While it has been a frustrating time for Avs' fans, so much so that I stepped back from my daily checking of the normal sites, I will go back and check out my normal sources and recap this past week's activities once again. It's not that the week became any less frustrating, just that I want to continue to do these weekly. At the time this was started Colorado had lost in Edmonton to finish the road trip 0-3, and then gave San Jose a point with under :30 left even though they went on to win. They still had a game in San Jose as I started this, but finishing this thought after the game it is just more frustration as a two goal lead was blown in the third period and the Avs failed to even get a point with many of their goals against coming off bad turnovers.
@ Edmonton : Kobasew lost to a head injury in the game. Other than that there isn't a whole lot worth trying to go back and remember from this poor effort against another division opponent. They fall to 1-9 in the Northwest as the team just never really got going full speed and played a lackluster game to finish the road trip 0-3. RNH had a pair of assists, his first points against the Avs,
Following the game, the Avs took Saturday off, however Sunday after the normal hour of practice was up Sacco again put the team through another "bag skate" This one lasted nearly a half hour, much longer than the 5-6 minute session earlier in the season, and also instead of being blueline to blueline this was redline to redline. Afterwards the team gathered at center ice while the coaches left and talked, with much of the talk coming from J-S Giguere and Milan Hejduk.
Erik Johnson stayed after about an extra 40 minutes Monday with O'Reilly, Malone, and Elliott, knowing that he has to provide more for the Avalanche. He is still without a goal this season.
vs. San Jose : Stastny was cleared to play and was back in the lineup, and according to MHH of the 40 players to dress for the game, only 20 of them were around when the teams played in their playoff series just 20 months ago, the Avalanche just having 8 players left from the end of the 2009 season. The game started with plenty of jump but no scoring until very late in the first when Elliott showed off his offensive talent taking the puck from his end, flying up the ice, and wristing a shot past Niemi. The Avalanche would fall behind 2-1 in the second, but in the third they would come back during a 4 on 4 where O'Brien and Havlat both go off for penalties after Havlat pushed O'Brien into Niemi (how does a guy get pushed into a goalie and get the penalty while the pusher does as well? To me he either was pushed or wasn't...), with Winnik taking a rebound from a EJ shot and wrapping it around to tie it up. The Avalanche PP would get a chance a bit later and a Hejduk to Duchene pass would result in a 3-2 lead after a great shot. With time winding down the Avs wiffed on a clearing chance and Couture made a great play to get the puck over to Marleau who fluttered a weak shot past Varly. After a scoreless OT, and with Hejduk easily scoring on the shootout only to be tied later by Pavelski, Landeskot buried the game winner two rounds later. On a side note, Jones' shot in the shootout had the look of a guy needing confidence, just being sure to get it on net and hope for the best. Jones is one of many players the Avs need to turn things around. Hunwick again started the game in a forward position.
Van Der Gulik was recalled as Yip would be out with a groin injury. He led the Monsters with 19 points in 21 games this year. Evan Brophy has also been recalled by the Avalanche who have their handful of injuries even with Stastny coming back. Yip out with a groin, Kobasew, Wilson, and Mueller all out with head injuries, and Porter out with a suspension. It's not like the last few years yet, and let's hope it doesn't take that turn either.
@ San Jose : Before the game it was announced that Jones would also be out with a groin injury, even further depleting the ranks of Avalanche wingers, and as such both recent callups got to play for the big club in this one. The game would get started with an early fight, and then a bouncing puck would lead to a turnover by Landy and then a bad pass by Varly, leading to the first Sharks goal. The Avalanche would soon get a chance on the Powerplay though and Stastny would get a tip in front to tie it. As the period drew to a close Elliott would use that incredible wrister of his from the blue line on another powerplay and O'Reilly would pick up the rebound to take the lead. Elliott rarely ever takes a slap shot but has a more than impressive wrist shot that seemingly always finds its way on net. For those curious about the Avalanche powerplay future, things look good for the team with the #1 PP on the road and in third periods (and 3rd overall), with O'Reilly, Duchene, Landeskog, and Elliott all 20 and younger joined by Hejduk, Stastny, or EJ generally. Also in the first Varlamov made an incredible save after Pavelski made one heck of a pass to Thorton who shot into an empty net but Varly swung his stick back and got enough of the puck to send it wide. The second would be a lot like the first, with a bad turnover in the Avs end leading to a Sharks goal and a tie game, but the Avs would again rebound with Duchene fending off the defender with one hand and sending a 1 hand pass into the crease where after hitting Winnik's skate Stastny buried it. Winnik's skate was important, because a bit later he would get into a scrap with Clowe, and then before the period was out he would complete the Gordie Howe hattrick with a goal to send the Avs into the third up 4-2. The third however will drive Avs fans to drink as the Sharks came out and controlled much of the play, and it wasn't long, 4:29 to be exact, before the 2 goal lead became a 1 goal deficit, with the Avs shooting themselves in the foot on many of the 5 goals with turnovers in their own end. It was a good 40 minutes minus a few turnovers, and Winnik's "Howe" and Stastny's 2G,1A led the way, but again they failed to finish a full 60 minutes and couldn't get a point out of this one.
The average age of the Avs is 25.6 years old right now, with the team having more players under 21 than over 30. As stated earlier of late their top powerplay unit has featured 4 of 5 players under 21 years of age on it. They currently are the youngest team in the NHL. The Copper and Blue, an Oilers blog, recently commented in an article they wrote how the O'Reilly, Landeskog, Winnik line was one of the best young lines, if not the best, in the NHL. They don't just base things on points but rather quality of competition and possession numbers, and in particular they singled out Landeskog as being a big part of this. http://www.coppernblue.com/2011/12/9/2622159/best-young-line-in-nhl
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