Robert Luongo's night was not much better than Colorado goalie Craig Anderson's, but Luongo made more clutch saves for the win
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Game Preview
Though the game tonight is a big NW showdown for first place, do not be deceived; first place in the Northwest will be decided by the Pacific division.
After today, the Avalanche will have 4 more division games while the Canucks will have 5 more division games out of the 16 games each team has remaining. The Avs will also play one more game against the East. (Home game against Florida. They must get 2 points. No excuses.) Then two more against the Central. The Canucks conversely have two more games against Eastern Conference teams, and one more Central game (against Detroit, a win-win game!)
That leaves 8 and 9 games remaining against Pacific teams for the Canucks and Avalanche, respectively.
This is a schedule that vastly favors Vancouver. Vancouver is physical hockey club, probably the most physical club in the league. The Avs can bang with almost team, but they are built for a mix of speed and physicality. The Pacific division is full of big teams (Dallas excluded) that like to beat you up and then win a close won. Vancouver simply has a better roster to deal with this.
This is why this game is so important. Any two points the Avs can get and restrict from Vancouver are essential to taking the Division considering the upcoming schedule.
There is some reason to hope, though. Versus the Pacific Division’s 3 trap teams (Phoenix, LA, Anaheim), the Avs are a thankful 4-4-0 against this year.  Vancouver is 3-3-1 against the same three. I would expect the Avs to be trailing in this category.  Perhaps a good sign for the stretch run.
1st Period
The Avalanche start out the game with a couple of dump and chase attempts that went nowhere and a long pass to Peter Mueller down the left side that he couldn’t handle.  Defensively they are doing a good job of keeping the puck out of the middle, but Vancouver is spending more time in the Avs’ zone than vice versa.
Colorado has moved to working the puck over the blue line on the rush and earned a trio of long shots on the rush. They can’t keep the puck in the zone however.
First Five Minutes are about even, but I’m gonna give it Vancouver for more time spent in the Colorado zone.
2nd line on the ice for the Avs sees a very uncharacteristic defensive breakdown by Vancouver.  After a board battle which pops out to Matt Hendricks at the point, Hendricks skates into the slot to draw the defense and passes to Mueller left side by the net. Mueller fakes a quick shot to get Roberto Luongo down and then breaks around the back of the net.
Three, count ‘em, three Canucks chase Mueller, no one goes to the far side, pass to Matt Duchene, easy one-timer, GOAL. Avs 1-0 You won’t get many easy ones like that against Vancouver.
T. J. Galiardi picked a pass off in the Neutral Zone and dumped in right side near the boards.  Chris Stewart simply outskates Aaron Rome for the puck and sends it to the net. GOAL. Avs 2-0 Absolutely something Luongo should stop.
Rick Rypien picks a fight with Chris Durno right out of the faceoff after the second goal. Durno shouldn’t be fighting after breaking his hand. Like he’s reading my thoughts, Chris tackles Rypien two punches in.
Vancouver looks rattled after the quick two goals. They’re making some foolish passes and are pressing the issue in the Neutral Zone in situations they don’t have too. The Avs on the other hand are playing some good possession hockey and generating some good chances.
Luongo looks focused all of a sudden.
2nd Five Minutes are dominated by the Avs. 2 gimme goals, sure, but after that they controlled the tempo entirely. Vancouver is lost in fog and are getting reckless and desperate waaaaaay too early.
Alexander Edler trying to clear the puck during an Avalanche rush puts it over the glass. Penalty: Delay of Game. Careless.
The Avs looked pretty useless on the PP with 3 quick Vancouver clears, until Paul Stastny worked it in left side and then drop-passed to Duchene on a give-and-go.
Duchene passed up to Stastny down low and it deflected off a Canuck defender and slid past Luongo far side. GOAL. Avs 3-0. There couldn’t have been more than 4 inches of open space on Luongo’s left.  It might just be the Avs night. (Note: Kyle Cuminski credited with the 2nd assist)
3rd Five Minutes saw the Avs get a Power Play, and a Power Play goal, and really dictate the even-strength game.   Vancouver looked to be putting back together on the penalty kill and then…. the unlucky deflection.
Vancouver puts together a very nice little 45 second pressure with good keep-in and a decent shot halfway through, but the Avs are clogging the middle. Colorado seems content to let this lead hit the room. I can’t blame them.
Final Five Minutes saw some fiery play from Vancouver’s top line, but once again the Avalanche are playing trap and aren’t giving up any space to reenter the game.
End Period.
The Avs got lucky, and then got lucky, and then they controlled every aspect of the game for 12 minutes, and then they got lucky.  That’s the majority of the story so far.  The major beneficiary of the good fortune is Duchene with an easy one timer and a defensive deflection.
Credit to the Colorado defense; only 7 shots allowed in the period against a higher shooting team, and one really had a chance. (Board battle, came out to the point, shot through traffic made it Craig Anderson. I didn’t see who shot it as I’m writing from the bar and they went to commercial too quickly.)
Neutral Zone play has been the best part of the Colorado gameplan. Two goal generated off the rush speaks for itself, but additionally they have been stifling and had a good mix of work ins, rushes, and dumps and chases (Note to Editor: Is the plural of dump and chase dumps and chases?).
2nd Period
The period opens the way you would expect with the Canucks trying to outskate and outwork Colorado and the Avs playing cautious and close to the vest.  A little early for the prevent defense in my opinion.
About 4 minutes in you could see the Avs realize they wouldn’t just skate on to victory with the good 1st period. They wake up a bit from the Intermission. Now they’re meeting Vancouver’s aggressiveness.
1st Five Minutes had Vancouver playing much better for the first four. But the Avs are showing some energy now.
Avs give up a rush to the top line of Vancouver. Sedin to Sedin (I’m not even going to try and tell them apart) at the blue line on the right side rush. Shot, Save, Rebound by Mikael Samuelson. GOAL. Avs 3-1. They are a dangerous line.
In a play that happens 20 times a game and nothing bad ever happens, disaster strikes Vancouver on a cross ice pass in the defensive zone. Edler cross ice to Pavol Demitra pick off by Mueller, breakaway. Nice move in the slot from right left, wrist shot stick side. Goal Avs 4-1. Edler carelessness with the puck gave the Avs a PP goal earlier in the game too.
2nd Five Minutes Vancouver looked like the better team, but the margin stays the same on a very aggressive play by the newest Av.
Vancouver is showing their frustration now. Pushing and shouting.
During a decent pressure by Vancouver, Avs fail to clear or H. Sedin steals the puck (take your pick it was about 50-50). Pass to Christian Ehrhoff at the point, pass back down the slot to Samuelson, and Cumiskey is out of position. Samuelson skates from left to right easy backhand. GOAL Avs 4-2. Cumiskey was seduced across the crease by the absence of play and it cost the Avalanche.
Cumiskey almost makes up for it at the other end with a late-man try on the rush but can’t lift the puck. The Avs keep it in but Durno handcuffs Ryan Johnson in the slot on the next shot. Penalty: Interference.
3rd Five Minutes has a Canuck Goal and PP and all-around good play from Vancouver. The Avalanche are reeling a little bit.
Great penalty Kill by the Avs. Zero shots allowed.  While the Canucks could keep the puck in all they wanted on the sides, whenever they would try to work the puck to the middle the Avs would intercept and clear. Great positional defense.
Right after Andy makes what might have been the save of the game, the top line of Vancouver does it again.  Sedin tracks down the puck in the right corner, crosses behind the net to the other Sedin, who passes back across in front of the net to Samuelson to complete his hat trick. GOAL 4-3. Andy got a piece of it but it was just high enough to get over his pad.
Final Five Minutes of the period all came down to one good 30-second pressure that cut the deficit to one goal.
End Period.
The Period was slightly in favor of the Canuck in terms of overall play, but with those narrow margins by which they played better they got 3 goals. The Avs were a bit too passive for much of the period, and as a consequence have to defend just a one goal lead.
The Avs aren’t playing that bad in any of the three phases of the game, they’re just getting beat… and maybe outworked.  I think a little bit of energy is the answer.
3rd Period
Both team come out of the room skating hard (about time Avalanche). Both teams are also playing their secondary players off the puck by an extra 5-7 feet. Looks like everybody wants open ice.
The Avs have managed two good chances in the period in the first 4 minutes but Luongo isn’t the premiere Canadian goaltender for no reason (though he did let in one soft goal today). Both times the Avs could have beaten him moving from side to side.
1st Five Minutes Colorado looked like the team that wanted to win the game.  They’re the ones pressing the issue and Vancouver, after two period of skating very well, looks like they can’t quite find their legs.
Accidental trip by Galiardi on Ryan Kesler moving into the Offensive zone, but still give Vancouver a chance to tie. Penalty. Tripping.
Avs had put together a decent penalty kill and towards the end of the PP Kelser sets of Ehrhoff in the right circle with Alexandre Burrows screening Andy. Wrist shot, deflection, GOAL. Tied 4-4. I suppose the game has been so evenly matched both teams would turn out to have same lucky scores.
2nd Five Minutes are Vancouver’s with the PP and the PP Goal. 10 minutes to go, both teams skating hard, and the next score probably wins.
Vancouver has decided to make it physical, but they do so at the wrong time. Samuelson fighting Galiardi on a Vancouver rush loses the puck on a very physical work-in and hooks Galiardi in the aftermath. Penalty: Hooking.
An identical play on the other end of the ice by Duchene on Edler. Penalty: Hooking. Both teams wanted open ice so they get it. Four-on-Four for 1:45.
Avs Kill a 15 second PP with one clear.
3rd Five Minutes featured a penalty by each team and a kill by each team.  One good scoring chance by each team. Both clubs have opened the ice all the way, as though to say, “We have the better offense, and even if we don’t, we have the better goalie.â€Â Next one to score almost certainly wins.
The open ice is not helping anyone early, just some dumps and line changes.
On a night when the Avs get a load of lucky bounces the Canucks get the luckiest one of all…
Rome launches from the left side point, Anderson makes a pad save. The rebound bounces up into Jannick Hansen’s jersey who skates through the crease behind Anderson. The puck falls out of Hansen’s jersey hits Anderson on the shoulder and deflects into the goal. GOAL. Canucks 5-4. Vancouver just hung around too long.
Throw-away empty net by D. Sedin. GOAL. Canucks 6-4.
End Game.
That Colorado choke virtually gives the Canucks the tiebreaker.
They now have the Head-to-Head and they sit 4 wins ahead, which means it’s a five point deficit not a four point deficit. The Avs have one shot to win the division: rattle off no less than 24 point in 16 games. (I suppose the Canucks could stumble down the stretch, but they don’t have that type of team personality. I’m gonna say it won’t happen).
The turning point was the second Vancouver Goal, and I’m saying that because it was the first of 4 straight goals. Up to that point the Avs were playing great defense. But after they caught Cumiskey out of position, they began passing back to the point on every second or third pressure.  Firing from the point scored two more goals, one on a deflection and one on a rebound deflection.
I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the Avs’ failure to keep the pressure on early in the second period. Vancouver gave the Avalanche every opportunity to put the game away and the Avs, rather than failing to capitalize, passed on more than one chance to rush Luongo and put the Canucks in a deeper hole.
Lastly, Andy didn’t have the best game. He was really only tested 3-4 times and let in 2-3 goals (the screen deflection being a debatable “should have stopped it†goal as he did take good position but he could have taken better considering the tough angle).  I don’t know if he saw the puck well tonight but I didn’t see a lot a of screens or confusing attacks by Vancouver.
