Game Journal for Seattle Kraken @ Colorado Avalanche and some other games….

Before we get to the Avalanche Game Journal, here are the notes from the other two games I watched parts of this afternoon.

Tampa Bay @ Carolina

This is the first Carolina Hurricanes game I’ve really watched this year. They are another team that plays a sound brand of hockey. It’s almost like the East has been a grind all year and teams are playing at their best with a quarter of the season still to go. Throw in all the talent that moved to the east during the trade deadline, the Eastern Conference playoffs have already started.

The first period of this game has been good hockey to watch. The action is back and forth, and the mistakes are at a minimum. The difference in this game is a good individual effort from Svechnikov and a good play on the power play. Tampa Bay shows flashes of the kind of hockey Carolina is playing all the time. Solid defense and moving the puck out of the zone with some individual or pairs playmaking in the offensive zone.

Carolina is never out of position and moving the puck around looks easy. Tampa Bay isn’t a push-over team. All this tells me is that the east playoffs are going to be awesome.

When I do the game journals for the Avalanche games, I have something called Bedsy Five Rounds. Jared Bednar likes to break up games into five-minute chunks. I like this approach and have borrowed the idea as a good way to break up the game journal. The second period has just ended and that would have been the easier 4-0 rounds for one team ever. Tampa Bay didn’t register a single shot. After watching Tampa Bay in the Finals last year and watching them in the Cup run replay videos that I watch 2-3 times a week, I see the faces of Tampa Bay players and I want them to lose every game. I’m sure most fans of the NHL feel the same about the Avalanche. Whatever, well done to Carolina, they are a scary team. I really don’t need to see more. They can coast into the playoffs if this is the standard operating procedure for them. Their record isn’t at the level of the Bruins, but they are first in their division and are well clear of third place. Scary, scary team.

This game ended 6-0, not shocked. That eastern conference final between the Bruins and the Hurricanes is going to be sick.

Montreal @ Vegas

I’m not sure what I expected from this game. I missed the first ten minutes to laundry, but I came back in time to watch the Montreal defense collapse faster than a supernova core and Vegas got an easy opening goal. These two teams were in the “conference final” not too long ago, weird.

I wonder how players feel about being on a team near the bottom of the standings. Do they feel like they lost a year in the league? Are they happy to be in the league? I suspect a lot of weight is given to age. All players are trying to get better, but the younger players will have blinders on and will want to “win it with the boys”. Older players are happy to be in the league but will welcome the news they are being traded? There are so many players, and they all have different motivations. It’s hard, near impossible to get a global answer to this question.

 I feel bad for athletes. I realized they are paid a lot of money for what they do so the term “feel bad” comes with millions of caveats. The pressure, the bodily payment, the risk of devoting your life to a sport where less than 1% make it to the top leagues. I remember being a decent High School level tennis player and there was a level where the heartbeats waiting for a serve were more than my muscles could bear while performing the way they knew how. What these guys do in front of a stadium of fans would scare the crap out of me.

Pitcher, being on the mound was the one place where I really blocked everything out. No, I’m not “glory days”-ing myself into the shoes of a professional athlete, I’m just saying I have an infinitesimal feeling of what it would be like to perform without noticing what was happening around me.  

Vegas just scored again. Really pretty goal. The last 20 seconds of the period is a killer goal to give up. I don’t think Montreal was going to make of game of this anyways, but the goal at the end of the period pretty much seals the deal for me. There isn’t much more I’m going to learn from this exercise. Vegas is good against the teams they are supposed to beat. I think I will play some Breath of the Wild while I wait for the Avalanche game.

This game ended in a Vegas victory, 4-3. You can never tell with hockey, this looking like a 6-1 final, easy. Maybe I should watch fewer Vegas games?

Seattle Kraken @ Colorado Avalanche

First Period

Avs have showed up in the first two minutes of the game. They are closing space when Seattle gets the puck. The puck is not spending much time in the Avs defensive zone and the offense has had two nice possessions.

Mikko has a really nice play the draws in the defense, then he passes to Compher. This is great, I like what I’m seeing.

Bedsy Round One: Avs had more zone time, Seattel had one nice shot, Ceorciev looked relaxed, lean Avs, Avalanche 1-0-0

Score: Tie 0-0

This is where I have to admit that dinner was ready and I was gone fore almost all of the second Bedsy round. However, I did hear the MacKinnon goal on the TV feed and OMG, the replay. He stopped and NO ONE ELSE did. He had a free look at the top corner, it was sick. I love having Mack on the team.

Bedsy Round Two: Avs, they scored,  Avalanche 2-0-0

Score: Avalanche 1-0

Just a weird stretch of hockey. I normally have thoughts about the action as we’re going along, but there was notihing. There we’re two shots, both from Seattle and the action moved back and forth but the offense never became a threat. There was one fun moment where Toews rushed the offensive zone and a rainbow puck just missed hitting him for a breakaway.

Bedsy Round Three: Seattle, they had an actual shot, Avalanche 2-1-0

Score: Avalanche 1-0

The last five minutes and the Avs have a power play. It’s a weird game, so this won’t be a shock, the Kraken had as many good chances on the Power Play as the Avs.

Byram is so good at using his body to zone a player off the puck. I was going to call the fourth round a tie, but the Avs decide it’s a good idea to get stuck in their zone. The Avs lookmed to be in control and they even got the puck on their stick with room and time and HOLY HELL a flubbed backhand and Seattle keeps the puck in the zone and proceeds to get close to scoring.

The Avs have a knack for missing out on zone clears. It feels like they get punished for that more than they should, but…..they need to clear the damn puck.

Bedsy Round Four: Seattle almost got the equalizer near the end, have some momentum going into the second period. Round goes to Seattle, Rounds tied 2-2-0

Score: Avalanche 1-0

Second Period

The first couple minutes of the period was kind of nothing, then Makar got called for a phantom penalty, he does nothing wrong. The first minute was low event, just the way I like it. Then….Georgiev held the line for the team. Seattle had a really nice passing play and got to an open net, but they missed the shot. After two games and 14 goals, I want the team to take baby steps toward success. Killing off the penalty and getting a good short-handed shot attempt is awesome. I’m very pleased with the version of the Avs we are seeing tonight. I would like them to have a 3 goal lead before the final 8 minutes of the game. When do the legs give out?

Bedsy Round Five: Seattle got the power play, but they gave up a good short-handed chance and the Avs shut down the first minute. Seattle had more chances so I’m calling this round a tie. 2-2-1

Score: Avalanche 1-0

The Avs are showing some life and getting some zone time. It feels like they are in survival mode this period. They aren’t pushing until they have open space. I’m fine with this, just don’t give up a goal.

Cale Makar is so good. He just boxed out a forward to gain space on the blue line. Just a sick move. Those are the little things I missed about the great when I was younger, even in my adult years. Now I see that and appreciate it for what it is.

Just before we go to commercial, Seattle gets a breakaway and Georgiev makes the stop. The Avs are getting zone time in the last two shifts. It’s fourth-line zone time, so it’s ugly, but zone time in their end is zone time not in your own end and I’ll take that with the lead.

Georgiev has decided he will win this game for the Avs. Another breakaway and another stop. The five-hole got opened but he made the save. Not feeling great about this one-goal lead.

Seattle makes the push and they score from the blue line just as the clock is about to hit the halfway mark.

Bedsy Round Six: Seattle, they scored, Seattle 3-2-1

Score: Tied 1-1

Seattle has found another gear. They know they are on fresher legs and they have tied the game. Colorado is reaching with long sticks for a lot of pucks. This is going to be white knuckle the rest of the. Jack Johnson gets a really good chance in the slot, but offensive prowess is not what he is known for. I do love what this team does with their defensemen and getting them involved

AVS SCORE!!! Malgin gets a breakaway on a great pass from Makar and gets the puck over the left pad and under the glove to take a 2-1 lead. Malgin is the kind of guy that if he gets going in time for the playoffs, the Avs will be a tough out.

Nuke tried to be a screen for a shot and turns into a wrecking ball, and Grubauer was the building to be knocked over. That folks, is a penalty. All penalty kills are important, this one will set the momentum for the rest of the period and into the next.

Compher gets the first good attempt on the power play and he plays for the Avalanche. Seattle has a really wide power play setup, kind of weird looking when compared to what I’m used to. Avs are doing a great job 90 seconds into the PK. The zone entries are relatively easy for Seattle but they get nothing once they are set up. PK killed!

Bedsy Round Seven: Avs, they scored, 3-3-1

Score: Avalanche 2-1

I feel like Nichuskin has been off recently. He is around decent shots and dangerous situations, but not quite finishing. He just had another good chance. I hope he starts to find the twine before we get to the playoffs. I hate what his injury did to his early-season momentum.

OMG, I didn’t know the other team ever got kicked out of the faceoff circle.

Seattle drew a penalty at the end of the period. They had a good push after the Avs held two minutes of solid possession. I feel a little better about the Avs getting “fresh” legs for the PK to start the third I have to give the Bedsy to both teams, another tie.

Bedsy Round Eight: Tie, Avs possessions compared to Seattle late push and drawing the last-second penalty, 3-3-2

Score: Avalanche 2-1

Third Period

Oh, so we’re starting with a 5 on 3 powerplay for two minutes. Ok, made it halfway. Ten seconds left and Georgiev has been huge. Seattle has had two chances and bouncing pucks and a big goalie glove have kept the score in the Avs favor.

PENALITY KILLED!!!!

Huge, absolutely huge. I want a goal for the Avs in the next 90 seconds.

Something about this game is that no one is standing out. I think tired legs will do that. Actually, correction, Georgiev has had a really good bounce back game. He was big in that 5 on 3 to start the period. I’m not a fan of how chippy Seattle is getting in this game.

I will get a better sense of how chippy other teams are with other teams but it always feels like the Avs have the other team come after them. As a fan, I’m over it. At leat the Avs are going on the power play.

Seattle kills the penalty after the Avs had the puck in the zone for almost the full two minutes. Scoring goals is hard.

Bedsy Round Nine: Avs killed a 5 on 3 and had a good power play of their own. Avs, 4-3-2

Score: Avalanche 2-1

The Avs are playing with fire and they are back on the penalty kill. The first minute killed, but nothing scary yet. The second minute killed, never felt nervous.

File this under missed opportunities, Makar had a shot on the odd-man rush in the slot and Grubauer made the save.

Bedsy Round Ten: Avs, killed a penalty and had a nice odd-man rush. Avs, 5-3-2

Score: Avalanche 2-1

This game is flying by. Will the rapid pace lead to a mistake goal for one of the teams? That’s my main concern at this point. I think the Avs have the line cycle going to keep the legs in the game. Seattle doesn’t look particularly dangerous on offense, just avoid THAT mistake.

GEORGIEV!!!! Seattle gets a tired leg rush off some good passing. Georgiev makes the save and holds the lead. This is exactly what the team needed. Someone has stepped up and that person is the goalie. After last game, huge. I know, repeating myself but it deserves repeating.

Avs are really pushing to keep up with the puck. Seattle is trying to burrow themselves into the Avs zone. Georgiev makes another take-a-break save. Credit to the Avs, they are putting the effort in the last ten minutes of this game.

Bedsy Round Eleven: Avs, they held the lead. Avs 6-3-2

Score: Avalanche 2-1

The Avs are pushing back. My chair is nervous. A win here would make the last two games melt away from the memory. The players are moving well, not at full speed, but well enough to get some chances of their own.

There is the mistake. Avs turnover behind the net, Kraken with a nice pass to the slot and they score a goal. Gutting. I’ll be honest, not confident in the single point just yet.

There were some chances there for the Avs, and the Kraken had the puck at the very end, tense, but we are going to overtime.

Bedsy Round Twelve: Kraken, they scored. Avs 6-4-2

Score: Tied 2-2

Overtime

The point is good. It feels like it slows the bleeding. Ugh, OT loss.

Score: Kraken 3-2