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The Colorado Avalanche said goodbye to their last remaining veteran from two Stanley Cup teams on Sunday in Denver.  With a 4-3 Overtime victory versus the Edmonton Oilers, the Avs bid adieu to veteran defenseman Adam Foote.  The come-from-behind win was the closing note in a disappointing 30-44-8 season.

‘Footer’ will go out on top (franchise leader in assists from a defenseman) despite the Avalanche struggling to the second-worst record in the NHL.  Adam announced his pending retirement last week.  He has an outside chance at landing in Toronto at the Hockey Hall of Fame.  Foote played 17 of his 19 NHL seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.

“It was great to get the win for Foote. What a great career,” said sophomore winger Matt Duchene after the game.  Duchene has been living with Foote since coming to Colorado last season, and credits Adam with his immediate success at the NHL level.

Duchene assisted on both Milan Hejduk’s game-tying goal early in the 3^rd Period and David Jones’ game-winning goal 3:57 into OT.  The Avs came from behind to tie it twice after falling behind 1-0 just 1:26 into the 1^st Period and then handing Edmonton a 3-2 lead in the 2^nd.

Milan Hejduk’s goal moved him ahead of Peter Forseberg on the Colorado/Quebec all-time scoring list with 756 points.  Hejduk is now the only remaining player from the 2001 Stanley Cup Champion Avalanche still playing in Colorado.

Foote won Stanley Cups with the Avalanche in both 1996 (when Hejduk was still playing in the Czech Extraliga) and in 2001.  Said Foote to the Avalanche faithful and his teammates after his final game at Pepsi Center, “Thank you for your support, and I love you all.”

Following Joe Sakic’s retirement before last season, Adam Foote was named Captain of the Colorado Avalanche.  Many expect Hejduk to be offered the C if he is retained through a new contract for next year.

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So the Avalanche won a game in Edmonton last week to break a 10-game losing streak.  Aside from a rousing whoop-dee-friggin-doo, there are a couple of points worth noting about this rare win for Colorado.

First, it was prospect forward Ryan Stoa scoring the shootout goal that lifted the Avalanche to its third win since January 18^th.  Second, the Avs played tough defense and goaltender Brian Elliot stopped 31 shots in a standout performance.  Third, and this one is sort of funny, the Avalanche have now developed a verifiable trend that goes thusly: Win 1 (vs Blues), Lose 10, Win 1 (at Blues), Lose 10, Win 1 (at Oilers).

That’s a pattern, and if it holds up through the final 11 games of the NHL Regular Season, Colorado is due for another victory on its final game of the year against those same Edmonton Oilers.  Now, this is where it gets downright hilarious.

Colorado’s two wins previous to Saturday night’s breakthrough in Edmonton were both against the St Louis Blues.  The Avalanche can put together an absolutely stunning final three months of the season by continuing the trend mentioned above.  If they do, Colorado will have gone 4-36 in the final three months of the season while beating just two different teams.

That’s right, the Avalanche have a chance to make hockey history by beating just two teams in their final 40 games.  Barring an unforeseen setback like accidentally winning another game, Colorado is on pace to make the end of their crummy season honestly interesting in the worst way imaginable.

Tuesday, March 22^nd vs Columbus Blue Jackets (7:00 MST)

Once upon a time, the Avalanche were positively dominant against the Blue Jackets.  They started the season with twin 5-1 victories over Columbus, one in Colorado and one in Ohio.  Then there was a 3-1 whooping in early February that continued the Avs’ decent into mediocrity.  The game was not so close as the score.

So now the Avalanche are coming off a gritty 3-2 shootout road win with a chance to put together back-to-back victories for the first time in 2+ months.  Will they do it?  Yeah… yeah, I think they will.  But it’ll be a shame to see the above-mentioned chance at hockey history slip away.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Blue Jackets 3

Thursday, March 24^th vs Toronto Maple Leafs (7:00 MST)

The Maple Leafs are working on a fun trend of their own.  Every other game for the last two weeks Toronto has won handily, while the games in between are mistake-filled losses.

The Leafs are scheduled to hit Denver after losing to Minnesota on Tuesday.  As far as trends go, though, Toronto is bad enough to lose on any given night no matter the prevailing winds.  And so, because I won’t have another opportunity to predict an Avalanche victory for a couple weeks, we’re calling this one a victory and a feel-good 3-game winning streak as Colorado nears the conclusion of an otherwise abysmal season.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 3, Maple Leafs 2

Saturday, March 26^th @ LA Kings (2:00 MST)

Assuming Colorado actually wins their first two games this week, it will be a fitting contrast when the Avs are brutalized by the Kings in Los Angeles.  If the Avalanche lose two cake-walk home games before heading to LA… well, it’ll just be sad won’t it?

PREDICTION: Avalanche 1, Kings 4

**BONUS COVERAGE**

Matty Duchene has not slumped in his sophomore season with the Avalanche.  He leads the team with 56 points, and has showcased his ability to take on an entire defense and come away with a goal.

That said, Duchene needs to start working on some offensive zone discipline.  Too often Colorado’s offense boils down to Matt on an island at right wing trying desperately to make something happen.  It’s understandable because the rest of his team has shown a complete inability to produce scoring chances in recent months, but the whole thing is eerily reminiscent of watching Carmelo Anthony monopolize the Nuggets’ offense for six years.

Simmer down Matty.  Let the game come to you.  Trust your linemates.  And pray that Tomas Fleischmann makes it back to full strength for the beginning of next season.  You two had some wicked chemistry going before blood clotting in Tomas’ lungs sent him to the IR, and I am looking ever so forward to seeing that terrifying transition offense work its magic in ’11-’12.

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The not-so-triumphant return of Adam Foote meant nothing to a super-slumping Avalanche squad last week.  Even after pressing the Sharks to the brink in San Jose, Colorado only managed a pathetic shootout loss.

That extra-time L did garner Los Avs a point to bring them to 60 points on the season.  However, a 5-1 home downer at the hands of the West-worst Edmonton Oilers (good for two 5-1 home losses to Edmonton in as many weeks) erased any lingering positive vibes from a competitive outing in San Jose.

Now the Avalanche get into a tough stretch of games that will likely extend their atrocious post-All Star Break streak of mostly losses (1-12-2 or a 0.07 winning percentage.)  This week features games against a series of smash-mouth clubs, capped by back-to-back contests Friday and Saturday versus Anaheim and at Nashville.

To boot, promising power forward Ryan Stoa ended up rupturing his appendix and needing surgery.  He will miss at least two weeks.

Can it get any worse in Avalancheville?  Yes, yes I believe it can…

Tuesday, March 8^th @ Minnesota Wild (6:00 MST)

Back when the Avalanche were scoring 3.5 goals per game, they took an early lead in the season series versus the Northwest Division’s resident thugs.  A 7-4 win and a 4-1 victory in Minnesota sandwiched around a 1-3 loss to the Wild at home had Colorado looking like they might have finally figured out the gritty boys in green.

Then the Avs returned from a relaxing All Star Break and lost a 3-4 heartbreaker at home to the Wild wherein Colorado managed an absurd 41 shots on goal.  That game started Colorado’s current slide, and may have been the demoralizing straw the that broke the Abominable Snowman’s back in a season plagued by injuries and missed opportunities.

A 3-2 loss at Minnesota a couple weeks later was more reminiscent of Colorado’s historical struggles against the Wild, and we’ll go ahead and predict a similarly frustrating outcome in this one.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 2, Wild 3

Friday, March 11^th vs Anaheim Ducks (7:00 MST)

As a seasoned fan of teams that manage epic slumps (Avalanche, Nuggets, Rockies, Saints, Red Sox… this is getting depressing) sometimes you just have to look for the little victories amidst a big steaming pile of crap.

Well, I think we’re going to beat the Ducks at home on Friday.  If you go to one game the rest of the year, make it this one… because we may not win again… ever.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Ducks 3

Saturday, March 12^th @ Nashville Predators (6:00 MST)

At Nashville after a slugfest versus the Ducks the night before?  Blech.

Plus the Predators are just wrapping up a luckless slide full of bad losses.  Their standard response in such situations goes – 1) beat the Avalanche 2) go on a tear.  Double blech.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 1, Predators 3

**BONUS COVERAGE**

Looking for more little golden nuggets in that big pile of fetid brown waste?  Okay, fine:

Ryan O’Reilly scored his first goal since January 4^th in that 5-1 loss to Edmonton.

Adam Foote is now 39^th in games played by a defenseman after moving ahead of Borje Salming, his childhood hero, on Saturday.

Having gone 3-0-1 so far this season against the surging Oilers, and with the Ottawa Senators playing improved hockey featuring former Colorado backstop Craig Anderson, the Avalanche are rapidly moving towards the worst record in the league and a #1 Overall Draft Pick…. hooray?

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The Avalanche continued their atrocious slide since the All Star Break, losing 12 of 13 since Paul Stastny and Kevin Shattenkirk represented Colorado amongst the NHL elite.

Shattenkirk is gone to St Louis along with talented power forward Chris Stewart.  Stastny has picked up his game, but not his team.  And now fans are beginning to question whether Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco, general manager Greg Sherman and president Pierre Lacroix deserve to keep their jobs past this lost season.

The issues are so deep with this team (time of possession, too many penalties, uninspired offensive play, inability to clear the defensive zone, etc.) that the formerly bright future now looks terribly dim.  When the Avalanche were leading the NHL in scoring, their defensive deficiencies were less glaring.  Now Colorado is getting dominated in all phases of the game

A light schedule this week may help the boys in burgundy to refocus, but barring a series of minor miracles this March is going to be a tough month for the Avalanche.

Tuesday, March 1^st @ San Jose Sharks (8:30 MST)

Nobody likes to play in San Jose, least of all the Avalanche.

Colorado skated even with the Sharks on their home turf in a first round playoff exit last season, but regular season games in the Shark Tank have been brutal for the Avalanche in recent years.

Why, just a couple of weeks ago the Avs got pummeled 4-0 in San Jose by the thuggish Sharks, and there is no reason to believe this trip to Cali will be any different.  Especially with San Jose on a six-game winning streak.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 2, Sharks 5

Saturday, March 5^th vs Edmonton Oilers (8:00 MST)

Losing 5-1 to the West-worst Oilers at home last week was rock-bottom for the Avalanche.  Colorado logged 39 shots and scored just once.  A terrible early whistle with a loose puck in front of the Edmonton net robbed the Avs of a chance to get back in the game down 2-0, and then the Oilers took advantage of their ref-assisted good fortune to pile on the goals.

The Edmonton defense is categorically terrible.  It is the second worst in the Western Conference… second only to the Avalanche.  If Colorado can’t score a flurry of goals with their team pride on the line against a truly bad team, then it may be time to call up a cadre of Lake Erie Monsters to replace these underachieving Avalanche forwards.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Oilers 4

**BONUS COVERAGE**

Craig Anderson is tearing it up in Ottawa, going 3-1 in four starts as a Senator.  Chris Stewart has scored 6 goals in as many games (4 on the power play) since being traded to the Blues.  Kevin Shattenkirk has been +3 with 3 assists in St Louis.

Meanwhile, Brian Elliot has allowed 9 goals in two starts for the Avalanche.  Jay McClement has logged a handful of shots and is -1 since coming over from the Blues.  Erik Johnson has been +1 with 1 goal and 2 assists in five games with Colorado.

Right now, the trades that were designed to “shake up” the Avalanche and get them winning have only succeeded in sending talented players elsewhere in return for less.

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The Avalanche offense, once the best in hockey, has fallen apart in January.  An attack that averaged 3.5 goals per game through December has put up a paltry 2.4 goals per game in January.

With Craig Anderson and the Avalanche defense struggling mightily with consistency, 2.4 goals just doesn’t win a lot of hockey games.  Especially when your defense offers up an average of 3.4 goals per game to opposing offenses.

Now the Avalanche have been bumped out of the playoff picture following dismal performances at home versus Nashville & Boston.  A week that began with a rousing 4-3 win over the league-best Vancouver Canucks sputtered into futility after it was learned that speedy Czech winger Tomas Fleischmann will miss the rest of the year due to blood clots in both lungs.

Colorado’s offense needs to collect itself and rediscover the flow that made it unstoppable early in the season.

Colorado’s defense needs to buckle down and start making stands at the blue line instead of playing chase after the seal has been broken.

Monday, January 24^th vs St Louis Blues (7:30 MST)

After finishing December on a five-game winning streak against some top West competitors, the Blues have struggled even more mightily than the Avs in January.

Like Colorado, the Blues’ defense has been a sieve this month.  Top goalie Jaroslav Halak occasionally backstops a gem, but gets flustered by early goals and gives up 4+ with regularity.

The Avalanche absolutely must come out blazing in this game if they hope to salvage their five-game homestand going into the All Star Break.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Blues 3

Wednesday, January 26^th vs Phoenix Coyotes (7:00 MST)

The Coyotes have come on strong after struggling early in the year.  They play the speedy Avalanche forwards tough and force action to the boards better than any team this side of Detroit.  In fact, their style of play reminds of a Detroit-lite… as in lite on talent.

What they lack in big-name talent the Coyotes make up for in grit and hard-nosed play.  Bad news for the Avalanche.  Phoenix shut out the Avs earlier this month in Colorado, and will be coming off a cupcake home contest against the pathetic Edmonton Oilers.

If the Avalanche want a win, they will either need Peter Forseberg to sweep in and save them, or they will have to simply outwork their opponent in the little battles that decide most hockey games.  Avs fans are praying for the former.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 2, Coyotes 3

**BONUS COVERAGE**

The triumphant return of Foppa?

Looks like it.  Peter Forseberg flew to Denver late last week and has been skating with the team in practice ever since.  Word on the street has Foppa signing with the Avalanche once both parties are convinced that he has his legs back… and that his troublesome foot will hold up under the wear-and-tear of NHL play.

Unlike previous comeback attempts, Forseberg has been resting instead of rehabbing through Swedish league play.  He is reportedly at his best health in years, even at the advanced age of 37.

Here’s hoping for a career Renaissance for our beloved Foppa, Peter the Great, the Swedish Beast.  Although hoping that Forseberg will save our season may be a bit too much to ask.

If Peter does sign with the Avalanche this week, do not expect him to play until after the All Star Break.

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A perfect week for the Avalanche (4-0) launched them from 9^th in the Western Conference to 3^rd as the leaders of the Northwest Division.

Colorado’s offense was already rolling along at a league-leading 3.6 goals per game clip.  The return of top goaltender Craig Anderson versus the NY Rangers on Friday sparked a defense that has struggled through injuries to four of its top six defenders.  The Avs blew past New York in that game to the tune of a 5-1 shellacking before edging the Stars in Dallas on Saturday.

Now the Avalanche get Anderson close to 100% in a stretch of games that will determine whether or not Colorado keeps its tenuous hold on the Northwest.  This week is all about division play, and it starts tonight as the Avs travel to Vancouver to take on the 2^nd place Canucks.

Wednesday, November 24^th @ Vancouver Canucks (8:00 MST)

The Avalanche stole a point in their first trip to Vancouver this season, forcing Overtime in a game eventually won by the Canucks.  That was the night almost a month ago that Craig Anderson limped off the ice after hurting his knee in pre-game warm-ups.

This time around Colorado is predominantly healthy and absolutely deadly on offense.  The two teams have been heading in opposite directions of late, with the Avs winning four straight while the ‘Nucks lost their last four.

Expect a no-holds-barred brawl in Vancouver tonight with just two points separating the Canucks from the Avalanche at the top of the Northwest Division.  Bottom line – if Craig Anderson can return quickly to elite form, the Avalanche win.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Canucks 3

Thursday, November 25^th @ Edmonton Oilers (7:00 MST)

After a resurgent season in 2009, the Oilers are back to square one.  They are an NHL-worst -33 in goal differential, allowing an absurd 82 goals in 20 games this season.

For you math wonks, that’s 4.1 goals allowed per game.  Introduce the Avs’ 3.6 goals per game to the equation and what you have is a scorefest mitigated by Colorado’s ability to stop a few transition chances.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Oilers 2

Friday, November 27^th vs Minnesota Wild (7:00 MST)

Playing the Oilers for the first time this season is one thing.  Playing the tough-as-nails Minnesota Wild for the first time this season is something else entirely.

Even if this version of the Wild will never be an elite team in the hyper-competitive West, they could win a division in the East on the strength of their defense alone.  That D-first approach regularly frustrates the Avalanche on offense, and undisciplined defense eventually becomes their undoing.

Now, Joe Sacco has Colorado playing remarkably responsible hockey for a club packed to the gills with young talent.  If the Avs win, it will be thanks to Sacco’s guidance, but the Wild are veteran scrappers and this smells like an upset to me.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 2, Wild 3

**BONUS COVERAGE**

Roughly 20 games into the season the wild, wild western conference  remains predictably tight.  A mere five points separate the #1 Red Wings from the #8 Vancouver Canucks, and if the playoffs started today that would be as fiery a first round matchup between top and bottom as you are ever likely to see.

The West really only has one truly bad team in the Edmonton Oilers, and those Oilers have already beaten the Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks twice this season.  The Calgary Flames have the West’s only other sub-.500 record, and the Flames are still just -2 in goal differential despite going 2-8 following a heart-stomping 6-5 home loss to the Avalanche.

The moral of the story is this:

Every Western Conference team needs to win against the bottom half of the league if they hope to make the playoff field.  The difference in team talent is marginal amongst the top 15 teams in the West, and it will be dedicated team play on both sides of the puck that decides the top eight.  Against the East?  Fuggetaboutit.  The teams that win in the West will do it by dominating their sickly sisters along the right coast.

Where do the Avalanche sit in all of this?

Outside of bad losses to Calgary at home and the Islanders in New York, the Avs are playing up against every opponent.  They compete in almost every game, and are seeing young defenders stepping in to shore up a loose defense.

Colorado has routinely roughed up the weaker Eastern Conference opposition in seasons past, and can challenge the West leaders with a strong five-game East road trip to kick off December.

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Saint Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche

The Saint Louis Blues have been the definition of an up-&-down team this season.  They are closer to playing precisely .500 hockey than any team in the West right now (25-24-9), and have struggled mightily to generate offensive chances, especially of late.  Saint Louis will enter the Pepsi Center tonight as underdogs to the struggling Colorado Avalanche.

Yet, despite putting together five & seven game losing streaks, the Blues are still just seven points below the playoff field.  Their defense is the best of the non-playoff teams in the league, and they boast an impressive two-headed veteran goaltending duo in Ty Conklin & Chris Mason (both stretching just beyond their prime at 33 years old.)

So this will be no easy test for the Avalanche.  The Colorado Kids have had offensive struggles of their own of late, even in beating down the hapless Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Saturday night.  That 42-shot effort only netted two goals against a bad goaltender and a worse defense, the third score coming as an empty-netter with less than a minute left in the game.

To beat the Blues, the Avalanche will need to find ways to finish plays, as they have seen no shortage of scoring chances in recent games.  The Avs’ defense has been playing spectacularly lately, and if Craig Anderson gets another start the Blues’ offense will have a rough night.  I like the Avalanche to win a tight one in Colorado.

PREDICTION:  AVALANCHE 2, BLUES 0

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Pre-Game Thoughts

I heard that tonight TJ Galiardi will be playing the top line tonight with Stas and Stewy for a good amount of time… meaning Wojtek will be playing second line with Duchene and Yip.   Durno gets the job centering the fourth line.

Anderson will get the start, 12^th in a row.  He has shut out the Oilers twice this year, but it’s the Oilers on a back to back.  Peter Budaj should be handling this one.

1^st Period Action

The second line takes the opening faceoff.  Interesting move, but probably just a gut decision by Sacco. Stas is +12 against the Oilers, so he’ll get his time.

The top line’s first shot shows why they’re the top line.  3 shots, two scoring chances.

16:05 Nice check by the refs.

The first 5 minutes of the game is pretty much all Avalanche.  Only two good rushes by the Oilers and both were defused quickly.  The Avs appear content to work in On the Fly and then Crash the Net.

Cumisky came to play.  Skinny guy skating hard & fast.

Two on one for Aves broken up nicely by the Oilers.

Next five minutes is pretty much the same, though the Avs couldn’t manage any good shots.  Edmonton had a great Keep-In to extend the play. If not for some nice physical play from Cumisky, they would have earned a shot on the possession.

Edmonton has moved to the Dump & Chase since they can’t get any offense going working it in at the line.

Quincey Slashing.  First PP of the game goes to Edmonton.

At 0:29 of the PP, Foote gets the best shot of the Oilers’ man-advantage. Slapshot from 25 feet dead center off the faceoff.  Top-notch kill by Colorado, 0 Shots allowed.

The third five minutes are spent all at center ice or on the Penalty Kill.  Edmonton has one good stretch (45-55 seconds) of pressure but could generate no shots.  Avalanche defenders not giving them time to think.

Tripping on Edmonton. Kind of an accident but you are in charge of your stick.

Avss generating plenty of shots, but can’t find the net.

Another penalty earns Avs 5-3 for 0:01.  Hooray.

Period ends.

The Avs are doing plenty to get themselves good chances and take away Edmonton’s chances, but they need to find the back of the net.  They’ve been so close so many times.   To be fair Deslauriers has been pretty good, but not great.  Keep the pressure on and eventually you’ll get a goal.

The whole defense is playing good, fast harassing defense.  Edmonton can’t get into any kind of grove offensively.  Anderson has been tested only twice really.  Slap shot from 15 feet left side, but the defender took away the far side. Later a wrap-around try on the right side.  Both solid saves but nothing amazing.

2^nd Period Action

Avalanche are spending a lot of time in the Oilers’ zone, but no shots to show for it.   They are being a little sloppy with the puck. The same goes for the Oilers in the neutral zone.

Like they could hear my thoughts, Colorado picks it up and gets two good shots. One set up by Duchene working into the zone. One by Tucker streaking down the right side.

First five minutes of the 2^nd are the same story as the rest of the game.   Avs get good pressure, defense is quick and efficient at clearing the zone, nothing to show for it.

The Oilers are starting to get some decent pressure with their top line, but the Colorado defense is giving up nothing.

Duchene is a machine he gets such good looks every game.

Matty gets the puck after a Keep-In on the left side draws the sole defender to him.  Duchene drops it off for Wojtek.  Wolski puts a wrister on from 10 feet.  Deslauriers get a piece of it, but it bounces through.   Goal.  Good hard work to keep possession of the puck by Scott Hannan.  He knows we have the defense on his side so he pinches on the blue line against two Oilers, and then Duchene has an easy choice to drive & drop off.

Second five minutes is about the same game, but finally have the goal to go along with good effort.  Keep the pressure and the efficient defense up, this one should be a solid win.

First really good shot on Andy. Moreau slapshot from 20 feet, right side. Wide open shot, but Andy saw it all the way.

Colorado’s third line has moved to the Dump & Chase as well. Everyone else is still in neutral zone Control Game trying to work it in at the line.

Third five Minutes is about half & half. Edmonton has stepped it up with the one goal deficit, but Avs still look like the better team.

Two good rushes right away by Edmonton, Andy is pretty good on both.  One was caused by a neutral zone mistake, and the other a great cross-ice pass from the left defensive blue line to the right offensive blue line.

Edmonton gets one more good pressure as do the Avs to close the period.  One shot by each.

Period ends.

Avalanche got the goal and immediately Edmonton woke up.  The Avs had been dominating a scoreless game for 35ish minutes, and playing pretty even in a 1-0 game since.  Neutral zone defense has been the biggest contributor to Edmonton’s revival. Their fore-check there has gotten much more aggressive and turned into some pretty good rushes with shots.  Other than the rush, Edmonton can get extended pressure but no shots.  The Avs’ defense still has firm control in their own zone.

On offense the Avalanche did the same thing for 35ish minutes: good sustained pressure and open shooting.  They finally got the goal that should go along with it.  Since then they have gotten sustained pressure when they can put the puck into the zone, but sloppy puck handling and good Edmonton neutral zone defense seems to have taken away the rush.

The game has been basically all speed no physicality, which would explain there have been so few penalties. But the lack of goal scoring has been mainly exceptional defensive-zone play on both sides.

3^rd Period Action

Second line starts the period again.  What’s your angle Sacco?

We’re starting to see traditional Avalanche vs Oilers hockey.  Back and forth, back and forth, very little sustained pressure, numerous rush opportunities.

Edmonton gets good, sustained pressure with two shots, both pointers from 30 feet with no rebounds.

First five minutes is mostly Edmonton, but the Avs Rush is back.  Edmonton is the only team to sustain pressure for more than 20 seconds, and they have been able to get a handful of decent shots.   Other than a Duchene neutral zone pocket-picking leading to a solo Rush, the Avs have generated no shots.

Edmonton has moved to long passes across the neutral zone to work their way in.  They’re trying to tie in one shot rather than trust their O-zone play.  This could hit the home run they need, or it could backfire drastically.

Second five minutes feature a good 50-second press by the Avs with one nice keep-in by Foote that helped generate a shot.  Most of the play is happening in the neutral zone, and both teams have adapted to the Rush and are trying to slow the game back down… this strategy doesn’t make any sense for Edmonton.

The Oilers will have a good chance to tie it up.  PP

Andy is very smart and patient.  He makes a great save on a drive by Edmonton along the red line, left side.

12 seconds of 5 on 3 coming with Hannan Delay of Game penalty. Unlucky.

Avs kill (basically) back-to-back penalties.  Andy had 3 great saves on those PP’s, and 1 huge save on a rebound attempt that forced him to dive from left to right.  Avs added two  decent shots of their own short handed.

Third 5 minutes is all Edmonton for obvious reasons: two PP’s.  But the Avs maintain their 1-goal lead mainly due to Andy.  The Avs defense is starting to crack, but Craig has gone all game without being tested.   He’s not showing any signs of rust.

Colorado spends the first minute & a half of this stretch in Edmonton’s zone, but come up short on a slap shot from 15 feet dead center.

Wilson cleaning up a left sideline dribbler by shooting it back into the crease gets lucky. Deslauriers covers up and the puck slides through the five hole. Goal.  Certainly one Deslauriers wants back.

One minute left and the Avs have moved to the Trap.

Deslauriers gone at 50 seconds left.  And the Aves promptly take control.  Empty net goal by Yip from just right of center at the blue line.  Game Over.

Post-Game Analysis

Andy came up big in the 3^rd period to seal it, but it was 35ish minutes of dominating defense and another 15 of solid defense that is responsible for this shut out.  The Oilers only managed 20 shots on goal, and only four of those in the first period.  The Avs, to their credit, earned 42 shots. Well above their average, but many (especially late in the game) were not quality shots.  Wilson’s goal was a goaltender error on a dump-in for Crash the Net.  Based upon the way the Aves held this game in check they probably should have score 4-5 goals, but let’s not split hairs over a 3 goal shutout.

The second line had a great night as Duchene, Yip and Wolski all finished at +3 with 2 goals and three points between them.  Sacco’s decision to mix up the lines paid off, especially as the top line had several good pressures and were partly responsible for the defense’s strong showing since they spent so much time out of their own D-zone.

All-in-all a solid win against an inferior team, but two points they’ll take for the playoff race.  More importantly, it keeps them off of a losing streak.  In hockey losses will inevitably come on off-nights and bad bounces, but losing streaks kill playoff teams.  One more week before the Olympic Break. A strong finish of 5-8 points would have us sitting more or less comfortably for the season’s stretch run.

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Colorado honored former Av (& surprising sex symbol) Mike Ricci before Saturday's game

Wojtek Wolski broke out of his slump, Craig Anderson shut out the Oilers for the third time this season, and the Colorado Avalanche got a much-needed win Saturday night.

On a night that Colorado honored former mucker and fan-favorite Mike Ricci, the young Avalanche put in a workmanlike effort of their own.  The 2nd period resembled one long power play for Colorado even though neither team committed a penalty.  After dominating the first half of the game, Wolski finally put one home on a beautiful drop pass from Matt Duchene.  Matty’s feed to Wojtek was the result of an outstanding pass from Scott Hannan that sailed from the defensive zone over three Oilers and straight onto the stick of a streaking Duchene.

That goal proved to be the game-winner, even though Edmonton was very much in it until the final minutes.  The Avalanche’s 42 shots on goal did not include a pile of other missed opportunities that sailed wide of open nets.  The Oilers saw their fair share of scoring chances as the 1-0 tally carried well into the 3rd period.  It wasn’t until just inside the three-minute mark that the Avalanche had any kind of breathing room.  A hard slap-shot from rookie defenseman Ryan Wilson snuck through Edmonton goalie Jeff Deslauriers and trickled across the goal line.  Brandon Yip sealed the deal on an open-netter with just under a minute to play.

The 3-0 win kept the Avalanche on-pace behind NW Division leader Vancouver.  The Canucks grabbed two points of their own with a shootout victory over the sliding Bruins in Boston earlier in the day.

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Oilers at Avalanche 02/06/10 (8pmMST)

In a perfect world, the Colorado Avalanche would get to play the Edmonton Oilers after every tough loss.  Thursday’s 3-5 loss to the Nashville Predators cost the Avs precious points in a tight conference race, and handed the season series (primary playoff tiebreaker) to the Preds.

The Avalanche soundly failed to match the Predators’ raw intensity at Nashville.  Tonight the ‘Lanche head back to Pepsi Center for Mike Ricci Alumni Night.

With the playoff picture coming into focus day-by-day, these are just the kind of games the Avalanche must win.  The house should be relatively packed, and fans will be geared up for a big offensive performance from the young core of Avalanche forwards.  If the Avalanche can’t capitalize on that kind of built-in energy against a bad defensive team like Edmonton, then they don’t deserve to be in the Western Conference playoff field come April.

Colorado coach Joe Sacco stirred up the Avs’ line arrangement for tonight’s game after a five-game offensive slump.  T.J Galiardi, who has played with impressive speed and poise in recent weeks, will join Paul Stastny & Chris Stewart on the top line.  Wojtek Wolski will drop down and play with Brandon Yip and Matty Duchene, a combination that stands to look as good as it sounds.  The unpredictable Marek Svatos will likely play on a high-energy line that features Ryan O’Reilly & Cody McLeod.

PREDICTION:  AVALANCHE 5, OILERS 3

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