but the Blues did get 2 or 3 shots on Varly.

Period Over.

SYSTEMS SUMMARY: It was a pretty good period all around. Both the Blues and Avs saw their systems generate goals and really he neutral zone went back and forth the entire period. It felt like a playoff game. Both Elliott and Varly needed to come up huge. The Blues’s neutral zone transition looked the most dominant of all the systems and I think the Avs need to find a way to cull that going forward.

Period 2:

PK1 Cont.: And the Blues score off a really unlucky break. After Schwartz broke in off a Steen feed and ripped a shot of Varly but Varly could not direct the rebound and the puck came right back to Schwartz and he fire that past Varly. 2-1 Blues.

After a few shifts that saw the Avs trying to get their game, Barrie skated down a Blues dump in just in time to see the puck roll and he fired it over the glass. PK upcoming.

PK2: The Avs PK looked extremely dominant and kept the Blues to the outside. At the tail end of the PK, the Avs were able to spring a 3 on 2 break, but Duchene’s low tip just went high.

The play began to open up for the next 4 minutes or so but the Avs could not find any real space.

After a nice shift by the Blues, you began to see the Blues flexing their strength. The Backes line overpowered Duchene and eventually Oshie hammered a rebound home after Barrie was outworked by Oshie. 3-1 Blues.

The Avs kept truing to push back, but every time the Blues forecheck took over and started running up the shot totals.

Period Over.

SYSTEMS SUMMARY: Blues are better. Their hard dump in and forecheck system was absolutely dominant. The 1^st goal was a power play goal, but after that the blues ran their system and walked over the Avs.

Period 3:

The Avs started off the period "slightly" better by getting a shot or something.

I should be recapping this but honestly very little happened. Tarensenko had a great chance with about 6 minutes in but Varly robbed him.

However, just past the 8 minute mark, the Blues got called on a holding call after Everberg and his line-mates had a good, low shift.

PP2: (FYI, a huge one). The Avs first unit had possession again, but got nothing at all. Ugh. PP over.

The Avs tried to get some pressure but the Blues were just the better team.

Duchene’s line tried to push but it just did not look like their night.

With just under 5 left, Barrie stole the puck in the neutral zone, broke in, and fed Iginla but Iginla shot went just wide.

With about 3 and half left, we all expected Roy to pull Varly. Landeskog streaked into the zone but Lehtera got called on a high stick. Powerplay for the Avs.

PP3: I mean, this was huge. Roy then pulled his goalie. 6 on 4. That Avs power paly was miserable. Something looks so fucking off I cannot figure it out. It’s sad to watch. PP over.

6 on 5. Time out Avs.

Game over.

Three Whores:

None, I refuse.  They were out worked, out classed, and outmatched.