Avalanche Week 13 Preview: take two wins and call me next week
Tue vs Ducks, Sat vs Stars
The Duke looks as good as ever this season
After a brief break to visit Minnesota, the Avalanche will take an effective continuation of their five-game two-week-long homestand into the Christmas break after two more home games this week.
The first comes tonight after a mostly solid road win over the Minnesota Kryptonites last night. The Kryptonites have had the Avs’ number all season, tallying two regulation wins and two shootout wins over the ‘Lanche. But a strong outing from the Avalanche’s muckers (led by the eternally rough ‘n tumble Adam Foote) ended with a 4-3 victory over the Wild… I mean Kryptonites… I mean those guys whose equipment caught on fire Friday night.
So, despite a horrible rout at the hands of the East-best Washington Capitals one week ago, the Avalanche now hold a four-point lead over the Calgary Flames in the Northwest Division race. Colorado has also played three fewer games to date, so they will need to keep winning to keep their lead over the latter half of the season.
Here we go Avalanche… two wins in a lightly scheduled week, and the second half of the season starts looking very, very manageable.
Tue, Dec 22nd vs Anaheim Mighty Ducks (8:00 MST)
A nice late start for the Avalanche the night after a hard-fought game in Minneapolis. I don’t expect the Avalanche to be especially tired from their only road game in two weeks of play, so this one will be a straight matchup with home ice thrown in for the Avs.
The Ducks are not as bad as their .500 record, and have actually been enjoying a successful road swing after stinking up their home ice for much of the season. They are also the kind of team that gives the Avalanche fits; they focus on puck possession, defense & goaltending before offense and transition play.
Still, this is not the Anaheim team of seasons past, and their defense has been exploited on-and-off all season long. The bottom line says that the Avalanche win a close game at home, but I have a bad feeling about this matchup. Decisions, decisions…
PREDICTION: AVALANCHE 2, DUCKS 1
Sat, Dec 26th vs Dallas Stars (7:30 MST)
Nearing the halfway mark in the 2009-2010 season, the Avalanche will play their first of four games against these Dallas Stars, and it is difficult to know what to expect.
The Stars are battling in the toughest division in hockey. Preseason favorites to trade blows with the Sharks for tops in the Pacific, Dallas now trails San Jose, Phoenix and Los Angeles by 5+ points. Only Anaheim’s rocky season has stopped them from sinking to the bottom of their division.
And yet a high level of parody in the NHL dictates that anybody can beat anybody. So the Avalanche had better watch out for a Stars team that still boasts a great goaltender (Marty Turco) and a capable offense… even if their defense has left for colder climates.
I like the Avalanche to invent a win in their 40th game of the 82-game season, and I expect style points to be handed out to both teams by the end of the night.
PREDICTION: AVALANCHE 5, STARS 4 (OT)
WEEK 12 PREDICTION: 2-0
**Bonus Coverage**
Look out World, the Avs are healthy!!
I typed that entire title line with one hand while knocking on my wooden desk with the other. Why? Because I am absurdly superstitious when it comes to injuries, and because… well… I get especially nervous when the Avs’ injury report only lists one player.
Marek Svatos is still day-to-day with an injured groin, but will likely <knock> <knock> <knock> return to the ice after the Christmas break.
Milan Hedjuk returned from injury to lead the Avalanche over the visiting Blue Jackets on Saturday night. He logged two assists and a late goal in that effort. By Monday night in Minnesota The Duke looked like Milan of Old as he tucked a flawless shot in between the post and the outstretched skate of Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom.
With so few injury issues <knock> <knock> to worry about <knock>, Colorado can focus on doing the most with the impressive array of talent they have gathered over the offseason and throughout this regular season. The injury bug of 2009 led to call-ups from Lake Erie that have given this team speed and edge (though intermittently) over the course of the first half of the season.
And so the Avalanche prepare for a run at the playoffs with team <knock> intact and rookies <knock> rolling.
