The Weeks That Were the Avs – 2/24-3/15

Given that I have missed a couple weeks this recap, covering three weeks, has the potential to be fairly lengthy. Because of that I am going to try to keep the individual game recaps a bit shorter where I can. Thus, without further ado here we go…

 

Let's start off with the trades that have been made of late. The first of course was Quincey for Downie, with Quincey then being moved for Detroit's 1st. My gut was that I didn't like this at first but my gut was completely wrong. While the defense hasn't been the most consistant of late the team and Downie have been playing well. He also provides some needed grit. The second trade was that of Galiardi and Winnik to San Jose for McGinn, Connolly and Sgarbossa. Winnik was good on the PK but doesn't do much offensively, and while I really like Galiardi he wasn't doing it in Colorado any more. I didn't know what to think of the trade (and Connolly remains a bit of a mistery still), but wanted to wait and see. I checked out Sgarbossa and found that not only does he have a great name but he's one of the OHL's top scorers despite being undrafted in his draft year. Definitely a good pickup there. McGinn looked a bit out of place in his first game with the team, having learned of the trade while on a flight back to SJ and watching that TSN trade deadline feed (he said the team was watching and saw the Sharks got Galiardi and Winnik and everyone was wondering who was leaving when someone came up the isle and tapped him on the shoulder ... and it was then, flying back, that he found out it was him), but since then has been extremely good for the Avs scoring nearly as much in the handful of games here as he had all season in SJ including 2 multi-goal games (first of his career) and his first Gordie Howe hattrick.

 

@ Columbus : The Avs played a good portion of the first in their own end in this one but it was Jones that would get the goal with less than a minute in the period to put the Avs up. In the second on the only Avs PP the puck would cross the goal line but the ref decided he was going to blow the whistle because he couldn't see it so no goal. Landeskog would give the Avs a two goal lead before the end of the period though. In the third Jones would get his second of the night, and then Downie and Hunwick on a breakaway would both score. Varly played very well in earning the 5-0 shutout.

 

@ Detroit : While Vancouver had ended Detroit's 23 game home winning streak just the game before in the shootout they did let the Wings have a point so coming into the game the Avs had a chance to end the Wings' 24 game home point streak. The game would also be Quincey's first against the Avs since the trade. Early in the game it would be the Avs getting the better of him though as Downie would take the puck behind the net and throw it out front where Landeskog would do the rest of the work and make it 1-0. Not long after with the Wings on a PP Kobasew would lose and edge and slide into Quincey who would fall and lose the puck to Jones who would burn Howard. Landeskog would get his second of the night late in the second. The Wings would get a PP goal in the third but Downie would get the three goal lead back a bit later. The Wings would storm back late getting it back to 4-3 in the last 6 minutes but couldn't get the last one despite a furious finish so their home point streak would end. Landeskog would miss his first career hat trick by less than a second as the backhander from center ice slid over the goal line just a fraction of a second after the buzzer.

 

vs Anaheim : Following the trade of Galiardi and Winnik the Avs had a couple holes in their roster for this game, but fortunately Mueller and Hejduk were both ready to return, but it was newly aquired Downie that would be the one factoring into the scoring on the night. Downie would get things going when he sent a pass across to McLeod who would backhand the puck in the net. Hiller would make a great save on McClemment on a 2-0. Into the second the Avs got a break when Matt Duchene wasn't called for a delay of game as the puck got batted out of play. After a shortened PP the Ducks would get a shortened PP of their own on which Bobby Ryan would put a puck between Varly's legs and tie it. Heading into the third O'Reilly's line would take the ice and Factor himself would get the Avs the lead back with Landy and Downie assisting. Stastny soon after made a great pass over Fowler on a 2-on-1 where Duchene would deflect the puck off the bounce past Hiller. McClemment would finish the scoring and the Avs would move into a tie for 8th with the 4-1 win.

 

vs Columbus : When you're fighting for a playoff spot you have to win against some of the worst teams in the league. You have to take advantage of those "easy" points ... however the Avalanche just weren't able to do that against the Jackets, a team they historically have been very good against. On this night though they just didn't have "it" and came out flat. The Jackets got an early PP goal off a puck that changed direction of EJ's shin and that's all the Jackets would need though they got a second later in the game. Landeskog tried to get the team going as he dropped the gloves for his first NHL fight against Jack Johnson. In the end the Avs would give Steve Mason his first shutout of the year in a 2-0 loss.

 

vs Pittsburgh : This was not a good game for the Avalanche. The game started with some chippiness early, but mid way through the first the Pens would get on the board and less than 2 minutes later would double their lead. The Avs would surrender another goal, then following a PP Richard Park as he exited the penalty box would get a breakaway and just like that it was 4-0 Pens. Hunwick would get another goal but with the goalie pulled down three (what's to lose) the Pens would get another and that would be the end of that one, 5-1 Pens. Rob Blake was honored at the beginning of the night, something that had to be odd at best for Mueller who missed so much time following the hit he received from Blake.

 

@ Minnesota : After having a couple losses in a row the Avs needed a big game. McGinn would get things started early in the game with his first as an Avs. Varly would have a few big saves for the team early as well, and would have more through the game on his way to a 30 save shutout. McGinn would later add a second goal, his first career multi-goal game, later on the power play and that would be the end of the scoring as the Avs would win 2-0. Steve Downie would miss the game with a shoulder injury so Mike Connolly, part of the McGinn trade, would get some time with the Avs in the game also marking his NHL debut. This game also saw Milan Hejduk who is struggling greatly offensively right now start and play much of the game on the fourth line.

 

vs. Minnesota : In a game that turned out to be a blowout things were much closer and much more interesting the first half of the game. The Avs would take an early lead but that would be the end of the scoring for a while, and during that 1-0 stretch a number of key saves from Varlamov would keep the Avs ahead. Things would get chippy from time to time including a near knee-on-knee that Landeskog was barely able to avoid, however he took exception to it and went back at Peters, however EJ got to him first and they went a few rounds before heading to the box. That was the second fight of the night as McGinn got into one earlier in the night as well, an important fact that plays out later. After the first period there were 40 PIMs and 21 shots. The Avs had a few power plays that they were unable to cash in on and it began to feel like one of those games where missed chances would come back to haunt them but mid way through the period on another PP McGinn would re-direct the puck into the net to give the Avs a 2-0 lead. That opened the flood gates and soon Hejda and Olver would add another couple goals. That would be it for Hackett but not for the scoring. The Avs would add three more on the night with McGinn getting the Gordie Howe hatter, but Varly's shutout would be ruined just a few minutes into the third when Setoguchi would get a breakaway and despite missing wide would get a second chance on one of the weakest calls I've seen in some time. He would bury his penalty shot, but in the end it was 7-1 Avs. Downie had a career high 3 assists in the game as 7 different Avs scored and 13 players had at least a point. The big win wasn't without a sour note though as Matt Duchene would skate up ice and as he fumbled with the puck would catch skates with another Wild player and twist his ankle. He went off in pain and later the Avalanche announced he would be expected to miss another 3-4 weeks with the injury.

 

@ Nashville : In a game that could have brought the Avs closer to Nashville the Avs started out right getting a goal just two shifts into the game when Jones would set up McGinn. However two minutes later it would be tied and shortly after that the Preds would take the lead. Later Landy would make one of the very few rookie mistakes he's made the entire season trying to go across the middle in his own zone only to have it deflected and eventually end up in the back of his own net. The Avs didn't do much the entire night, having only 17 shots, but would get another goal from a Mueller feed to Stastny. The team did push near the end and had two shots ring off the crossbar in the last 5 minutes of the game that would have tied it, but in the end with the net empty Nashville would seal things up and the Avs would remain where they were in the standings.

 

vs. Edmonton : In a game that saw the Avs not play well early and Ryan Smyth give Edmonton a lead late in the first it took the Highlander, Cody McLeod, to get the Avs going as he would get his 6th of the year. Mueller would later benefit from a Hejduk chance leaving a rebound and the Avs would carry the lead into the third. Then about half way through the final frame the Avalanche caught a break as what appeared to be a good goal was called off for goalie interference, however the Avs looked to be playing not to lose so of course the Oilers would get a goal to tie it, this one from Hall. The Avs would head to OT and then the shootout where Varly would stop both Oiler's shooters and Hejduk and Mueller would both score on their chances.

 

vs. Anaheim : Having missed the morning skate with the flu, rookie Gabriel Landeskog was a game time decision for the Avs. In the end he would be the game decider as he would end up with the puck in OT and rifle a slapshot past Hiller after Hunwick would make a good play to hold the puck in at the blueline. Landeskog was a presence the entire game, including a huge hit behind the net on Visnovsky, having 4 hits, a blocked shot, and 3 shots himself including the game winner on the night despite being ill. Varlamov was also a difference maker having made 38 saves on the 40 shots he faced, continuing his very strong play of late.

 

@ Buffalo : For the second time in the same week the Avs had the national stage on NBCSports. For the second time they had late game heroics snatch victory from certain defeat. This time the game was nearly over as the Avs had to chase the puck down in their own end with only a dozen seconds left, but Landeskog took the puck and flew down the ice, putting the puck on net where O'Reilly would put it back on net and McGinn would bury his second of the night (and 7th in 8 games with the Avs) with .7 showing on the clock. Varlamov who has repeatedly stated that he hates shootouts and gets nervous before each one was once again stellar stopping all three shooters in sealing the victory. He has now stopped 22 of 24 shooters on the year and is perfect in shootouts at 8-0. Landeskog's PP goal earlier in the game was his 20th tally of the year, leaving now only Carolina without a 20 goal scorer. The win took the Avs from 11th to 7th in the conference until Phoenix won later in the night to push them back to 8th. Also of interest to Avs fans was that Braydon McNabb was on the ice for the Sabres. The significance is that is he is the player that delivered the extremely dirty elbow to the head of Joey Hishon a year ago that has left the Avs top forward prospect and first round draft pick unable to return to the ice due to concussion since that hit. Also on a lighter note, later on O'Brien took to his twitter account to give Landeskog some praise claiming that after that end to end rush he might have to go out and buy the kid's jersey. Found that a bit humorous myself.

 

@ New Jersey : After being reported that Duchene would be out 3-4 weeks due to his ankle injury he instead returned in much less time, choosing to "play with a little pain" and joining the team on the ice in New Jersey. In all honesty other than a grimace at the bench from time to time he looked pretty good out there and skated well. The game was also the last of the Avalanche's 10 back to back games of the year, and it looked at times like they were feeling it after the emotional win in the SO the night before as they seemed to not skate as well during stretches of this one. Midway through the game each team had some golden chances, the Avs getting one first as EJ rushed up the ice and put the puck on the net creating a rebound that Hejduk wasn't able to shoot right away, and as he pulled it off of Brodeur's toe he dragged it right past the open net to the outside of the post. He was then unable to feed McLeod in front of the still open net either. Then the Devils would have their chance in a scramble out front when a puck would get past Giguere, making his first start in a while, but Olver would dive over him and during the dive fire the puck away from the crease before Josaffsen (sp?) of the Devils could bury the puck into the open net. Hunwick who has been playing fairly well of late made a couple good plays as well, first using his body to seperate a Devil from the puck then as Josaffsen was about to wrap the puck into an open net Hunwick used good stickwork to tie him up and the puck slid out front instead. There wouldn't be much happening in the third and the best chance in OT was for the Avs as Hunwick put the puck on net and created a rebound which he dug out from under Brodeur before he could pounce on it and the Avs were in good position to win with the Devils' goalie laying on the ice, however the ref must have thought Brodeur had gotten the puck because the whistle blew. It would go to the shootout where Giguere just doesn't have the same athleticism of Varly and it was apparant as both Devils shooters scored and Hejduk first hit a post then Mueller was stopped. The game was the 8th time the Avs have been shutout this year. Giguere was solid and instrumental in getting the Avs at least a point to keep them fighting for playoff position, however they had more games played than every other Western Conference team after this one and that will work against them. Some teams still have 2 or 3 games in hand on them in fact, however for the time being they are still in that 8th spot.

 

Per Jibblescribbits tweet, teams in those 8-11 spots since March 3rd are currently 15-4-5 which is why it has been so hard for any team to truly gain any ground on the others.

 

 

Jamie McGinn, has seemed to find his offense in Colorado.  In his 204 games with the Sharks he had 5 multi-point games.  In 9 thus far with Colorado he already has 4 along with having his first and second two-goal games and his first Gordie Howe hattrick.

 

The Avs are 12-4-1 against the Eastern Conference this year. In their own division they are 6-13-1, and it is the only division they aren't equal to or better than .500 against this year (and the division they are .500 W-L against they still have more than 50% points from OT/SO losses). Two of their last four games are against the Canucks who they are 0-3-1 against and have been outscored 15-3 being shut out twice in those 4 games.

During the game against Anaheim Gabriel Landeskog found himself holder of another record, this one for most shots by a rookie in Quebec/Colorado history. Having passed Paul Stastny for the Avs record earlier in the year he past Peter Stastny for the franchise record who had 232 in his rookie year in 1980-81. Landeskog was also named rookie of the month for February having 7 goals and 6 assists in 12 games.

 

Excluding the Buffalo and NJ games (as I didn't rework the numbers), Varlamov has had a 10-7-1 record with a 2.01 GAA and .932 SV% in the 2012 calander year. This is much more like the goalie the Avs wanted and fans needed to see after giving up a first and second for him than the first half of the season was where he was 12-13-1 with a GAA of 3.05 and a SV% of .897 through 12/31.

 

Following the game against the Sabres, Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy) claimed that Landeskog had just sealed the Calder up in his eyes. He admits that if it weren't for the injury RNH would likely run away with the award, however states that how Landeskog is finishing the season and having those big moments for the Avs will clinch the award for him. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/just-hand-calder-trophy-gabriel-landeskog-already-151401940.html

 

There are a lot of Peter Forsberg comparisons being thrown around when it comes to Landeskog, and not just by the fans. On the recent NBC broadcasts it came up a number of times, and Giguere also commented on it lately stating "You see it. You see that he's hungry for the net. You see that he's going to be..." then after a pause "He reminds me a lot of a guy like Peter Forsberg."

 

Landeskog for Calder:

- He's finishing the season strong having 24 points in 25 games since the All-Star break and playing big in important games that the Avs need to make the playoffs.

- Leads all Rookies in Points (46-Tied with Henrique), Goals (20), Shots (next player has 82 shots LESS), Take Aways and is tied for 2nd in GWG

- 2nd in Hits with 198, (Montreal Defenseman Alexei Emelin is first with 215) and 2nd in PP goals (5)

- 3rd in Blocked Shots among forwards with 48, behind Matt Read (52) and Adam Henrique (50)

- 2nd in +/- for rookies at +19 (Hagelin +23). Next Avs is at +14 (Ryan Wilson) and next Avs forward is at +4 (McGinn).

- Tied for 2nd on the team in points, 1st in goals, 1st in GWG, 1st in hits, leading forward in blocked shots, 2nd in takeaways and plays in all situations every game (3rd in TOI/G for forwards behind O'Reilly and Stastny)

 

Michael Sgarbossa, a part of the McGinn trade, was the OHL player of the month in February. At this point in the season he is the OHL scoring leader and looks to be a very good prospect and good pickup for an Avs team without a lot of high end talented forward prospects in the system. In 63 games he has 44 goals and 54 assists for 98 points.

 

Recent Avalanche events:

- Colorado Avalanche Charity Brunch & Fashion Show : This annual event also included a silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind gift baskets filled with Avalanche players’ “favorite things” and a buffet brunch served by Avalanche players and coaches. The day’s highlight was the fashion show pairing Avalanche players and coaches with special Ambassadors from The Children’s Hospital. Since 1997, the Colorado Avalanche Charity Brunch alone has raised over $900,000 for local children’s charities, this one raising over $75,000 itself. Since moving to Denver the team has donated nearly $12 Million to charities in the area promoting family and children welfare.

 

- Mile High Dreams Gala : On February 28th, guests of the annual event got to mix and mingle with players, coaches, alumni, dancers and mascots from the Nuggets, Avalanche, Mammoth and Rapids. Funkiphino provided live jazz throughout the evening while guests sampled food from Coaches Scoop Frozen Desserts, Denver ChopHouse, d Bar Desserts, Elway's Cherry Creek, Hacienda Colorado, Jing, Levy Restaurants, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Rockabillies, and Texas de Brazil. Proceeds from A Toast to our Teams benefit Kroenke Sports Charities.