Let’s be honest. I don’t really expect to liveblog this thing so much as just shoot off some comments every so often. I have the Avalanche feed on Center Ice here in Dallas, TX, so I feel I should do something.

Tyler Weiman is the backup, so maybe Theodore didn’t make it back from Cleveland in time. Or….

Time counts down

1st period

18:48 1st: First penalty of the night is a double minor of Hejduk. Not how you want to start off the game, and the way the PK was last season, and the fact that Q is still in charge, this can’t be good.

16:45: Huge action in both ends. Smyth punches one wide, and as great as that may be (at least it’s a chance), it leads to Roenick having an opportunity up ice. Maybe teal suits him.

14:45: The Avs kill the double minor, and get a scoring chance along the way. The PK looked pretty good. Peter McNab is happy as hell.

14:05: Some creativity from Wolski and Svatos. That’s what Avs fans were waiting for last season.

13:00: Coach Q has a new commercial for GMC. Gonna be watching that thing all season. Shots of Denver looked nice, even though it was raining like a mother for the Broncos game. The time change for the Rockies post season bid was unneeded.

12:45: I am all for fighting cancer, but take time from your commercial break, not while the game is on. Or if you do, show the game while you talk. And what do we miss? The first Sharks penalty.

10:45: Sharks kill the penalty, but Svatos is looking good through everything so far. Where was that last season?

8:40: Avs rocking the puck down low. Gonna watch me some hockey, back in a bit.

6:44 Wolski gets a little too creative, and a slick little pass to Svatos turns into a turnover. That isn’t really a complaint. I like to see these guys playing with creativity, and that means things don’t always work out. Sometimes you have to miss a pass to make one later. This is the type of creativity we saw from the younger players at the beginning of last season, so can they make it stick? And make it effective?

5:05: Hlinka is doing his job, getting the puck to Sakic. Roenick is in the box, and so is Vlasic. 5 on 3 Avs. Super Joe scores!!!! Tying Phil Esposito in points, and movers past Bobby Hull in all time goals. 1-0 Avalanche.

2:21: Avs go back on the Power Play, with Joe Thornton in the box. And Hejduk SCORRRREESSS!!!!!!! Sakic with the assist on the no look pass moves him past Espo to take 8th place in points all time.

End of the First: Coach Q has to look pretty smart right about now, even though both goals happened on the PP, they came from Sakic, who has been a little flat the last few games. 2-0 Avs against a very dangerous Sharks team is nothing to get too comfortable with, but it sure is exciting. More in a bit.

2nd period:

18:04: Sharks can’t seem to stay out of the penalty box. Vlasic in the box, but it doesn’t take long before Liles goes in the box for interference (pretty much a pick play, even if McNab doesn’t think so). A little 4 on 4 hockey.

16:45: More shots coming from farther out, something people were complaining about during the last game. Leopold hammers a shot wide, and I would have ducked if I were a goalie. Then again, I’m not a goalie.

15:39: Another F-bomb makes it through a broadcast. Something is going on with the Sharks, and Roenick goes in the box, for too many men, but there was some serious disbelief on the bench. I know a certain amount of acting involved, but you have to wonder. McNab says it’s due to Vlasic turning into the play when he came out of the box from his penalty. Go figure.

13:00: Some good checking out there. Finally some collisions that you can hear. Budaj just had a huge and scary moment, when he went down to stop a puck, but it stayed in play directly in front of the goal. It was a tense few moments while play continued, but things worked out for the good guys.

12:13: Giant rebound off Budaj, punching out to the middle of the ice, and the Avs lead is cut in half. 2-1 game. The life is back in the Sharks.

7:45: Shot on goal for the Sharks, and you could hear the thump form his pads. Avs killing a penalty, and even tough the puck was in the Sharks possession, the PK looked to be calm and well disciplined. I can’t ask for much more. The Sharks don’t score, but they look like they have some confidence.

End of the 2nd: The Sharks are making their comeback, outshooting the Avs 12-3. Cutting the lead to one is a good start for them, and making the defense work hard is another. The D, though, has stood up, and will hopefully continue. More shots from the point for the Avs, and some good work from Peter Budaj. This game is still a game. I love the tension, and I hate the tension.

3rd Period:

19:30: Hlinka isn’t much for keeping the puck. (Edit: I didn’t really finish my thought here.  He is getting the puck quickly to either Sakic or Hejduk.  The definition of an unselfish player. )
19:08: Stastny with the GOAL!!!!! Even strength (the kind they needed) from Paul Stastny, who has 3 points so far tonight. So far this season, where Stastny goes, so go the Avs.

17:36: Budaj is makes two key saves in a row. One on a screened shot, on on a charge in from Joe Thornton.

17:13: Hejduk Goal!!!!! Stastny to Smyth, to the Duke. Hard to complain about the way the lines are working out. 4-1 Avs.

15:52: Fight! Lappy and Murray have a few words, and they go. Not a huge scrap, but a few good shots thrown.

12:44: Little feature on the Goal Judge being moved. Eight more seats (high priced seat) for Le Can. Old time hockey dies a little.

12:12: Svatos with a goal!!!! Svats was the dog last season, and has been proving otherwise the first few games of the season.

11:54 Smyth with the wrap around GOAL!!!! Six to one for the Avs! Smyth gets his first goal with the Avs. This is starting to look like the Boston Red Sox game from earlier. I would say the lines are clicking. scoring coming from the first, second and third lines. Where was this play the other night against the Preds?

9:15: It takes this long for McNab and company to notice that there has been a goaltending change. Dimitri Patzold is in net. And the Avs finish off one penalty, and then take another right away. Smith comes out, Smyth goes in. And it’s the third time for the same Coach Q commercial. I am already starting to hate it.

6:12: Jeff Finger gets scrappy with Milan Michalek, for getting a little pushy with him after the whistle. I like this Finger kid. Do we really need Karlis Skrastins back? Avs get a powerplay out of the deal.

4:18: Wyatt Smith puts the puck in the net, but there is no goal, due to the whistle being blown before-ISH the whistle was blown. So, a quick whistle takes a goal away, but it’s a 6-1 game. So, really, who cares? Wyatt Smith, I bet, but that’s about it.

3:55:Svatos my be in the box, but Brian Engblom is in the Altitude studio. WTF? Why do we have the worst haircut in hockey in Colorado? Who did he sleep with?

2:07: PP goal for the Sharks. But with 2 minutes left, and the score 6-2 Avs, whoopie. Hlinka is impressing everyone with his play, taking the puck unto the Sharks zone deep, and dishing it off to Svatos in the near slot. He’s a keeper.

Final: 6-2 Avalanche. That’s a good win. Joe Sakic with a milestone game, and Paul Stastny with five point (1G, 4A).

Your three stars:

1) Paul Stastny (“rooting for the Rocks”)
2) Milan Hejduk
3) Ryan Smyth

Good game for the Avs. Peter Budaj makes a come back (from only one game ago) with a solid performance, and Paul Stastny puts his point total to eight, leading the league. Hard to complain about much of anything the Avalanche did tonight. Unless you are a Sharks fan.

I’ll update with blogger post-game reports when they come in.

UPDATE: First blogger recap is in.

Colorado Avalanche Talk

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