The 'Yotes play a similiar aggressive forecheck style to what the Avs were playing going into the Christmas break.  Not sure if that same style was maintained in the LA game.  Didn't watch that one, so somebody will have to fill me in.

Brunette out of the corner to Wolski who beats Bryz on the far side with a GREAT shot!

Avs up 1-0.

Good pace to the first with only one PP apiece, though the Phoenix PP was played mostly in their end due to some good work by the Avs PK in the 30 seconds that they were down a man.

The Highlander had a good hit in the offensive zone that knocked a man off the puck.  Didn't get much of it, but still nice to see.  McCormick is trying to get in Bryz's kitchen a little bit at times in the first too.

Hannan, in his shut-down role, seems to be matched up against the Mueller-Vrbata line as they are the paier that seems to be making the 'Yotes go lately.

I just watched Scott Nichol take what was possibly the worst penalty shot I've ever seen...  Words can't describe the complete and utter ineffectiveness of his head shakes and decision-making on the free shot.

Big kill here.

That's all I have to say.

right after when Clark tries to play center field, misses and gives Steven an open wing to take a shot on net.

2-1 'Yotes

results in another penalty in the defensive zone.  What happened to the disciplined team.

Lappy's line seems to be the only one generating any offense in the 2nd period.

Wolki gets a good chance but Bryz robs him on the doorstep on a seeing-eye centering pass from Hlinka out of the corner.

Phoenix almost scores shorthanded immediately after as nobody gets back and Liles is on an island as the Doan almost bangs in a similiar pass.

Skratch lays down in front of Vrbata, giving him plenty of time to step aside, and shoot one past Boots.  Skratch getting up may have screened the goalie too.  Either way, Boots moved over to stay with Vrbata and the shot went against the grain and in.

3-1 'Yotes.

Is this what the LA game was like?  What the hell?

wow what a douche, why did we get rid of him? Budaj totally crapping out in this game...

Clark from Lappy!!! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!

Passes to Clark who skates in, one-moves Bryz and gets the goal.  Good way to finish the 2nd!

Avs down 2-3.

Why can't the top line bury any chances?  Why must former Avalanche players excel against their old team?  Why must every goal against be the goalie's fault when 4-5 other guys have to screw up before he even gets a chance to make a mistake?  Why am I asking rhetorical questions?

This time on Leoprone on ANOTHER soft clear by the Avs D.

two HUGE saves after the PK had expired.  This time shutting down the top line...

this time on Hannan as he interferes with a Yote nowhere NEAR the play....

WTF is going on tonight?

Clark, Hannan, Leoprone, Skratch, Liles, and Finger.  I gotta say I miss the Kid Cumiskey tonight...

What a pass by Guite from his knees in front to the Highlander, who buries it to tie the game...

just made Hannan look like his bitch.  Thankfully, the puck rolled off his stick, a reoccuring theme tonight, for both teams...

He's been grossly to mildly ineffective all night?  Roll Lappy and Co. as much as possible, IMO...

generates an offsides after Clark misplays a pass into his and creates a 2-on-1 the other way.  Even the FSN Arizona guys are ripping on the ice conditions now...

Wolski has his gimme roll off his stick, Mueller scores over the leg and under the glove, Svatos clangs another sure goal off the post on the backhand, and Vrbata beats Boots on the backhand.

We got a point, but we should have gotten more.  The Yotes are a much improved team since getting Bryz, but aside from the Lappy line and an occasional Smyth siting, the big guns were silent for the Avs tonight.  Tons of penalties for a normally disciplined team (McGoo was a ref tonight.  I hate that dude) resulted in two PP goals against as 'Former Avs Night' comes to a close with Reinprecht and Vrbata sticking it to their old team.

One other note: With a guy named 'Vrbata' on the team, you'd think the FSN Arizona guys could pronounce Svatos correctly, but no.  Its SVATOS, not SAVATOS.  He's Slovokian guys, not Greek...

I shoulda started Bryz for my fantasy team tonight... His save % has to be through the roof...

Damn, we lost. Budaj continues his uber-sucky play in the SO. I swear he has only saved 2 or 3 shoootout shots in his life, all the other ones missed the net. If you look at his shootout %, it still sucks, but if it factored in shots missing the net it would be even worse. Sometimes I think we can just pull a goalie from a pond hockey game somewhere and he'd play better in the shootout than Budaj.

What horrible luck Wolski had on that shot btw, that was total bs, I'm pissed right now. Then Svatos hits the damn POS post. If we actually got one of them on net, we might have scored.