Opinion: FIGHT OR FRIGHT? - Mile High Hockey

Do you consider in magic?

The Colorado Avalanche want a few of these vibes as they put together to tackle the Dallas Stars tonight in Sport 4 of the First Spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Area.

Right here’s the underside line: Colorado is the proficient, flashy crew. On the opposite finish of the ice is Dallas, the place you’ve gotten a superb mixture of defensive acumen, old-school grit, and talent.

And it’s the hard-nosed mentality that has been bruising and bloodying the Avalanche on this sequence to date. Say what you need about Jamie Benn and Mason Marchment being “soiled gamers.” What’s the easiest way to cease a bully? It’s simpler mentioned than achieved, however you smack them again and guarantee they know you’re about enterprise. This author was, at one level of their life, the bully. Then got here a second when the opposing crew, led by a sergeant from the Yuma Police Division, despatched out one in all their huge guys to ship a message. It was acquired loud and clear.

Though the Stars are lacking a superb variety of their core gamers, they’ve nonetheless managed to outplay the Avalanche for many of this sequence. It’s inexcusable. We’ve seen some questionable ways, but when there isn’t any defiance, what’s to cease Dallas from persevering with to push our guys round? Poor Brock Nelson obtained banged up in Sport 3 and was bleeding down the stretch. Somebody ought to have paid for that. That’s what old-school hockey is all about. The morale of the membership spoke volumes in extra time. There have been 3:20 left of a double-minor penalty, and we couldn’t handle to do something however grimace?

As P.Okay. Subban acknowledged on ESPN whereas debating how hockey differs from different sports activities, “You need to be keen to combat.”

One participant who understood the mission was Cale Makar. He hasn’t been at his greatest this postseason, however to his credit score, he offered the blueprint in Sport 3 when Marchment closed in on him towards the boards. Growth. Reverse hit proper within the jaw. Marchment left him alone after that. We have to see extra.

Identical Strains — Type Of

It is a must-win recreation. Followers who have been clamoring for some important line modifications will probably be disenchanted. The one change is that Gabriel Landeskog, who made his first NHL begin since Sport Six of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, has been moved to the second line.

If that’s the one important transfer we’re making, it makes it much more essential to be intelligently aggressive. That is paying homage to a flashy fighter with defensive lapses going up towards a talented counterpuncher who isn’t going to overwhelm you with flash, however they’ll nail you the place it hurts, and most of the time, you received’t see it coming. The punches you don’t see are those that at all times damage essentially the most. And this Colorado crew, regardless of their offensive prowess, has been inclined to creating defensive turnovers all season. It has been a problem, and at occasions, like what we’ve seen these previous two video games, they get outplayed and outmuscled.

This recreation might determine the sequence. The Avs need to determine whether or not they need to exit with a whimper or go down with a combat. We must always select the latter. For those who’re sick of dropping to the identical crew yearly, let these fingers go.