Dan, thank you for saying this! I really would like to engage more with everyone who wants to talk hockey, but I don’t comment much due to the negative trolls, particularly the one who calls himself “Mark Messier”. Didn’t they used to approve all the comments before? They should go back to that.

Thx

Good stuff!

Oh, I’m still here. Just been lurking and staying out of the fray for a bit.

Good counterpoints!

Brad, friendly wager accepted. We do seem to play Carolina well historically though. It will still be a tough win to get on the road!

Love da poodle ear look. A little “Dippity-Do” there? Probably a natural curl but some might suspect “Spoolies” being used. Actually, Bedsie has a “Hippy Hair-Doo” as I know one when I see one. Vintage late 60’s and early 70’s. If you can remember the Stanley Cup Season, Bednar changed his hair, cut it shorter and parted it to the side. I’m keen on observation.

And gees, do I miss Yan Girard. His banter was supported by tons of superfluous facts cobbled from every corner of the hockey world. I wonder where he is now? I don’t think he’s staying at Sammy’s place so perhaps he’s in the witness protection program somewhere?

I do think the team is kind of tuning Bednar out. Everything starts with the goalie not putting you in a hole that you have to climb out of every game. I hope (and hope is not a strategy) that Wedgewood can be the answer, albeit temporarily.

I appreciate your posts and point of view. I doubt many think the Avs D-zone play has been stellar, this season. The fancy stats do support the idea that it’s better than many of us think, however. That back-door play is just destroying the Avs too often and it’s one of those plays that is almost impossible for a goalie to defend. I also agree with the challenge of goal #1. Back in October, that was definite GI, because any contact with the goalie in the crease was ruled GI. The league has been backing off that standard lately and now some contact is allowed.

I disagree with a couple of points, however. Point 1 about confidence. At this point in the season, with the goaltending being so bad, I think at this point the players come out lacking confidence from the get-go. They don’t need to wait for the goalie to allow an early goal. It has become an inevitability.

Point 2 about overcompensating. I agree this is something teams do, but in the opposite direction as you have described, at least for the Avs. While I’d love to see them lock things down for the first 10 minutes of a game, they overcompensate by desperately trying to get the first goal. They take chances so when Georgiev gives up a goal on the first 5 shots, they are at least tied. Not a good plan, but I think it’s what is happening.

Last, the Buffalo fans are likely blaming everyone and anyone who ever had anything to do with the Sabers organization in the history of the organization by now. It’s a fanbase in desperation mode. That being said, I wonder if they are doing what so many Avs fans do after games which is parsing every goal and labeling it “goalie’s fault” or “not goalie’s fault.” I doubt they do and doubt most fan bases do either because it’s not something a team with even semi-competent goaltending needs to worry about. It’s gotten so bad this year that the Altitude broadcast has decided they need to get into the act, as well. They parse every goal and big surprise, most are ones “Georgiev could have done nothing about.”

He probably hasn’t played too many poor 3rd periods…when he had a bad night he never makes it to the 3rd…Make ya a friendly wager. If Wedgy starts in net on Thursday, the team will have an a much better first period.