Challenge 15: Colorado Avalanche (Discussion Thread)

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:12 pm

Your defense first tactics always get you the wins. Why knock it? My 5th place team had 292 goals for and 251 against. The difference between goals for and goal against for us is pretty even. You had 40 more goals scored than allowed. We had 41 more goals scored than allowed. I guess the difference is in your low scoring affairs, that was the difference between a win and a loss. In my higher scoring games, more games (wins and losses) might have been lopsided.

Yeah, your two goalies are VERY similar in stats. Mine are similar but Anderson got the majority of the starts. He started off slow and Budaj was better early on. Then for a good long stretch it was Anderson that was hot. At the end of the season, Budaj had the hot hand, so I've stuck with him in the playoffs even though Anderson had better season stats and more starts.

Oh and BTW, so far 3 games into my playoff series vs the Flames, I'm up 3-0. Iggy got a hat trick against up in that last game, including a couple shorties (what were my guys doing?). But we got the win.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:32 pm

Oh I know I get wins. I just do not score. That is always the issue when I do not finish at/near top in challenges. Got to figure that out, but I may never. I cannot stand giving up too many goals.

I lost 2-1 in Double OT in Game 1 to St Loser. Ugh.Patrick Berglund with the winner.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:37 pm

Just swept the Flames.

EDIT:

Is it just me or is it vital to go with Equal line usage in the playoffs?

Post by **batdad** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:47 pm

I am not using equal. Always use normal and occasionally overload.

Interesting: Just won game two. 4-3 in guess what...DOUBLE OT. Stastny from Hannan on the PP.

eternium85 · Post by **eternium85** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:49 pm

batdad wrote:Just finished my first 82 as well. Finished 1st. Won pres trophy. However, I only scored 193 goals and gave up only 153.

Want to give you my goalie stat lines. Basically I rotated them and had each start 2 in a row two times. Was not happy either time with result, so back to rotating.

C Anderson 43 GP 41 Starts 2593 Min 25W-10L-6OT 1.78 GAA .945 S% 6 SO 9.21 AvRt
P Budaj 41 GP 41 Starts 2375 Min 26W-11L-4OT 1.72 GAA .946 S% 6 SO 9.20 AvRt

SCARY HOW SIMILAR THEY ARE.

That is just sick! I would love have a peak at your tactics

I think I've never and I mean NEVER had any of my goalies in any of the saves I've ever played a season GAA stat below 2.00 or a AvRt over 9. And by saying that I mean I really can't figure the defense that well. On the other hand I do know how to get my players to score.

Back to my challenge team. I'm really positively suprised by the team efforts in season 2. We're 3rd in the conference after 60 games. I was aiming for a playoff spot before the season and that seems to be coming true.
But to be honest, I don't really dream of a big playoff success and the reason is my defensive playing and especially my penalty killing which is just devastating, just around 80%.

My current lines are:

Wolski-Stastny-Svatos
Hannan-Quincey

Vasicek-Duchene-Hejduk
Liles-Grossman

Sutherby-O'Reilly-Stewart
Salei-Clark

Koci-Durno-Willsie

Anderson
Budaj

My UFA signing was Josef Vasicek and my trade for season 2 was McLeod and Preissing to Stars for Sutherby and Grossman. Vasicek especially has been excellent in the second line. All of my top six offensemen are in the top 30 in the league in scoring.

Post by **batdad** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:53 pm

eturnium-It is really really hard to explain my tactics. I don't even know why they work the way they do. I rarely touch anything save breakout and occasional type of forecheck and neutral zone stuff. I siwtch up my lines between periods, and all my guys have individual tactics. I dunno.

I have really struggled with this Av's game...Usually my top two lines score..this time not so much.

Johnnyluc · Post by **Johnnyluc** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:27 pm

bruins72 wrote:Just swept the Flames.

EDIT:

Is it just me or is it vital to go with Equal line usage in the playoffs?

I agree, I always use it, expecially the further I get into the playoffs

After winning the Cup last season, I needed to shed a little Salary while getting a true #1 defenceman.

I traded Hannan and Stavos for Brent Seabrook. The theory being that Seabrook and Hannan amke similar Money, and the cash that I saved from Stavos can go towards the FA.

Sean Couturier has taken Stavos' spot on the top line and has played well, 29 points in 20 games.
I signed Antti Miettinen to take up a spot on the third line and add some depth to my forwards.

Lines in Year 5

Kovalchuk - Duchesne - Courturier
Wolski - McFarland - Statsny
Miettinen - Schenn - Hedjuk
McRae - Jones - Koci

Seabrook - Myers
Liles - Quincey
Allen - Clark

Hiller
Caan

Still tight on the Cap, so this will be Hedjuk and Clark's final year with me. Ill replace them with less expensive Free Agents, as I do not think that I have any youngsters ready to move into the line up, especially on Defence.

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:11 am

2.14.07 - Tucker - anterior knee pain - practice - six days
2.15.07 - Anderson - fractured wrist - in-game vs Flames - two weeks
2.16.07 - Quincey - mild concussion - practice - ten days
2.18.07 - Stastny - MCL sprain -in-game vs Canucks - a month
2.22.07 - Willsie - rotator cuff strain - in-game vs Wild - two weeks
2.25.07 - Duchene - mild concussion - in-game vs Ducks - ten days

It seems I can't do a thing to end these injuries. I've eased players' practice and their game style (less aggression, no hitting etc.) but in every or at least every other game somebody goes down for several days minimum. Last injured player is Duchene, Parros got two minutes for cross checking him out for ten days

My center situation starts to be an issue after these injuries. In last game our centers were Duchene - Hensick - Durno - Sertich. For next one I think I have to call O'Reilly up. Or how about Hensick - Sertich - Durno - Jones? Or Hensick - Tucker - Durno - Sertich? Is this really a NHL team I'm talking about?

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:48 pm

batdad wrote:I am not using equal. Always use normal and occasionally overload.

Interesting: Just won game two. 4-3 in guess what...DOUBLE OT. Stastny from Hannan on the PP.

Really? I find my guys get tired more easily and make more mistakes if I don't keep them on equal. I hardly ever use Overload but I will switch to Just Three Lines in the third period if I'm behind.

Post by **Manimal** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:28 pm

Ryan O'Reilly just scored 5 goals and 5 assists as the OHL Selects beat the Russians 15-1!

Post by **batdad** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:45 pm

They get tired for sure. But lets say Stastny is playing at 85%.

1. He is still better than the rest at 100%
2. I can match lines 1-3 or 1-2 if I have to to give him a rest.

I have never had major issues with it.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:50 pm

I don't really do line matching, so I guess that's a part of the difference.

So I'm playing Detroit in the second round and they've been a whole lot more difficult than the Flames were. I'm down 3-2 in the series right now. They won the first two in Detroit. Then I won the next two in Colorado. Then the series went back to Detroit and they shut me out 4-0. I've got to win this next one and then steal a road win.

ie99jro · Post by **ie99jro** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:11 pm

Season 1 is over and I am more than satisfied with they year although we didn't manage to get further than the second round in the playoffs.

The 3 stars of the Avs, this season was: Statsny 33+85 =118 p 8.93 in 81 games, Wolski 45 +54 = 99 p 8.30 in 82 games and C.Andersson 91.5% 2.69 AGA 8.49 in 67 games.

Svatos also had a good season with 49+52 =101 p in 82 games but "only" avr 7.73.

The scrap of the season was Tucker and maybe Liles that didn't do much.

The draft wasn't much to call home about, I actually didn't find much of interest that I believe can challenge for a spot on the 2 first lines within the next couple of years. I might have found some descent 3-4th line prospects in round 1-4, time will tell.

As I wasn't happy with Tucker I tried to find something to trade him with as he still has some value, I was clearly looking for a defender as Foot didn't get a new contract. The deal was Bouwmeester for Tucker and O'Reilly.

I am now 14 games in season 2 and have started really well with 11 wins and 3 losses, the first line with wolski, statsny, svatos has been productive with all of them above 20 p so far. Svatos is on fire with 12+12=24p and I hope he can keep the fire burning for additional 6-8 games.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:23 pm

We lost in Game 7 of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Detroit was just too tough on their home ice.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:26 pm

Ouch on the loss to the Wings. I only do line matching in 3rd periods of tight games with the lead. And occasionally in Period 1 when on the road (usually game 4 of a playoff series). I never do it in the 2nd period..the long change has burned me more than once.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:30 pm

Interesting. I might have to try that some time.

Now I'm just hoping I can sim through to July 1st today so I can get my stats logged for season 1. I don't know if it will happen though. I've potentially got some stuff to do coming up at work that could prevent that.

Post by **batdad** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:58 pm

What? Work getting in the way of EHM? Time to find a new job bud.

So Round 2: Game one I smoke Calgary 5-1. Game 2 goes to double OT and Svatos wins it with a goal. That is my THIRD Double OT game and I am 2-1. I have played a total of 7 playoff games so far. Um...whatever happened to regular OT?

In this one, Koci kicks the daylights out of Regehr, with 3 minutes left in first OT. Gets the instigator. That had me a bit concerned. But we killed it!!

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:04 pm

batdad wrote:What? Work getting in the way of EHM? Time to find a new job bud.

Trust me, I'd love to.

Anyhow, the Stanley Cup Finals in season 1 of my game is Detroit vs Pittsburgh. So the 2 in the real life Stanley Cup Finals last year are in it in my game. Nice realism!

Post by **batdad** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:22 pm

Pretty good realism. Impossible in my game, since the Pens did not even make the playoffs. Finished 11th in the East.Weird since Gonchar and Crosby played all 82, Malkin only missed 10 games and Fleury played 66. Oh well...they sure made Team Canada look good for the World Champs (and Russia too)

Post by **joehelmer** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:24 pm

Inconsistency is the word of my second season, we win a match with lot of goals and suddenly we lose a couple of games, so now we're in the lower end of Western again.

Now we just won a match with 8-3, I hope this will turn things around.

We're in 15th in Western, but only 9 points from 8th, so a couple of wins and we may make it to the playoff.

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:38 pm

kuulapaa wrote:2.14.07 - Tucker - anterior knee pain - practice - six days
2.15.07 - Anderson - fractured wrist - in-game vs Flames - two weeks
2.16.07 - Quincey - mild concussion - practice - ten days
2.18.07 - Stastny - MCL sprain -in-game vs Canucks - a month
2.22.07 - Willsie - rotator cuff strain - in-game vs Wild - two weeks
2.25.07 - Duchene - mild concussion - in-game vs Ducks - ten days

3.01.07 - McLeod - anterior knee pain - in-game vs Blackhawks - ten days
3.01.07 - Tucker - broken toe - in-game vs Blackhawks - ten days

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:45 pm

batdad wrote:Pretty good realism. Impossible in my game, since the Pens did not even make the playoffs. Finished 11th in the East.Weird since Gonchar and Crosby played all 82, Malkin only missed 10 games and Fleury played 66. Oh well...they sure made Team Canada look good for the World Champs (and Russia too)

The Bruins, who finished first in the East got bumped in the 1st round by the Panthers. Also, in my game USA won the World Champs. And the Penguins won the Cup in 7 games.

kuulapaa · Post by **kuulapaa** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:58 pm

kuulapaa wrote:
kuulapaa wrote:2.14.07 - Tucker - anterior knee pain - practice - six days
2.15.07 - Anderson - fractured wrist - in-game vs Flames - two weeks
2.16.07 - Quincey - mild concussion - practice - ten days
2.18.07 - Stastny - MCL sprain -in-game vs Canucks - a month
2.22.07 - Willsie - rotator cuff strain - in-game vs Wild - two weeks
2.25.07 - Duchene - mild concussion - in-game vs Ducks - ten days
3.01.07 - McLeod - anterior knee pain - in-game vs Blackhawks - ten days
3.01.07 - Tucker - broken toe - in-game vs Blackhawks - ten days

3.04.07 - Wolski - pulled hamstring - in-game vs Red Wings - three weeks

Challenging? Fun? Rewarding? Can't decide.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:59 pm

Kuulapaa, you're getting an insane amount of injuries. Are you sure it's not your training or tactics doing this to you?

Post by **batdad** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:06 pm

Practice schedule? That is nuts Kuulapaa. Can you even dress a full roster?

Anyway...

My 4th double OT game, and look how close to triple

But that goal by Hejduk means I am on to round 3....