Avalanche Top Lightning, Win 2-1

I finally got my TV back today. Not in time to catch the whole game - of course - but I did see OT and the shootout.

Hejduk "scores"
The Hejduk "goal" was controversial but by the letter of the law, Mike Smith threw his stick. Just because the stick didn't come into play as part of the save has no bearing on the situation.

And for the Tampa announcers, the stick was most definitely out of Smith's hand before the save was made. Saying it wasn't out of his hands over and over again doesn't make it so.

It's a tough call but I'm going to agree with it while wearing my burgundy-tinted glasses.

Rayzor robs 'em
As for Andrew Raycroft's showboat at the end...I loved it.

I usually don't like that sort of play but the mood I'm in today, it struck the right chord for me.

Avalanche Stifle Lightning, Win 4-3

(Associated Press)

The Avalanche scored three late first period goals en route to a 4-3 win against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.

Recap
Jordan Leopold opened the scoring on the powerplay at the 15:20 mark. Leopold came in from the point, took a nice feed from Marek Svatos and made a nice forehand-backhand move to put it past Olaf Kolzig.

A mere two minutes later, Marek Svatos again found himself working hard in tight and he managed to get the puck over to Wojtek Wolski who notched his first goal of the game. It was nice to see the 6'3 Wolski charging the net.

And apparently it felt good for Wolski too as barely 30 seconds later he drove hard to the net and managed to get a hold of his own rebound for his second goal of the game and third in his last four games.

That was all she wrote for Olaf Kolzig as Mike Smith came in to start the second period and did an excellent job in relief stopping 20 of 21 shots.

His only mistake was giving the puck away to David Jones who went into Datsyuk mode as he grabbed the puck, skated around one defender, then went forehand-backhand on a sprawling Mike Smith to make it 4-1. I hope any lingering Wings fans just threw up in their mouth on a comparison of Jones to Datsyuk. Because it's the only reason I said it.

The Jones goal proved to be huge as the Avalanche took a couple penalties which let the Lightning get right back in the game.

Ryan Malone and Steven Stamkos scored on back-to-back powerplays to bring the score to 4-3. And the cold sweats started flowing.

But the Avalanche were able to stifle the final onslaught and walk away with the W.

Half and half
With that win, the Avalanche pull within one win of .500 hockey. Yes we can! Yes we can!

It's disheartening to be aiming to play above .500 rather than aiming for the division title. But it's still early in the season. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Break out of the breakout funk
Early in the game, I found myself banging my head against the wall. Then I decided to stop that and watch the game for a while.

Ok, I was banging my head because once again the Avalanche were collapsing against each other as they broke out of the zone.

At one point Ryan Smyth skated from the left boards to the right boards as Milan Hejduk was breaking out of the zone. It honestly looked like Smyth for a second had forgotten what team he played for and was actually trying to get the puck away from Hejduk. It was baffling.

Thankfully as the game wore on, the team started to realize how much more effective you can be if you spread out on the rush.

Hopefully one of the coaches took notes and will try and implement that style of play. It would go perfectly with a "run-and-gun" offense, don't you think?

Lines
Smyth-Stastny-Hejduk
Wolski-Arnason-Svatos
Willsie-Hensick-Laperriere
Jones-McCormick-Mcleod

The Arnason line was far and away the best line of the night. And yes, it feels weird typing that. But how can you argue with two goals, five assists and a combined +6?

Ian Laperriere saw his ice-time increase to 18:42 tonight. He even saw 30 seconds on the powerplay though I dont' recall seeing him out there. I'm still watching from my Slingbox feed which makes it really hard to see numbers on the ice. Oh how I miss my TV.

Even though they played limited minutes, the new Cody McJones line played very well. Jones really seemed to up his physicality and effort tonight and was rewarded with a goal. Hopefully he sees the cause-effect line there.

Highlights
Brett Clark blocked nine blocked shots on the night which was 50% more than the entire Lightning squad.

John-Michael Liles returned from the flu but played limited minutes - 16:12 - and wasn't very noticeable.

Cody Mcleod pounded on Steve Downie in the third and I loved every minute of it. Except when Downie punched Mcleod after they had gone to the ice. But hey, what else can you expect from Downie?

Ruslan Salei had four shots on goal as he continues to up his play over the last few games. He's making me look like less of a fool for predicting he would be the Avs best defenseman.

Paul Stastny wore the "A" tonight but it must have weighed a lot as he didn't look to have much jump in his step. He had enough less after he took a shot to the leg and briefly went to the dressing room.

It was Raycroft's third win of the year which surpassed his season total in Toronto last year.

Up Next
It's off to Minnesota to take on the Wild on Monday as part of a three-game road trip. It will be the second meeting between the two teams. And the second chance for fans to shake their heads at management for letting Andrew Brunette go the way they did.

The game will be televised on TSN2 and Versus.

Related Links
NHL.com Event Summary
MHH Recap
Denver Post Recap
Rocky Mountain News Recap
AD's Post-game Thoughts

Avalanche vs Lightning, Game 23 Preview

I really don't know how to explain it, but I've got a good feeling about tonight's game.

Joe Sakic is out, Adam Foote is on the IR, Raycroft is in goal and yet here I sit, optimistic.

Maybe it's the country air reinvigorating me. Or maybe it was that hit I took earlier (kidding). Or maybe, just maybe, my subconscious is protecting me from an awful truth.

No matter the reason, I'm willing to accept it.

I'm not about to have a beautiful late November day ruined by fretting over whether the Avalanche will actually show up tonight.

I'm not going to care that the nagging doubts I had deep down inside me to start this season are saying "I told you so!"

I'm going to forget that the Avalanche are barely better than Dallas right now.

Or that the offense can't find the back of the net.

And who gives a crap that clearing the puck is near non-existent skill on the team.

And so what if the coach seems to think the team is playing well when they obviously aren't. Big frikkin' deal.

Whoopty-friggin-do that this team looks like the worst Avalanche squad in history.

Shit, see what happens when I start writing?

Cognitive dissonance slowly dissolves away and I'm left exasperated and hoping that Francois Giguere is not dense enough to think that the only reason this team is struggling is due to Sakic being injured.

Anyways, the puck drops at 9:00 ET. But if a puck drops on the ice and nobody gives a crap, does it make a sound?

Related Links
Sakic out indefinitely, Foote on IR, MacKenzie recalled
Avalanche report: Budaj chasing 70

Avalanche Bottle Up Lightning

(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

The Avalanche their first shutout of the season in a game that almost put me to sleep. I thought this game would possibly have some high-flying action from both sides but scoring chances were few and far between tonight.

Both teams put up a decent amount of shots, particularly Tampa in the final period, but there was no real zip to this game. No punch. No pizzazz. No "Je ne sais quoi." They just couldn't pull me in and get me excited.

Fisticuffs
The game got off to a bang as Cody McLeod tangled with Kyle Wanvig followed up seconds later with Ian Laperriere facing off against Shane O'Brien. After the wrestling match where O'Brien landed one punch, he did the ol' gunslinger bit made famous by Tie Domi.

Psst, Mr. O'Brien, you landed one punch against a middleweight fighter. You didn't exactly take down Bob Probert or anything.

Paint Drying
The next note I wrote down was "BORING" followed by "Why did they change lines to get Arnason on vs Lecavalier?" Yes, it was that exciting.

Offense
The Avalanche broke through in the second with a couple power play goals. In a shocking twist, running counter to all known laws of the universe, both goals were the results of shots from the point. I'm just...my mind is boggled. First Jeff Finger blasts one right past Ramo and then Stastny banged home a rebound off a Brett Clark shot.

I wonder if they should maybe take shots from the point more often? I mean, I know it seems crazy but it appears to work for some bizarre reason so they might as well stick with it.

Milan Hejduk sealed it with an empty netter late in the third and then the most exciting part of the game started.

Goaltending
"Will he get the shutout?" became the name of the game. You could see it in the way the Avalanche players defended their own zone. Very tentative to make sure they didn't make a mistake, no trying to rush out of the zone risking giving up an odd-man rush.

It all worked out in the end as, even with the Lightning peppering him for 22 shots in the final frame, Jose Theodore got the Avalanche their first shutout of the season and his first since February of 2004. That's a long time to go without a goose egg!

Lines
Brunette-Stastny-Hejduk
Wolski-Arnason-Svatos
McCormick-Guite-Laperriere
McLeod-Hlinka-Parker

Not much different this game other than Brunette starting on the top line rather than ending the game on it. Hlinka was again stuck on the 4th line with Parker and McLeod but he had shifts with other linemates throughout the game.

Notes
- Cody McLeod had Jan Hlavac lined up for a punishing hit but Hlavac fell and McLeod let up (were you watching Mr. Clark?)
- Tortorrella burned his timeout late in the 1st as he was obviously unimpressed with Tampa's efforts
- was it just me or did it seem like nobody - players and fans alike - cared about this game?
- the Flames and Canucks lost tonight with Edmonton likely to go down to the Kings
- and the Wings got smoked 5-1 by Atlanta
- in Detroit

Related Links
ColoradoAvalanche.com Recap
Denver Post Recap
In the Cheap Seats Recap
Jibblescribbits Recap
Bolts Blog Recap

Gameday: Avalanche @ Lightning

It's another clash of elemental forces as the Avalanche slide into Tampa Bay to take on the Lightning. This will conclude the Avalanche's 5-game road trip which included 4 games against Southeast division opponents.

The Avalanche are sitting at .500 on this trip and a win tonight would vault this into their most successful road campaign of the season. It would also be their first 3-game winning streak on the road. Dare we dream?

Starting Goaltender
Jose Theodore gets the start in net tonight coming off a couple less than stellar performances against the Hurricanes and Panthers. Is he starting to solidify himself as the starter in Colorado?

Adrian Dater thinks that's the case but does mention Q's proclivities at changing goaltenders on a whim. There is also the possibility that his recent rash of starts is to showcase him for a possible trade.

It doesn't necessarily mean that a trade is in place, but it could be a precursor to trying to ship him out rather than just letting him walk at the end of the season.

Theodore's Contract
And speaking of letting Theodore walk, in Dater's recent All Things Avs post, he raised the question of whether Jose Theodore should be re-signed at the end of the season.

Well, unless it's a 1-year contract for less than $1M, then I hope not. I wish Theodore all the best but he's brought nothing to the Avalanche in his tenure here and it's time to move on.
EDIT: Of course if he were to lead the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup, I'd consider going as high as $1.5M.

Of course, the Avalanche would then need to secure another goaltender to compliment - or even supplant - Peter Budaj. But that's for another day. Tonight, there's hockey to be played!

The puck drops at 7:38 ET and it should be a fun game to watch. Vinny L is always a treat and the freshly awakened Avalanche offense should be able to blast the Lightning for at least 3 goals.

Related Links
Theodore starting to put stamp on net
Forsberg to attempt return in February?
Healthy Svatos a goal-scoring machine