Avalanche vs Wild - Game Preview

I just got back from Vegas last night and there's an Avs game starting in less than two hours. I guess my luck is starting to turn.

I was completely disconnected for the last 5 days and it felt very relaxing. But I'm ready to dive back in to the online world.

But first, I'm going to relax and watch the game and enjoy the weekend. Then, hopefully I'll be back in full force.

Avalanche @ Canucks - Game Preview

The Avs are going to get smoked tonight. I mean, bad. Epic proportions.

See what I'm trying to do there? The last time I got cocky, the Avs got destroyed. So this time, I'm reverse jinxing them.

Avs surge ahead

After Calgary laid an egg against Chicago last night, the Avalanche now have a firm grip on first in the Northwest division. And by firm, I mean 3 points of course. Would you rather that be a pliable hold? Tenuous, perhaps?

Liles and Galiardi return

Sweet! I'm stoked to see both of those players back. Galiardi's impact was missed on the PK and anchoring that fourth line. Hopefully there's no rust from their lengthy layoffs.

Wilson not suspended

Totally agree with Jib here and it's unfortunate that he wasn't suspended for a game. I'm guessing this was the "first time offender" sentencing at play. Which I don't agree with either.

Twit death

Dater is done with Twitter. Ok. Not much to say there except if I misused a hammer by trying to tighten a pipe with it...I probably wouldn't stop using the hammer. I just wouldn't use it in that way.

Though I will say that I've been a long-time twitter user and recently took a break - as I did with many online ventures such as this blog - and feel a bit refreshed because of it.

That I'm on vacation for a week as of right now probably helped that feeling along.

Game time

The puck drops at 10:08pm ET (yikes!). Be there or be...sleeping.

Footnote

That call against the Wings was terrible. I can understand the frustration and anger. I don't like it because it makes hockey look bad and the idea that the ref is infallible in his judgment is ludicrous when all evidence says to the contrary. But it was the Wings...

Avalanche vs Canucks - Game Preview

It's game day once again and tonight, the Colorado Avalanche are hosting the Vancouver Canucks at the Pepsi Center.

Luongo suits up

This will be Roberto Luongo's second start since returning from a rib injury and he couldn't have come back sooner, with Andrew Raycroft finally showing his true form.

Against the Avalanche though, Luongo is a it less like Darkseid and a bit more like Dr. Horrible with a 2.97 GAA and .898 save percentage in 25 games against. So you'll have to pardon me for feeling a bit cocky about the matchup.

I hope someone catches the connection between the headline and the second paragraph. I bet Jori will...

Jersey foul

The Avalanche's new third jersey is a foul in and of itself. I still don't mind the "uniprons" but I'm with Tapeleg here, these just aren't doing it for me. I know the Avs colors are burgundy and blue, but they shouldn't have barfed blue all over this jersey. It's too much. And where the hell is the yeti foot?

Hejduk Returns

The Avalanche will get Milan Hejduk back and it looks like he'll play with Matt Duchene. Most excellent. This also means that David Jones will stay on the top line and Marek Svatos will get bumped down to the third line. That's a win all the way across the board if you ask me.

Preissing Appears

Tom Preissing will suit up for the first time as a Colorado Avalanche. You know what? I'm excited to see what he'll do for this team. Don't expect a monster game as he'll need to find his groove again,

And note to Joe Sacco: this is so not a must win game. Look, I get what you're trying to do but if the team puts in a valiant effort and loses, that will still be forward progress.

Simon says

Today's game preview is a special edition which includes a Q&A session with Simon from the Canucks blog Dan Cloutier for Vezina, where he also has posted a Q&A session with myself.

With Roberto Luongo on the shelf, Andrew Raycroft helped carry the Canucks with some solid goaltending. Does this mean Vancouver will be more willing to rest Luongo and start Raycroft in hopes of keeping him fresh for a playoff run?

Probably not. Luongo is a guy that, while healthy, pretty much has to play every night. Even when it comes to optional practices during the season, Luongo will show up to work on his game and hates to take any time off. It even came to the point a while ago where the Canucks had to kick him off the ice from an optional skate just he’d take a break. So with all that being considered it seems pretty unlikely that Luongo will be sitting on the bench unless they are playing back-to-back on the road. The long fourteen game round trip surrounding the Olympics and the fact that Luongo will be playing in the Olympics means that Raycroft might get an extra start or two that back-up goalies typically don’t get here but ultimately I don’t see the team sitting down Luongo much at all now that he’s back.

Mikael Samuelsson was thought by many to be a product of a great team. So far, he is on pace to eclipse his season highs in points and goals. Do you think he can keep up this pace?

He probably can, but with that being said, I’d like to see him tidy up his overall game. Too often he is turning the puck over or is a defensive liability. Especially when he plays the point on the power play, if he as much as fumbles the puck, you can expect a great scoring chance for the other team. He’s a minus player on the team right now which is something that I’m sure the coaches would like to see him improve on. With all the injuries the Canucks have right now, they have been playing a defensive style of hockey which means they don’t have the luxury of being allowed to have guys who are frequently -1 or -2.

When the Canucks matched the Flyers offer sheet on Kesler, it appeared to drive up salaries for what would be considered grind-line player. Since then, Kesler has gone on to be a key cog for the Canucks. Does he appear to be future captain material for this team?

He absolutely is future captain material. If he stays in Vancouver then he’ll be waiting a long time for the ‘C’ since Luongo is here for the foreseeable future but Kesler is definitely one of the best leaders on the team. I see him more as a “leader by example” type rather than someone who is outspoken. That’s fine since no one plays harder than Kesler on a shift-to-shift basis than him. He can often go out and dominate a shift and you’ll see the type of potential he has to be a leader.

Looking back I don’t think too many people objected to the Canucks matching the offer sheet that Clarke put out there since Kesler showed a lot of signs for potential. When he first came into the league he had great speed but lacked any kind of finish. He got his game together playing on the checking line with Alex Burrows and I think Burrows and Kesler really fed off each other a few years ago when they were as automatic of a combo as Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Now that Burrows and Kesler are playing bigger and more offensive rolls they both have each other to thank for the chemistry they had on the checking line.

Was sending Cody Hodgson back to Brampton the right move for his future?

Yes, and looking back now Hodgson probably shouldn’t have been playing in the pre-season trying to earn a spot on the team. His back clearly hadn’t fully recovered from injuring it while working out prior to the Canadian World Jr. Camp. There isn’t much for him to accomplish in the OHL anymore and he might even get a little bored but it’s certainly better than having him confidence shattered by poor production in the NHL and losing a year of his entry level contract. I fully expect him to come back to camp next season and be more like the player the Canucks saw two years ago after being drafted and what we saw last December and January at the World Juniors.

Game time

The puck drops at 10:08pm ET and it's on the CBC, home of Don Cherry, Jim Hughson and Shane Giroux.

Related Links

MHH Game Preview

Avalanche vs Oilers - Game Preview

The Oilers are on a 3-game losing streak and I always say that the longer a streak goes, the more likely it is to end. Unless you're Carolina, of course.

But I don't expect Edmonton's streak to end tonight. I'm feeling good. I believe the Avs are feeling good. And I believe they'll still be feeling it from their come-from-behind victory against the Blackhawks on Friday.

Settle in - or head to the game if you can - and get ready for what should be an exciting game. I'm hoping Kyle Quincey lays out Dustin Penner at some point.

What are you hoping for?

Avalanche vs Blackhawks; Game Preview

Do you know what I was doing while the Avalanche were beating the Coyotes? Sleeping. That's right, I fell asleep before the game started and didn't wake up until 12 hours later when the game was won, the rejoicing was over, the worrying had started over Duchene's sore shoulder and the callouts had begun. Aside from missing the rejoicing, I was ok with sleeping through that.

Today? I'm ready to go. It's an hour until game time, I just chowed down a protein bar (just kidding, those are crap), chugged down an energy drink (just kidding, those are crap), beat up a Leafs fan (just kidding, they're all in hiding), put on my Avalanche jersey (I honestly did this) and slammed my butt down on the couch (just kidding, I have to cook supper first).

And if you're thinking to yourself "Don't cook with your jersey on! It's probably quite flammable. And prone to getting spilled on." Have no fear. The kitchen is a no-jersey zone. It comes off when I head in to the kitchen and goes back on when I come out.

"Why don't you just leave it off until you're done cooking?", you ask. Well, if I did that, how would the team get any good vibes out of me? Let's not get crazy here, folks!

I'm in a fairly good mood today - 30 minutes ago I was kick-dancing down the grocery aisles to "Love Shack", much to the chagrin of my better half - and I have no fears that the Avalanche might let me down tonight with a lackluster effort. Though there will undoubtedly be more of those to come this season, tonight will not be one of them.

So kick back, relax and enjoy what should be a hell of a hockey game. And hey, it's always fun to watch Huet get lit up, right?*

*What? I had to at least make some mention of the game in this post, didn't I?

Addendum: Huet isn't starting. So let's all laugh at Brian Campbell's contract, mkay?

Avalanche vs Canucks - Game Preview

A grueling October finally came to a close for the Avalanche and it could not have gone any better. Well, they could have done without all the injuries. And I suppose technically they did leave six of a possible 28 points on the table. But all things considered, this was a success beyond anyone's imaginations for a team pegged for dead last in the NHL.

The Avs kick off Movember with a stop in sunny Vancouver tonight to take on Andrew Raycroft and the Vancouver Canucks. It's the tail end of a four-game road trip that has seen them go 2-1 with wins against division foes Calgary and Edmonton. Wouldn't it be nice to grab a couple more points from the division tonight?

The Avalanche are having their depth tested early in the season. With Darcy Tucker, T.J. Galiardi, Matt Hendricks and Cody Mcleod out, we've seen a quick parade of AHL call-ups. And while the Avs are still holding firm in light of the injuries, they will start to catch up with them.

Thankfully, Craig Anderson has showed no signs of slowing down. When the defense fails, Neo has been there to bail them out. When the offense is lacking, Mr. Anderson to the rescue. When the team is firing on all cylinders, there he is. He is everyone, and he is no one.

Anderson leads the league with a .930 save percentage and 10 wins and is 3rd in GAA with 2.04. Combine that with being tied for #1 in the league in games played, I think we can all sleep easy with him in net.

And sleep easy tonight might be what many people will be doing even before this game starts at 10:00pm ET tonight. Thanks to daylight savings time and Saskatchewan's rebel ways, that means a 9:00pm start time for this guy. You lucky Coloradians (I didn't look that up, just took a stab at it) at least get it at 8:00pm. But given my computer science background, I'll still be up long after the game ends. bless flexible working hours!

I might even have a thought or two on the game before I hit the sack. Or I'll be busy playing Dungeons & Dragons while reading comic books and drinking Jolt cola.

Oh, and Marek Svatos will get goal #3 tonight (hey, it worked with Matt Duchene...)

Related Links

Anderson to make 15th straight start
Jay Onrait chats with Craig Anderson
One month in the books

Avalanche vs Sharks - Game Preview

I was off the blogging grid for about a week and it looks like the world kept turning. Who knew!

In the time I've been gone, the Avalanche have continued winning, the bodies on the injured list have continued to pile up and the media (mainstream and otherwise) are looking for the Avs to cool off.

I'll take 2 out of 3 of those any day of the week. The injuries however have got to stop. With the latest news being that T.J. Galiardi is out for 4-6 weeks, the franchise's organizational depth will be tested. Philippe Dupuis has been called up and joins Chris Durno and Brian Willsie from the Monsters roster and press box hound T.J. Hensick finds himself drawing in to the lineup again. Thankfully John-Michael Liles makes his return tonight which should help the powerplay pick up steam.

Though Peter Budaj has recovered from his bout with H1N1, Craig Anderson will make his 14th straight start tonight. I guess coach Sacco felt that with organizational depth being tested, it was best to stick with a hot goaltender. I concur.

As this week has been draining, I'm going to be splayed out on my couch in full relax mode for this one. Enjoy the game everybody. I know I will.

Oh, and Matt Duchene will get goal #2 tonight.

Avalanche @ Red Wings; Game Preview

The first place Colorado Avalanche head to Detroit to take on the 11th place Red Wings tonight. I got joy out of writing that sentence. First place. 11th place. Mmmm...tasty.

Tonight will be the penultimate game of the Avs seven-game road trip which has seen them capture seven of a possible 10 points so far. I think that's far beyond what anybody's expectation of this trip would be so the only thing the Avalanche can do now is color us even more surprised.

Lineup

Chris Stewart and TJ Hensick have been the scratches recently and I don't see a need to inject one of them in the lineup at this point.

John-Michael Liles is still out so Ryan Wilson will draw in again. Wilson looked solid in his debut against the Canadiens on a pairing with Brett Clark.

Kyle Cumiskey slotted up to take Liles spot on the pairing with Foote against Montreal and will likely do so again today as he had his best game of the season on Thursday.

Johan Franzen is out of the Wings lineup for a few months after undergoing knee surgery while Pavel Datsyuk is sitting out this game as well. As much as I enjoy watching Datsyuk play, I'm more than happy to see him in the press box tonight.

Our old pal Brad May will be in the lineup tonight for the Wings and already fans are predicting a David Koci-May square off. Dario is taking it up a notch and hoping for an Adam Foote-Todd Bertuzzi showdown. Hard to argue with that.

Goaltending

Craig Anderson gets his eight straight start and there is absolutely no way you can argue that call. Anderson has been lights out this season and has fans, coaches and players alike marveling at a world without goaltending worries.

Time for the first?

Ryan O'Reilly got his on Thursday. Will Matt Duchene get his tonight? Wouldn't it be poetic for the Avs great white hope to score his first goal against the Wings? We all know it's only a matter of time but could time run a bit quicker, maybe?

At least he's enjoying the travel in the meantime.

Game time

The puck drops at 7:08 ET. This is a can't miss so put away whatever else you had planned and settle down in front of the TV or computer.

Avalanche vs Leafs, Game Preview

The Colorado Avalanche (3-1-1) head to the ACC for part three of their seven part road trip to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs (0-4-1) tonight at 7:30pm ET.

This season has been going better than most Avalanche fans expected and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't expecting a win out of this game. I generally subscribe to the "the more things stay the same, the more likely they are to change" philosophy but I can't see the Leafs pulling it together after a blowout yesterday against the Rangers.

The opposition

The Leafs have yet to get one in the W column this season and I can't tell you how funny I find that. After Brian Burke was once again fellated by the media - or was that just TSN? - for his off-season signings and "toughening up" of the team, it appears the "Genius at work" sign outside Burke's office might need to be taken down.

It's all well and good to build a team that's tough to play against, but there's tough to play against and there's annoying to play against. The Leafs are simply an annoyance at the moment. The only credible threat they display is violence and it's frankly not all that credible.

They're like the bully who picks on people because they suck at everything else in life. It's not scary, it's just sad.

Backup duel?

Most people are expecting to see Peter Budaj's first appearance for the 09/10 season tonight and it would make sense. Back-to-back games heading into a weaker opponent is generally the equation for when to bring a backup in. But given how early it is in the season, Anderson getting the nod wouldn't be terribly shocking or anything to stir significant analysis.

On the Leafs side, they'll be starting Joey Macdonald after prize signing, Jonas Gustavsson, headed onto the IR and prized whipping boy, Vesa Toskala, taking the "do what he does" advice from goaltending coach Francoise Allaire to heart, ended up injuring himself as well.

But don't get too cocky as Joey Mac is the guy that helped hold the Islanders together after Rick Dipietro hurt himself...again. His stats belie the performances he put in with that squad last year.

David Jones returns, and it was good

David Jones made his return yesterday afternoon against the Bruins and Chris Stewart was the odd man out. It was a good, albeit obvious call, by coach Joe Sacco. Jones rewarded the move with a shorthanded goal plus an assist. That should easily put him on a pace to eclipse that 30-goal mark, eh?

Chris Stewart struggles

I'm not sure what is causing Stewart's early struggles but Sacco has a good comment in the latest DP column:

"We're OK; we'll work with him. He's a young player, and he kind of needs to find his niche again on our team. He'll be fine. We'll get him back in the lineup soon."

That's exactly the sort of comment a young player needs to hear. It's not heaped all on him to get better, the coaching staff is taking on the challenge as well. Who knew you couldn't just say "He needs to find his game" and hope it would magically get better?

Is tonight the night?

I think it's time for Matt Duchene to get his first goal and I think tonight is the night. The conditions are ripe for the picking and hopefully Duchene can get that monkey off his back. Hopefully I don't pull something when it happens.

Lineup

I can't see the lineup changing from last game. With Jones' display and the need for David Koci in the lineup, it would be hard to find a slot for Hensick or Stewart to slide in. Another big body like Stewart would be nice but his less-than-inspired play leaves me thinking he would subtract more than he would add.

And if anyone suggests pulling Marek Svatos out, well it's pretty tough to do that when he's scoring goals. He's not gelling with Matt Duchene well and that's unfortunate - as is thinking Darcy Tucker would work better on his LW - but there are other options to deal with that issue.

Ryan Wilson was called up due to Ruslan Salei being placed on the IR but I'm not holding my breath to see him in action. If he were to slot in for anyone, it would most likely be Brett Clark, though that would leave an under-experienced 3rd pairing of Kyle Cumiskey and Wilson, or the unnecessary shifting of Foote or Liles "down" to the 3rd line.

Game time

The puck drops at 7:38pm ET and there is a bit of confusion on where to watch the game. It's listed as being on RIS and Leafs TV but there is no mention of an Altitude feed. "Center Ice to the rescue!", right? Apparently not as nobody can find it in their listings. I see it in ExpressVu's listings down here on the farm but if anybody figures out what's happening on the US side, I'd be interested to hear it.

Game 4 Preview: Avalanche vs Blackhawks

The Colorado Avalanche continue their seven game road trip tonight with a game against 20-cent and his Chicago Blackhawks. Unlike the last game against Nashville, I'll be able to watch this one in HD. It's amazing what an HD-snob I've become. I recently downgraded my cable package to drop non-HD channels because every time I tuned in to them, I got annoyed that they weren't in HD. And hey, I'll save myself $30/month whichs sounds like the amount of money you need for a trip to Vegas! The flight + hotel part, that is. I can't be held accountable for the rest of the money I might spend (lose) there.

So now that you know even more about me, how about I get back to the hockey talk, eh?

Last two games

I haven't provided a full recap of the last two games but they weren't terribly impressive. Those last two games felt more like the Avalanche I expected. Some defensive gaffes, some blown leads and some exciting play from Matt Duchene.

Seriously, what does the kid have to do to get himself a goal? I'm worried that all these close chances are going to frustrate him, leading to more missed chances. Hopefully he's getting some good psych counselling in the locker room!

Last game against Nashville saw T.J. Hensick and Ruslan Salei draw in the lineup at the expense of David Koci and Brett Clark respectively. With Jordin Tootoo out of the lineup for the Preds, it was an easy choice for Joe Sacco to give Hensick some ice time. As for Salei, it was likely an attempt to figure which of the overpaid third-line defensemen were more valuable to the team. I'd say Clark is winning so far after a rusty performance by ol' Rusty.

Hensick surprised me with his speed and physical play. Could it be that coach Sacco is instilling a sense of work ethic in a player who was labelled as "Arnason 2.0"?

In the end, there's nothing to be disappointed about by this team starting 2-1-0 with 10 goals for and 5 goals against. Even with a blown lead against Nashville, Sacco is ensuring the team will learn from their mistakes. And that's the number one thing for a squad like this to do.

This game

I haven't given this game much thought as I had some bad news on Friday which took up most of my brain power. Well that and me deciding to re-read the whole Final Crisis series today to take my mind off things. Yes, that includes all the direct and indirect tie-ins. And in case you were curious, it's much better the second time around.

So tonight, I'm going to sit back, relax and enjoy an Avalanche win. That's right, I'm calling it.

Game 2 Preview: Avalanche vs Canucks

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood / Getty Images)

Skyrockets in flight....peeewwww....afternoon delight. That's right, it's an afternoon game today as the Colorado Avalanche take on the Vancouver Canucks at 3:00pm ET.

It's also the last home game before the Avs embark on a 7-game road trip that will test their testicular fortitude pretty early in the season.

If they want to head out on a good note, what better way than to beat
Bobba Lu and the Canucks and still be home in time for supper?

Last game

The ceremony brought tears to everyone's eye's, the puck dropped and the Avalanche walked away with a "W". I expected the first two but not the last one. I'm not sure anybody expected the last one. The team was fast, energetic and had a will to win. Sure, they coughed up 19 shots against in the third period but those first two periods were lights out. If they keep playing with that energy, it's going to be a fun season.

The forwards

We finally got to watch the up-tempo play we were promised last season and it was about darn time! Fast breaks, crashing the net, utilizing the entire offensive zone to cycle rather than just below the goal line. Be still my beating heart.

The players have bought in to Sacco's system right from the start so there will be no struggles to identify roles. Everybody knows what they have to do and appear willing to do it. If the first game is any indication - and let's be honest, it often isn't - the Sacco hiring was a good one.

The one thing I still want the wingers to do is cover their defenseman better. Wingers have a tough assignment in the defensive zone in that they have to be ready to receive the first breakout pass, but also have to watch that the opposing D aren't getting free for point shots. Last season, I harped on it a lot. Last game, the D were still too open for my liking.

The defense

Ryan who? Kyle Quincey seems to have eliminated any doubts anyone - including myself - had about the Ryan Smyth trade. I know Detroit is deep on the blue line but how did they let this guy slip through waivers?

The first two defensive lines were solid Thursday but the third pairing of Brett Clark and Kyle Cumiskey was questionable. Cumiskey seems to be having trouble making puck decisions and ends up holding it too long, which led to San Jose's first goal Thursday night. And everyone's favorite overpaid D, Clark, continues to play a perimeter game and constantly looks to block shots as opposed to stopping players from shooting.

I'm curious is Sacco will swap out Clark for Salei today, showing that vets have to pull their weight too, or if Cumiskey will sit showing that rookies are held to the same standard as the vets. From what I understand of Sacco, he'll give Cumiskey some more rope before tying him to the press box.

The goaltending

How pleasant was it to not cringe/cross your fingers/pray to vishnu/cover your eyes on a shot from beyond the hashmarks? Or on a scramble in front? I found myself very confident with Craig Anderson between the pipes.

Anderson stopped all 19 shots he faced in the third, earning chants of "Anderson" from the Pepsi Center faithful, to pick up his first win in the burgundy sweater. I like Anderson's style as he looks like he's willing to do whatever it takes to make a save. And it looks like this team might need a lot of them.

The lines

With Ruslan Salei and TJ Hensick as healthy scratches, coach Joe Sacco went with the following lines:

Wolski-Stastny-Hejduk
McLeod-Duchene-Svatos
Tucker-Galiardi-Stewart
Koci-O’Reilly-Hendricks

Quincey-Hannan
Foote-Liles
Cumiskey-Clark

It's tough to say if Sacco will try and inject Hensick into the lineup and if so, who would come out. Although he played well on Thursday night, it's entirely possible that Ryan O'Reilly will sit this one out to let Hensick work his stuff. Whatever that may be.

The return of howler

Howler is coming home! At least, I hope he is. The Avalanche said they were bringing back a mascot this season and they currently have a teaser splash page up on their site with a silhouette that looks an awful lot like a comical yeti. Anything less than Howler will bring out two thumbs down from this guy.

Avalanche vs Coyotes Game Preview

It's been a while since I did a game preview but I felt like phoning one in while I had nothing else to do.

I'm sitting here at the office riding out the next hour until it's time for Game 7 of the Saskatoon Blades-Lethbridge Hurricanes series. It's going to be a packed house tonight and it should be one hell of a game. But it means I will completely miss the Avalanche game tonight.

See, this morning, I had my day mostly planned out. The morning of work would be taken up with a few tasks, then in the afternoon I was going to be at the University of Saskatchewan for a while which is always a nice break. There was a presentation by a former coworker on the Palm Pre which I wanted to attend and then myself and my boss were guest lecturers for a web programming class. Then I would head back to the office, register for a volleyball league - more on that later - head home, set the Avs game to record and head out to SaskPlace.

The morning went as expected, the Palm Pre talk was interesting - I want one! - and then it was time for the guest lecture. I've done guest lectures before but usually I had researched what I was going to say. This time, I forgot I was doing it until last night so I wasn't that prepared. But I think I successfully fooled everyone into thinking I knew what I was talking about.

I lingered a little while longer at the university - it is spring after all and it's a beautiful campus - and ended up back at the office by 4:45. At 5:20, myself and a coworker had to be at a different campus - SIAST - to register for a volleyball league and attend their AGM. I quickly whipped off a few emails and chatted to some people and then we headed off to register. We were the first ones there - saying that always reminds me of Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's Vacation when he arrives at Wally World - and we got our names on the list. Ching!

Now the Blades game starts at 7:00 and I thought it was all good. Our names were on the list and there was still an hour and a half to spare. But then I asked the question I shouldn't have asked: "Do we have to stay for the whole meeting to keep our spot on the list?" And I got the answer I didn't want to hear: "Yes"

You tell any diehard hockey fan that they have to miss a Game 7 of any series be it NHL, AHL, WHL, SMJHL and all the way down to Pee-Wee rec leagues and they'll probably tell you to go "get better acquainted with yourself", if you catch my drift.

But thankfully I've got a dear of a friend who said "Go watch the game, I'll stay"

So now I feel guilty as hell that I'm making her stay all by herself to suffer through a dreadful meeting and I'm also mildly disappointed I won't get home to set the Avs game to record.

But it's Game 7, I paid for the tickets and I can't miss this. Even if it means I have to kowtow to a friend for a few weeks so I don't feel like a major ass.

Best game preview ever, eh? Enjoy the game but spend some of your energy cheering on the Blades, eh? They need it more than the Avs do.

Avalanche @ Vancouver Game Preview

Ok, I got all cranky in my game recap from last night's 3-2 OT win against the Oilers so I'll try and stay positive here. And the one thing that was me slightly upbeat is that the Canucks are on an 8-game winning streak on home ice. And what does that mean, folks? That's right, "Shane logic" will save the day. Because the more things stay the same, the more likely they are to change.

Peter Budaj will man the pipes again after a solid outing last night. He'll face off against Robert Luongo and as scary as that initially sounds, the Avalanche have actually had Luongo's number in recent years. They've only faced him once this year - a 2-1 OT win - but in 07/08, the Avs put 25 goals past Bobba Lou in eight games included putting five past him twice. I predict the Avs will light him up for at least three tonight. That's a ballsy prediction considering they couldn't score on Atlanta but you gotta take a leap every now and again, right? Hmm, I wonder how close Davey Jones is to scoring 30 goals...

It's a late game being in Vancouver but thanks to good ol' DST, a 10:00 ET start is now an 8:00 FUST start. FUST of course standing for F'd Up Saskatchewan Time.

Avalanche @ Red Wings Game Preview

So close.

The Avalanche took it to the Canadiens on Friday but with under five minutes remaining, the Avs did what they do best - give up a goal at the most inopportune moment.

The worst part? I knew it was coming. Literally seconds before the go-ahead goal was scored, I said "Colorado is notorious for giving up a late goal." And sure as hell, they make me look like a genius. So sad but it is the story of the season for this squad.

Odds are...
Today, they take on the Detroit Red Wings at a sold out (?!?!) Joe Louis Arena. What are the odds that the Avalanche can again take down their nemesis? The bookmakers have it at greater than 3-to-1 odds that the Avs will lose. Ouch. It's not often you see odds that high.

But can you blame them? There's obviously no way to know the outcome of a game for certain (that's why it's called gambling) but how can anyone truly believe the Avs will beat the Wings today?

Foote back
The Avs did get a spot of good news recently. Not only will Adam Foote be back in the lineup today but Paul Stastny has been spotted on the ice (in the Notes section). Too little, too late but it will still be nice to see Stastny back in the lineup.

Take it to the bank
There are two things to know for certain if the Avalanche come out ahead today: 1) the season is still over; 2) Red Wings fans will blame Gary Bettman.

Game time
The game is a mid-afternoon game, starting at 5:00pm ET, 3:00pm MT. I'll be getting the Altitude feed though since it's an away game, it won't be in hi-def.

Normally I'm ticked at not getting an HD feed but this time, I'm relieved. Why? Because I watched most of the Columbus-Detroit game Friday on the local feed and do you know who's whinier than Wings fans? Wings announcers.

Related Links
Avalanche-Red Wings Game Notes
Avalanche-Red Wings Game Preview

Avalanche vs Canadiens Game Preview

By now, you should all be aware that the season is over. I was under that impression since the beginning of February and the last three losses have really driven it home.

Regardless of that, the fact remains that there is a game tonight. And though a full-blown implosion would certainly drive the point home to the higher ups, I want the players to keep busting their asses to try and win hockey games. The ones that do will prove that they've got the balls to play in this league. The rest can go home.

Tonight the Avalanche face another slumping team in the Montreal Canadiens. And you know what's really awful about seeing the Canadiens in the dumps like this? They're just waiting to play against the right team who will let them turn things around. The Avalanche can be that team.

I'll be watching with very conflicting emotions tonight. I've got money on the Canadiens, will have a Habs fan sitting on my couch and will have an old school Avalanche jersey in the corner reminding me of my pride for the team. "Remember when we were a contender? Those were the days..." it says to me every time I look at it.

In fact, it got me thinking just now. The team has been mediocre at best since the arrival of their new jersey design. And though I'm not crazy enough to blame the jerseys for their woes, I don't like how I associate losing with those bloody sweaters. And now I just pissed off a whole lot of people by interchanging jersey and sweater.

Honestly though, when I look at my old jersey, I see "winner". Because that's what the team did while wearing them. I see no such thing when looking at the current jerseys. Thankfully they haven't tarnished the logo or yeti foot. Those will always be dear to my heart.

So to any Avalanche personnel reading this: once you figure out a strategy to revamp the team into a contender, let's also see a better jersey design come out to accompany that squad.

Because they'll deserve better.

Avalanche vs Toronto Game Preview

I just got finished playing some parking lot hockey and boy did I feel old.

I'm still in Phase 1 of a recovery from a prolonged illness so I'll pretend that's the problem. It certainly has nothing to do with the big three-oh creeping up on me in a little over a year.

*waits for the 30+ crowd to throw some stones my way*

Big News!
The big news tonight is that David Jones is injured and Cody McCormick is back.

After sitting out a few games, Jones was injured in the first game back after a jarring check from Douglas Murray of the San Jose Sharks.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Douglas Murray hits hard and it's best to just stay out of his way.

Unfortunately Jones didn't heed my advice and is now listed as day-to day.

So much for the 30-goal season, eh? What idiot predicted that?

Injury updates
In other news, Adam Foote is still out with a triceps tear, Paul Stastny took a few laps after practice yesterday and Joe Sakic continues to avoid snowblowers.

Old teammates, old story
Oh, and Andrew Raycroft and Darcy Tucker are facing their former team for the first time since the Avs picked them up in the offseason.

But did anybody not know that?

Throw it in?
horbayj asked in the comments of my Minister of Defense post when it was time to throw in the towel.

I said if the Avs can't beat the Leafs at home, it might be time to call it a season.

I hope I don't have to hold myself to that.

Related Links
Practice Report: Rare visit by Toronto

Avalanche vs Kings Game Preview

The Avalanche are facing the Kings tonight but while that's going on, I'll be at SaskPlace - that's right, it's SaskPlace not Credit Union Center - watching the Blades hand the Wheat Kings a beating.

If anyone in Western Canada is on Shaw and interested in some junior hockey action, the virtually undefeated Vancouver Giants take on the Kelowna Rockets starting at 7:00 PST on the Shaw TV channel.

The Giants have just 4 losses in 44 games. Maybe the Canucks should swap rosters with them.

Streakin'
The Avs are on a huge winning streak* and though it would be nice to call a game against the Kings a slam dunk, that's just not the case.

Blamin'
I place the blame squarely at the skates of Scott Hannan.

He has 0 points in his last 27 games and that's just not acceptable.

What are we paying this guy $4.5M for anyways?

Goaltendin'
Peter Budaj will be back in net and will likely have Jonathon Quick staring back at him.

Hot or not?
Does 2 points in 2 games really mean a player is hot? TSN would have you believe so with seven players listed as "Hot" between these two teams.

You'd think with that many hot players that neither team would be in the bottom third of the standings.

Conversely, can you believe that Tyler Arnason has 4 points in his last 5 games? It's a bit surreal.

Game time
The puck drops at 9:00 ET and could either be really boring, or really exciting. Or it could be mediocre with no highs or lows.

But either way, they will be playing hockey.

Probably.

*Said winning streak may or may not be just one game long.

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 vs Red Wings, Game Preview

The holiday season has come and gone.

The presents are unwrapped. The chocolates have been eaten. The turkey has been stuffed and devoured.

But one thing hasn't changed.

Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny will be absent from the Avalanche lineup for the foreseeable future.

One man's loss is another man's gain
Oh, one more thing has changed.

Tyler Arnason is the new #1 center.

If that doesn't strike fear into the hearts and minds of Avalanche opponents, I don't know what will.

Did I say opponents? Sorry, I meant fans.

I didn't get much for Christmas. I didn't ask for much either. I must have suspected I would need a more important gift.

And now I want to cash it in.

Santa, if you're still around please help Tyler Arnason rise to the occasion and make us all not unproud.

Hensick also slides up
Along with the Arnason promotion, T.J. Hensick has moved up from a fourth-line winger position to become the second-line center.

Based on practice reports, he will center a line with David Jones and Wojtek Wolski.

Svatos and Salei slide back in
Marek Svatos and Ruslan Salei will make their returns tonight.

Svatos really needs to step up and provide some offensive support. It will be tough sledding as he will likely find himself on the third line tonight but he needs to find a way to get it done.

Third line pickle
Cody McCormick sat last game and may sit again while the Avs give Chris Stewart more time to showcase his skills.

If Stewart stays in he would likely play on a line with Ian Laperriere and the returning Marek Svatos which would leave Darcy Tucker on the fourth line with Ben Guite and Cody Mcleod.

If Stewart draws out, Granato would likely renew the McLappy line leaving a Tucker and Svatos to play on a line centered by Guite.

So no matter how you dice it, the third line will be quite the interesting mix.

UPDATE: AD informs us that McCormick is out.

Budaj back in net
Peter Budaj gets the start in goal and will presumably go up against Ty Conklin as Chris Osgood is still recovering from a busted vagina.

Lidstrom possibly out
Nik Lidstrom took a puck to the ankle last night and will be a gametime decision tonight.

The sweats have already started over there.

The Avs will need every advantage they can get tonight so pray to Vishnu that Lidstrom's foot is swollen bigger than [go ahead and finish this one off in your head while I keep things PG-13 ;)]

UPDATE: AD informs us that Nik Lidstrom is out for tonight's game.

Game time
The puck drops at 9:00 ET at the Pepsi Center. Denver natives, get down there and support your team!

Related Links
Avalanche report: Arnason, Hensick take center stage against Red Wings
Avs promote Arnason to first line with Sakic, Stastny out
Arnie the new #1 center
Scouting the Avs

Avalanche vs Coyotes Game Preview

I'm late, I'm late. For a very important date.

It's only 15 minutes to game time and I'm just getting to a preview. Shouldn't Christmas time be less stressful as we all bask in the joy and goodness?

Is it fired up again?
My main thought is that I don't see the sense in starting Andrew Raycroft tonight.

We're getting away from Tony Granato's original theory on how this goaltending rotation would work.

It was abandoned when Budaj was on a winning streak - and I endorsed it - and now it seems with Budaj playing less than stellar, we've gone to a reward-based system for goaltending starts.

I won't delve much further into this lest I not finish until after the game ends, but I don't see Raycroft doing enough to unshelf Peter Budaj.

No shutout please
I didn't say anything after the Panthers win because, to be frank, I was flipping embarassed.

Shutout? By the Panthers? Come on now.

If the Avs get shut out by the Coyotes tonight, I won't watch the Avs for the rest of the year...