Sacco's Party Tricks

You know that friend of yours that tells the same joke or does that same cheesy trick at every party? Everyone knows a guy like that, right? And the thing about it: it’s one of those “funny-once” things.
Joe Sacco is one of those guys.
But it’s no joke and the trick isn’t working.
Sacco’s “trick” is his penchant for sitting guys that make one mistake.
He’s been doing it to the defensive squad of this team for weeks.
You can’t run a team this way, it makes guys hesitant. They start second guessing themselves in the D zone, when it comes to pinching in, when it really counts. Just ask any forward and he will tell you there is nothing better than going up against a tentative defenseman.
BAM! The winger is around him in a millisecond and the goalie is on his own.

There is one thing about “Sacco’s trick” that is noticeably odd.

Why is it only defensemen?

Many a mistake-prone, low production winger or center on this Avalanche squad is allowed time to work his way through a slump. Ask all the Avs fans that wonder how Darcy Tucker seems to have escaped the wrath of Sacco.

When it comes to mistakes none are more noticeable than those made by the men playing defense. But no one can play a perfect game night in and night out, not even on this level.

Sacco’s party jokes are going to start wearing thin on this team, if they haven’t already. I’ve already pointed out HERE that Liles can’t seem to do anything right for Sacco. Just when you think he’s out of the doghouse, he’s right back in! 

Liles and Mueller had this team’s power play clicking along at a nice pace and now that Liles has been pulled off of it (and last night he was benched), it is a full blown disaster!
Sacco needs to learn a new party trick…and now.
The Avs haven’t been playing well lately and the onus isn’t all on the players.
-From the Point