Avs Blog - Goalies and Style Points

Posted 5:56 PM ET | Comments 1

First, let me say that I have seen the phrase "You don't get style points in the NHL" so often that it makes me want to spit up on my keyboard like that creepy baby in those Etrade commercials. Really? There's not a stat keeping track of style points? WOW! What insight!

While style points get you nothing, the play of the team does in fact matter beyond the score and the win/loss column. That's why the Avs 0-2 start is not a reason to panic. This team has outplayed and outshot their two opponents. The wins will come.

So the D played better vs. the Oilers, but Budaj played worse. That 2nd goal was really bad, no two ways about it. Would Quenneville be switching goalies right now? Absolutely. What's funny is that so many columnists and observers who criticized (rightly) Q's inability to manage goalies both in Denver and St. Louis are the same ones who are now already calling for Budaj's job to be in question. The Q goalie carousel is over, and let's be thankful for that. Budaj will start tonight against the Flames. He should start 8 or 9 of these first 10 games. 10 games is enough of a sample size to take a look at the whole team and see what's working, and what's not. But yes, he needs to play better, starting tonight.

Other themes that bear watching -
Special teams - PP was better, generated some good chances, but did not score.
PK was rough again, and allowed another goal. Salei got suckered in to following the puck carrier up too high, which opened up the passing lane. I don't pretend to know what system the Avs use for PK, but Salei either needs to pass Hemsky off to the forward PKer and drop back in to help out in front, or there needs to be a rotation on the far side to help out back door.

Arnason - one shot and took a bad offensive zone penalty.

Let's see what happens tonight. Both the Flames and Avs are desperate for a win, so it should be a good game.

Filed Under: Avalanche