The Week that Was the Avs 12/2-12/8

The Avalanche this week finished their home stand with a couple of wins, taking the last three at home, but then dropped their first two back on the road.  Their record for the week was 2-2, and if they want a chance at playoffs they need to be better and will likely need 2/3 of the points left available to them this season.

 

vs. StLouis : Erik Johnson, still bothered by a groin problem, sat again for this game. Dater reports that the injury, as well as the groin problems the Mueller is having, occurred in the bag skate that the team was put through recently (http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2011/12/02/johnson-out-tonight/8977/). The game against the Blues will mark the first meeting between the teams in Denver since the big trade. The last time they played was in St Louis and EJ had a big goal with the club breaking a late tie and helping the Avs to victory, but as said the Avs won't have him available tonight. Two guys that will be playing are those sent to the Blues. Elliott could help Avs fans get over the loss of Shattenkirk, who is having another strong season in just his second year with 14 points this year. Stewart on the other hand is helping the Avs not regret the trade in another way, by having a rough start to the season after finishing last year extremely well on his new club. Thus far he has just 3 goals and 4 assists for his new club, on pace for less than 30 points. The Blues come in playing great hockey winning most of their games since the coaching change, whereas the Avs are looking to win their first back to back regulation games, or even their first back to back home games, in quite some time ... December 15th, 2010 and January 18th, 2011 respectively. Both teams came out and gave a good effort, though the Blues carried the play a bit more than the Avs early. The curse of the ex-Av struck again first as Shattenkirk, on the St Louis power play which was last in the league at about 8% (and just 1 for their last 46), wristed one on net that beat a screened Varly. However not much later O'Reilly (nicknamed "Radar" by many fans but "Factor" by most, he certainly is "a factor" for the Avalanche every night) would make a great play feeding Hejduk in front to tie it up. That line continues to do great things and having a finisher such as Hejduk on that line is great for the playmaking O'Reilly. Speaking of Hejduk, each game he continues to show smart play all over the ice and great stickhandling, often getting shots off when others would have lost the puck. This game was no different. Late in the third down by 1 after Stewart set up the second Blues goal (believe in the curse of the ex-Av) it would be O'Reilly scoring again to tie up the game at two, and with time expiring he fired a shot on net that bounced off Halak, into the air, off the top of the net and back down where he got another shot off at the buzzer which Halak robbed him on. Overtime would remain scoreless until the last 16 seconds, after another hardworking shift by O'Reilly ends up on a defensemen stick after a rebound. The backhand goes off Halak and behind him and the refs signal goal as Halak sweeps the puck from behind him. The team rushes the ice celebrating but the goal doesn't stand up as Halak clearly in the replay got the puck swept away before it crossed the goalline. We would enter the shootout where Hejduk among others didn't have the strongest attempts, and Varly would show his athletic ability in a couple saves (1 goal on 11 attempts now this year), before the best player of the night would step on the ice. O'Reilly came down the middle, faked shot, and went backhand to score the only goal of the shootout winning the game for the Avs who have won 15 of their last 16 games going to the shootout. The Avs finally have back to back home wins, but they will continue to search for back to back regulation wins. Duchene played a great game and was tied for a game high 6 shots, many of them being quality chances and being robbed by Halak. Both goalies played great games, and Varlamov is really playing well since getting a few games off. He has allowed just 9 goals in the last 5 games. After the game O'Reilly with his 5 points in the last two games took over the team lead in scoring with 19 points. The Power Play which was started the year slow, then caught fire, is again not performing and another night of no PP goals was had. The Penalty Kill on the other hand has turned around, after being horrible the Avs have killed off 32 of 34 including 14 straight coming into the night. Shattenkirk broke that stream, and scored the only PP goal against the Avs other than an empty netter by the Sharks, on the homestand, but the PK still looked good on the night.

vs. Detroit : Av Better Halves selling Christmas trees prior to the game to benefit their non-profit organizations. Kobasew will be out with a "minor" leg injury, but EJ will be back and the Avalanche will be playing with 7 defensemen again. The man to watch as all Avs fans know if they are to beat Detroit isn't one of the big names, but rather "the Mule" who has 20 goals, 6 assists in 26 games against the Avs including playoffs coming in, and this year alone has 4 goals in the two games including both game winners. Early it looked like this was bound to end up a "same old story" type game as Detroit controlled most of the play, including having a short handed break-away off an Elliott turnover which Varlamov was able to turn aside, but eventually the Avs PK allowed a pass through the crease on their own kill, a d-man actually getting enough to put it right on the Mule's stick anyway, and Detroit and the Mule were up 1-0. They would survive the rest of the period though and came out much stronger in the 2nd. Early in a pass from Bertuzzi (still booed every time he touches the puck in Denver and rightfully so) gets lost in the skates of his defenseman and Landeskog takes it away and feeds O'Reilly who continue's his roll. Stastny would later take a puck away from Lindstrom in the crease after a Duchene shot and bury it into an empty net. The Avalanche outshot the Wings 19-4 in the second period and would end the game outshooting Detroit 35-29, also outhitting Detroit 31-9 and having a 17-8 advantage in blocked shots. That wasn't the end of the game by any means, as Detroit would have a good tip in front but a good play by Galiardi getting the puck to Landeskog, who then returned it to Galiardi for a 1 timer short handed put the Avs back up. Varly would have to make a big save late but O'Reilly would seal the game with an empty netter. He now has 7 points and a +7 in the last three games. He also got 1st star honors for the night from NHL.com, the second time this season he has accomplished that feat. Gabriel Landeskog finished with two assists, a +2 rating, a game-high five hits and tied for the game high (also Duchene) with six shots. This is the first time that the Avalanche haven't gotten a point from a defensemen in a game they weren't shut out. The team also lost Stastny late with a torso injury and Avs fans are left hoping it isn't serious. The Avs last 9 games since giving up 6 against Pittsburgh have only given up 17 goals, 2 of those being empty netters. They are still only 5-4 over those 9 games though, having scored 1 or 0 goals in 4 of those games. Also of note is that Mike Chambers after the game on the Post website hinted that Elliott might be getting sent down after playing less than 9 minutes, over a third of that on the PP, and not having the best of nights. Wherever he is the club wants him playing big minutes and 9 minutes as the 7th d isn't what they want for him.

O'Reilly on Monday was named the NHL 2nd star of the week for his 7 points in 4 games (all coming in the last three actually), including 2 points or more in each of those last three and being a catalyst for his team's recent win streak. Also on Monday Paul Stastny was treated for his torso injury and didn't practice with the team. He was said to be day-to-day and it didn't appear serious, and he will make the trip with the team to Vancouver. Mueller won't make the trip with the Avalanche as he is back to being unavailable with a "head injury". Since being acquired by the Avalanche during the season three years ago he has only managed to play in 18 games for the Avalanche, 15 of those coming right after the trade. It appears that what could have been a good career for him may be nearly over already at just 23 years of age.

@ Vancouver : The Avalanche head to Vancouver to face a team they haven't beat in regulation since Craig Anderson shut them out in the Avalanche's second game of the 2009-10 season. Since then Vancouver has gone 10-0-2, and the first meeting of the two this year was a 3-0 win in Denver for the Nucks. Duchene will move back to center for the game, playing between Jones and Galiardi, as Stastny will miss the game with his torso injury despite having skated during the day. The Avs came out strong, and played a good first period but it wasn't a period that went in the Avs favor. Wilson on his first shift was hit from behind by Lapiere (no penalty) and his face went into the boards and he wouldn't return having a head injury. Daniel Sedin would soon score and a bit later Porter gets 5 and the game for a knee on knee hit which he will have a hearing on Thursday and could get a lengthy suspension for, especially where the Nucks will lose Booth for 4-6 weeks after the hit. The second saw the Avs again play well, however they again were unable to score. There was a point where a Landeskog shot rose and Lu, who doesn't wear neck protection, seemed to tilt his head back as the puck came for it. However in doing so he exposed his neck which is where the puck ended up. He would be removed from the game but would finish the night sitting on the bench so it appeared it wasn't too serious. Schneider would finish the rest of the night for the Nucks, and the game would never be in question as the Nucks came out and put up four more on Varlamov, including a Daniel's 5th career hat trick, and the Avs would for the second straight time against Vancouver get shutout despite having a 33-23 shot advantage and 5 power play chances including about a minute of 5-on-3 hockey. Overall just a game to forget for Colorado, and a painful one to watch.

To me it looked as if Porter was coming across for a hit thinking Booth would be higher, but when booth circled lower than expected he made the wrong move and tried to adjust and in doing so stuck the knee out as well. Porter should have let it go there if he couldn't make good body contact, or at least kept the knee in even if it would have only grazed Booth, because his actions were reckless and dangerous and obviously resulted in injury and will likely get 2-3 games suspension. I agreed with the 5 and game, and would not be against the suspension. Sacco thought the call was marginal, and while I could see what Porter was trying it was dangerous. Porter was appologetic after, and felt bad, and his comments about what happened only back what I saw on the ice as far as "intent" goes. In the Post he was quoted as saying "It was just an unfortunate play. I’m trying to do my job, play the body, take the man, and he made a quick move and I kind of held my ground. Like I said, it was an unfortunate play. I hope he’s OK." The penalties were the first committed by Porter this season in his 14th game played. As for the Wilson hit, Sacco believed it should have been a penalty, and many of the Avs did as well with Quincey stating "Lapierre runs Wilson and knocks him out. Something has to happen. You can’t just let him do that, that’s why I (tried to fight him)." That shouldn't be a surprise though that Lapierre when called to answer for something doesn't.

@ Calgary : Needing wins to get back into the playoff picture the Avalanche come in one point behind Calgary, however Calgary has won the last eight meetings between the two and all in regulation. Six of those eight were 1 goal losses, or a goal and empty netter, and in those eight the Avs have scored more than 2 goals a grand total of 1 time. Giguere will get the start in net after coming in for Varly against Vancouver. Neither Stastny nor Wilson practiced in Calgary with the team Wednesday though Stastny skated before the game in an optional team skate, but both were unavailable for the game with Sacco saying that Stastny still has ligament problems in his torso and Wilson is still having vision problems in his right eye. With Stastny out, and Porter likely out, the Wing and top end forward depth, or lack of it, is showing for the Avalanche. The lines in practice leading up to the game saw Jones who is struggling moved to the fourth line with Porter (who will have a hearing before the game) and having Duchene center Galiardi (3 goals, 2 assists) and Yip (no points in 7 games). Hunwick played as well, preparing to either be a 7th d-man or a forward based on the outcome of the late Porter hearing. (This to me is a flawed part of the disciplinary system needing to be fixed. Game was two days prior but yet the hearing isn't the next day but rather mere hours before the next game, leaving the team unsure if a player would be available or not.) The result of the hearing, released to the public just 2 hours before the game, was that Porter would get 4 games despite having no history but for causing injury. My guess is that half the punishment was injury based, but none-the-less this leaves Hunwick to play forward or D based on situation going into the game. In addition to losing Porter for the next four games, before the game it was announced Stastny would be placed on IR retroactive to the 4th, so he'll be out a few games as well. To make up for it Brad Malone was recalled from Lake Erie, however he won't be available until the game against Edmonton.

In the game itself, the Avalanche and the Flames really didn't get a whole lot going, playing a very defensive game. Duchene had the best chance in the first deking Kipper and pulling the puck below the goal then putting it back out front but it rolled off the blade before he could bury it. The second period the Avs started with 5 straight minutes of PK after one carrying over from the first and then a double minor for high sticking just before it ended. Duchene would get redemption and bury his 10th of the year, the first goal scored on the road by the Avs in nearly 200 minutes, and despite being badly outshot went in up 1-0 heading to the 3rd. The third however would see more calls for the Flames (most good but some I question) and just moments after O'Reilly hit the crossbar Galiardi would take another double minor early. Just as with the first I saw no blood even as the cameras followed the Flames player nor did eithe player miss any time, but just as with the first they were given a double minor for reasons I'm not sure of. This time the Avs PK which was good up to then would give up a goal on each of those two and fall behind. Galiardi would make up for his error by getting the game tied back up, but poor coverage a bit later and a strange push across by Giguere who had been great up to that point gave Calgary the lead again. Yip would take another penalty late, giving the flames their 8th power play of the game (14:06 compared to just 1:42 for the Avs), and after killing it off the Avalanche had another great chance as Elliott put the puck on net from the point where Kipper made the save but didn't know where the puck was as it sat on the ice next to him. Had the Avs had a player down low in front of the net it would have easily been a tie game, however no one got to it until everyone had found the puck and the Avs would lose their 9th straight, another 1 goal loss, to the Flames. The team is now 1-8 against their division rivals this year.

Calvin Pickard, known for facing tons of shots, continues to do that this year. As a fan we know he is a workhorse, and has ups and downs, but it would be nice to see him play a stretch of games on a good team to see what he has. Just to give an idea of what I mean, Saturday night against Portland he faced 29 shots ... in ONE period. The team was outshot 60-27, though Pickard was only in net for 45 of those shots against given the rest of the night off after the second period.

The Montreal Gazette recently had an article in response to the Forbes release of team's worths and there was one paragraph that focused on the Avalanche and where they fit into things having the following to say...

"The New Jersey Devils, for example, lose $6.1 million a year on $100 million in revenue. The Colorado Avalanche make a profit of $6.1 million on just $83 million in revenue. The payroll gap between the two teams is only $10 million. So salaries aren’t the only reason Colorado is profitable and New Jersey isn’t."

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Sutcliffe+Economic+indicators+good/5809737/story.html