I am going to be coming up with a pre-series post of some sort soon, in some real shape and size, but this moment is not it. Until I do, I wanted to point to two excellent previews written by Avs bloggers.
Avs-Red Wings: intriguing from Jibblescribbits
Breaking Down the Red Wings from The Dog and Pony Show
I’m still waiting on a few other bloggers to put out theirs, but will point them out as soon as they do. Until then, Go Avs!!!
With the Flames loss tonight, the Avalanche know who they will be facing in the playoffs, the Wings. I have mixed feelings about the matchup, but overall, I think that the Avs have a better chance of derailing the Wings than the Flames ever had. The only thing I don’t like is the possibility that the Avs could lose the series to the Wings, and that would just plain suck.
While the Wings fans may be able to point out the dominance they had over the Avs in the regular season, this Avs team is not the same one the Wings beat four games to nine. In fact, it’s almost nothing like that team, with Theo playing strong, Forsberg being the spark, Foote giving the defense the workhorse they need, and Salei being the best deal made all year. There are sparks in the Avs that weren’t there before, and with a little luck, that will make the Wings a little cocky, and underestimate them. I doubt it, but it might mean something.
At the start of the year, there was only one person on the Avs team that was around for the start of the Avs – Wings rivalry. Now, with the addition of Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg, there are three. Five were there in the 1995-96 season for the Wings (Draper, Osgood, Lidstrom, Maltby, and McCarty). Which way will that translate? Who knows. What I do know is this…
It’s on. Oh, yes. It’s on.
AVS WIN!!! AVS WIN!!! AVS WIN!!!
I wonder if having an Avs fan in the Wild dressing room during the season had anything to do with it. Probably not.
I got home with the game tied up (yes, I do work that late), and after what I – and a Washington lobbyist – would consider a stressful day at work, it was either the Avs winning, or I was swearing off Lewis Black for good. And there was no way the Avs would allow that to happen.
To listen to the CBC broadcasters tell it, Jose Theodore was the series MVP, and let me tell you, I had to type that slowly, using the backspace key often enough to make my pinky hurt (oh, the pain).
MegMegMeg had a great point about the no look pass that Ryan Smyth made that set up the Ryan Smyth game winning goal (that is me doing maths). She said that there is no point in our jobs where we would just throw something over our shoulder or behind our backs, and hope that someone gets it. And she is dead on right. In fact, something like that would get a person killed in our gig. But for Smyth, things worked out fine. Better than fine, it was the awesome, and the Avs move on to the next round because of it.
So to sum up:
Theo steals,
Gaborik reels,
Wild kneel,
Tapeleg squeals
(but in a manly way)
My picture for you.
Good call, Dater. I have words for you.
BTW: I said it earlier, and I will say it again. I am behind on my blogging. I know. Sorry. Nuff said.
I had to be at work for the third period of the Wild vs Avs game today, so I missed the fireworks at the end of overtime. Apparently, something happened at the end of overtime, and this was the result:
That’s right, either Lappy fought Gaborik, or Gaborik fought Lappy. There are two sides to every story, and I present them both to you. From Roy at Wild Puck Banter:
Yes, I know Marian can sometimes be a bit feisty with the stick, but why go after him at the end of overtime? Why start swinging away, gloves on, at the other team’s most-skilled player who has been in as many fights as I have in his NHL career? Come on, Ian, even enforcers have a code. It says a lot about Ian Laperriere to go after Gaborik when Fedoruk was on the bench. One thing is for sure — the upcoming series just got A LOT more interesting.
And from Shane at Colorado Avalanche Talk:
I had to do a double take on this one but at the very end of the overtime period Marion Gaborik ended up getting into a fight with Ian Laperriere. Obviously that’s not a matchup the Wild want to see but the Avalanche will be happy to have.
It appeared to start when Laperriere yanked Gaborik’s stick out of his hands. Gaborik came back with a shove, Lappy shoved back and the rest is history. The gloves never came off but each player tossed a few punches and got me excited about the upcoming series.
We all agree that Gaborik can get “feisty” with his stick. And while there may be truth told on both sides, I have rarely seen Laperriere live up to the “unwritten code.” In general, he will no go after people who do not deserve earn make them selves available to it, but when it is time, will step up to the plate.
As for Gaborik, I rare;t have sympathy for the man. He has said things about the franchise that have stuck knives in backs. For Lappy, he is one of the most celebrated Avs of this team, and maybe this is why. Sure, I’m being a homer, taking the side of an Avs player, but I after watching the youtube version, you have to wonder what Gaborik was thinking, actually dropping his gloves first, and what the Wild commentattors are thinking, when they say that Lappy will back down against Boogaard. Actually, they said he would run and hide. Have you seen Lappy’s nose? I doubt he will hide. Hug in tight, maybe, but I doubt he will hide.
And have you seen the “fight?” Take a look on YouTube. Take a look at Lappy’s punching hand. What is unusual about this “fight?” Lappy keeps punching Gabby with his glove on. He was doing the hockey equivalent of pulling his punches. The best Gaborik came away with was a warning an some rug burn. So don’t give me this “Classless” BS, nor the “Gaborik doesn’t fight” crap. Even Sidney Crosby learned he had to stick up for himself once in a while.
I think this is going to be an interesting series. For everyone who wonders if Boogaard and Fedoruk are going to be dressed, start asking about Scott Parker. Playoff hockey, indeed.
Here’s the “fight” with Minnesota homer commentary, to get you in the playoff mood:
I wasn’t able to use that headline, and where I am right now, it’s April 2nd, which means that April Fool’s Day has passed. That’s for real.
Let’s go, Avalanche (clap-clap, clap-clap-clap)
Oh, and Forsberg got his first goal of the season. The team is now 7-1-0 with Forsberg in the game. The Avs will now be paying for any surgery he needs. Ever.
Busy week for me, as we move into Hot-lanta, but I hope to get a little blogging done.
Go Avs.
The bad part about having a night job is that I don’t usually get to watch hockey when I am working. Lately, that hasn’t been the case, and I have been able to watch game after game. So I thought I would throw out a few notes from what I saw:
Avs squeak it out: I had to leave after the second period, but what I saw of the game had me excited and scared all at once. The stick handling of Andrew Brunette in a tight space was incredible, but the goals that Jose Theodore gave up to tie the game at two – after the Avs lead 2-0 – had me more than a little concerned. I didn’t get to see the goal that tied the game, but I know in my heart that Peter McNab used the line, “Who else but Joe Sakic?” And he would be right. The shootout had me concerned, since the Oilers have made the circus stunt their bitch this season, but Roloson was like a ghost. Nowhere to be found. Avs pull out two points, give up one that may not touch them in the end, and are tied with Dallas and Calgary. Which leads us to…
Bobby Lou pulled… again: Roberto Luongo is starting to get used to that baseball cap. After flying all over hell, creation, and Florida, Luongo made it to Minnesota in time to see 33:28 of action, enough to let every goal of the game in. At this point, the Canucks can’t buy a win, and the question as to where Lou’s head is at has to be asked. If it’s where it should be, B.L. should have taken the night off, put the faith of the franchise in Sanford, and stayed behind in Florida with the newborn. It would be understandable, and while the defense obviously supported Sanford after the change, you have to let your backup, even in the final push, take over and guide the game. Maybe it was time for a change in goal before the Canucks even got there. I would like to thank them for not making that change.
How many PIM can you have in a game… legally?: The Thrashers spent the game in the box. At one point, they had five players in the box, four sitting and one standing. Mostly, it was because the refs were calling anything that moved – I think a guy in the 12th row got two minutes for slashing – but also because coach/GM/all-around-calm-and-nice-guy Don Waddell told the refs in terms that everyone watching the broadcast could easily understand, what he though of their calls. While he may have been right at the time, a little bowl of STFU cheerios may have been a better breakfast. If you don’t like the calls these refs are making, wait two day until the next game, when you won’t like the calls the new refs make. And sit down. You look like a tool on television. I work with tools. Nuff said.
2:15 for tripping to Adam Foote: How long was Foote in the box for? The penalty box attendant didn’t seem to let him out when his penalty was over, but I didn’t have the sound on, so I couldn’t tell what was happening. Anyone? I will say this. The guy who mans the penalty box used to be my neighbor last year, and this guy was not he. In other words, this was a sub. The off ice officials for the Avs games drink at a bar I go to in Denver, and if I were home, I would ask them about this. Next time.
Wings get points and I don’t care: I have better things to do than worry about them. They are in, the Avs are not done yet. I will worry about them in the playoffs. For now, whoopee.
NCAA Hockey: I hate March Madness, because it takes away from some really important hockey. This year, I have a bit of an opportunity to watch some college hockey, and I’m really enjoying what I’m seeing. It’s a bit unrefined, and a little too much B.S. involved, but it’s still a lot of fun. Tomorrow, DU plays for their lives. Should be good.
Colorado Eagles win first game of playoffs: Another Colorado hockey team did well tonight, as the Colorado Eagles beat the Youngstown Steelhounds 6-4. These are the quarterfinals of the run to the Presidents Cup in the Central Hockey League, and a game one victory, when there is heavy travel soon to be had is important. Especially when the series split, with Colorado having home ice advantage, is 2-3-2. You can win one and still lose the series away. go figure.
That’s enough for tonight. My stay in Toledo comes to an end in a few days, and I will be drinking with Greg from the Post Pessimist Society. That is going to end in a hangover of epic proportions. Stay tuned for my pain.
Tape Central is up and running in full swing tonight. How am I keeping an eye on the games?
I can guess what XM radio is talking about today, and that’s how tight the standings are in the West today.
The Avs didn’t do themselves any favors by losing to the Wild last night, and the Canucks didn’t do anyone any favors by having a veritable scoring frenzy (3 goals for the Canucks are a lot theses days.). The problem the Avs have now is that every game they have left is against division rivals.
Which means that every point lost goes directly to someone you are battling for a playoff spot. An overtime win against a division rival is one point given away you could miss the playoffs by. Winning in regulation is the only way to go. And every game is going to be scrappy.
Avs better get some mojo, and fast.
Hey, would you look at that…
Avs leap to seventh (OK, tied for 7th) in the standings. Still in the hunt. 15 games left, two against the Stars, one against the Ducks, one against the (hated) Devils, and a few more against the Canucks, who will be making life difficult for certain. Throw a few against the Wild in there, and this is going to be a tough race to top eight.
I must have been clairvoyant, when I bought my ticket to this game an hour before they announced that Peter Forsberg signed a one year contract with the Avalanche. And as luck would have it, this was the game he came back in. But you knew that, you are a hockey fan, and you could not avoid Foppa-fever (I said it first!) in the media. In his debut, Forsberg was quite the puck-handler, even if he was a little slower than he used to be. Then again, what did you expect? He also got three shots on goal, had three take-aways, and was quite creative with the puck. He skated with his old teammates, Sakic and Hejduk, all night, since they might know what to expect from him. And things clicked well. There was a creativity to the play that has been missing for a few seasons, and even when it didn’t work out, it was exciting to watch. He didn’t really know where to be on the power play, but that may not be a bad thing, since the power play has been crap for quite a while. One of the things I’m not sure you could see on TV, but could see from the cheap seats, was how much room the opposition would give him when he had the puck. He still has talent, and the Canucks knew it. And he got a little scrappy.
Pictures from the night. I told you I was in the cheap seats. Except they weren’t that cheap. I even asked at the box office if there were any sight obstructions. I didn’t really get an answer. I got my answer as soon as I sat down.
It got scrappy right off the bat. 5 for fighting each, even if it was only worth 3 and a half.
Hey, who’s that guy? The one on the right?
Theodore took a knee to the head in the second period, but stayed in net for the rest of the game. It was looking like a bad string of injuries for a moment there.
Here is the jumbotron message of the night.
All this because they couldn’t play Kansas.
Hey, the good guys won!!!!
It was an on the edge of your seat finish, but two points, even by the hair of the chin, even with a few posts coming to the rescue, are still two points for the Avs, and none for the Canucks. All in all, a good game.
