3 Stars of the Game: Blackhawks vs Avalanche

0:00All right, so one thing that we're going to start doing is kind of like a bonus content episode is any game following game day. We're going to have just a nice clean, tidy 10 minutes or so on our three stars of the game. So, and they're not going to be your typical, well, they could be your typical three stars. It would be whatever we want it to be. If we think that the Zamboni guy had a good game, we'll put the Zamboni in. Any guy who's driving the Zamboni up there as one of the stars, actually, we should definitely do that. Those guys deserve a lot of credit because the ice at ball arena is typically spot on. Right. Right. So, that's not what was going to happen in this one anyway. It is kind of how you think it's going to go and how we're going to start these is, I'll let you know who the actual three stars of the game work. And I think we should also, if somebody else on the other team has a good game, should

1:01we throw them in there? I'm willing to admit when another player does well. So, yes, I think so. Because I think we have to do this on losses as well. We can't just do it on, on just apps wins, can we? Unless it's lost to Dallas. I don't think we can do. Yeah. It's going to stay like maybe just division rifles, maybe Vegas we play this. We'll play this by ear, see how we feel game to game, but we on wins definitely you're going to be getting this. So, your three stars for the game, this most recent one against Chicago, your number three star is Mackenzie Blackwood, your number two star was Kaeln McCart and your number one was Gavin Brinley. So let's dive into our three stars. And like I said, for this one, it's not, it's not going to be the Zamboni driver in anyone. It's kind of what you see is what you get in this one. But we are going to flip at least two of these guys here. We're going to put Kaeln McCart as your number three star.

2:01And yep, he had the two goals, he was fine defensively. But if you listen to the episode already, which has been out for a while, Zach, why don't you tell them why we dropped Kaeln McCart down to it's number three. And even held on to that number three spot overall. I had to drop him down myself and even was tempted to pull him out of the third star. Because what was that pass on a three on oh, you're shorthanded, you're three on oh, you're one of the best players in the world with one of the best shots in the world. And you passed, you passed, shoot the puck, Kaeln, shoot it next to the shoot your way right into first star. That I we say dropped him one star, it could have dropped him two stars. Like that play was so head scratching. Kaeln McCart, you are lucky to be a third star even with your two goals. But we we kid, but he overall had a really good game.

3:03I'm just looking over on natural statric. Chances, chances for four for Kaeln McCart is nine in all situations. And that led the team. So nine chances for Kaeln. So yeah, he seemed pretty dialed in. What's that? He did have a really good game. He did. He did. And I thought he's been, you know, he's been fine, but you expect so much more from him. He's coming back from the break. He's been like, okay, but I think this was a really good game for him overall. Minus the overpass. Yeah, that one pass. Well, and so you said it in the episode, you take that shot, you might, you probably have a really good chance of making that goal. And then you still have a chance at an empty net later. You could very easily have a hat trick tonight. And that does propel you from three to one in my. Oh, you get a hat trick. You are. Yeah, you know, number one, I don't even care about that overpass. You get a hat trick. So number two on our list is where we said we flip flops.

4:04We put McKenzie blackwood at number two. I thought he's been, he's been really good since coming back from the break. And overall, his numbers, he only faced 15 shots. Right. So, so 14 saves, obviously in 933, save percentage. But like we said in the, in the regular episode, he needed to make some, some key and timely saves because the game was not in hand. Like this was not just a slam the door shut just because you've got the lead. He needed to make some pretty big saves and he did it. So didn't face a lot, but I thought they were pretty quality chances from Chicago standpoint and blackwood shut it down. So I thought he had a really good game. A third of the shots he faced, according to natural statric, were high danger shots against. Oh, so I mean, yeah, I realized that's, that's only, but that's still five high danger shots against. And like we said in the regular episode, he went 20 plus minutes of game time

5:05without facing a single shot, and then still made every save after he took on shots after that. Yeah, I think he played fantastic. I think he's been awesome since we came back from break. He's got some pieces to clean up as do the rest of the team. But he's been fantastic. You can't complain about really anything that, that he's done. And all five high danger chances, he saved, saved. Yeah, I mean, five high danger chances is a lot in any game. When you only have 15 total shots. And five of them, that, that's a lot. So, and if you listen to, to Jared Bednar's post game press conference, he pretty much said, we're going to be leaning on him a lot more of the rest of the way to really get him in playoff mode. And he even said he's like, he's kind of had an easy road so far this season, which is true, which is fine, which is good. You're not wearing your, your number one goalie out, and it's only March.

6:05So I think the way that they're approaching this is a little bit different, a little bit forced, because he did have some injuries. But it's maybe worked out in their favor, because now, hey, now you, you have this, this push to the playoffs. And now you can really kind of engage him a little bit more and have him primed for the playoffs. So it might work out in the out of lunch favor when all is said and done. So, see how that goes. And number one, we are going to agree with what was on the ice for your number one start of the game. And I love when guys don't get it very often, you know, these depth guys. I love giving it to them. And we're doing it with this one same as they did in the game and giving it to Gavin Brinley. Only had the one goal, but it was the game winning goal. And then when we, before we recorded the episode, we were looking at stats. And both of us were amazed that he only played three minutes and change of ice time.

7:06So when you do that, when, when you only have limited ice time and make that much of an impact with a game winning goal, you are getting the number one star. And you're the depth guy, obviously, you're, you're the number one star. Right. The time on ice, only having 325 and getting the game winning goal. That is making the most of your opportunity. Just hands down best he could possibly do. But the move he made to score that goal will sit with me for so long because it was so heads up, it was net front presence, which we've been asking for so much just get in front of the net, get those rebounds, get those goals. But to pull the puck away from Spencer night and then lift it up over his pad to get that goal was just a thing of absolute beauty. And that becomes the game winner hands down Gavin Brinley, my first star. No question about it. Got to love it. And you look for things like that to just invigorate guys like him to get back on track.

8:10I mean, not that long ago, he was getting top line minutes because of how he was playing. And you know, coupled with some injuries and stuff like that, found a stuff on the top line. So obviously, you know, and he's young and he's still developing. So, you know, like I say all the time, sometimes it's just the, the bunch in baseball. You get one in and that just off you go. So really looking forward to seeing what he's got in this next game against L.A. So yeah, can't wait. There you go. All right, there's your three stars. Like you said, we'll do that after most games. And you got any objections or anybody else want to throw in there? Fire away in the comments section. So all right, that's going to wrap it up. That's the three stars. He's Zach Pearson. I'm Chris Macelli. It's the bonus episode of Lockdown Advalanche. We'll see you guys tomorrow. Go, Amps go.