The Colorado Avalanche hosted the Minnesota Wild in their final game before the NHL All-Star game break. The Wild entered Denver in the midst of an 11 game road losing streak and walked away with a victory and a spot in the playoffs, should they start today.

Minnesota, who look a lot like the Avalanche did last season, currently has several AHL players up because of recent injury troubles and still just plain outworked Colorado at the Pepsi Center. TJ Galiardi got the scoring started on a back hand shot that really should have been stopped and it looked like the Avalanche were going to be able to take advantage of a Wild team that has had everything going against it.

Sadly, penalty troubles gave Minnesota two power plays and they managed to take advantage of the second with Justin Falk’s netting his first ever NHL goal. Avalanche netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere was left completely out to dry on the next goal as he first had to stop a partial break away and then deal with a quick one-timer from Dany Heatley, who beat four Avalanche players down the ice to score.

Former Wild Chuck Kobasew tied the goal in the second on another soft goal from Niklas Backstrom, but that would be the last real effort from the Avalanche until the game was in its last seconds.

A brutal turnover from Shane O’Brien led to a completely unmolested 2-0 breakaway against Giguere who had no chance as Carson McMillan put one home.

All around Mr. Clutch, Ryan O’Reilly, was out for this game with the flu, partially explaining the pathetic effort from the Avalanche.

What do you think?

The Colorado Avalanche dropped a stinker to the St. Louis Blues tonight on the road, just 24 hours after an outstanding victory against the second place Chicago Blackhawks.

Last night the Avs played an all around solid game, attacking the puck with such fervor that the Blackhawks, who had played the night before, didn’t stand a chance. Bolstered by a standout performance from TJ Galiardi, who is quickly earning top minutes and had his first career Gordie Howe hat trick, the Avalanche scored four goals and held Chicago pointless despite 27 chances.

Avs netminder Semyon Varlamov also came to play, turning away every shot he faced while also making some outstanding saves, especially on a handful of breakaway chances, which could have changed the momentum of the game. Overlooked by Chicago, the Avalanche made them pay and hoped to carry this strong game on to St. Louis.

Unfortunately this wasn’t the case. In fact, the Avalanche found themselves on the exact other side of the coin, failing to register a point and putting up a measly 15 shots on their former teammate Brian Elliott. The Blues however, really came out swinging. They accrued an insurmountable four goal lead on a devastating 39 shots and easily outplayed the Avs in all areas of the game. Another former Av, Kevin Shattenkirk, continued to shine, scoring a goal and adding an assist against the team that traded him away. Jean-Sebastien Giguere was dealt the loss, one of his worst of an otherwise great season.

The Avalanche had won three in a row heading into tonight’s contest and look to rebound at home against the Nashville Predators before heading back out on the road for another three game stint.

What do you think?

After a strong showing against the Sharks at home, the Avalanche traveled to San Jose looking to keep their good fortunes going. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be the case.

The game got off to an inauspicious beginning when Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov made a horrible clear attempt straight to the stick of San Jose’s Logan Couture.  Varlamov managed to make the first save, but gave up a big rebound to Ryan Clowe, who buried the puck.

The Avalanche managed to bounce back with authority once on the power play. Paul Stastny cleanly won a face-off right back to Erik Johnson, who put a beautiful shot on net. Stastny deflected the wandering puck right over Antti Niemi’s blocker to tie the game.

The Avalanche got another power play chance a bit later when TJ Galiardi drew a penalty late in the period.  Some great puck movement and a spectacular shot from Stefan Elliott led to a rebound landing right on Ryan O’Reilly’s stick. O’Reilly buried the second power play goal of the period and the Avalanche took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

San Jose got another early goal in the second period after a bad turnover in the defensive end. A couple of quick passes later and Michal Handzus put it by Varlamov to knot the game at two goals.

The Avalanche swiftly retorted when Matt Duchene turned on his A-game.  He drove hard to the net and one-handed a pass out to the front of the crease that bounced off of Daniel Winnik and onto Stastny’s stick.  Stastny buried a beautiful backhander for his second goal of the game.

Later in the period, Winnik would be rewarded for going hard to the basket as he took a pass from Stastny and put it top shelf to give the Avalanche a 4-2 lead heading into third period.

Then the wheels came off.

After dominating the entire game, Colorado was suddenly passive and unable to clear the puck. Jan Hejda made a horrendous clear attempt that ended with Brent Burns potting the puck and putting the Sharks within one.

A little more than a minute later, Avalanche killer Joe Pavelski finished a rebound, unmolested. Goals don’t get much easier than that one. Not longer after that, Couture easily deflected a shot past Varlamov for the eventual game winner.

For as outstanding as the Avalanche played in the first 40 minutes of the game, and they were spectacular, they were equally bad in the third period when the game was on the line. Varlamov was hung out to dry.

The Avalanche need to build on the positives of the game and bring that into Saturday’s home game against the Washington Capitals.

What do you think?

The Colorado Avalanche just returned home from a horrendous road trip through Western Canada, losing all three matches against divisional opponents. They came into tonight’s contest against the San Jose Sharks really needing to bounce back before things got out of hand.

The Avs got it tonight, playing a tough game from start to finish.

The first period was very even and nearly ended scoreless but Stefan Elliott went coast to coast and lasered a shot past Antti Niemi’s blocker to give the Avalanche a one goal lead going into the first intermission.

Colorado came out strong in the second period as well, but ended up shorthanded a couple of times.The Sharks would make the Avalanche pay after TJ Galiardi took a penalty for high-sticking Patrick Marleau. Dan Boyle made a strong play to keep a puck in the offensive zone and sent a fantastic feed to Jamie McGinn who redirected the puck through Semyon Varlamov’s legs to knot the game at one.

After another strong flurry by San Jose, and the Avalanche being unable to clear the puck out of their zone, Boyle caught Matt Duchene napping and took advantage. He snuck right behind Duchene and buried a loose puck past Varlamov’s blocker.

The Avalanche began to turn the tide in the third period which saw the play begin to open up. With both teams down a man, Daniel Winnik made a nifty backhanded wrap-around to tie the game up at two, Niemi unable to control the rebound off an Erik Johnson slap shot.

Not long after that, the Avalanche converted on their only power play opportunity of the evening when Duchene received a sweet pass from Milan Hejduk and roofed the puck. It looked like the Avs were going to take the win home until Logan Couture laid a beautiful pass on Marleau’s stick. With just 22 seconds left in the game, Marleau managed to squeak one by Varlamov.

After an uneventful overtime, the Avs and Sharks went to a shootout. Neither team had lost in the shooting contest coming into tonight’s match.

Milan Hejduk and Joe Pavelski managed to pot goals, extending the shootout through the first three shooters. After a series of missed chances and stellar saves Gabriel Landeskog buried his first ever shootout opportunity allowing Varlamov one last save to give the Avalanche their fourth straight home win.

The Avalanche play in San Jose on Tuesday in the back half of a home and home series. Let’s hope that the Avalanche are able to put together another a similar effort.

What do you think?

The Avalanche went into Sunday night’s game with two superb wins under their belts and needed to have a strong performance against the Detroit Red Wings if they wished to push that streak to three.

Detroit came in to Denver red hot, winners of their last seven games, and were hoping to continue their winning ways.

The first period was rather inauspicious for the Avalanche who didn’t really start fast out of the gates.  Detroit spent a lot of time in Colorado’s zone, and though Colorado had an early powerplay, it didn’t result in many chances.

The Wings soon ended up with a powerplay chance of their own and capitalized on it when Johan Franzen received an excellent pass from Pavel Datsyuk and had the entire net to shoot at.  Varly never had a chance, attempting to slide across his crease.

The second period saw the Avalanche jump right out of the blocks and absolutely smother the Red Wings. Gabriel Landeskog made a great individual effort on the fore-check to gain a turnover behind the Detroit net. He made a perfect pass to Ryan O’Reilly who roofed the puck stick side to knot the game at one.

Not long after that, Colorado found themselves on another powerplay. Paul Stastny finally buried one when Matt Duchene alertly threw the puck at the net from a strange angle, catching Red Wing netminder Ty Conklin out of position. Stastny beat Nicklas Lidstrom to the puck and buried it to give the Avs a 2-1 lead.

The Avalanche completely dominated the second period, outshooting Detroit 19-4.

The third period saw some pretty good action back and forth, with Detroit tying the score at two just past the five minute mark of the period.  Danny Cleary managed to get a nifty deflection through the smallest of holes short side on Varlamov.

The Avalanche would not be denied, though.  On a penalty kill, their second of the period, Gabriel Landeskog found a chance to break out offensively and ended up with a partial 2-on-1 break with TJ Galiardi. Landeskog fed Galiardi a perfect pass which Gally rifled past Conklin far side for the Avs’ fourth shorthanded goal of the season.

Ryan O’Reilly added an empty netter for his second of the game to seal the deal for the Avalanche late, and give the Avalanche their third straight win.

Things to note

Though Stastny scored, Mike Chambers is reporting that Paul Stastny went out of the game in the third period with what the Avs are calling a torso injury.  Chambers also says that Adrian Dater will have more on this at practice tomorrow.

The Avalanche are now tied for the second most short handed goals in the league, with 4.  It’s nice to see this type of aggression from the penalty kill.  This was Gabriel Landeskog’s second short handed point of the season, both assists.

Semyon Varlamov continued his stellar play, stopping 27 of 29 shots tonight.  With his third straight win, Varly has allowed no more than two goals in each of his last six starts.  He is playing with confidence and making some big saves.

Though he isn’t showing up on the stat sheet, David Jones played a very strong game tonight.  He worked very hard in the corners and was strong on the puck most of the game.  This is nice to see out of Jones and hopefully the goals will start coming again for him.

Stefan Elliott saw just under nine minutes of ice time, partially because the Avalanche welcomed back defenseman Erik Johnson tonight and played with seven defenders and partially because he gave up a turnover that lead to a breakaway.

Shane O’Brien and Kyle Quincey led the Avs with a +3 rating.

The Avalanche are on the road next against the Vancouver Canucks to kick off a vital swing of three divisional games right in a row. Let’s hope the Avs can keep things rolling.

The Colorado Avalanche laid a serious beat down on the New Jersey Devils at the Pepsi Center in what was one of the more complete games that they have played all year.

The Avalanche jumped all over the Devils in the first period, getting goals from Milan Hejduk, TJ Galiardi and Jan Hejda.  Each of those three goals came in the first five shots that the Avalanche got on future hall of famer Martin Brodeur.

The Avalanche seemed to sit back a bit during the second period and paid a price for it as Ilya Kovalchuk managed to put a puck past Semyon Varlamov for his 5th goal of the season.

Colorado’s defense was strong enough to hold the Devils at bay and Varlamov played strong for the entire night, keeping the Avalanche up by two goals at the end of the second period.

The Avalanche started the third on a penalty kill that would set the tone for the rest of the game. After the Avs killed the Devils’ power play in a very impressive fashion, Ryan O’Reilly fluttered a puck past the outstretched glove of Brodeur after a great check by Milan Hejduk of all people. This Devils turnover led directly to O’Reilly’s goal.

The Avalanche didn’t let up again, this time going for the jugular as Jay McClement added a shorthanded goal and Stefan Elliott lasered a beauty of a wrist shot right over Brodeur’s glove hand to push the score to 6-1.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 18 out of 19 shots for the win.

Things to note

Milan Hejduk tallied his 8th goal of the season for the Avalanche, and more importantly, his first goal since being named captain.

Ryan O’Reilly continued his strong season and is behind only Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings when it comes to takeaways this season.  Could O’Reilly’s name be in the mix for the Selke Trophy, given to the league’s best defensive forward?

Stefan Elliott continued to impress and tallied three points in his first three games. Not half bad to get your second career NHL goal against one of the best goalies to ever play the game.  This kid is impressive and is here to stay.

With the win, Semyon Varlamov pushed his save percentage back over .900.  Varly has been very solid for the Avs since he came back from “the doghouse.”

The latest episode of Two Guys 1 Puck is now online for you listening pleasure.

This week, the gents discussed the Colorado Avalanche’s inability to play well at home and how struggling to find their game early on is hindering their performance. There is also some discussion surrounding a recent article about the failure of the Avalanche’s dump and chase system. From here, the guys break down the roster, analyzing who should play where and why Matt Duchene needs to be a permanent left winger.

TJ Galiardi and Kevin Porter also find their names in the conversation, as a potentially healthy Brandon Yip and Peter Mueller bring up certain questions about line pairings. An unexpected change in direction finds the talk shift to the future of Joe Sacco and Greg Sherman in Colorado and local fans are called out for not providing enough support to their most favorite of teams.

TG1P wouldn’t be complete with some talk of the madmen in the crease, and, joined by Justin Goldman, there is talk of playing Semyon Varlamov vs. Jean-Sebastien Giguere against the Pittsburgh Penguins and whether or not Ryan Miller is at fault for getting steamrolled by Milan Lucic.

Give it a listen. Two Guys 1 Puck is also available for download on iTunes.

What do you think? Have something to say? Tell us below.

What does walking have to do with chewing gum? Have The Avalanche Guild found a new brand name to start selling?  Who deserves to be team captain?

All of these questions are contained in and largely answered in this weeks episode of Two Guys 1 Puck. Featuring Ryan, Jonathon, Kevin and special guest Justin Goldman, TG1P-EP9 takes a look at the past two weeks of Colorado Avalanche hockey. The guys examine the Avalanche’s inability to win at home while also discussing opinions on who deserves to be the captain of Colorado and why Erik Johnson is no longer on the list for consideration.

The Matt Duchene Experiment is also discussed at length, as is whether or not TJ Galiardi deserves to be centering his own line. Is that too much responsibility? Probably. Of course there is talk of both Semyon Varlamov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Justin even mentions the upcoming slate of goaltenders.

Unfortunately, because of an unknown head injury, Peter Mueller is as absent in the conversation of this podcast as he is on the ice for the Avalanche.

Check it out!

Two Guys 1 Puck is also available for download on iTunes!

What do you think?

Colorado Avalanche forward TJ Galiardi seems to be the first poster boy for a new ad campaign by RIVALUS, a sports supplement and nutrition company.

The video is about what it takes to be an athlete:

What do you think?

Not even a year ago it was quite shocking for some to see the Colorado Avalanche organization implementing social media as a means of promotion. Starting with a Facebook page and a Twitter account, fans began wondering if they’d ever see an Avalanche player take on a social media role.

The NHL caught up with former players Craig Anderson and Chris Stewart earlier in the season and asked them about their thoughts on using social media. At the time it seemed quite the long shot that any Avalanche player would end up engaging with fans or sharing their life as a professional athlete.

Then Matt Duchene emerged. Talking with Adrian Dater about joining Twitter, Duchene said:

“Growing up, I was always wondering ‘what was Joe Sakic like or what was Peter Forsberg like as a person, or Patrick Roy. This way, anybody who is a fan of the team – or me, I guess – would get to see that more, and make them feel closer.”

The tweeting was few and far between, about what you’d expect coming out of the media controlled state of the Colorado Avalanche, but it provided some nice glances into what made Matt Duchene tick. A scandalous comment about vodka during the All-Star Game and Duchene all but vanished for the second half of the season, yet he reappeared, more talkative than ever in the off season.

Duchene joined quiet Norwegian defensman Jonas Holøs, who’s largely inactive Twitter account saw less than once monthly action.

Conspiracy theorist’s suspicions about the Avalanche organization stifling individual voices reignited anew as almost immediately after Chris Stewart was traded to the St. Louis Blues, he was tweeting all of the time – despite his above comments about not intending to use the service.

Less than a month after the season ended, two new additions to the Avalanche roster also joined their fellow NHL comrades in using the social media service to spread the gospel of themselves. The first was Dan Winnik, who likely gave in to peer pressure from his friend and social media sports icon Paul Bissonnette from the Phoenix Coyotes. With a enjoyably refreshing twist, Winnik was the first of the current Avalanche roster to consistently interact with fans and frequently responds to questions while also leaving his opinions on the current Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Winnik also called out fellow teammate Ryan O’Byrne, exposing his presence on Twitter before O’Byrne had even sent his first message out into the interwebs. O’Byrne, who is moonlighting as an analyst for the NHL Network, is likely to pick up tweeting more consistently, though it will be hard to beat out Winnik in instant social media popularity.

But it isn’t just current players who are active online. There are both prospects and alumni using the medium as well. Colorado’s 2010 first round draft pick Joey Hishon is somewhat present on the service, as is up and coming goaltender Calvin Pickard. They are joined by alumni Marc Denis, Matt Barnaby, Curtis Leschyshyn, Theo Fleury, Shjon Podein, and Rick Berry, and John-Michael Liles.*

Wouldn’t it make sense to have Joe Sakic be the online face of the front office? It could be similar to how local football hero John Elway behaves in regards to his work with the Denver Broncos. Who wouldn’t listen to every word Joe had to say?

*More prospects have joined the Twitter game as well as some new draftees including: Tyson Barrie, Stefan Elliott, Brad Malone, Duncan Siemens, Garrett Meurs, and Dillon Donnelly. Fan favorite and current Lake Erie Monster Greg Mauldin has also joined.*

*Newly signed defenseman Shane O’Brien and recently signed forward Joakim Lindström are also on twitter.*

*TJ Galiardi is the latest comedian to join the online crowd and he hit the ground running. He has been joined by the newly married David Jones as well.*

What do you think? Who will be the next to join Twitter? Who would you want to see active on the site?

The Colorado Avalanche  announced yesterday the signing of yet another defenseman to the club, bringing the total number of roster blueliners to seven.



Shane O'Brien | Via Peterson and Cook's Hockey Blog

Former Nashville Predator Shane O’Brien is committed to Colorado for one year and will make $1.1 million this season. Last year O’Brien had nine points in 80 games and also finished plus one with 83 penalty minutes. He has moved around the league a bit, starting with the Anaheim Ducks before moving to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Vancouver Canucks, and finally the Predators.

It was with the Canucks that some questions about O’Brien’s attitude surfaced. Local media alleged that O’Brien had questionable character and that he clashed with head coach Alain Vigneault. Ryan Porth from Red Light District Hockey feels that these accusations are just that, accusations.

“The stuff that came out about him from Vancouver was media-driven. He’s a great/fun guy. Nothing but a class act in Nashville,” said Porth. “We saw none of that here.”

When asked about what O’Brien has to offer, Porth added that he “brings a lot of grit and hard work to the table. He makes mistakes here and there, but is a stand-up team guy.”

With the addition of yet another shut-down type force on the blue line, there is suddenly the question of who is going to start, and play regularly, for the Colorado Avalanche this season. The club currently has Kyle Quincey, Erik Johnson, Ryan O’Byrne, Jan Hejda, Shane O’Brien, Ryan Wilson, and Matt Hunwick slated to play defense. Not to mention the handful of young players – Stefan Elliott, Tyson Barrie, Duncan Siemens – who were originally considered to be fighting for a roster spot at training camp this September.

Looking at the list now, re-signing Kyle Cumiskey seems like a waste of time unless he agrees to a two-way contract and spends the majority of his time with the Lake Erie Monsters. It would seem that not only has the Cumiskey experiment finally concluded but that the Hunwick experiment may be on its last legs as well. Hunwick surely will be the odd man out on opening night right?

If he isn’t, there will again be concerns as to the coaching competency of Joe Sacco. Former defenseman Ruslan Salei would find this rotation all too familiar, as he experienced it two seasons ago. Salei found himself the seventh – eighth? ninth? – wheel after recovering from a nagging injury and indicated his frustration and lack of understanding for the usurped playing time in numerous private conversations. He repeatedly said that his ice time was the coach’s decision and that no player is happy riding the pine, especially while younger, less experienced players seem to have priority.

This whole conversation can be started anew when talking about the offensive situation as well. The Avs currently have 14 forwards on the roster and many expect Gabriel Landeskog to be ready to join that number as well. Obviously it is good to have some talent around in case of injury, but the “not-so-merry-go-round” that Sacco finds himself using tends to cause some avoidable problems down the line. So who sits on opening night?

This is generally decided after numerous scrimmages at training camp and during the preseason showings where a few lucky players might normally earn a spot in the NHL instead of the AHL. Yet this season the roster is already overpopulated and camp is nearly two months away. Do you bench newcomer Joakim Lidström? It doesn’t seem wise to present him with a tenuous relationship to start the season. Do you bench the underperforming Brandon Yip or Kevin Porter? Yes. Do you bench TJ Galiardi? Landeskog? Chuck Kobasew? Who?

There is also the question of how this will affect players like Greg Mauldin and Mark Olver. Players who constantly outperform the rest with the dreams of a steady position in the NHL.

These are concerns that won’t immediately be answered but that need to be considered now, as the logjam only increases until there is some sort of flow; whether it be through demotions or trades, something will have to give. Still, there are worse problems than having a lot of depth but the right decisions will make all the difference.

What do you think? Who do you start and where? How do you bench players without waiving their rights?

The Colorado Avalanche announced today the signing of young forward and self proclaimed fashionista TJ Galiardi to a one year contract.

TJ Galiardi | Courtesy of Lindsey Akiyama

Galiardi played in just 35 games last season due to a broken wrist and a subsequent, and opposite, arm injury. He finished with 15 points and a minus six rating.

“We are glad to have T.J. under contract,” said Avalanche General Manager/ Executive Vice President Greg Sherman. “We expect him to report to camp fully healthy and ready to go.”

Galiardi endeared himself to fans in the 2009-10 playoff series against the San Jose Sharks as he quickly became an agitator that couldn’t be ignored. He is expected to seriously improve over his performance from last season, which saw him demoted briefly to the Lake Erie Monsters, if he expects to have a future with Colorado. His contract is worth $700,000, courtesy of Renaud P Lavoie.

The club also confirmed the signing of forward Patrick Rissmiller.

What do you think?

23 NHL players have elected for salary arbitration as of today and two Colorado Avalanche players are included on the list.

Both defenseman Ryan Wilson and forward Kevin Porter have decided to have their cases heard by an independent arbitrator. There was word that the Avalanche had made qualifying offers to both players, but it would seem that the amount offered to either wasn’t quite what the players each thought that they are worth.

The next step, barring another offer from the Avs, would be for an independent party to hear the salary arguments for both the club and the players, individually. The arbitrator would then offer a ruling based on the evidence presented. Today is the deadline to file for salary arbitration, which would be ruled upon later in July or even early August. Once a ruling has been made, the club has the ability to accept or decline the stated amount within 48 hours. If the team chooses to decline the salary, the player is granted unrestricted free agent status and can be given offers from any team.

Evidence that can be used in the hearing includes:

The player’s “overall performance” including statistics in all previous seasons.

Injuries, illnesses and the number of games played.

The player’s length of service with the team and in the NHL.

The player’s “overall contribution” to the team’s success or failure.

The player’s “special qualities of leadership or public appeal.”

The performance and salary of any player alleged to be “comparable” to the player in the dispute.

Ryan Wilson made $530,000 in the NHL last season plus another $50,000 in both performance and signing bonuses. Kevin Porter made $660,000 last season. Interestingly, neither TJ Galiardi nor Kyle Cumiskey, who are also restricted free agents who have yet to sign contracts, are on the list of players who have filed. Speculation would lead you to believe that negotiations are still ongoing there. Players have until December 1st to sign a contract before they lose eligibility for the remainder of the season.

There seems to be a logjam of players in Colorado as of late, with the addition of Jan Hejda bringing the blueline total up to five signed players. With players like Stefan Elliott, Tyson Barrie, and Cameron Gaunce expected to battle for the last spot, it seems there is little room for Wilson or Cumiskey. The same goes for forwards, of which Colorado currently has 12 signed. It will be quite interesting to see what the Avalanche do from here, but given their injury prone nature, a couple few more should be signed just in case.

Marek Svatos recently used arbitration to play his final season in Colorado and Stanley Cup winning goaltender Antti Niemi filed for arbitration after winning the cup and was picked up as a UFA by the San Jose Sharks after the Chicago Blackhawks balked at his numbers.

*According to the NHLPA, Wilson’s arbitration hearing is scheduled for July 22 and Porter’s is scheduled for July 26th.*

What do you think? Who stays and who goes?

Following the 2011 NHL Entry Draft last weekend and the news that Matt Hunwick had been re-signed, the Colorado Avalanche had ten players who had yet to be signed or, for all we know, offered a deal at all.

Well Adrian Dater from The Denver Post has just confirmed that a handful of players have been given qualifying offers. Defensemen Kyle Cumiskey, Ryan Wilson, Ryan O’Byrne and forwards David Jones, TJ Galiardi, and Kevin Porter are among those that have been given offers. However, the team has not offered goaltender Brian Elliott or forward Philippe Dupuis a contract.

Restricted free agents, which all of the aforementioned players are, that have been given a qualifying offer have the ability to accept the offer and play or deny the offer, remaining a restricted free agent with the club until December 1st. On December 1st the RFA must sign a contract or he will lose NHL eligibility for the remainder of the season.

Unsigned players can ask for salary arbitration which forces a hearing intended to settle contract disputes. It is often used by restricted free agents as a bargaining mechanism and was used recently by former forward Marek Svatos against the Avs. If the team refuses to meet the arbitration amount, the player then becomes an unrestricted free agent. The deadline for arbitration is July 5th.

Even more perplexing is that both of the Lake Erie Monsters’ goaltenders from last season have yet to been offered anything either. Both Jason Bacashihua and John Grahame are unrestricted free agents come Friday. That leaves prospects Trevor Cann and Calvin Pickard as two keepers between four vacant positions. Obviously it is expected that the Avalanche make firm offers for goaltenders, including Tomas Vokoun, on July 1, but they better hope they make the correct offers or the team is in serious hot water.

Other potential goaltender options include Dwayne Roloson, Jose Theodore, Mathieu Garon, and Josh Harding among many. Still no word on a legitimate goalie coach joining the ranks.

What do you think? Who would you go after?

Last year, with nearly a month to go before the 2010 Entry Draft, the Colorado Avalanche announced the signings of what they believed to be two key parts of their rebuilding plan. On the same day, both enforcer David Koci and goaltender Peter Budaj re-signed with the team.

Brian Elliott | Courtesy of Zimbio.com

There was no hesitation or contemplation about the necessity of these moves. While suspect to some at the time, the curiousness of those signings comes in retrospect, as the Avalanche have yet to sign a single goaltender to their 2011-12 roster. With Budaj apparently on his way out of Denver, one would think that Brian Elliott would be sufficient enough to sign while the team hunts for a true, competitive number one contender.

Yet that doesn’t seem the case. Despite trading away a potential career goalie in Craig Anderson for what many believe to be a clone of Budaj, the Avalanche hardly seem to be a team that would give up one player and then let the new guy walk for nothing. Still, there has been no hint of contract negotiations between Elliott and the Burgundy and Blue.

While the Avalanche have signed veteran Milan Hejduk, Lake Erie Monsters pugilist Patrick Bordeleau, and newcomer Swede Joakim Lindström to one year contracts, one has to wonder if they aren’t hesitant to round up their remaining 8 rostered restricted free agents and two unrestricted free agents until after the draft.

Sure, it would be a lot easier to make a trade if the guy doesn’t have heavy contract baggage. Colorado could easily sell off the rights to a few players and let the new teams settle their contracts. With the draft nearly a week away, it would appear that the Avs, who admitted that a goaltender was their top priority, are looking to wheel and deal.

Avs General Manager Greg Sherman has come out and said that he isn’t interested in trading away the team’s second overall pick. This doesn’t mean that the 11th overall pick is safe, certainly if the right offer comes along. It’s no secret that eyes are on current backup goaltenders such as Jonathan Bernier and Corey Schneider and with names like TJ Galiardi, David Jones, Kevin Porter, Matt Hunwick, Ryan Wilson, Ryan O’Byrne, Kyle Cumiskey, Philippe Dupuis and Tomas Fleischmann all awaiting new contracts, it is certainly possible that Colorado is looking to deal.

But is there a deal worth making? With uncertainty about the landscape following a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players Association, the Avalanche have been hesitant to lock down any player with a large contract. In fact Paul Stastny is the only player on the team with a contract past the 2012-13 season.

And still there is another problem that needs solving. Even if the Avs were to land an Ilya Bryzgalov or Tomas Vokoun, what could these players accomplish with largely no goaltending staff available? It was no surprise that netminding was such a weakness last season, as Colorado opted to roll with a largely absentee goalie consultant in Kirk Mclean instead of a full blown goaltender coaching staff. Keepers are precious, mentally robust creatures that need to be catered to constantly.

The fact that Colorado has yet to sign anyone between the pipes for this season is a red flag, gears are working and a plan is in motion. But what will happen? Will Elliott continue to play in the Pepsi Center or is he just another pawn in the franchise’s chess game?

What do you think?

While it may be hard to accept when you’re favorite player, someone you have grown fond of, is shipped away from your local team, fans of the Colorado Avalanche need to remind themselves that they enjoy winning.

The Avalanche have been on an abysmal spiral, arguably since the team rang in the new year, unless you want to go all the way back to the Chris Stewart injury in November. Since then, players have underwhelmed and the team has struggled to believe in itself. In one week, they set franchise records for the longest losing streak and the most goals allowed in a game since the Avalanche rolled into Denver.

Craig Anderson didn’t perform the way he did last year. Stewart, while off to a hot start, was largely absent since returning from his broken hand. TJ Galiardi, Jonas Holøs, Kyle Cumiskey, Adam Foote, Matt Duchene, Peter Mueller, David Van Der Gulik, Craig Anderson, Kyle Quincey, Ryan O’Reilly, Paul Stastny, Tomas Fleischmann, Cody McLeod, David Koci, David Jones, Brandon Yip, Chris Stewart, Scott Hannan, and Kevin Shattenkirk have all been out this season with an injury. Some players have even had multiple injuries.

While you can’t blame a season on injuries, as the Vancouver Canucks are trying to prove, you can’t deny that nobody enjoys losing. The players don’t like losing, the fans don’t like losing, and certainly the management doesn’t like losing. With the state of the game in Colorado, the only thing that could be done to right the wrongs was to make moves.

Players in Denver have long since known that trades are an inevitable part of the game.

“When you lose this many in a row, there are going to be changes. It’s part of the business. You hate to see a teammate like Andy go, especially after what he did for us last year,” said Stewart to Terry Frei yesterday.

“When you’re in a slide like this, this time of year, something has to be done, whether a trade or a callup,” said Stastny.

Giving up fan favorites is tough, certainly, but giving up young talent is even harder. Shattenkirk immediately earned his spot on the Avalanche roster and was tagged as a burgeoning blueliner to keep an eye on. Without him, the Avalanche wouldn’t have gotten Erik Johnson.

Yet, if this team is going to compete, either this year or next, something needed to be done and General Manager Greg Sherman deserves some applause for refusing to sit by while the Avalanche melted away into the coming Spring. Instead of sitting quietly, the Avalanche stood atop the mountain and shouted.

It remains to be seen whether these moves are the sort of jump start that the team has been looking for, but losing isn’t part of the Avalanche tradition and the team needed to pick itself up off the ground, dust itself off, and get back in the game. If it cost a few lovable players to bring in the right talent, then so be it.

What do you think? Are the Avs on the right track for the future? Are they done making moves?

It was a rough game for the Colorado Avalanche last night in Minnesota as they lost three players to injury and received troubling news not 24 hours later.

Injury prone defenseman Kyle Cumiskey suffered another head injury on a hard but clean hit and TJ Galiardi suffered another wrist injury – a possible broken wrist – on a typical physical play in the eventual 3-2 loss to the Wild. This coming after the news that captain Adam Foote would be day-to-day with a leg injury. The Avalanche are clearly in a bind.

The bad news continued into the following day, with Adrian Dater reporting that wayward goalie Craig Anderson would be leaving the team on it’s current road trip and returning to Colorado, citing personal reasons for his absence.

According to Dater:

Anderson is not hurt, and the team said he will only be gone on a day-to-day basis.

John Grahame has been recalled from the Lake Erie Monsters in order to provide support for Peter Budaj, perhaps giving the team a rejuvenating shakeup in the midst of a season damaging slump. According to Robin Carlin, Grahame might not be such a bad choice:

In Lake Erie, goaltender John Grahame just earned honors as the AHL’s January Goalie of the Month by posting 10 wins in a single month. Grahame was the first goaltender in almost three years to do so, and in the process, he tied a Lake Erie franchise record for consecutive victories for the team. Grahame holds a .925 save percentage.

With stats like these on the farm, occurring while Anderson’s allowed three or more goals in 20 of his 31 starts, Avs’ fans have to ask the question: Should Grahame get called up? … If Grahame is ready, it’s possible he could spark the team to a few more wins. And even if he’s not, the potential “future” of the Avs could gain some valuable experience at the NHL level.

With all of the injuries on the blue line, fans of the young Norwegian defenseman Jonas Holøs finally have something to be excited for, as Holøs has received the nod to join the Avalanche in Columbus on Friday. The Avalanche are roughly .500 with Holøs in the lineup, but his calm, determined play on the blue line is something that has been lacking of late.

It is safe to say that the Avalanche game plan has gone horribly awry in the last few months, and questions about goaltending have been pervasive in the least. Anderson seemed no doubt distracted last night, and on the whole was unconcerned about being yanked from the game after allowing arguably only one soft goal. His season has been disappointing after the heroics of last year, and speculation would lead you to believe that it is possible that things aren’t meshing well in the locker room. *This is pure conjecture*

While I am in no way stating fact, one could hypothesize that the strings of benchings and inconsistent play have reached a boiling point with Anderson, who may no longer be interested in playing in Colorado. On the other hand, there could be some sort of injury situation that is being kept silent. That is if you choose to ignore the blatant line claiming otherwise. There could also very well be family or “personal issues” that need to be attended to. Life is apt to throw you a curveball now and again.

With goaltending talent like Jean-Sebastien Giguere allegedly on the market, would a goalie for goalie swap be all that bad right now? Perhaps things just aren’t working out for Anderson and the Avalanche. Perhaps the goalies are sick of being hung out to dry while shouldering the blame in the eyes of the casual fan. Perhaps I am way off – I hope so!

All I know is at this point, any change to the Avalanche roster must be better than the last handful of games.

What do you think?

The second episode of our newest auditory addition, Two Guys 1 Puck, is now available for your listening pleasure.

This week on TG1P, Ryan and Jonathon discuss the hot news surrounding the potential return of Peter Forsberg and the impact he could have on the Colorado Avalanche, the devastating loss of Tomas Fleischmann, the humorous reassignment and suddenly necessary recall of TJ Galiardi, whether or not defenseman Kyle Cumiskey has a legitimate place on the team, if Ryan Stoa deserves any more opportunities with the Avs, and even some general business with standings and the NHL.

Music this week by The Dead Weather and The Lonely Island. Postgame interviews and game call courtesy of Altitude Sports podcasts and, voice of the Avalanche, Marc Moser. Sound effects from The Free Sound Project.

What do you think?

Get ready to flood the Family Sports Complex on Sunday, as the Colorado Avalanche have announced today that former fan favorite Peter Forsberg will be practicing with the team.

Always looking for a way to return to the once distant NHL, Forsberg believes that practicing with NHL caliber players will give him a feel for how he has progressed in his lifelong recovery from an unknown foot injury.

“I need to see where I am physically and practicing with NHL players is the best way to find that out.” – Peter Forsberg

Adrian Dater is reporting that Forsberg’s agent contacted the Avalanche earlier in the week, requesting the opportunity to test his conditioning with the team.

“He said, ‘Peter would like to ask if he could practice with the team to see where he’s at physically. Obviously, our organization has a great history, a great bond with Peter, so we want to help him find out where he’s at physically.” – Avalanche Vice President  Jean Martineau

Obviously elation should be reserved for an actual signing, and long term fans are used to the disappointing news that Foppa isn’t ready to go. With Forsberg getting older, don’t be surprised to seem him signed regardless of if he can play or not, so he can officially retire in honor with his former club.

Forsberg played in 706 NHL games and tallied 249 goals and 636 assists.

TJ Galiardi Recalled

TJ Galiardi has been recalled from a “find-your-game” stint with the Lake Erie Monsters to fill the void left by Tomas Fleischmann.

Five separate players from the Nashville Predators stuck it to the Avalanche tonight in a dreary 5-1 loss for the Burgundy and Blue.

With Tomas Fleischmann out for the season with a pulmonary embolism, and TJ Galiardi down to the Lake Erie Monsters in exchange for Ryan Stoa, the Avalanche seemed short a lot of steam on their home ice.

Among the many problems they were having, passing the puck seemed to be at the top of the list. Any time the Avs passed the biscuit it would bounce off a Nashville skate, or a teammate would over skate the puck which lead to turnovers. Just a bad night all around against a strong Nashville defense.

On top of that, the Avs took five penalties in all, and received just over 30 seconds of man advantage for themselves. There was also a goal reviewed that, from the overhead view, looked like a good one, but the folks in the Toronto Situation Room thought otherwise.

Though the Burgundy Boys took five penalties throughout the game, their penalty kill was strong enough to fight off each of them. There were a few scary moments, but the guys were able to scrape up enough luck to keep the puck out of the net when they were short a man, it was just at even strength where the problems started.

It was also Kyle Cumiskey’s first game back since he was concussed on October 30th by one of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He looked a bit sluggish out on the ice, but I’m sure we’ll see the speedy defenseman back to his usual self in a few games.

Matt Duchene was the only Avalanche with the determination to deny Pekka Rinne, who was spectacular, a shutout. With assists from Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Stewart, Dutchy was able to pound the puck in for the only tally the Avs would see tonight.

Notes: Duchene scored his 19th goal of the season and still leads all Avalanche with 44 points. Ryan O’Byrne had a great game as far as hitting and getting under the Preds skin. Cody McLeod also got in a few scrums tonight, adding to the agitation of their Western Conference opponents.

What did you think? Should Sacco recall Galiardi? How did Stoa do tonight?

Colorado Avalanche beat writer Adrian Dater has reported that TJ Galiardi has been reassigned to the Lake Erie Monsters in return for winger Ryan Stoa.

While it may come as a shock to everyone, Galiardi’s reassignment was foreshadowed by a recent benching against the Minnesota Wild and some tough comments from his head coach. it would appear as if, despite a strong start after returning from his injury, Galiardi wasn’t performing the role he’d been tasked with. Being an agitator clearly became second nature during the playoffs last season, and it even earned him a spot on the top line on opening night and for much of the early season.

After returning from a broken wrist, Galiardi had shown some offensive flashes but hah largely failed to create havoc for opposing teams, much like Alex Burrows for the Vancouver Canucks or a Sean Avery but with talent and class.

When TJ skates and he uses his speed, the way he’s capable of, he’s a very effective player and he just needs to get back to skating and making sure that when he comes back in the lineup that he’s a little bit more difficult to play against. I remember back in that series against San Jose last year, he was very effective ’cause he was under the opponents skin and we just want to see a little bit more of that. – Joe Sacco after a recent win against the Wild.

Not one to muddle his messages, Avs head coach Joe Sacco responded to Galiardi by sending him back to the Monsters, despite his seven goals and six assists, as per Galiardi’s two way contract. The shock for most fans is that Kevin Porter or even Matt Hunwick have been overlooked despite slumps or overall subpar play.

Yet, of all of the players eligible to fill in, the mixed bag known as Ryan Stoa has been given a chance to again rise to the call of the NHL. If you’ve read our Monthly Journal you’d know that Stoa has largely been on the rise this season, after a surprising cut from the Avalanche roster at the beginning of this year.

Stoa has seemingly picked himself up off the floor, wiped the settling dust from his brow, and strived to achieve the Show once more. Which would seem to be what Sacco had planned all along, igniting the ambition of a young player toeing the line – see Chris Stewart. Stoa is second on the Monsters only to fellow Avalanche prospect Ben Walter in scoring and has 28 points (15g, 13a) and a welcoming plus four in 44 games this season. These numbers are even better when considering the Monsters are 20-19-3 on the year and have really struggled in recent weeks.

It would appear that both Porter and Hunwick have been performing up to their given standards as of late. Keep an eye on the development of Stoa but don’t be surprised if Galiardi works his way back into the lineup in a short period of time.

What do you think? Is this the right decision? Is Stoa ready yet? Did Galiardi deserve more time?

Puck Daddy released an article today listing the biggest bust on each team in the NHL. Taking into consideration opinions from writers around the league, the list seems to be a fairly accurate representation except for the fact that Brandon Yip is listed for the Colorado Avalanche.

I’ll admit that, until recently, even I lamented about the missing aspect of Yip’s play. So I went to look at his numbers between this year and last year and found some interesting points:

Last year: 32 games played, 11 goals, 8 assists, +5, 18.6 shifts per game and 14:41 time on ice per game. He finished 15th in scoring.

This year: 38 games played, 7 goals, 8 assists, -5, 17.3 shifts per game and 13:54 time on ice per game. He is currently 10th in scoring.

These numbers obviously indicate a minor decline. Yes, last season Yip was producing more and playing more. But are his numbers a complete result of individual play or could his -5 be the result of mediocre goaltending and a defense that’s lost at sea?

I’d argue that Yip is facing a slight downturn, sure, but he is nowhere near the biggest bust of the season. My top six goats of the year, in no particular order are:

1. Peter Mueller

Peter Mueller was acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes last season in return for the remiss Wojtek Wolski, who finished the season 4th on Colorado for points. Mueller, who had been labeled as a slacker, unwilling to continue to work at improving his game, found a new home in Denver and began to light the lamp. Mueller scored 20 points in only 15 games before going down with a concussion courtesy of Rob Blake.

That is where all the trouble began. Despite showing up, barely, in training camp and the preseason, Mueller suddenly suffered another concussion and has yet to play a single game this season. Worse still is the possibility that he’s suffering from the same concussion from the previous season and may not return at all. While there is hope in the sense that Marc Savard was able to overcome a similar predicament, there has been no news at all on Mueller’s progress.

2. Craig Anderson

Craig Anderson was everyone’s favorite player last season mainly because he strutted in to town, stole more than his fair share of games, and gave Avs fans hope of a future filled with Stanley Cups and giant rings with too many diamonds. Champagne was almost flowing through the streets of Denver. Anderson played in way too many, 71, games and posted a bountiful goals against average of 2.64 and a save percentage of .917. He even managed to overshadow an improvement in isolated backup Peter Budaj’s game despite Budaj posting the exact same numbers in only 15 games played.

This season, Anderson has been plagued by knee and groin injuries and, more importantly, a Jose Theodore-esque battle with confidence. Gone is the indestructible stone visage, debying those who knocked on the door of destiny. It has been replaced by a flip-flop trap-door that can close completely one night and open for the slightest breeze the next. With a sinking goals against average of 3.07 and a save percentage of .902 across 24 games, a return to form isn’t out of reach, but also isn’t expected. Even Budaj playing better isn’t good enough as he has a 3.08 and .898 after 21 games.

3. Matt Hunwick

You can come out and argue that Matt Hunwick doesn’t deserve to be included in this list based on the fact that he’s only played 20 games in Colorado. In fact, I encourage you to do so down at the bottom of the page. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a pathetic minus 9 with two points in those 20 games. It becomes an issue when he sees 19:04 of ice time each game. It also becomes an issue when you remember that he had three points and was a plus four in 22 games with the Boston Bruins earlier this season. Talk about a 180 degree turn.

Last season saw a similar Hunwick, who finished the season minus 16 but with 14 points to show after 76 games. He even managed six points and a minus one in the playoffs. So maybe Hunwick isn’t exactly a bust and he’s really just playing to form, but after a start like he had in Boston, he is taking way too long to find a groove. Terry Frei recently talked with Hunwick who admitted he’s just now “starting to feel comfortable in Colorado’s system.” Is he the the next Tom Preissing?

4. David Koci

First of all, credit goes to David Koci for having two more goals in the last two years in the NHL than I do. But if your role is an enforcer, the guy who goes out just to scare the other players into laying off our guys, you need to be successful at least half of the time. For a player who’s job is to get some energy by fighting the biggest, strongest guy on the opposing team, a true pugilist if you will, you need to win the occasional score card.

According to Hockeyfights.com, last season Koci went 3-5-3 in 11 fights. The season before that, for the St. Louis Blues, he went 2-5-2. This season, Koci has one fight to his name, against John Scott of the Chicago Blackhawks, and he didn’t even come close to winning. As the role for enforcer begins to fade away, making room for the agitator that can fight and score – read TJ Galiardi, Cody McLeod – Koci becomes an enigma on the team. He is a guy who takes a spot on the bench from another player and then averages two and a half minutes across five shifts per game. What is the point?

5. The Colorado Avalanche Defensive Game

No, I’m not just talking about Hunwick, Kyle Quincey, and Kyle Cumiskey. I’m talking about every single player on the team coming back, supporting their goaltender, cleaning out the garbage parked in front of the net, sending rebounds to the boards, and breaking out the puck without turning it over. Even Ryan O’Byrne and John-Michael Liles, who lead the team with a plus 13 rating each, are responsible for making smart plays and keeping goals out of the net. With goaltending on sabbatical this season, the first step is to take control of the game. Know your roles while on defense and commit to pitch-perfect execution. Until the team can play defense together, struggles will continue. The Avs are the worst in the League for goals against, with 138 after 43 games.

6. Special Teams

The Colorado Avalanche special teams game is a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde farce more reminiscent of short-bus special than “I’ve seen a lot of things in my life, but that was awesome” special. For a team that has fallen from the title of the highest scoring team in the NHL by two spots and 6 goals, it is obvious that man-advantage/disadvantage situations are harrowing at best.

Colorado ranks a Wal-Mart-respectable 9th on the power play with 30 goals across 149 chances. They also rank a Lindsay Lohan-atrocious 29th on the penalty kill and are barely ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, who aren’t the paltry New Jersey Devils but are close. No team with an penalty kill like this will go deep in the playoffs and it seems like no matter what the team works on, even if they go 15/15 on the pk for a stretch, they’ll fall back into their old, prosaic habits.

Woeful as it may be, I really intended this to spark debate in comments below about who is meeting expectations and who isn’t. I want to corral the bountiful social media conversation into one consistent space and let’s find out who doesn’t make the cut and where the team has fallen by the wayside. Tell me how you feel and what you think and don’t hold back!

The Phoenix Coyotes walked into Denver tonight and outplayed a lackluster Avalanche squad for a 2-0 win.
As the first period began, the Coyotes really took it to the Avalanche, putting a total of 15 shots on Craig Anderson. Matt Hunwick was among the struggling Avalanche defensemen tonight, allowing a couple of rough turnovers and finishing minus one on the night.

Taylor Pyatt was able to backhand a rebound into the net for the only goal in the first 59 minutes of the game. As the period drew to a close, the Avs had some scoring chances as TJ Galiardi and David Jones looked to score a goal for the Burgundy & Blue.

Though the second period remained scoreless, the Avs had the only power play attempt of the game on a Martin Hanzal hooking call. Having two minutes with the man advantage, the Avalanche were only able to get one shot on goal.

The third period saw a lot of good rushes by the Avs, but they couldn’t get it done. With 20 seconds left in the period, Anderson sat on the bench and with six men on the ice, Colorado got caught in their own zone and Pyatt was able to get the puck into the net for his second goal of the game.

Jason LaBarbera yawned his way to a shutout.

Notes: Fans are aching for Chris Stewart’s return to the ice. Rookie Kevin Shattenkirk has continued to cool off, finishing minus two.

What did you think? Should Hunwick be benched for turnovers in his own zone? Do you think having Stewart and Cody McLeod back on the ice the Avs will wake up?

David Jones managed to break the tension in overtime last night, beating Ryan Miller to give the Avalanche the win against the Buffalo Sabres in Denver.
Daniel Winnik notched two points in the first period to give the Avalanche a 2-1 lead. Winnik’s first, a goal, came from an amazing, in-air pass from TJ Galiardi. Once the puck was on Galiardi’s stick, he popped the puck over the Buffalo defenseman where it was caught, mid-stride, by Winnik who beat Miller from the right side.

Nearly 30 seconds later, the Sabres were able to tie the game up, just 16 seconds into a man advantage. Ryan O’Byrne sat in the box for a double minor, a high stick. The Avalanche remained steadfast and were able to retrieve the lead over a minute later.

Ryan O’Reilly was able to force a turnover, keeping the puck in Buffalo’s zone. Winnik picked up the puck on the right side of Miller and sent it across the slot to a waiting O’Reilly, who was able to pop it in for the short handed goal.

The second period was back and forth, both Miller and Peter Budaj staying strong for their teams. When the third period came around, the Sabres woke up and really brought it to the Avs.

Buffalo scored two goals, nearly a minute apart, from Jochen Hecht and Steve Montador and very nearly had another. It seemed that the Sabres weren’t ready to give up the game, but Matt Duchene was able to convert and tie the game back up, stretching his stick around from behind the net.

Buffalo had a close one sometime thereafter, but after review the puck had not crossed the goal line completely. The replay showed the puck was knocked out by Sabres rookie Tyler Ennis. Close, but no cigar.

O’Byrne and Adam Foote received the only penalties in the third, but Budaj was able to stand on his head to push the game into overtime, where Tomas Fleischmann came up huge with a sweet pass to David Jones, who tallied the game winner.

Notes: Paul Stastny sat out tonight with flu-like symptoms. Peter Budaj received an assist on Winnik’s goal, tying him in points with Craig Anderson. Tomas Fleischmann slotted two assists. The Sabres went 1-for-7 tonight on the powerplay.

Picture of the game (via Versus):

Versus Fail

What did you think? Does Matt Hunwick deserve some time as a healthy scratch for his play behind the net (2 turnovers tonight)? Will the Avs offense remain strong if Stastny sits out again?

Milan Hejduk brought home a Colorado Avalanche victory last night, beating Edmonton Oilers goaltender Devan Dubnyk with the lone shootout goal.

The Avalanche came out full steam ahead in the first period, scoring three goals in fifteen minutes. The first coming from TJ Galiardi, just over three minutes in. Attempting to center the puck for David Jones, Galiardi sent the puck in front of Dubnyk. Unfortunately for Dubnyk, his defenseman deflected the puck into the net.

Paul Stastny banged the second goal home when he found himself in the slot alone with the puck. He barely touched it before burying it behind Dubnyk. A great shot by a great player that was meant to drive a point home.

Finding himself in a similar situation to Stastny, Tomas Fleischmann notched the third goal for the Avalanche. Again, an Avs player found himself alone in the slot and was able to convert the advantage.

The Avalanche sat back in the second period, allowing the Oilers a single goal courtesy of Taylor Hall. John-Michael Liles and Ryan O’Byrne found themselves spinning around, looking for the puck. Before they could find it, Sam Gagner fed the puck to 2010 first overall draft pick Hall and that was that.

Ales Hemsky and Andrew Cogliano were both able to score for Edmonton in the first five minutes of the third period, but after that the Avs spent the period on defense; however it was poorly executed.

This game came down to three things: horrible defense and bad special teams by the Avalanche as well as poor officiating. Regardless of the officiating, the Avs had a chance to win this game in overtime with a power play, but the two minutes were spent passing the puck.

Though Edmonton had a power play of their own, Craig Anderson stood strong to force the shootout and the eventual win.

Notes: Liles blocked a puck with his face in the second period, was stitched up, and returned for the third period. Daniel Winnik and Philippe Dupuis collided in the first, Dupuis never returned.

What did you think? Do the Avs have a chance with such bad special teams? Do you think officiating turned the tide in this game, or did the Avs drop the proverbial ball?