Skrats has been surprisingly better over this tough stretch much the same as has Theo. He’s still made some mistakes but I can handle seeing him sprawled out sliding across the ice if it is only once a night (and if that once doesn’t lead to a goal). He and Clark have mostly shut down some of that top offensive players we’ve faced in the last two weeks and that has helped make Theo’s job easier I’m sure.
There was one point in the second period (I think it was) that I found myself yelling at Theo to stay in net after he wandered a little to far an Chicago got a scoring chance. But other than that he really has been pretty solid outside of the Florida games.
The Avs are starting to give up more penalties every game. I not sure if this is due to the new physicalness of the team or the fact that we are a little slower and thus getting beat a little more. Some of it is just bad luck, as with some of the tripping penalties, and some dumb players, Arnason hooking and holding in the offensive zone. Thankfully, the penalty kill unit is holding their own, at least when they attack the puck and keep things outside.
It’s still tough to see the Avs lose, but in our current situation I’ll take the 1pt. Remember it was just 1pt that kept the Avs from extending their season last year, and we all lamented that the team often gave up the game in the finals minutes of the third period and didn’t make it to OT.