Avalanche Week 21 Preview: Mon vs Red Wings, Wed @ Ducks, Thu @ Coyotes, Sat vs Blues
Artwork by David Barud
Just over 24 hours after Paul Stastny & Brian Rafalski played as teammates in Vancouver, they will face off as competitors in Denver. Stastny will lead his Colorado Avalanche against Rafalski’s Detroit Red Wings in a rivalry game tonight.
After watching Brian lead Team USA (4G/4A) over Canada in the Group Round of the Olympic Tournament, it will be a difficult transition back to rooting against the 3-time Cup Champion defenseman. Rafalski was clearly the best player for the United States throughout the tournament. The Michigan native has put his name on the Cup twice with the New Jersey Devils (2000 & 2003) and once with Detroit (2008).
For his part, Paul Stastny was one of the unsung heroes for Team USA. He only nabbed one goal in the tournament, but got crucial assists in both the United States’ Quarterfinals win versus Team Switzerland & their Semifinals brutalizing of Team Finland. Paul was also a key defensive asset at the forward position for a team that got to the Gold Medal game on the strength of its D.
Now all those American, Canadian & Finnish men will return to their NHL teams as Olympic Medalists. It will be an interesting transition, especially considering how well-stocked the NHL is with Yankees & Canucks.
The Avalanche will see Peter Budaj return from his stint with the 4th place Team Slovakia (who lost their Bronze Medal Game because they failed to start the superior Budaj in net.)Â Defenseman Ruslan Salei will come back from a fairly successful tournament with Team Belarus.
Each player will have to put the thrilling Olympic ride behind them in order to focus on the 21 games left in the NHL season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs that follow.
The Avalanche will follow their nationally-televised game against Detroit tonight with road contests in Anaheim and Phoenix. All three are very tough but winnable games, and will play an enormously crucial role in determining the viability of Colorado’s 2010 playoff push.
Mon, Mar 1st vs Detroit Red Wings (7:00 MST)
PREDICTION:Â AVALANCHE 4, RED WINGS 2
Wed, Mar 3rd @ Anaheim Ducks (8:00 MST)
PREDICTION:Â AVALANCHE 1, DUCKS 2
Thu, Mar 4th @ Phoenix Coyotes (7:00 MST)
PREDICTION:Â AVALANCHE 5, COYOTES 3
Sat, Mar 6th vs St. Louis Blues (7:00 MST)
PREDICTION:Â AVALANCHE 3, BLUES 0
WEEK 19 PREDICTION: Â 3-1
**Bonus Coverage**
Stastny Key in Silver Run
Paul Stastny technically started the tournament as the USA’s top-line Center, but American coach Ron Wilson produced a team with no true top and bottom line assignments.
Instead, Wilson mixed & matched as game play dictated, allowing each line to work their own unique magic in tense situations against the best defenders in the world. The US also threw out hybrid lines, especially versus Canada, to generate favorable matchups on the ice.
Stastny saw a lot of ice time versus the opposing teams’ top offensive lines. Despite that fact, Paul still finished at +/- 0 or better in every game except one… the Medal Round loss to Team Canada (-1).
