Avalanche vs Predators Game Preview

Once again, I'm late.

And I don't even have a decent excuse other than a mild case of burnout.

In the time since my last post, we learned that Paul Stastny is about to have surgery on his broken forearm, Cody McCormick has been playing with a hairline fracture in his foot, Claude Lemieux has signed with the Sharks and I'm getting a bit curmudgeony.

I'll respond in order: Sigh, Of course, Good grief and Yeah, a little bit.

I just didn't have the energy not to be curmudgeony and the Avs beating the Wings twice gave me the perfect outlet.

But then I became like them. And I didn't like it.

So although I will still take an extra bit of pleasure in beating the Wings, I'll make sure I don't let the dark side seep in to my thoughts. Much.

But enough about that, there's a game tonight! In two hours!

The Avalanche have a chance for a three-game homestand sweep as they take on the Nashville Predators.

The Predators are fresh off a 5-2 loss to the Oilers last night so the Avs need to take it to them early and often.

Though I will be watching the game, I might take the analytical hat off tonight and forego a full recap.

If anyone wants to submit one in my place, feel free ;)

Avalanche Pounced by Predators, Lose 3-2

I only caught the first half of the first period so I have no useful observations on the Avs loss to the Preds last night.

Instead, I'll leave the recap up to Forechecker who has done the first ever hockey recap in verse. 

Preds make merry on home ice

Related Links

MHH Game Recap

Avalanche @ Predators, Game 25 Preview

The Avalanche are in Nashville tonight to take on the Predators and my current mood is somber.

The Avalanche are on a two-game winning streak, have scored 10 goals in those two games and shut out the Predators the last time the two met. So why the sour face?

Well, Joe Sakic being sidelined for at least six more weeks doesn't help but it wasn't shocking news by any means.

I guess you could say I've just got "one of those feelings" about tonight. And I hope I'm wrong.

Starting Goaltenders
Peter Budaj will be in net for the Avs and will face down Pekka Rinne at the other end.

Apparently Rinne gets the start due to an informal rule the Preds have of giving a goaltender who earned a shutout - 2-0 over the Sabres Monday- the start in the next game.

Budaj earned a shutout last time the two met so really, can we expect anything less this game?

Scouting
Look out for Shea Weber who is currently a shoo-in for the Norris Trophy IMHO. He leads all defenders with 10 goals, 13 assists, has a +12 rating and plays just over 24 minutes per game.

Does anyone have another candidate who can beat that? And please don't say Dion Phaneuf. Weber has surpassed Phaneuf as a the premiere young defender in the league.

UPDATE: I was perusing other stats and noticed a huge difference between the two. Weber has 3 giveaways on the season. Phaneuf? 28. I don't regard RTSS stats as 100% accurate but that's a large enough difference that you can't attribute it to bias.

In good news, the Predators are cellar-dwellars (27th) on the PP so hopefully the Avalanche won't get shelled like they did against the Wild while down a man.

Injuries
Sakic, Adam Foote, Ben Guite and Darcy Tucker all remain out. That means the lines should remain as they were last game which is a good thing.

Steve Sullivan is the lone injury for the Preds as he remains out following back surgery.

Game time
The game starts at 8:00 ET, 6:00 MT.

Related Links
ColoradoAvalanche.com Game Preview

Avalanche Snap Skid, Down Predators 1-0

It's ok, you can say it now. You know you want to. Still superstitious? Ok, I'll do it for you....SHUTOUT!

Peter Budaj backstopped the team to its first shutout of the year and the Avalanche broke a 5-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over the visiting Nashville Predators.

I'll have a bit more to say tomorrow morning but here's some quick thoughts:
- T.J. Hensick is here to stay
- Tyler Arnason's new home is in the press box
- Budaj was lights out and looked like the 15-2 Budaj from 2 years back
- Joe Sakic left after the first period due to a stiff back
- Darcy Tucker scored his 200th career goal
- But I'm still pissed at his low-bridge on Schultz
- But I'll still take the goal
- Does that make me a hypocrite?

Gameday: Avalanche vs Predators

The Avalanche were shut out early in the year by the Nashville Predators but went on to record two straight wins in a home-and-home series mid-December. Will the injury-decimated Avalanche be able to keep up their winning ways tonight?

First...for a moment
With their win against the Blue Jackets on Sunday the Avalanche claimed first place in the tight Northwest division, if only for a moment. Last night the Wild beat the Canucks and leapfrogged over the Avalanche.

And with Minnesota facing Calgary tonight, the Avalanche could fall to 3rd place if the Flames get a point in their contest and the Avalanche come up empty handed.

Young Guns Creating Energy
The Avalanche were forced to recall quite a few players from Lake Erie this year thanks to injuries to key players. And thankfully the call ups have responded in spades with a gritty, energetic style of play while also contributing on the scoreboard.

Cody McLeod has notched 3 goals and 1 assist while also dropping the mitts 5 times. Sure, he doesn't have any overwhelming victories but I'm sure Lappy views him as a welcome relief in the exclusive Fight Club.

The latest call up, David Jones, grabbed an assist in his first game with the big club and put in a solid outing. I love seeing players finish their checks and Jones has no qualms about doing so.

Theodore Securing the Pipes
Jose Theodore gets his ninth straight start in goal tonight as he's put on the best run he's had since joining the Colorado Avalanche.

Theodore is 5-2-1 in his last 8 with a 1.59 GAA and .941 save percentage. Those are some solid numbers and it's nice to feel some security in goal - at least for the time being.

Defense Stepping Up
It would be remiss to say that Theodore has been the sole reason for the teams recent streak. The defense has also stepped up and put in solid efforts to help Theodore. Whether it's in not turning over the puck in the defensive zone, actually clearing the puck out of the defensive zone or just blocking the right shots, they've been there when necessary and again, it's nice to see.

Jeff Finger has been the most noticeable in terms of stepping up his play. Last game he scored the opening goal, put in 24:51 in ice time and ended the night at +2 leading him to be named the first star of the game.

The Opponent
The Predators are on a streak of their own as they have a 6-2-2 record in their last 10. They opened the season with a bang but trailed off quickly. They appear to have exploded again and are now just 3 points out of a playoff spot.

With the revitalized play of Chris Mason and a streaking offense, the Predators are still a threat on any given night. It's too bad that not enough people in Nashville really seem to care.

Game Time
The puck drops at 9:08 ET.

Related Links
ColoradoAvalanche.com Preview
TSN Gameday
Colorado Avalanche Farm Report
Jones Reflects on First NHL Point

Avalanche Power Past Predators 3-1

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

The Avalanche made it a clean sweep of their home-and-home series against Nashville last night with a solid 3-1 victory at the Pepsi Center. Anchored by the solid goaltending of Peter Budaj, the defense managed to put in another solid effort while the offense made sure to cash in on their opportunities.

After a first period which saw no goals but a ton of pressure from the Preds, the teams exploded for 3 goals in the second period. Paul Stastny opened the scoring with a beautiful quick out play which Ryan Smyth read beautifully and delivered a perfect pass for a one-timer. Marek Svatos then gave the Avalanche a 2-0 lead as he followed up on his own rebound to put it past Mason. Two things to learn from that goal. When you throw things at the net, good things can happen and you should never, ever give up on a play.

Before the period was out Nashville was able to pull within one as Martin Gelinas tracked down the puck in a crease scramble and cut the lead in half. Taking a 2-1 lead into the 3rd while on home ice still had me feeling pretty good about this game.

Then midway through the 3rd period, Jordan Leopold sealed the deal with a hard point shot. Man I love saying that. A hard point shot. That goal was made possible by some hard work and puck retention by Wojtek Wolski and Andrew Brunette.

It was another game where the Avalanche managed to keep themselves out of the penalty box for the most part. They only took 2 minors in the whole game with both being in the first period. The only other penalty was a fighting major on Lappy as he went postal on Vernon Fiddler. It took him a whole length of ice to convince Fiddler to drop the gloves and Fiddler regretted it immediately. I didn't catch what set Laperriere off but maybe he just felt like fighting.

John Liles had a scary moment in the first when he and Brunette collided on the ice and Liles leg got tweaked. He had trouble getting off the ice and I was ready to mark him out for the game but he was back on the ice not long after. Of course that caused McNabb and Haynes to proceed to tell us just how well conditioned these athletes are, that a normal man would have broken his leg in 8 places on that play and that Liles contracted and overcame mononucleosis just that very morning.

As well as Budaj played, I still give the save of the game to Chris Mason. He had just begun going post to post on a cross-ice Avalanche feed when Greg Zanon got a stick on the puck and it was headed the opposite direction Mason was. However he alertly flashed out the leather and snagged the puck. You've gotta love seeing that save.

Lines
Smyth-Stastny-Hejduk
Wolski-Hlinka-Brunette
McCormick-Guite-Laperriere
X-Hensick-Svatos

Stats
The RPM line continues to carry this team as they logged an average of 21 minutes each with Smyth leading the way with 21:36.

The third/fourth line wasn't too far behind as they logged huge minutes. McCormick had 16:49, Lappy had 17:47 and Guite had 18:55. That's got to be season highs for all 3 of those players and it's a classic example of hard work being rewarded.

T.J. Hensick and Marek Svatos saw minimal ice-time again with just 7:26 and 7:30 respectively.

The D were spread out more evenly while still giving Leopold limited time out there. Clark led the way with nearly 21 minutes, Cumiskey and Finger were the low end of the regulars with 14:03 and 14:55 and Leopold had just 10:55 on the night.

The Predators badly outhit the Avalanche by a 22-9 margin. But again, it didn't shut the Avalanche down as that style of play has in the past. Cody McCormick led the way for the Avs with 3 hits.

Hlinka may be a natural center but his faceoff stats were brutal last night going just 3 for 11. Paul Stastny had a solid night winning 12 of 21 while Scott Nichol schooled everybody with 9 wins out of 12 draws.

Notes
- Shea Weber is a non-dirty version of Phaneuf with a bit less offensive upside
- Brett Clark had some key shot blocks that took guts to perform
- where's the potent Alexander Radulov from last years playoffs?
- Karlis Skrastins must have been a swimmer before becoming a defenceman
- Peter Budaj was a non-rebound machine tonight

Related Links
NHL.com Event Summary
ColoradoAvalanche.com Recap
TSN.ca Recap

Gameday: Avalanche vs Predators

It's Saturday and it's time for some hockey! I'm not a morning person at all but waking up on a nice winter morning with just a bit of snow on the ground and a slight chill in the air (it's only -12°C today) puts me in a good mood. Of course there's the general Christmas cheer in the air these days as well.

But enough sappy junk, let's get down to tonight's game against the Nashville Predators. After a near-shutout victory over the Predators on Thursday, the Avalanche will look to make it a clean sweep of this home and home matchup against the Preds.

Thursday saw a solid performance from all sides for the Avalanche. The offense, while not generating a lot of goals, was still there getting chances, the defense was solid under the pressure Nashville was putting on them and Peter Budaj stood tall in goal when he needed to.

"I thought it was a very complete game," Colorado coach Joel Quenneville said about the win.

In regards to Budaj, "He was very competitive. It is nice to see him get a win." said Quenneville. Competitive. That's definitely one word to describe the difference between Theodore and Budaj's play.

With Joe Sakic still out nursing a groin injury, Ryan Smyth has stepped up to help lead the club, tallying 8 points in the last 5 games. Tyler Arnason is still having wrist troubles and is not going to play tonight either. I'm not happy he's hurt but I am glad he's out of the lineup for a couple games. Kurt Sauer is still out with a neck injury.

I haven't seen any mention of going with 7 D again tonight or not. It worked last game but I wouldn't be surprised to see Hensick back in with one of the D being a healthy scratch. It would likely be Liles or Cumiskey at this point. Skrastins still hasn't impressed me much this season but as DD points out in his recap, Skrastins ice-time has been increasing so it's unlikely that he would sit.

Oh, and Budaj is probably starting though it's not official as far as I know. Hell, Budaj and Theodore probably don't even know yet.

Related Links
ColoradoAvalanche.com Preview
Avalanche Visit Children's Hospital

Avalanche Dump Predators 2-1

(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

The Avalanche got their fifth road win of the season with a 2-1 defeat over the Nashville Predators. It was nearly a perfect performance from Peter Budaj but Alexander Radulov was able to beat him with just 20 seconds left in the game.

The Avalanche needed some solid goaltending tonight and they got it from Peter Budaj. He was calm and collected all night and was able to stay composed even while scrambling in the crease to locate the puck.

He had to do that on a few occasions as the Predators were really putting pressure on the Avalanche for most of the night. They spent a lot of time passing the puck in the offensive zone though the Avalanche defenders did well in keeping the Predators mostly to the outside.

Ryan Smyth opened up the scoring midway through the third period as he fired a shot from the wing that got past Mason. Earlier in the game Smyth had taken a harmless shot from the wing and I thought "Man, knock it off. You're not going to score from there." He must have heard me and decided to prove me wrong!

Ian Laperriere then scored the eventual game winner as he returned to the lineup from a knee injury. Jaroslav Hlinka demonstrated ultimate patience with the puck as he circled the net then fed a perfect pass to Laperriere who was right on the doorstep. That's where you need to be to score goals. Nobody was happier than Laperriere as he had joked with Mike Haynes in pre-game about how his return would provide an offensive boost to the club.

Lappy skated on the "4th line" with Guite and McCormick. I put "4th line" in quotes as it was really the third line tonight as the Avs went with 7 D and 11 forwards. Ryan Smyth was double-shifted with Marek Svatos and Brad Richardson to form a makeshift line from time to time.

Scott Hannan pulled in monster minutes with 27:52 in ice-time tonight. Ryan Smyth was just behind him with 26:09 thanks to the aforementioned double-shifting. Marek Svatos saw a lowly 6:50 in ice-time. It's not that he's not trying when he's out there. It's just that he hasn't been terribly effective.

Tyler Arnason sat out the game but it was supposedly due to a hand injury rather than being a healthy scratch. Jordan Leopold also made his return and looked ok in just over 9 minutes on the ice.

Coach Q was seen smiling behind the bench shortly before the buzzer. I'm guessing it's because he was able to keep his job for one more day.

So now it's back to Denver for a game on Saturday against...the Nashville Predators. Gotta love the schedule.

Related Links
NHL.com Event Summary
In the Cheap Seats Game Recap
ColoradoAvalanche.com Game Recap

Gameday: Avalanche @ Predators

The road trip continues as the Avalanche are in Nashville tonight to play the Predators. Coming off a loss against Columbus last night, I can only hope the team is fired up enough to put in a solid performance and grind out just their 5th road win of the year.

Not that last night was a terrible performance by the team. It was actually a fun game to watch with some good end-to-end rushes and some solid defensive play. Unfortunately Theodore let in some softies that changed the tide of the game in the wrong way.

I'd expect Peter Budaj to start tonight though I haven't seen any official mention of it. DD has a good open letter to Joel Quenneville as part of his recap from last night. I think it's safe to say he speaks for 100% of true Avalanche fans at this point.

Joe Sakic didn't make the trip but is still expected to hit the ice this week. Ian Laperriere and Jordan Leopold are both probables to be in the lineup tonight. Sakic was moved to the IR list to make way for Leopold's return so I'd say there's a really good chance of seeing him play tonight.
I'm curious to see who Quenneville picks as the scratches tonight if both those players are in. If I had my way I'd go with Skrastins and Arnason. Of course it wouldn't surprise me to see Hensick sit out as his ice-time has been pretty low lately.

With a Vancouver win last night against Anaheim, the Avalanche have 33 points and are now 4 points back of 1st in the NW with one game in hand. However they are currently out of a playoff position, though only by 1 point. There are actually four teams at 34 points right now so things are pretty clogged up in the West.

I remember running into Tim Cheveldae at a Blades game early in the season and I asked him what his thoughts were on the Avalanche. The response was "They'll make the playoffs with consistent goaltending."

Not spectacular or superb. Just consistent. This season reminds me so much of last season that I wonder if it won't end in disappointment this year as well.

Related Links
Offense Goes into Deep Freeze
Dater's Latest Mailbag

Game Review: Avalanche 0 - Predators 4

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Well, it was not the game that fans were hoping for, that's for sure. After taking it to the Stars with some excellent offensive flair and solid defence, the Avalanche had it dealt right back to them by the Nashville Predators.

Continue on for all the gory details.

First Period
It was a rough start for the Avalanche as the Predators were all over them for the first minute. They were able to weather the storm without significant damage but it was a sign of things to come.

Just over 3 minutes in, J.M. Liles took an interference penalty and the team paid for it. Arnott set up in his usual spot just above the circle on the left side. And sure enough Zidlicky fed him one that Budaj couldn't quite hang on to and it was an early 1-0 lead.

Chris Mason then took over for the Predators as he made some excellent saves to preserve the 1-0 lead. So far, it looks like the Predators made the right call in shipping Vokoun off to Florida.

With just over 5 minutes left to play, Jason Arnott cashed in again. He came idling down the left-side - surprise! - and took a cross-crease feed from J.P. Dumont to bury it. Budaj had no chance on this one. Hannan, on the other hand, looked directly at Arnott but then looked away to locate the puck. In that time, the puck slid right through his legs to the waiting Arnott. Hannan knew darn well that he should have taken position on his man rather than sweeping for the puck.

Brunette had a glorious chance towards the end of the first but the shaft of his stick snapped and Mason made an easy save on the dribbling puck. The announcers felt it time to mention how Brunette must have been the Maytag man because nobody was near him in the slot. If you know what means, please enlighten me.

The Avalanche had a powerplay chance with 3 minutes left but generated no chances. Liles even had the audacity to ice the puck under no pressure. That's not the sign of a powerplay quarterback and I bet he heard it from the coaching staff when he got back to the bench.

Second Period
The second period started off even worse than the first as Dan Hamhuis buried another cross-crease feed at the 1:45 mark. On this one, I wasn't really sure why Budaj waited so long to kick his right pad out. I even replayed it with my awesome new PVR and couldn't find the answer. He needed to steal that goal to keep the game from running away. In his defense though, Hamhuis was wide open with all 5 Avalanche defenders playing deep on the right side.

Lappy then decided to try and spark the team a bit as he scrapped with Tootoo. I'd give the decision to Tootoo but not by much. And unfortunately it was all for naught as the team continued to play with little drive and passion.

Scott Hannan continued with some mediocre play as he got burned on the outside by Erat and and continued to look unsure of himself all night. It may be a chemistry issue with Clark, but that's not the only issue. I'll still give him some time to adjust - like, say, 3 more games - before I start to harp on him.

Erat then barreled into Clark from behind on a chase in the corner. There was no penalty called but I would have liked to see one. Clark had his back to Erat the whole way in and Erat put his fist into Clark's neck and drove him into the boards. It wasn't particularly vicious but if the NHL is serious about protecting players, it needs to be called.

Third Period
This was hard to do as I had badminton coming up shortly and was torn between finishing the game or going early and hammering some birdies. I went with a split and left with 5 minutes to go and then watched the rest from my PVR. Did I mention I love my PVR? Because I do. So much that I watched the last 5 minutes of this horrendous game because I could.

The Avs again gave up a goal within the first 5 minutes of a period as J.P Dumont tipped home a Greg Devries point shot. I never fault a goaltender for a tipped shot getting past them but this was the final straw for Budaj's night.

Tyler Weiman came in to relieve Budaj from the shellacking. And the Nashville announcers didn't even notice. It was about 5 minutes of hearing "And Budaj makes the save" until someone in the studio obviously clued them. "And Tyler Weiman in goal now..." 5 minutes after he'd came in. Well done on paying attention to the game.

At 9:30, Skrastins reversed on his way out the zone. Trouble was, nobody was back there save for Tyler Weiman - a.k.a Budaj to Terry Crisp - which led to Skrastins taking a hooking call to make up for his blunder. What is with the Avalanche reversing when nobody is there? I understand the team is still new to each other but it's getting ridiculous.

Ryan Smyth then taught Zanon a lesson after Zanon laid a solid hit on Joe Sakic. I know, I know. It was a fair hit. But it's a 4-0 game and it's Joe Sakic. You know the players will react to that. The last thing they want is the captain to get injured during the final 2 minutes of a blowout.

Weiman held on to the 4 goal disadvantage by making a few nice saves and looking sharp overall. But I don't want him to start next game. It's way too early for a goalie carousel to start in Denver.

Overall
The Avs seemed to have no spark tonight. I know it was back-to-back games and there was travel involved, but it was the second game of the season! I really expected a gutsier performance than what was shown tonight.

The fatigue showed in their effort level as well as their decision making. Passes were not crisp, plays were forced, offensive opportunities were wasted and defensive play was non-existent.

You do have to credit the Predators, and Chris Mason in particular, for showing up to play. They stepped on the gas and never let up. Mason made some amazing saves and the Predators did a good job of limiting Colorado's chances and taking advantage of their own.

Faceoffs got a bit better tonight as Sakic stepped up his game in the circle with a 56% winning percentage. Jaroslav Hlinka also took a few draws with a 67% success rate and Guite had a 60% success rate. Tyler Arnason continues to be abysmal on the draw with a 29% winning percentage. I really, really, really hope they are spending time working on this.

I expect a much better team against San Jose on Sunday afternoon.

Notables
- Sakic still has speed and strength
- Hlinka has good defensive responsibility
- Wolski was buzzing all night
- Svatos was looking to make a difference
- Chris Mason was looking spectacular

The Good
- Wolski and Svats actually had some jump

The Bad
- sloppy defensive play
- sloppy penalty kill
- sloppy passes
- sluggish effort
- getting shutout

The Ugly
- Erat's hit on Clark

Related Links
NHL.com Game Summary
TSN Recap
CBS Sports Recap
ESPN Recap
ColoradoAvalanche.com Recap
JibbleScribbits Recap
Mile High Hockey Recap
In The Cheap Seats Recap
Jerseys and Hockey Love Recap
Denver Post Recap
All Things Avs

Post-game vs Nashville - Jan 30, 2007

Oh man what a scary ending! It looked like the game was all wrapped up but a weak attempt at a clear by Wolski and a quick shot past an unsuspecting Budaj gave some drama to this ending. The Avalanche came away with the 4-3 win in a pretty solid game overall. The Avalanche played the body, they worked better in the corners, and they played some pretty solid D. They got a big goal from Milan Hejduk to start the third period and it stood up as the winner in a nail-biting finish.

Peter Budaj played well and was countered at the other end by some solid tending from Tomas Vokoun. Budaj was bailed out by the post a few times during a 4 minute powerplay but you know what they say, you gotta be good to be lucky. And Budaj was very good tonight, save for being caught relaxing on the third goal. In his defense, who expected Wolski to toss the puck away like that!

The Avalanche actually spent some time pushing Nashville around. They actually dealt out more than they took! The official scoresheet gave the Avs 19 hits and the Preds 18. Klee, Richardson, and Laperriere were the main contributors with 3, 4, and 3 respectively. Klee was very noticeable in dishing out checks and rubbing opposing players off the puck. Laperriere was his usual self and Richardson made some good finishing checks. Nothing crushing, but the sort of basic physical play the Avalanche have been lacking.

On the opposite side of that, Ossi Vaananen still seems to get pushed around in the corners. I don't recall once seeing him go in for the puck and come away with it. He seems to try and roll off the check and fish for the puck when he should actually be initiating the contact. There's a reason he only got 12 minutes of ice-time tonight.

Jordan Leopold and Kurt Sauer were the top defensive pairing tonight, just beating out Brett Clark and Karlis Skrastins. I was very happy with Leopold's play. He made some great defensive plays and seems to be positioned very well in front of the net. Kurt Sauer played well but still looks a bit shaky at times. He just doesn't make good snap decisions and that second of hesitation is all it takes for the opposition to get all over him and take the puck away.

Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos seemed to find some chemistry early on in the game but were never able to bury any of their opportunities. Then Svatos made a few weak defensive plays and found himself with limited ice-time towards the end of the game. The kids got wheels and does put in effort on the back-check, he's just still not defensively responsible enough and seems to have lost his finishing touch. He fired off 6 shots and nothing got through but you have to believe if he keeps doing that, the goals should come.

Wojtek Wolski had a great game and has really rounded out his play lately. He didn't get much time on the PK tonight, 50 seconds, but when he was out there he managed to get the puck and clear the zone. That's about all you want from penalty killing! He scored another good, hard-working goal in front of the net to put the Avs up 3-2. He came away with a +2 rating on the night while logging the most minutes of any forward.

Brad Richardson looked to be in some pain during the second period and only had one shift in the third period after putting in a lot of ice-time in the first. So he may have had a slight injury that didn't take him off the ice, but Q didn't want to take a chance on making it worse. Mark Rycroft was inserted in the lineup and didn't do much other than checking Kimo Timmonen from behind. So I give him immediate negative marks for that. Brett Mclean didn't get huge minutes but was certainly trying to make the best of every shift he had and managed to get on the scoreboard with an assist on the 2nd goal.

So it was a good start to Avalanche's five-game homestand. Let's hope they keep it up Thursday as they welcome the Wild who managed to down St. Louis tonight to stay 4 points up on the Avalanche.

The Good
- multi-point game by Sakic
- better physical play
- better puck possession
- better defensive posture

The Bad
- PK getting owned
- giving up 37 shots

The Ugly
- Wolski missing a wide open net in the 2nd

Pre-game vs Nashville - Jan 30, 2007

The Colorado Avalanche open a five-game homestand tonight as the Nashville Predators make their way into town. The Predators are on a 4 game winning streak and have won 9 of their last 10. The Avalanche are on a 3 game losing streak and are 5-3-2 in their last 10. That record is not reflective of their play as they are more deserved of a 3-7-0 record but I'll take it! The Avalanche are within 4 points of Minnesota and have 2 games in hand. Some quick math says that a 2 game win streak puts the team right back in the hunt.

After the teams performance against Detroit, many players, including Joe Sakic, were highly critical of how the team played. Sakic called it their worst game of the year and I can't say I disagree with that. Arguments about the high-stick goal aside, the Avs did not deserve to be anywhere in the same league as Detroit. They were out-muscled and out-hustled and that has to change. Especially coming up against a speedy team like Nashville.

Peter Budaj gets the start in goal tonight, much to the chagrin of folks who thought Jose Theodore put in a solid performance against the Wings. I agree that he put in a great performance against them but if Q is trying to send a message that Peter Budaj is the starter and Theodore is the backup, then this is the way to do it. Budaj had a shaky game so he got one game off to relax and gets put right back into it, no matter how well the backup played. I want Theodore to play as I'm a big fan of French-Canadian goalies, but I have to trust that the coach knows what he's doing. And lately, that does seem to be the case.

Patrice Brisebois is now officially out for the season and Francois Giguere will be applying for long-term injury relief to gain back some of his salary under the cap. Given that he is looking to do that, I think we will see a deal happen before/at the deadline. There's no reason to free up cap room if it isn't to give some wiggle room to make a deal. It wouldn't surprise me if the Avs are still just barely out of a playoff spot come the trade deadline so a good pickup might push them back into the thick of the race.

With the absence of both Brisebois and Liles, it leaves an offensive hole on the blueline which is sorely needed. The teams breakout skills at the moment are horrendous. It all starts with that first pass out of the zone and, as much as people deride him, Brisebois was good at starting rushes. Liles is also no slouch and it sounds like he should be back in slightly over a week. He's been practicing with the team already and hopefully he'll come back wearing extra padding on his skate. I think all defensemen should look at wearing those as they're in the line of fire a lot.

Injuries
Brisebois - back, IR (out for season)
Liles - foot, IR
May - shoulder, IR

Zidlicky - flu, day-to-day

Hot
Stastny has 11 in 11, Sakic has 8 in 7, Brunette has 7 in 7, Laperriere has 3 in 3, Clark has 3 in 2.

Legwand has 7 in 3, Kariya has 7 in 4, Dumont has 12 in 12, Erat has 6 in 3, Arnott has 3 in 2.

Cold
Svatos has 0 in 6, Hejduk has 0 in 3, Arnason has 0 in 3.

Hartnell has 1 in 4.

Goaltenders
Peter Budaj - 15-10-3, 2.58 GAA, .909 save pct.
Tomas Vokoun - 15-4-1, 2.44 GAA, .918 save pct.

Standing
Colorado - 24-21-4, 4th in NW, 9th in West
Nashville - 36-12-3, 1st in Central, 1st in West (and 1st in the league)