Colorado Avalanche 2017-2018 Season Thread

[Blondie79]

Good grief the refs definitely have money on Vegas they are literally calling nothing against them v canadiens. Seems the nhl really wants tampa v Vegas final

[Blondie79]

I agree, I hated what kadri did to get himself suspended but I feel 8 games was to much when you look at recent suspensions of people like Tom Wilson, reaves etc. I do think having Kadri would have changed the series, but we are definitely missing some tough guys ie the Cody mcleod type guys. Will be an interesting offseason, and tho I do love sakic and the moves he has made he failed to address the one thing the team needed, the one thing we have struggled with the past 3 seasons (tho I don't feel we were as weak as previous years in the toughness category) we still need to beef up the team.

We have got to stop turning pucks over in our own zone, that killed us all year. We seem so careless in our own zone and give up way to many soft goals. As well as grub played down the stretch he sucked in that Vegas series, I still think we have to address goalie, even if we keep grub we have to have a better backup so he doesn't have to play every game.

The future is still bright but I want a championship not a second round exit every year.

oh and bednar needs to call out refs more because apparently that works....

[DenverBlood]

Looks like bednar will be staying for at least another year, I think that's best for the team

I think I’m ok with that. Don’t want to pull the plug too early on his young coaching career without allowing him time to learn and develop. But he’s had 3 years straight to see what doesn’t work in playoff hockey.

I love Sakic as a manager but I’m also thinking he needs to rethink his strategy from a speed kills offensive attack to a little more defensive balance. Too many turnovers and defensive lapses this postseason to live to tell about it.

Howver it was complete BS that Vegas got Reeves back for most of our series and we fell one game short of getting Kadri back from an absurd long suspension.

If we had been able to hold on and not choke away that game 5 there’s no doubt in my mind we would’ve won a game 7 with Kadri back.

[Blondie79]

Looks like bednar will be staying for at least another year, I think that's best for the team

[CanDB]

It wouldn’t surprise me. Honestly I was super worried about game 1 against Vegas because that exact scenario was in play. I was worried about rust. Oddly that was by far our best game of the series. And had me foolishly talking Stanley cup on my vacation to Denver after the 4th. Turns out the stat was right because after game one Vegas seemed to be more in rhythm.

I kind of figured all series we’d blow a home game because it’s been our mojo the last decade. But it usually happens in the winner take all game 7. I couldn’t believe how hard we choked on that game 5 lead and lost even after what very easily could’ve been a game winner 10 seconds into OT. Grubuer just flat lost his focus probably from being overworked early in the series.

But I really thought we were taking game 5 and then would come back home for game 7 tomorrow. But had been worried all along we would flop there again as we do so often. But at least there would be hope.

I hope Montreal continues their surprise run but wouldn’t be shocked to see Vegas sweep them either.

It’s exciting days in Denver but man I wish we could get out of the second round for once. It reminds me of the 96-2000 stretch between world titles where we kept choking to Dallas, Edmonton and Detroit.

Not sure about The Rockies' future, but Denver's teams are really doing well these days. IF The Broncos turn it around, you may have 3 major league playoff teams.

[DenverBlood]

I am disappointed from another perspective, because I wanted a game 7, given these games have been so fun to watch!! Really, when teams play this well, it can go either way.

The Jets did not deserve another series, losing 4 straight to Montreal. Hardly anyone will bet on The Habs, but ask Toronto and Winnipeg players what they think. Price is looking like the world class goalie he has been, and they have a nicely balanced roster of vets with playoff experience, a group of no nonsense Dmen, and some really productive young players.

BTW...did you see the stats on how often a team that goes 7 games beats a team that comes off a 4 game sweep? I'll have to look it up, but it counters what many think would happen. A team with lots of rest might not be ready for a group of 7 game warriors.

It wouldn’t surprise me. Honestly I was super worried about game 1 against Vegas because that exact scenario was in play. I was worried about rust. Oddly that was by far our best game of the series. And had me foolishly talking Stanley cup on my vacation to Denver after the 4th. Turns out the stat was right because after game one Vegas seemed to be more in rhythm.

I kind of figured all series we’d blow a home game because it’s been our mojo the last decade. But it usually happens in the winner take all game 7. I couldn’t believe how hard we choked on that game 5 lead and lost even after what very easily could’ve been a game winner 10 seconds into OT. Grubuer just flat lost his focus probably from being overworked early in the series.

But I really thought we were taking game 5 and then would come back home for game 7 tomorrow. But had been worried all along we would flop there again as we do so often. But at least there would be hope.

I hope Montreal continues their surprise run but wouldn’t be shocked to see Vegas sweep them either.

It’s exciting days in Denver but man I wish we could get out of the second round for once. It reminds me of the 96-2000 stretch between world titles where we kept choking to Dallas, Edmonton and Detroit.

[CanDB]

Thanks Can. We will move on eventually same as every other also ran. We are mainly just shell shocked when just 8 days ago we were 6-0 and 5 minutes away from being the first team ever to start a postseason 7-0. And then losing 4 straight and finding ourselves not only not making history but exiting in the same round three years straight.

You are absolutely right though. As much skill and talent as it takes to win this sport many times it just comes down to lucky bounces. After 3 bad games we actually out played Vegas in both games 5 and 6 and still couldn’t find the net as many times as they did. One of those redirects last night in the second period is probably stopped 99% of the time. But this time it caught Grube too far to his right and he couldn’t get his leg back over in time to stop a lazy puck that just happened to slowly slide toward the net after a redirect.

Not taking anything away from Vegas. They are very talented and many redirect goals were on purpose. But man it seemed all series they got so many fluky goals where we could rarely finish off any like that.

I am disappointed from another perspective, because I wanted a game 7, given these games have been so fun to watch!! Really, when teams play this well, it can go either way.

The Jets did not deserve another series, losing 4 straight to Montreal. Hardly anyone will bet on The Habs, but ask Toronto and Winnipeg players what they think. Price is looking like the world class goalie he has been, and they have a nicely balanced roster of vets with playoff experience, a group of no nonsense Dmen, and some really productive young players.

BTW...did you see the stats on how often a team that goes 7 games beats a team that comes off a 4 game sweep? I'll have to look it up, but it counters what many think would happen. A team with lots of rest might not be ready for a group of 7 game warriors.

[DenverBlood]

As an outsider who just happens to like The Avs.....you were partly unfortunate to meet a team as good as Vegas in round two. This pandemic divisional thing did not help you, even though some will say you have to beat everyone along the way. But for me, Colorado and Vegas looked like 2 of the best teams this season, so it's a shame one had to go. You can be hard on yourselves, but look at The Vegas lineup:

Fleury can be a stud in the playoffs
Pietrangelo is one of the best Dmen in the league, and Theodore is also highly rated
Solid forwards, including Stone, Pacioretty, Karlsson, Marchessault, Tuch and the others make for a well balanced/play all styles group

I really think a couple of games could have gone your way, including last night when The Avs had so many chances close in. It really does come down to an inch here or there, a bounce or two, and perhaps a goalie losing total awareness of where a puck ended up....in this case, in the net.

But it's never fun being knocked out.

Thanks Can. We will move on eventually same as every other also ran. We are mainly just shell shocked when just 8 days ago we were 6-0 and 5 minutes away from being the first team ever to start a postseason 7-0. And then losing 4 straight and finding ourselves not only not making history but exiting in the same round three years straight.

You are absolutely right though. As much skill and talent as it takes to win this sport many times it just comes down to lucky bounces. After 3 bad games we actually out played Vegas in both games 5 and 6 and still couldn’t find the net as many times as they did. One of those redirects last night in the second period is probably stopped 99% of the time. But this time it caught Grube too far to his right and he couldn’t get his leg back over in time to stop a lazy puck that just happened to slowly slide toward the net after a redirect.

Not taking anything away from Vegas. They are very talented and many redirect goals were on purpose. But man it seemed all series they got so many fluky goals where we could rarely finish off any like that.

[CanDB]

As an outsider who just happens to like The Avs.....you were partly unfortunate to meet a team as good as Vegas in round two. This pandemic divisional thing did not help you, even though some will say you have to beat everyone along the way. But for me, Colorado and Vegas looked like 2 of the best teams this season, so it's a shame one had to go. You can be hard on yourselves, but look at The Vegas lineup:

Fleury can be a stud in the playoffs
Pietrangelo is one of the best Dmen in the league, and Theodore is also highly rated
Solid forwards, including Stone, Pacioretty, Karlsson, Marchessault, Tuch and the others make for a well balanced/play all styles group

I really think a couple of games could have gone your way, including last night when The Avs had so many chances close in. It really does come down to an inch here or there, a bounce or two, and perhaps a goalie losing total awareness of where a puck ended up....in this case, in the net.

But it's never fun being knocked out.

[DenverBlood]

Better luck next year. The theme of a Colorado sports fan.

[Blondie79]

One more note I hate Vegas hope they don't win it all can't stand that team

avs beat themselves

i really hope we have a proper season next year though ,all this playing same teams over and over again. In a normal season we probably ain't playing Vegas in the second round either (not an excuse, just saying it was a weird year for schedule)

[Blondie79]

And that will probably do it epic meltdown, lucky bounces, soft goals and another second round exit. Sucks to be a Colorado anything fan

[DenverBlood]

Offense finally shows up and Grube disappears.

[Blondie79]

Girard and nemeth have been awful this series turnover after turnover. Vegas getting all the bounces too sigh. Just ice the dang puck it isn't that hard grub has not looked good at all either

[Blondie79]

Oh look another giveaway in your own dang zone

grub picking the wrong game to let in soft goals too (first one)

thought we played better than Vegas but soft goals and here we are behind again