Bosc wrote:
Really? It's not like the Avs didn't have probably the greatest of all time at this very skill who is also one of your favorite players of all time
Well, there's a difference. Ray was amazing at blasting shots from the point, Makar is almost more about making plays. I don't even think Ray could have threaded that through an onrush of Sharks AND Avs players to somehow bounce onto Landeskog's stick for the OTGWG in the nanosecond he had to do that. Could have very easily been a turnover and break the other way.
Getting shots through traffic is one hell of a skill, and so many NHL defensemen don't have it. Erik Johnson and Nikita Zadorov are terrible at it despite possessing powerful releases. Tyson Barrie has learned it over time and it's elevated his game immeasurably. I think the best I've ever seen though, is Sheldon Souray.
Nevertheless I don't recall the last time I was this excited about a single hockey player. 4 of his 6 points in the NHL so far have been on game-winners, including his very first shot and goal in the Calgary series. If the Avs had chosen not to bring him up they quite possibly don't move onto round 2, and they most definitely don't take this series to 7 games.