Whoever comes up with the schedule for NHL games is one uncreative so and so.  Two games against the Oilers followed by two games against the Canucks.  At the end of the season.  This should show the ow incredibly stupid the schedule has been.  If you have to squeeze in the eight games a season in your division, and this is how you have to do it, it looks less like a league and more like a regional house tournament. 

On to the games:

 

Oh, yeah, that is what I’m craving.  Giving points to the Canucks is fine, as long as we get some out of it.  Two points is two points, and that’s all that matters. 

Quick Hits:

• I walked into the Czech hockey bar just as the fight between Cowan and Laperriere started.  Good timing on my part.
• Budaj had a bad night of it.
• Quote of the game: “Qucik, give me two shots! (pleading) Come on.  They just put Jose in!”
• The rest of the game had a defensive feel to it from the Avs, as they kept the shots down to seven against Theodore (Vancouver still got one past them).
• Theodore was good int he shootout, which, since he has been nothing more than a practice goalie for so long, shouldn’t be surprising.

It’s the second game that I was dreading, and it turns out, for good reason:

 

 

I know that this kind of thing gives great joy to some of those out there, and I believe you would do yourselves well to keep that joy locked away from me for a few days.  With Calgary winning against Minnesota last night, plus a few games where the opposition could have helped out just a little bit (thanks, Preds), the playoffs are now only mathimatically within reach. In other words, this game, plus the way the Flames have been playing, should spell the end of the Avs season. 

Game Notes:

• Asshat of the night goes to Joel Quenneville, who just had to go changing the lines after a 5-4 victory.  Bringing Wolski and Skrastins back may have looked good on paper (sitting Parker and Vaananen), but nothing worked out.  I heard that the Avs have won every game that Scott Parker has played in. Good job, Coach! (shaking your fist at the refs like a bezerk comic book villian didn’t really help either)
• Luongo was a monster.  I said last night, “He should be playing a lot worse, or become an Av.” Not going to happen, I know, but he was just too damn good last night.
• Theo played decent last night, and got pretty lucky at other times.  A few weird bounces could have gotten the better of him, but the Canucks were not able to get anything done with them.
• The score really could have been 3-2 or 3-3 at the end of regulation, if not for posts, goaltenders, and the hockey gods who do not like me right now.
• The Avs power play sucked with bells on.  The Canucks had good penalty killing, but the Avs didn’t do anything to help.
• Two empty netters.  Two.

So, is that it for the season?  Is the writing on the wall?  Most likely, yes.  But unlike Jes predicts, I will not be one of those sunny day fans, who only is a fan when they are winning.  I will be keeping up with the rest of the season, and see who has the heart to finish this thing off with a bang.  I’m glad the Avs had a good run at the end.  Tanking for a high draft pick is a lot less fun than watching your team make a run at the playoffs, even if it is futile.

Today is not my day for eulogies. The season is not over, even if the playoffs are out of reach.  Six games left, and I plan on cheering on the Avs until the end. Even with the problems the team had through the early and mid season, this is a team that did a great job in the end.  Eulogies will have to wait.