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Minneapolis, MN • United States • 31 Years Old • Male

Avs worst game?
Posted 1:08 PM ET | Comments 8
Definitely top three.

What was most concerning was the lack of effort. The Avs have had bad performances before, but this game was a new low point in the effort department. After the third Ducks goal, the Avs looked content to basically run out the clock and get to the locker room. At a time when you would expect a surge to try to bring the game back to within two goals before intermission, the Avs looked listless and utterly disinterested.

There was a brief spark when Lappy scored his goal to bring it within two goals in the third, but that momentum was quickly crushed by another awful PP opportunity. The Ducks scored shortly thereafter and the Avs didn't put up much of a fight after that. I guess it is human nature, but I am amazed that guys who get paid that much money to play a game can just appear to not care whatsoever.

I think the Avs had only 3 or 4 shots on net on their PPs. The other crushing blow was their 55 seconds of 5-3 in which they didn't manage one legitimate scoring chance. Granted, that 55 seconds was split by the first intermission, but it was still embarrassing to watch. Down by 2, the Avs needed to score there to make it a game. And they seemed to know that when it didn't happen, they were doomed.

Only Lappy's line looked like they wanted to be there. At this point, those guys should be getting 20 minutes of ice time. Smyth was a disappointment. The drive he exhibited Saturday against the Kings was completely absent against the Ducks. Of all the Avs, Hejduk had the most opportunities. He had three or four great scoring chances. To get those chances, a guy must be doing something right. And Hejduk is a pro - I never get the sense that he's lollygagging out there. But he absolutely has to convert those opportunites into goals if this team has any hope of competing with the Anaheims of the league right now. Maybe if he pots one or two of those, the team wakes up. But it is a sad comment on this team to say that they need a goal to wake up and play. Act like professionals and play hard, regardless of who is hurt or what the score is. That's not too much to ask.

Hopefully Granato is angry with these guys. He should be. He's watching these guys piss away his coaching career.
Filed Under:   Avalanche  
November 25, 2008 1:32 PM ET | Delete
It truly was a lack of effort. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe how I felt about their performance. It was disgraceful. I can handle a team stinking as long as they are trying, and working their butts off. If Granato wants to keep his job he needs to start benching guys, and start doing it yesterday.
November 25, 2008 2:24 PM ET | Delete
I'm hoping coach G gives them a good old fashioned bag skate. Then into the video room where he points out everything they've done wrong, names names, and screams at them till his throat gives out. Then another bag skate, just for his amusement.
November 25, 2008 2:49 PM ET | Delete
I like the Bag Skate idea as well. Add the mile skate to that. Its not an actual mile but a "Hockey" mile.
November 25, 2008 4:24 PM ET | Delete
I think the 4-1 loss to Calgary was slightly worse than last night's effort. It's very troubling to see such little effort in 2 out of 4 games. I agree that Smyth was awful last night. Completely passive on the forecheck. I also agree on Lappy's line. It's never a good sign when your fourth line is the only one with a good effort. I continue to wonder how Arnason keeps his job. He had some decent forecheck effort last night, but he turns the puck over like it's got anthrax on it. Seriously, he could not keep posession of the puck for more than one second last night. Hopefully, Sakic will come back and get a little positive momentum for this team because they are painful to watch right now. Guess how many teams in the NHL have fewer points than the Avs............two. Atlanta and Dallas.
November 25, 2008 4:27 PM ET | Delete
Oops, sorry. I missed the mighty Florida Panthers. Three teams in the NHL.
November 26, 2008 1:12 AM ET | Delete
If the draft were today, the Avs would draft sixth. I'm guessing we'll be 3-7th in next year's draft.
November 26, 2008 12:56 PM ET | Delete
I don't mind drafting that high, but if need be lets trade some assets and get several kids in the first round. Add more kids that will bring life and youth back to this team that was there when they first moved to Denver. Remember how well the team had been built. Forsberg was a trade however, but he was one of the parts of the Sundin trade. Remember though it was about youth. Especially now in the cap days. Trade the guys who don't look likely to re-sign. Leopold would probably be first, granted he is young enough to want to keep for a while.
November 26, 2008 2:48 PM ET | Delete
Any of you read Dater's article on Versus about the Avs? Good read and makes it sound pretty bleak for a few seasons.
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