It was just a matter of time before the Avalanche exploded in the playoffs
Aug 18, 2020, 6:49 AM
Observations from the Avs beatdown of the ‘Yotes:
• There was such a sense of inevitability for this game. The Avs have been so dominant throughout this series. Darcy Kuemper has been heroic between the pipes for Arizona, but the kind of unrelenting pressure the Avs have put on him was bound to cause Kuemper to eventually crack – which he did.
• I thought it was amusing the way some in the media tried to paint Kuemper as some sort of goalie Boogie Man who was crawling inside the domes of Avalanche players and was poised to somehow steal this series. That can only happen if the team he plays for makes at least some sort of effort to play offense. Arizona’s “strategy” is incredibly flawed. Wave after wave of Avalanche rushes without some sort of counter attack is bound to overwhelm even the best of goaltenders.
• The Coyotes’ system must be exhausting to play for Arizona’s players. Let’s see: We’ll go into a shell and play non-stop tiring defense, which involves constant pressure in our face and a 100 percent commitment to hurling our bodies in front of shot after shot with only a small window to ever try to take the play to the other guys. Avalanche players are so emboldened to play offense that Arizona’s only hope to score a goal is Colorado players getting so enraptured with offense that they forget to play D. Brilliant game plan, Rick Tocchet.
• Nathan MacKinnon’s bull rush move around a defender, dipping low and powering to the front of the goal must’ve given Kuemper the type of view NFL QB’s must see in their nightmares when Von Miller is on a heat seeking path to the backfield.
• Nazem Kadri is tailor made for the postseason. His passion, intensity, grit and edginess is something the Avs have lacked in the playoffs in recent years. Now if he can just keep his cool and avoid the kind of flareups that has got him suspended during the last two postseasons.
• The Avs total dominance in this series has put on pause the two concerns I have for them being able to go deep in the playoffs. Philip Grubauer and this defense haven’t been tested at all. Arizona is not a good judge of how good the goaltending and defense really is. That will become more evident as the quality of opponent improves in the second round.
