First, their Powerplay is a killer. They can take the air out of your sails pretty damn quickly and Holstrom can frustrate a goaltender to total distraction. A lot of pundits including Dater and Avs fans all over are saying you have to hit, hit and hit some more. There’s a big problem with that mind set if the Avs get in to a mode where they are chasing players to lay big hits, especially in the neutral zone. Hitting is a key, but it has to be done in the right areas, partitularly on the forecheck. How many times have the “old” Red Wings been targeted with a gameplan of being physical against them? Many, many times. The reasons they have not only survived such tactics but at times excelled in such circumstances is because the Red Wings will kill you on special teams. If McLeod tries to take a run at Zetterberg in the neutral zone they will just pass out of trouble and get their defensemen rushing the offensive zone to get a scoring chance. You’ve got to stay out of the penalty box with Detroit. It’s OK to be physical but it’s not OK to take runs at guys that will get you out of position or in the box, ala the Wild in game five.

With that said, Detroit defensemen don’t care too much for a strong forecheck in their own end, the forwards should finish all their checks and get the Red Wings defense to short arm some passes and create some turnover chances.

The other thing Detroit is uncomfortable with (in the games I watched) is a pinching defenseman off the rush. Detroit got in all kinds of trouble in games I saw where coming through the neutral zone a defenseman pinched down. Their forwards really key on covering the point and defensemen. I noticed that when the Avs played them this year their forwards would shift off coming out of our zone and if Liles or one of the other Avs defensemen sprinted up ice instead of taking the predicted line change the Red Wings would start to scramble. That’s saying something for a Wings team that is a heavy puck possession club that limits shots.

So again, some believe running Lidstrom is the key. I really don’t think that 1. It can really be done at all. Lidstrom has seen every tactic there is. He’s just too good to get off his game. There’s no use in trying. He has ice in his veins, great anticipation and skating that’s second only to Neidermeyer. 2. even if you forecheck Lidstrom he’s usually in good position to recover and limit a scoring chance with the man he’s against. If Lidstrom shifts against Forsberg the defensemen for the Avs are going to play an important role. Shot creation against Lidstrom’s shift is going to be created at the point. Forsberg is really gifted at seeing the ice and an open man at the point.

So, to me the key to this series are the Avalanche defensemen and of course we need strong goaltending. If the Avs defensemen don’t score then the Avs won’t win this series.

I can’t even find the energy to rebut this fine piece of writing.

Way ahead of you buddy