Game 13: Wild 3, Avalanche 1
by Joe Dunman on Nov 7, 2008 6:22 AM MST
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For just the second time in team history, and the first time since 1998, the Colorado Avalanche have lost five straight games in regulation. Last night, the Minnesota Wild strolled into the Pepsi Center and shut down an offensive onslaught to prevail 3-1.
The Avs didn't lose for lack of trying. They fired 36 shots on goal, including 12 in the scoreless third period and 14 in the second. Unfortunately, Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom was in the zone, and stopped all but one shot.
With Joe Sakic out with a sore back, TJ Hensick got called up from the Lake Erie Monsters and managed to get an assist for his trouble, helping Darcy Tucker score the lone Colorado goal in the second period. John-Michael Liles had the other helper.
The Avs were outdone by the usual culprits: uncoordinated defense, shoddy special teams and poorly supported goaltending. Kyle Cumiskey filled in for a sick Scott Hannan on the blueline, but finished the game -1 after just eight minutes of ice time. The penalty kill allowed one goal on three Wild power plays, and the Avs' own power play went an impressive 0-6, strangely reminiscent of last season's kitten killing holocaust. Peter Budaj stopped 17 of 20 shots and further weakened his once-improving stats, previously boosted by an impressive three game win streak earlier in the season.
If the Avs lose two more games in regulation, they will set a new team loss streak record. I guess knowing the team might be having a record-setting year will soften the pain of a 5-10-0 start. Yeah, probably not.
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You know what's sad?
We are tied for 24th in the league, only above Panthers and Islanders, and that’s only by 1 pt.
I don’t want to admit it, but the power rankings during the off-season are starting to look like the truth…
Don’t forget to mention that the Wild didn’t have Gaborik or Burns. This team just isn’t good right now. And remember all of that excitement about the RPM line? What exactly have they done for us lately? The ’duke had at least 3 pretty good scoring chances roll right off of the blade of his stick last night. Wtf guys?
Minnesota is a well coached team committed to defense. The Avs are pretty much the opposite. And now they don’t score much either.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
at the game last night
The team simply does not pick up players around the net. Both my husband and I think Clark knocked in the first goal. He was standing behind Budaj with no one around him and the puck was sitting there in clear sight and he put his stick on the wrong side of it and it went in the goal. At the same time no one picked up the shooter on the opposite side of the net. Maybe Cumiskey was out of position but he had a player. On the Brunette goal I think it was Leopold and Salei that did not clear out either the guy behind the net or Brunette. And who knows better how dangerous Brunette is standing alone in front of the net with a passer behind the net. The number of shots overstated the danger of our forwards shots since a lot of the shots were to the goalie’s chest. And Smyth seemed to have a tough game last night losing the puck. Yes our goalie isn’t Backstrom but I guess he could have been since he was picked up as a free agent in June of 06 by Minnesota. What gets me is our goalie continues to get dumped on when it was the defense that everyone said was so wonderful. The defense according to Ad is blaming Budaj for the losses when the 6 of them were overpaid last night at 2.3 million each for looking over their shoulder. ( annually and an average figure)
On the Brunette goal I think it was Leopold and Salei that did not clear out either the guy behind the net or Brunette.
In front of the net was Leo and Stastny, Salei was the guy behind…so three people screwed the pooch on that one. I know Stastny isn’t a defender, but in that case he needs to play the body and not the puck. We’ve seen Joe do it a couple of times times season, why can’t Stastny. Bruno should have been a sandwich.
Defense is terrible, Maybe Budaj should have had the first goal…but the other two all belong to the craptastic defense being played. But Budaj’s getting the blame once again. Dater even took a swipe in his article about the Tucker incident….I’d post a quote but the story seems to have disappeared?
Now and then we had the hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be PIRATES.
-Mark Twain-
by Americanario on Nov 7, 2008 11:36 AM MST up reply actions
Thanks…I found it again after I posted. Any way here’s Dater’s snipe:
We’ll see what happens, but the Avs have bigger issues to contend with: namely, a team that has zero faith in its goaltending, one that is always looking over their shoulder worried about every shot against.
Personally I have much less faith in the defense than Budaj at this point.
Now and then we had the hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be PIRATES.
-Mark Twain-
by Americanario on Nov 7, 2008 11:51 AM MST up reply actions
There are some people who have lost their minds commenting on Dater’s article, saying that Joe Sakic should be traded for this goalie or that goalie.
http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_10921036
Can real Avs fans seriously suggest such a thing? The thought of seeing our captain in another uniform would make most of us vomit.
I don't even want to click that link
Due to fear of my mind going insane with rage at idiots like that.
I wonder what’s going on over on the offical Avs boards right now
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Nov 7, 2008 2:47 PM MST up reply actions
we need someone brave to volunteer
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Nov 7, 2008 3:25 PM MST up reply actions
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