Mile High Hockey

Game 59 Preview: Thrashers at Avalanche

2010-02-10T12:32:55Z


Atlanta Thrashers	7 MT / 9 ET / 2 GMT	Colorado Avalanche
25-24-8	February 10th, 2010	33-19-6
58 pts	Pepsi Center	72 pts
11th in East	Denver, CO	6th in West

February is for lovers. Lovers of the Avalanche, that is. After a brief late-January stumble, the Avalanche are 3-1 in February with 3 games left to play before the Olympic break comes along to ruin everything. And the Vancouver Canucks lost in Tampa last night, which means the Avalanche take over sole possession of 1st in the NW tonight with a win or an overtime loss. Atlanta is a team the Avalanche should be able to beat, especially now that that Kovalchuk fella has been shipped off to New Jersey. If you know the Avalanche, you know that spells danger. M-O-O-N.

The Avalanche have generally played really well against strong opponents this year. Its a bit more hit and miss with those lower in the standings. The Avalanche haven't lost to a team above them in the (league) standings since December 15th, when they were blown out by Washington 6-1. Since that drubbing, each of the Avs' 8 losses have come against teams lower in the standings. Atlanta is one of those teams (hell, there's only two Eastern Conference teams with more points then the Avalanche right now). The plan tonight should be crystal clear: Do Not Play Down To Your Opponent.

Ryan O'Reilly is expected to miss his 2nd straight game tonight, which means TJ Galiardi will likely be centering the 3rd line again this evening. Galiardi's versatility is impressive - he's been effective on every line and at all three forward positions. As good as he's been, you want to see O'Reilly come back soon so that we can get back to our top PK unit, TJ and the Hair.

David Koci will also miss the game after breaking his hand in a fight with DJ King on Monday. To replace Koci on the roster, the Avalanche recalled Darren Haydar from Lake Erie. The 5'9" 170lb forward leads the Monsters in scoring with 43 points and this shot is long overdue.

Or, perhaps the Avalanche will dress some extra defensemen. The Avalanche currently have 8 healthy blueliners. John-Michael Liles and Ruslan Salei watched Monday's game from the press box. Keep an eye on the Twitter feeds of Adrian Dater and Mike Haynes today for late-breaking news here. Or, just peruse our comments.

Thrashers vs Avalanche coverage

Bird Watchers Anonymous

Kari Lehtonen Traded to Dallas

2010-02-10T03:41:48Z

Kari Lehtonen Traded to Dallas

Well, this is an interesting move by the Stars. This has the potential to really make or break the Stars season. If they get the Kari Lehtonen that was selected 2nd overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, I think this makes them better right away. If they get the injury prone Lehtonen, then they gave up a fan favorite prospect and a 4th round pick for nothing. Stand by for more on this one.

Yip get's some Ink

2010-02-09T20:44:52Z

Yip get's some Ink

Love this kid. Never took Tucker for a prankster. That seems odd. Keep up the good work Yipper.

Family Ties: Northwest Division Now & Then

2010-02-09T16:00:34Z

Remember all those years where we didn't have to wonder who would win the Division because the burgundy and blue were assured the banner by mid-January from about 1995 to 2003? Gas cost $1.05 a gallon. The world was at peace. We had to walk to games uphill both ways, in the snow. Ah, the good old days....

While the Northwest has only been around since 1998, the majority of the teams have battled in the same Division for the entire existence of the Avalanche. We've come to know these teams (for better or worse) over the course of the years and are connected to them because of the shared Division. They are our brothers --- or at least red-headed step-brothers (and in some cases step-sisters). So let's take stock of our family ties and check in with how things were at this time last year as compared to today in a little exposé where I'll assign each team a character from the show Family Ties. For our younger audience members who may not get the references, all I have to say is....."you damn kids, get off my lawn!".

As of February 6th 2010 here are the Northwest standings:

And here are the standings from last season as of February 6th 2009.

Quite a disparity. Now, teams have played more games this year due to the compressed schedule that the Olympic break necesitates, but we're looking at standings here, and it's almost a complete reversal from top to bottom from last season.

FAMILY TIES

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks were in second to last place at this point last season, however they went on to win the division, so nothing is guaranteed. The Canucks are a solid franchise that for the most part (Bertuzzi and Marc Crawford excluded) is respectable - and probably the best city besides Denver in the Division. Not too many AVS fans HATE the Canucks like they HATE Detroit or even Calgary. So because of their checkered past and lapses in good judgment, yet current success and allure, the Canucks are the Mallory Keaton of the Northwest division.

Colorado Avalanche

Well this is the story we're all familiar with. After decaying as cellar dwellers at this point last season, the AVS sit just 2 points behind Mallory and her Division leading Canucks. The Avalanche also boast the brightest future and provide the most reason for joy when looking down the road to where they'll end up. The AVS are the protagonist of this blog, and when considering the Young Guns factor, there is only one answer: We are Alex P. Keaton.

Calgary Flames

Suck it Flameouts. And suck it Tina Yuthers.

Minnesota Adjectives

Minnesota has endured a bit of an up and down season. They came out the gate and fell right smack on their faces, but since have put together a decent season and as of Feb 6th sat 4 games over .500. And like so many power hungry Mom's would, they have grounded the Avalanche this season. Minnesota is the model for playing it safe. They enlist a defensively minded game that any mother would feel safe with their daughter going out with. Virtue intact, thanks Mom.

Edmonton Oilers

Of all the Northwest franchises, the Oilers have been the most successful in terms of Stanley Cups. They enjoyed a true "dynasty". Alas, poor Oil, the glory days have long since faded away (much like Michael Gross' career). You may still rock your beautiful playoff beard, but it's been many moons since it was relevant. Don't worry Oil fans, Taylor Hall is all but yours.

Game 58 Recap: Avalanche 5 - Blues 2

2010-02-09T05:39:46Z

More photos » Jack Dempsey - AP

1 day ago: Colorado Avalanche trainer Matt Sokolowski checks on goalie Craig Anderson during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues in Denver, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Browse more photos »

Final - 2.8.2010	1	2	3	Total
St. Louis Blues	2	0	0	2
Colorado Avalanche	2	3	0	5

Complete Coverage >

The Avalanche needed a win tonight to tie up the Vancouver Canucks on top of the Northwest Division and they didn't disappoint. While the Canucks still hold the tiebreaker over the Avs and retain that top spot, the Avalanche aren't giving up.

Tonight's game is kind of an odd one to describe. The Avalanche played well and yet got a little lucky to boot. Blues' starter Chris Mason was awful between the pipes (he's now allowed 9 goals on 37 shots against the Avs this year) and the Avalanche also benefited from some...well, interesting officiating.

Both Mason and Craig Anderson seemed a little off at the start of the game. Anderson gave up a long goal to Eric Brewer less than 4 minutes in; he immediately complained he was interfered with, but none of the replays captured David Backes in the crease. TJ Galiardi - playing center tonight in the absence of Radar O'Reilly - scored less than 30 seconds later on a pretty, but soft, goal. When Erik Johnson made it 2-1 just under the 8-minute mark, both goalies appeared to be on a fast-track to getting pulled. Anderson pulled it together, however, and didn't allow another one the rest of the way. Mason? Not so much.

Some of that questionable officiating helped the Avalanche out towards the end of the first. TJ Oshie was called for interference - the 2nd offensive zone interference call on the Blues in the period. It was a generous call for the Avalanche, especially when Brandon Yip was able to knock in a puck rolling in the crease on the ensuing powerplay. Although that tied the game, I felt that may have been a real momentum swinger. Instead of going into the first intermission down 2-1, the score was evened up setting the stage for a big 2nd period by the Avalanche.

Chris Stewart started the flurry at the 2:25 mark when he deflected Ryan Wilson's point shot past Mason for his 18th goal of the season. Paul Stastny, playing on a number of Oreo lines on the night (as in, the middle was the only good part), snuck a backhand shortside on Mason just 90 seconds later. Stastny had 7 shots despite playing with linemates like Chris Durno, Justin Mercier, Cody McLeod and Marek Svatos for large chunks of the game. Finally, Yip rifled one in off of Mason's arm just 2 and a half minutes after that. That essentially knocked Mason out of the game (Blues coach Davis Payne waited until after Chris Stewart engaged in an ill-advised fight with BJ Crombeen on the next faceoff). Former UNH Wildcat Ty Conklin played terrific in relief, but the damage was done.

The Avalanche caught another big break later in the period when Oshie appeared to cut the lead to 5-3 with still almost half of the game to play. Instead, the goal was waved off and Oshie was sent to the box for a hook as he battled Hannan to the puck. That was, in my opinion, a terrible call. Even worse, TJ Oshie did not gain possession of the puck after his penalty - it was actually Hannan who fired that into the net (inadvertently).

From there, the game was played relatively evenly and neither team was able to change the score, giving the Avalanche a big 5-2 win and sending the Blues to their 3rd straight loss.

The win was nearly a costly one for the Avalanche. Craig Anderson took a shot off his collarbone at one point and dropped immediately to the ice. He was down for a considerable amount of time, but ultimately shook it off and stayed in the game. Meanwhile, Adam Foote missed a large chunk of the 1st period with an unknown issue, but returned in the 2nd. Wojtek Wolski skated off gingerly after taking a puck to the foot and Brett Clark got stung badly by two separate blocks, but both appeared to be okay. David Koci may not have been so fortunate - he hurt his hand in an early fight with DJ King and did not return to the game.

All in all, a great game by the Avalanche. Yes, they caught some luck on this one, but also played solid hockey for the 2nd game in a row. The Avs have 3 games left before the Olympic break, with two of them against two teams just above them in the standings. Winnable games? If they can keep playing like this...absolutely.

Game 58 Live Thread: Blues at Avalanche

2010-02-09T01:30:14Z

Next Game

St. Louis Blues
@ Colorado Avalanche

Monday, Feb 8, 2010, 7:30 PM MST
Pepsi Center

Game 58 Preview: Blues at Avalanche

posted by David Driscoll-Carignan about 12 hours ago

397 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Game 58 Preview: Blues at Avalanche

2010-02-08T13:00:24Z


St Louis Blues	7:30 MT / 9:30 ET / 2:30 GMT	Colorado Avalanche
25-24-9	February 8th, 2010	32-19-6
59 pts	Pepsi Center	70 pts
13th in West	Denver, CO	6th in West

So, is it all gravy now? The Avalanche have surpassed their 2008-2009 point total - the first NHL team this year to do so. We have officially improved on last season. Matt Duchene is every bit as good as we hoped he'd be, and some many of the other Renegades are having bust out seasons. We've found two vital elements that we've been lacking in recent years: a goalie we can trust and a coach we can believe in. We're all good, right?

Its not so easy, though, is it? You set your expectations low, but as soon as you get the taste of blood you want to gorge yourself on the blood of your opponents. I touched on this not too long ago (sending the team into a tailspin), but even though we're currently the most improved team in the league, that goal is forgotten. The playoffs are in our grasp, and the Avalanche need 27 points in the final 24 games to make sure they are there.

Two points tonight would knot them back up with the Vancouver Canucks atop the Northwest Division. Vancouver would still hold the top spot due to tiebreakers, but the Avalanche still want to put on the pressure here.

Mondays have been very good to the Avalanche this year; the Avs are a perfect 7-0 with 3 shutouts (including 1 by Peter Budaj against the Blues back in December). The Blues are 2-4 on the Boomtown Rats' least-favorite day.

St. Louis Game Time

Blues vs Avalanche coverage

Super Bowl Live Thread

2010-02-07T22:43:31Z

Next Game

New Orleans Saints
@ Indianapolis Colts

Sunday, Feb 7, 2010, 4:28 PM MST
Super Bowl XLIV - Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL

Complete Coverage >

Don't know if this is required or not, but here's a place for you hockey crazies to hang out during the big even for that other contact sport. I was lucky enough to go to one of these things last year and had a blast.

Young Guns IX-X: The Renegades

2010-02-07T11:42:40Z

Well, I finally did it. The video of our boys is done. You've all been waiting patiently and I thank you for that. It took too many hours and I lost too much hair but I learned a valuable lesson: don't bother with all the new computers and new software when the old shit works just fine...and doesn't have issues with, you know, doing what it's supposed to do.

I shall try to embed the video here, but I do suck terribly at it so if it doesn't work, this sentence will end up being a big ass link to the YouTube site. You may notice that the hour at which I'm posting this post is in the wee morn PST. I am obsessed with getting this damn thing done. I really do hope you like it. I had fun making it; I really did. And it kept me loving our boys through all those Bertuzzi-ass games recently. It also really made me miss Wilson. I'm glad he's back.

Anyway, without anymore ado, here it is:

*UPDATE* For anyone who's interested, this is the intro I included in the YouTube blurb: The Colorado Avalanche is full of extremely talented rookie and second year players who are hungry for success. Their drive and ambition are a big part of why this team has defied the odds to become a playoff contender in the Western Conference. They continue to silence critics and take advantage of opponents who underestimate them. This video is an introduction to these young players who have secured spots on the top lines of the Avs this season and beyond: Kyle Cumiskey, Matt Duchene, T.J. Galiardi, David Jones, Kyle Quincey, Ryan O'Reilly, Chris Stewart, Ryan Wilson and Brandon Yip. Their average age is 22.

(Thanks for the front page promotion! I feel special now.)

Game 57 Recap: Avs PWNership of Oilers Continues

2010-02-07T06:19:34Z

I'm gonna do something a little different for a MHH recap tonight. I'm gonna give you my running notes of the game. I don't have timestamps or anything because that would require real effort so don't get your hopes up. Still, here's the undiluted thoughts of a sometimes contributor IN REAL TIME!!!

Pregame:

Got the Edmonton feed (CBC Hockey Night in Canada) tonight on Center (Centre) Ice
Smurfiform sighting! FML.
Great anthems!!
Mark Lee and Kevin Weekes calling the game tonight. I like Kevin Weekes as an analyst, not sure if I've ever heard him as a color guy.

1st period:

• Wolski-Dutchy-Yip as starting line then SoS/Galiardi/Stewert, Liles scratched for Clark, 3rd-Svatos, McLeod, Radar aaaaaaand 4th is Durno/Tucker/Koci?!?!? He's still on the team?
• Weekes working hard to sell Deslauriers as a competent goalie. "Look he made routine save. That shows promise." Watch him dominate tonight now that I've made that comment...
• ~~Two~~ Three bad giveaways by the Oilers in the first 3 minutes. Defensemen pinching early and often.
• Svatos misses a wide open net. Then Wolski fumbles a pass. The Avalanche Experience.
• Kevin Weekes likes Brandon Yip. Alot.
• Tucker's line has a great shift. Yep, hurt to type that.
• Ryan Wilson destroys Cogliano. Maybe the Old Ryan is back?
• Visnovsky breaks up a Svatos pass on a 2-on-1 to negate a scoring chance.
• I'm hearing a ton of "Yip", "Svatos" so far and not a lot of "Stastny" or "Stewart".
• I'm convinced The Baron has been stripped of his land and title and is no longer allowed to shoot the puck by the landed gentry.
• First PP of the game as Quincey get called for a slash as he tries to deal with multiple wrap-around attempts and then taps the EDM forward for the penalty.
• Canada's viagra commercials > US dick pill commercials.
• Wanna know if your PK is working? If the PP unit takes an icing, your PK is working.
• Hannan drops the Hobbit Hammer from the point on the SH chance and Deslauriers makes a save.
• First PP killed. Quality work by the PK units. I think the Oil managed one shot on that opportunity.
• I might see that Bruce Willis/Tracy Morgan buddy-cop movie. I might even laugh at it. I probably won't tell anybody though.
• Another good Wilson hit on the blue line, this time on Horcoff.
• Edmonton's giveaways are of such an interesting variety and regularity.
• Avs on the PP-let's see what happens...shots from the point, Holy Crap!! Stewart working hard. Great work by the top unit, but nothing going in...second unit working well too.
• Horcoff can't handle the Yips and gets called for holding. 1 second of 5-on-3. That 5-on-3 was shorter than a documentary on French war heroes. (That's for structuralpoke).
• Lots of shots from the point, unfortunately nothing actually on net....and that's the end of the period.

Avs outshoot Oil 12-4 in the first, dominant except for the one penalty. Need to cash in on the last minute plus of the carryover in the 2nd period. Good pace, but lots of sloppy hockey from the Oilers.

Duchene interview at intermission:

Question: "Why are you having success after struggling in the first half of the season?" Answer: "I'm playing smarter." (I'm paraphrasing of course)
The Mrs. just hooked my up with some hot chocolate at intermission. And that's not some veiled fetish reference.

SoS is 2nd in the league in faceoff attempts. Cool piece on SoS and his faceoff intensity during the intermission. We can file that under "Something that would never be shown on Altitude."

2nd Period:

• No shots on goal for the 45 seconds of PP time to start the 2nd.
• 32-5 in the first period for the Avs in shots taken (includes blocks and misses). That's 20 blocked/missed shots for the Avs.
• More turnovers for the Oilers in the early part of the 2nd. Good pressure from the Avs. Hell, Foote is pinching...
• Deslauriers makes another great save on a odd-man rush from Duchene's line.
• Tucker: Let me dot the 'i' on Oilers for you Mr. Goalie.
• Mike Ricci!!!! Still has the same haircut.
• Andy makes a good save on a rare Oil shot. Looks a little deep in his net though.
• I hate cream cheese. I hate green cream cheese even more.
• Franken-line sighting: Gali/SoS/Tucker.
• Koci IS big.
• Now a McLeod/Radar/Svats line...
• Wilson misses a hit, but still breaks up the play.
• Another dinger by Duchene!!!!!!! Great move off of the turnover, even better patience. Too much Swedish, not enough Finnish.
• THE BARON FROM DUCHENE!!!! NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Weekes: "You can only play with fire for so long."
• Avs spending a ton of time in the Oil zone after the goal. Gali/SoS/Stewart back together. Deslauriers is earning his money tonight facing shots from all angles and lots of skilled players.
• I would own the shit out of a Hybrid Lexus. Then I would donate the shit to a compost center.
• Pat Quinn ripping the Oilers a new one during the TV timeout. Good times.
• 22-6 shots in favor of the Avs.
• "It's a feeding frenzy now for the Avalanche!"
• Duchene's line is flying tonight. Oil having real trouble with Durno in front of the net too.
• Weekes is right, Andy should have come out and played that puck on the previous rush. Poor decision to let it go.
• Decent shift by the Oilers' top line. Winning some battles in the corner.
• Hannan on a rush?
• Chances are 18-3 in favor of Colorado according to CBC.
• Lots of bouncing pucks in the second half of the 2nd here.
• No call on the obvious trip by Comrie on Duchene.
• 2-on-1 for Oil, no dice. 3-on-2 the other way because it appears some Oilers are celebrating the scoring chance.
• Save by Andy on a short breakaway from the Oil captain (Moreau).
• Stewart too cute and stripped of the puck by Visnovsky.
• Bad turnover by Wilson, but Gali bails him out.
• Great puck movement between SoS and Stewart in the last couple of minutes of the period.
• Two great chances by Svatos in front of the net, one on the backhand.
• Shots are 29-12 Avs after two.

Colorado better keep their foot on the gas for the third. This has all the earmarks of one of those games where the Avs are the better team for 99% of the game but find a way to lose.

Comrie interview at intermission: Question: "How do you find the will to live when your team looks so horrible night-in and night-out?" I'm paraphrasing of course.

PJ Stock making fun of Kovy for loafing in the Devils' game. Dead Things blow a 3-goal lead. :)

Are your underarms ready?

CBC suffers from my favorite TV ailment: Commercialtoolouditis.

3rd Period:

• Duchene's line has 13 shots by the start of the 3rd. Wolski has 7 all by himself.
• Good defensive zone FO win by SoS.
• Little miscommunication between Andy and his D leads to a panic icing.
• Yip giving and taking hits tonight. Duchene picking pockets and reading plays very well.
• Good puck movement by Duchene's line. Another good save by Deslauriers. He is reason 1 through 35 why the Oilers are still in this game.
• Quincey is gassed after a long shift and just lets a puck go to Andy instead of skating. It got to Andy about 0.0001 seconds before the Oiler forechecker did. Needless to say, I do not think that was a good decision.
• Lots of neutral zone play now. Avs seem to have downshifted a little. Oilers seem to have decided to execute more than 2% of the time.
• Halfway through the 3rd and Oil just hanging around...
• Svatos gets a great shot on a quick pass up the boards. Deslauriers makes a good shoulder save. Way out and challenging.
• Why do you bother with a mouthpiece, Brett? I mean really?
• Footer takes a holding penalty on Horcoff. Here's the Oil's chance to ruin my night.
• Why are cartoon monkeys in charge of Subway in Canada? Of course subtracting maple leafs from the recipe makes it better! How does this commercial make any sense?
• Another good defensive zone FO win on the PK by SoS. Wolski on the 2nd PK unit. Coach definately has no confidence in him...
• 3 quick chances for the Oilers as Comrie is allowed to casually walk out of the corner and into the slot.
• Hannan takes a delay of game penalty on the PK. Uggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Oilers have 12 seconds of 5-on-3.
• Kill the two-man advantage....good SH chance by McLeod aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Gali (of course).
• Foote makes a sprawling save on a yawning net to preserve the PK opportunity after a bad rebound by Anderson right to Horcoff. Oil net 5 shots on the PP, but no goals.
• Mcleod misses an golden opportunity in the slot. Deslauriers takes the opportunity to show the crowd his flowing locks. He does have some sick flo.
• RYAN WILSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just put the puck on the net and Delorian lets a leaky underarm score the insurance goal with less than 3 minutes left in the game! Apparently his underarms aren't ready. Needs some of that Dove Deodorant.
• "That goal was a result of soft board play by the Oilers," says Kevin Weekes. I like Kevin Weekes.
• Andy puts the puck into the netting to get a faceoff as the Oil has numbers entering the zone. Weekes approves.
• This CBC camareman appears to never have seen a sustained cycle in the corner.
• Empty net with about a minute left....Yip with the EN goal after about three of four Avalanche bad-angle attempts!!!
• Avs Win!! Avs Win!!! Ricci Night overcomes the horror of the Smurfiform!!!!
• Andy gets his 3rd shutout of the season on the Oilers. 6th of the season. Pat Quinn swallows his gum in protest.
• Avs outshoot Edmonton 42-20.
• I don't think CBC is going to tell us who the three stars are....wait, yes they are: CBC says Deslauriers is first star, Dutchy is 2nd, Wolski is 3rd. Is that how it went down at the Can?

Post-game interview with the Baron:

Question: "Why weren't you guys scoring more on all those shots?" Answer: "Their goalie was playing well." Question: "Did it feel good to score?" Answer: "Yes."

Question: "What do you have to say about Foote's save late in the third?" Answer: "I was grateful to see it."

Question: "Are the Avalanche starting to fade?" Answer: "No."

Question: "How do you keep the rookies from screwing up?" Answer: "Coaching."

I'm paraphrasing of course, but just barely. Hard-hitting interview courtesy of CBC sports.

There was a long interview with SoS during the HNIC post-game show, but I didn't catch most of it except a part where they showed The Baron kissing Stastny on the neck after a goal. WTF?? Sacco up next, but I have got to get some sleep. Also, I'm not sure I can endure anymore questions about my underarm preparedness.

Anyway, there you have it. Hope you guys and gals enjoyed my version of a recap. Some of the new guys and I have talked about doing a live blog for a game in lieu of a game thread so it would read something like the above. Anybody interested in that?

Game 57 Live Thread: Oilers at Avalanche

2010-02-07T02:00:21Z

Next Game

Edmonton Oilers
@ Colorado Avalanche

Saturday, Feb 6, 2010, 8:00 PM MST
Pepsi Center

Game 57 Preview: Oilers at Avalanche

posted by Dustin Burfiend about 7 hours ago

105 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Game 57 Preview: Oilers at Avalanche

2010-02-06T16:18:39Z


Edmonton Oilers	8 MT / 10 ET / 3 GMT	Colorado Avalanche
18-32-6	February 5th, 2010	31-19-6
42 pts	Pepsi Center	68 pts
15th in West	Denver, CO	6th in West

Well, our boys are finally in a slump, losing four of their last five games, all in regulation. This was going to happen at some point. On the plus side, the Avs have enough points to remain in playoff picture and a home-heavy schedule. However, the West is extremely competitive and the Avs will have to start winning soon to stay in the playoffs, especially since they face mostly Western teams for the remainder of the season. Vancouver is on their epic road trip and have started to lose games. Despite the Avs' slide they remain only 2 points back from the Canucks. Now is a perfect opportunity for the Avs to sieze the division lead and run away with it.

The this game is the kind of game the Avs need to pick up two points in. Edmonton is the worst team in the West and the Avs spanked them 6-0 in their last matchup. Surprisingly, the season series has been split 2-2 thus far. Coach Joe Sacco is has been sticking with his lines thus far but in yesterday's practice he had T.J. Galiardi up with Paul Stastny and Chris Stewart with Wojtek Wolski down with Matt Duchene and Brandon Yip. It's no secret that the top line of Stastny, Wolski and Stewart has not been scoring much despite still managing to create chances every game. I'm not sure I like these changes but I'm not surprised by them either.

Craig Anderson, I believe, will be getting the start. He gave up five goals for the first time in a long time last game against the Predators. I doubt anyone blames him for the loss but he can't keep playing at his best if he's playing so much. Maybe behind a stingy defense but the Avs give up about a billion shots per game. Have some faith Joe Sacco! Believe in Budaj!

Injury report: Ruslan Salei (who?) is back skating again but Matt Hendricks, Milan Hejduk and David Jones remain out. Edmonton is missing Ladislav Smid (one of my favorite names), Steve Staios and Sheldon Souray who busted his hand fighting Jarome Iginla but could be back before the end of the season. Nikolai Khabibulin and Ales Hemsky are done for the season.

The Oilers are on an 8 game road skid and have only managed 9 goals during. The Avs have to pick up two points in these situations if they want to stay in the playoffs.

Mile High Hockey Interview: Stefan Elliott

2010-02-06T00:03:42Z

Considered to be a first round pick in some circles, Stefan Elliott is now being called a steal after falling to the Colorado Avalanche with the 49^th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Elliott is doing little to disappoint as he sits sixth in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in defensemen scoring, with 47 points in 52 games (going into February 5, 2010). Elliott took some time to speak with Mile High Hockey this week before facing off against the Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings this weekend.

MHH: How disappointed were you to not receive an invite to any of the Hockey Canada U-20 evaluation camps?

Elliott: "Yeah I was pretty disappointed, but at the same after it happened it was kind of like there was nothing I could do about it, the decision was already made. So I just try to go out there and prove them wrong every game and just, you know, play my best."

MHH: Do you think you have opened some eyes with Hockey Canada for the 2011 WJC team considering your performance this season?

Elliott: "I would hope so yeah, yeah."

MHH: Considering your success this season what changes have you made or what things have you learned over the course of the past year?

Elliott: "I think one of the...you know, I always see with time in the league, experience grows and things like that, but I think the biggest thing is just...I think this year I've done a lot better job of burying on all my chances and just creating more chances and opportunities for myself."

MHH: The Saskatoon Blades are one of the best teams in the WHL this season. How would you explain your success as a team?

Elliott: "Well I would say definitely, you know, the confidence as a group that we have. A really tight group inside the dressing room and you know we take pride in coming into games night in and night out, out working them, and we know that if we out work them that we have a good chance of coming out on top at end of the game."

MHH: How far do you think the Blades can go this year? Do you think you can make it to the Memorial Cup?

Elliott: "Yeah, we definitely have high expectations for us as a group and, you know, we are in it for the long haul. I think we would be disappointed if we weren't."

MHH: Did you interview or speak with Colorado prior to the draft?

Elliott: "Yeah I met with one of them in Vancouver."

MHH: How was your first NHL training camp experience?

Elliott: "It was a really good experience. You know you learn a lot, just coming in and looking at the...just the life of what it's like day in and day out for them. Just playing with players who have been in the NHL for years. Just seeing what it takes and all the little things like that."

MHH: Have you kept in contact with the Avalanche this season?

Elliott: "Yeah a couple of guys have come out to see me play now and then."

MHH: Do you keep in contact with anyone you met at training camp?

Elliott: "Well, I played U-18s with O'Reilly and Duchene. So, I talk to them now and then. I think that's mostly pretty much it."

MHH: Describe your game to Avalanche fans.

Elliott: "I like to think of myself as a two-way defenseman, but, you know, my strength is definitely the offensive part of the game; my ability to jump into the rush and create some extra offense from the back end."

MHH: What parts of your game do you feel you need to improve?

Elliott: "I would say probably....I think play more of an edge I guess kind of thing; like in the defensive zone too maybe. Like playing the body maybe more than I do, stuff like that."

MHH: How far away do you think you are from becoming a professional hockey player?

Elliott: "I don't know, like that's kind of up to Colorado. That's not really up to me. So, you know wherever they think I'll develop most, whether it be, you know, playing minor hockey, playing in the AHL or wherever they think I'll develop more that's probably the right choice."

MHH: Growing up, who was your favorite player?

Elliott: "Tough one. Scott Niedermayer...I guess."

MHH: Is there a player in the NHL that you would compare your style of game?

Elliott: "Hard to say, I would like to think that I play my own style of game. Maybe like Brian Rafalski."

MHH: What did it feel like hearing your name being called at the draft in Montreal?

Elliott: "It was amazing like something you dream about when you are kid. You know, to hear it finally happen, like a dream come true kind of. You know, just a big relief and a big weight off your shoulders. So, yeah."

08-09 vs 09-10 Blown and Stolen Games

2010-02-04T23:48:06Z

via nimg.sulekha.com

I was reading the thread on Theodore's consistency over at Japer's Rink (BTW - pure coincidence on the names here, I had the name first... HE should really change it) While reading the thread and comments, I saw the below criteria that Hockey Analyst uses to identify both blown and stolen games.

Stolen Games: a game in which the team scored 2 or fewer goals, allowed 30 or more shots and won or a game in which the team scored 3 goals and allowed 35 or more shots and won.

Blown Games: a game in which the team scored 4 or more goals, allowed 25 or fewer shots but lost or a game in which the team scored 5 or more goals and allowed 26-30 shots, but lost.

I thought it would be of some interest to sort the last two seasons worth of games into these categories. Do I believe these categories to be gospel? No. Have Avalanche net-minders stolen or blown games that aren't highlighted by these categories and their qualifiers? Definitely. Am I out of rhetorical questions? Yes.

'08-09' Season

Jan 21 - LA - Budaj then Raycroft - Blown
Jan 8 - Chicago - Raycroft - Stolen
Dec 27 - Detroit - Budaj - Stolen
Dec 18 - Tampa - Raycroft - Stolen
Dec 15 - Detroit - Raycroft - Stolen
Nov 15 - Edomonton - Budaj - Stolen
Nov 12 - Vancouver - Budaj - Stolen
Oct 25 - Buffalo - Budaj - Stolen

Through the entire '08-'09 season, Budaj stole 4 games and Raycroft 3. Then, on January 21st, their combined goaltender powers allowed for one blown game, a 6-5 debacle against LA where Budaj was pulled to no avail. I was suprised to only see one blown game given the Q carousel, inconsistent net-minding and overall suckitude of the Avs during the second half of last season.

'09-'10 Season

Jan 22 - Nashville - Andy - Stolen
Jan 16 - New Jersey - Andy - Stolen
Jan 11 - Calgary - Andy - Stolen
Jan 9 - Buffalo - Andy - Stolen

Nov 17 - Calgary - Andy - Stolen
Oct 24 - Detroit - Andy - Stolen
Oct 3 - Vancouver - Andy - Stolen

So, through 55 games Andy has stolen 7 games for us, and blown none. Budaj doesn't show in either category. This seems about right to me. interestingly though, 4 of the 7 stolen games occurred during our recent six game win streak. Also of interest, the '08-'09 season had the same number of stolen games through the same time frame. Though, this doesn't correlate exactly because of this year's compressed Olympic schedule.

It's also no wonder that Calgary believes we are only where we are because of our goaltending, magic anti-CORSI spells and four leaf clovers. Two of Andy's seven steals came against the fLames. I hope he steals the remaining two match ups as well because it would just rub their fan base the wrong way. (And who wants to rub a flames fan the right way? EWWWWW)

I'm also now of the opinion that Budaj should be playing more. He's a great backup, deserves to play and I'd like to see him on this team in the future. He played in front of a poorly coached, very injured and hugely demoralized team last year. Were he playing a bit more, I think the team would begin to build confidence in him again, and he could be utilized more often. This would allow for a rested Anderson to steal more games like we saw during our recent six game campaign. If BUDAJ WEER TRULLY TEH SUXXORRZ, maybe we would have seen more blown games from last season.

I was hoping that going through all of this would show clear differences between last season and this one, and thus far it hasn't. I do think that Andy will continue to steal games for us, and there might be some differences if I looked again at the end of the season. What has me very excited is the future, one where we might not need Andy to steal ten or more games to get into the playoffs. Maybe a future where he is stealing games in the Stanley Cup finals.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Nice article discussing stuff we've all been talking about lately. Also, Budaj was misspelled alot and it bugged me, so I fixed it. But then I promoted it to the front page so me and not3or4 can still be friends.

Game 56 Recap: Avs Dominated, Fall in Nashville 5-3

2010-02-05T03:56:22Z

More photos » Frederick Breedon - AP

Browse more photos »

As the first period got underway, both teams were playing a very cautious game. Neither team wanted to open themselves up for an odd man rush or a bad goal. As the period wore on though, both teams started opening it up a bit. It all seemed to get started about 7 to 8 minutes in when Nashville held the puck in the offensive zone and got a few awesome scoring chances, fortunately for the Avs, Andy was equal to the task. It just seems like the more work he gets during the game, the better he is. While most of the shots were from outside the prime scoring areas, he did make 14 saves in the first period.

The Avs got the scoring started at the 16:39 mark of the first period. Chris Stewart showed his blazing speed and blew past a Nashville defenseman to setup a 2 on 1, then sent a perfect pass to Cody McLeod who sent it top shelf past Pekka Rinne for his 7th goal of the, and his 2nd in his last 3 games. 1-0 Avs.

As the second period got underway, the Avs came out flying! The completely dominated the first several minutes, getting a few quality scoring chances on Rinne.

The momentum definitely started to swing once Kyle Quincey was called for holding at 4:39 of the second period. In his defense, it was a penalty he had to take. Marcel Goc was all alone in front of the net and would have had a glorious scoring chance. The momentum officially swung to the Predators when Paul Stastny was called for delay of game as he shot the puck into the stands from just inside of the defensive blue line. That gave the Preds more than a minute and a half of a 5 on 3 power play.

Just as the penalty to Quincey had expired, Jason Arnott took a hard shot from the point that was tipped by Patrick Hornqvist. Nevertheless it beat Andy and ended the streak of penalties killed at 25 (counting the one that ended just prior to the goal).

With the momentum clearly on their side, the Predators did not let their foot off the gas and continued to the pressure the play in the offensive zone. After Andy made a couple of great saves, he tried poking the puck out of harms way. Instead, he put it on a tee for Joel Ward who whacked it into the net, 2-1 Predators.

As the period continued, Nashville continued to play strong. Then, behind the net David Legwand was called for high sticking behind the Avalanche net. This put the Avs on the power play for the 1st time in the game. The power play was moving the puck well, then as the puck found it's way into the slot, Matt Duchene buried a wrist shot from the hash marks for his team leading 18th goal of the season. It was also his 14th goal scored on the road. Game tied 2-2.

The tie, however, didn't last long. Only 23 seconds as a matter of fact. With the puck deep in the Avs territory, the puck was moved to the point and Jason Arnott let an absolute BOMB go from the point that eluded Craig Anderson. It was Arnott's 14th on the season. The Altiboobs stated this and I hate to agree, but that's what a hard shot from the point can give you. 3-2 Preds.

Remember that whole thing about having a hard shot from the point and just how useful it can be on the power play? Yeah, Jason Arnott proved it again as he let another bomb go that was tipped in by Hornqvist with just 40 seconds to play in the second period. That, in my humble opinion, would be the back breaker. 4-2 Preds. Kinda wishing I wouldn't have made that prediction in my preview.

According to sources, Coach Sacco had another explosion in the Avs locker room during the second intermission hoping to inspire the same kind of period that the Avs played against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Yeah...so much for that.

The Predators came out and continued to dominate the play in every single zone. Winning all the races to the pucks, all the battles along the boards. Everything.

Just when the Avs looked like they might have had a chance to start gaining a momentum, they got a power play of a slashing call against Joel Ward. They Avs had managed to get a couple scoring chances, but then as the puck was being brought up the ice following a clear, Matt Duchene made one of the few rookie mistakes I've seen him make, he played the puck while holding a broken stick. This is probably one of most rare penalty calls in the NHL today.

NHL Rule 10.3 Broken Stick – Player -...A player whose stick is broken may participate in the game provided he drops the broken stick. A minor penalty shall be imposed for an infraction of this rule.

As the 4 on 4 expired, Steve Sullivan circled then let a slapper go from right around the faceoff dot that beat Andy high to the short side. There is not a goalie on this planet that was going to stop that shot. 5-2 Preds.

Probably the lone bright spot for the Avalanche in the 3rd period was Justin Mercier scoring his first NHL goal at the 18:39 mark of the third period. Too bad it couldn't have come on a better night for the Avs. Regardless, congrats to Justin Mercier. 5-3 Preds.

Overall, I would say that this game isn't as bad as it could have been. Andy, again, kept the game within reach for a little while, but the team in front of him just couldn't contain Arnott, Hornqvist and Sullivan. Andy ended up making 36 saves in a losing effort.

Derek's Three Stars of the Game:
3rd Star: Steve Sullivan (1G, 1A)
2nd Star: Patrick Hornqvist (2G, 1A)
1st Star: Jason Arnott (1G, 3A)

Game Notes: Matt Duchene extended his rookie points lead (38) and is now leading the team in goals (18). With the roughing call on Craig Anderson, he is now leading all goalies in PIM with 12.

Game 56 Live Thread: Avalanche at Predators

2010-02-05T00:00:27Z

Next Game

Colorado Avalanche
@ Nashville Predators

Thursday, Feb 4, 2010, 6:00 PM MST
Sommet Center

Complete Coverage >

Game 56 Preview: Avalanche @ Predators

2010-02-04T18:00:31Z


Colorado Avalanche	6 MT / 8 ET / 1 GMT	Nashville Predators
31-18-6	February 4th, 2010	30-21-4
68 pts	Sommet Center	64 pts
6th in West	Nashville, TN	7th in West

The Avalanche are taking the kids on a quick road trip.

Tonight in Nashville, the "Young Guns", T.J. Galiardi, Brandon Yip, Ryan WIlson, Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Cumiskey and Matt Duchene, along with the other Avs rookies, come into this game having scored a total of 110 points. Give that a minute to sink in. 110 POINTS! Matt Duchene, T.J. Galiardi (7th) and Ryan O'Reilly (10th) are all in the top 10 in rookie scoring. Oh yeah, and Matt Duchene (17G) is not only leading all rookies in goals, he is tied for the team lead as well.

This game is another one of those that I am a little reluctant to put in the "must win" column, but it is very close. The Predators are only 4 points behind the Avs in the standings and with the Canucks playing in Ottawa and the Kings hosting the Ducks, the team has a serious chance to gain some ground in the standings.

The Preds are coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the Coyotes on Monday in which they lost in the 10th round of the shootout. This was a game where both goalies earned shutouts and were both on top of their game, only yielding 3 goals combined on 20 shooters in the shootout.

Nashville is also mired in bit of a slump. They have only won 1 of their last 7 games, a 4-3 win over Atlanta back on January 30th. As far as health goes, they are pretty good though. They only have 2 players listed on the injury report, Marcel Goc (upper body) and Wade Belak (foot), both are listed day-to-day. The Avs however, are not quite as healthy. Ruslan Salei (back), Milan Hejduk (knee), Ryan Stoa (shoulder), Matt Hendricks (ankle) and David Jones (torn ACL) are all on injured reserve.

For Colorado, it is no secret anymore just how much we are relying on the scoring touch of our rookies. Expect this game to very hotly contested as both teams are in desperate need of the 2 points. I anticipate for the team to lean heavily on them again tonight.

I'm going out on a limb here and call for Craig Anderson to get the start for the Avalanche, if so, it will be his 11th consecutive start. I expect that Pekka Rinne will get the start for the Predators.

Derek's Prediction: Colorado 4 - Nashville 2

Derek's Game Notes: With a win tonight, the Avs will have 70 points, surpassing the 69 points they earned all of last season in just the team's 56th game. Today is Joe Sacco's 41st birthday, so from all of us at Mile High Hockey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!

For complete coverage visit Avalanche vs Predators coverage

For Nashville's take on the game checkout On the Forecheck

Frei Believes in Budaj

2010-02-04T16:19:23Z

Frei Believes in Budaj

Frei wonders aloud why Boots hasn't played much.

O'Reilly Family Reunion

2010-02-04T16:16:51Z

O'Reilly Family Reunion

Nice Article from Dater.

Dustin Gets Ken Hitchcock Fired

2010-02-03T21:38:02Z

Dustin Gets Ken Hitchcock Fired

Dustin called it in the recap: "Why is Ken Hitchcock never in danger of losing his job?"

Well, I hope you're happy now.