Phil Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 (D2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (D3) Colorado Avalanche REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Jets: 52-24-6, 110 points Avalanche: 50-25-7, 107 points SEASON SERIES: WPG: 3-0-0, COL: 0-3-0 GAME BREAKERS: Jets: Mark Scheifele continues to be one of the steadiest contributors in the NHL and led Winnipeg with 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists) in 74 games this season. That includes 18 power-play points, third on the Jets behind forward Kyle Connor and defenseman Josh Morrissey, who each had 19. The 31-year-old is averaging 0.97 points per game this season, the eighth consecutive season he's averaged more than 0.85 points per game. Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon had another tremendous season. The center reached 50 goals for the first time in his career, and his 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) were second in the NHL behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (144 points), and set a single-season Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques record. GOALTENDING: Jets: Hellebuyck continues to be one of the best goalies in the NHL. The 30-year-old has once again gotten a bulk of the workload, going 37-19-4 with five shutouts in 60 games this season. Among goalies to play at least 30 games, he led the NHL with a .921 save percentage and was third with a 2.39 goals-against average. It won't be surprising if he's once again a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the goalie voted best in the NHL, which he won in 2019-20. He was a finalist in 2017-18, and again last season. Backup Laurent Brossoit was 15-5-2 with a 2.00 GAA, .927 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 games. Avalanche: Alexandar Georgiev has had his struggles this season; the 28-year-old was 38-18-5 with a 3.02 GAA, .897 save percentage and two shutouts in 63 games (62 starts). It's likely not a question of workload, because he had the same last season when he was 40-16-6 with a 2.53 GAA, .919 save percentage and five shutouts in 62 games. It's just that the consistency hasn't been there. Backup Justus Annunen was 8-4-1 with a 2.25 GAA, .928 save percentage and two shutouts in 14 games. X FACTORS: Jets: Nikolaj Ehlers was limited to one playoff game last season because of injury when Winnipeg lost to Vegas. This season, the forward tied Scheifele for the Winnipeg lead in even-strength points (54), and he led the Jets with 233 shots on goal. He could continue to be a crucial secondary scorer and beneficiary of Winnipeg's trades for forwards Tyler Toffoli and Sean Monahan. Ehlers had five points (one goal, four assists) in three games against the Avalanche this season. -- Pete Jensen Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin was on a leave of absence for the final five games of Colorado's first-round series last season, when it lost in seven games to Seattle. Nichushkin nearly averaged a point per game (53 points in 54 games) this season but missed time while in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and also because of an injury later in the season. With Nichushkin, the Avalanche are better positioned for another deep playoff run; he had 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in 20 postseason games to help them win the Cup in 2022, including six points (four goals, two assists) in six games during the Stanley Cup Final. -- Pete Jensen WILL WIN IF: Jets: They can hold off the Avalanche's high-powered offense. They've done well in that capacity during the regular season, but the playoffs are different. Colorado is going to be hungry, especially after the lopsided loss to Winnipeg in the final week of the regular season. The Jets will need everyone playing great defense in front of Hellebuyck. Avalanche: If Georgiev rights the ship. Colorado checks off a ton of boxes. But its goaltending is the big question mark. If Georgiev gets his consistency back, the Avalanche will advance to the second round. MORE: https://www.nhl.com/news/winnipeg-jets-colorado-avalanche-first-round-playoff-series-preview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 Avs eventually win this I think because they have the better forward/defense core. But there's a massive discrepancy in goal here. Hellebuyck will be a Vezina finalist and Georgiev almost lost his net to Justus Annunnen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted April 19 Author Share Posted April 19 Hellebuyck. Jets in 6. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 18 hours ago, Phil said: Hellebuyck. Jets in 6. Maybe but jets don’t have a Makar or a McKinnon. i went with jets in 7 but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the other way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valriera Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Amazing that one of these teams will lose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Jets in 7. The best offensive team vs. the best defensive team. Gotta go with the old adage in the playoffs. Plus Hellebuyck vs Georgiev is the most lopsided goaltending matchup of the playoffs lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieNextel305 Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Kiviranta. Antii Raanta. Hmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasRanger Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Georgiev getting lit up by the Jets. 7 goals so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keirik Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 i mean in fairness to Georgiev, he held them to one touchdown. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 1 minute ago, Keirik said: i mean in fairness to Georgiev, he held them to one touchdown. If he's experiencing double vision, he might be having some PTSD 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 You want scoring? You got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 They got six past Hellebuyck. That's some cause for optimism if you're the Av's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keirik Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 what time is it? 7 past Georgie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasRanger Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 That was a wild game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Gotta feel for Avs fans they’re just now finding out how average Georgiev is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 Absolutely wild game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 I had the "under" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valriera Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 lol nobody out west playing goal so far. Brutal tending in Nashville v Vancouver too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodrigueGabriel Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 .696 would be a great slugging %. Save % not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 Colorado played something like the last 3:43 of the game with the net empty, and didn't surrender even a sniff at the goal. I seriously think they'd be better off just keeping Georgiev on the bench and playing with an open net all game. Probably just put him in for defensive zone face-offs!! LOL At one point I think Winnipeg had 6 goals on 19 shots!! A garbage can could do that!!! ...maybe better...no 5 hole! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 (edited) I'm curious. Why so much hatred towards Georgiev? Edited April 22 by Abe Froman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 2 hours ago, Abe Froman said: I'm curious. Why so much hatred towards Georgiev? He stinks? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 12 minutes ago, Phil said: He stinks? True. But he's gone. We have Igor and Quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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