Comments on: Recap: Avalanche 2, Islanders 1 (OT)

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:16:37 +0000

well that gives us something to strive for!

By: Americanario

Americanario — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:27:41 +0000

Power play can get worse…we are only 28th in the league. I bet we hit 30th before we get any better…

By: pingu

pingu — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:45:23 +0000

I’d like to see Theo on the point.

The PP can’t get any worse, can it…

By: David Driscoll-Carignan

David Driscoll-Carignan — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:37:12 +0000

right handed point shot? They should just start using Theodore back there.

By: Jibblescribbits

Jibblescribbits — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:05:58 +0000

On the Alt broadcast last night they said Boychuck had been getting ice time as a forward in LE recently, so even though it was 8-D at least Boy had been playing forward.

I have no quarrels with playing Cumisky at forward during this stretch of low forwards. With Arny and McCormick coming back soon it will probably be short-lived. MY onlt problem with it is if they are going to play him at forward, play him. Don’t suit him up there and give him no ice time.

McNabb also mentioned Hejduk was on the point to give the Avs a right handed shot on the point, since Cumisky, Liles, Leopold, Clark and Wolski all have left handed shots.

By: Americanario

Americanario — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:35:51 +0000

I understand your frustration DD. I have been expecting Quenville to go with 7 d-men at some point of this season (just like he did with Klee last season) and it wasn’t much of a surprise to see Cuminksy fill that role as the 7th D playing as a forward. As for calling up Boychuk instead of Jones or Stewart…I agree - What the F*!@ is Quenville smoking? That fourth line with Wolski didn’t look all that bad in it’s limited use. I think it got cut short, and Hensick got dropped simply because of the play of Wolski. He was a man on a mission and a factor in both of the Avs goals, ala stick handling his way around the offensive zone fifty time before his pass found it’s way to Svatos (via 2 d-men) for the game winner. Svatos is a goal scorer, nothing else, thus his 2 assist. He goes to the net and bangs it in, he doesn’t set up others. If he gets an assist it is likely because his shot rebounded to some one else for a goal. Wolski on the other hand is a complete package (or getting closer to being) he can score it and dish it.

One plus on the power play (among the fifty or so minuses) is that we were shooting the puck a little more. We were even shooting it from the point. But teams aren’t going to be afraid to draw a penalty to avoid a goal when you can’t score on the ensuing power play. Something has to change and I still think the change needs to come from behind the bench.

Theo does need to do a better job facing one on one shooters. He should have had the Jackman goal, but what the heck was Hejduk (or Hensick - I’m still not sire which it was) doing throwing that puck up the ice right to the stick of Gervais and then the Avs get caught in the change. If your plan is to change the line you had better get the damn puck in deep and make sure before you jump of the ice and give your opponent an 1 on 1 with your goalie (especially if the goalie is Theodore and the shooter is on his left).

I don’t know if Q will use 8 D-men again or not, I’d bet the farm he uses 7 again. Also I hope he remembers that even when Theo is as good as he was last night, he is never good in back to back games.