Game 13 Recap: Avalanche 3 - Flames 2

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 29, 2009 5:38 AM MDT in Game Recaps Comment 46 comments

Colorado Avalanche Wojtek Wolski, center, from Poland, celebrates his game winning goal with his teammates during third period NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009. The Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-2. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jeff McIntosh)

4 months ago: Colorado Avalanche Wojtek Wolski, center, from Poland, celebrates his game winning goal with his teammates during third period NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009. The Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-2. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jeff McIntosh)

Browse more photos »

Final - 10.28.2009	1	2	3	Total
Colorado Avalanche	2	0	1	3
Calgary Flames	2	0	0	2

Complete Coverage >

Truckin' got my chips cashed in. Keep truckin', like the do-dah man
Together, more or less in line, just keep truckin' on.

- Truckin', Grateful Dead

Are they ever going to stop? The Avalanche continue to roll, topping the Flames 3-2 in Calgary, becoming the first NW division team to beat the Flames this year. This, despite going down 2-0 just 1:10 into the game on a couple of fluky goals (well, in my opinion it was one bad goal and one fluky goal, but the result was the same).

Last year, you could have switched the channel at that point - I understand there was a baseball game of some importance? - but this is not last year. The Avalanche worked hard and battled back. David Koci got his first goal of the season (and second goal of his career) when Brett Clark's wicked point shot deflected in off his arm (welcome back to the land of the useful, Brett). Later in the first, David Jones won a battle for the puck in a scramble in front of the net. It took the Avs just 15 minutes to dig out of the hole.

I didn't see much after that, to be honest, as I drifted off into my sweet, sweet slumber. It doesn't look like the Avalanche had many shots (32-14 Calgary) and given that Craig Anderson was the first star, I assume he stood on his head for the team. Sadly, I did not get to see Wojtek Wolski embarrass the hell out of the 6 Calgary Flames on the ice. Thankfully, it's recorded for posterity below.

The "surprising" Colorado Avalanche now have a 5 point lead on the rest of the Western Conference. With 22 points, they are just shy of a third of the way to last season's point totals. That's quite a fluke they've got going there...

ADDENDUM: Joe here. T.J. Galiardi left the game early last night after suffering an ankle injury. He didn't return to the ice against Calgary. The good news is that Coach Joe Sacco doesn't think the injury is serious, and the fact that Galiardi was able to test out the ankle before eventually leaving is a good sign that the damage isn't major.

Coach Sacco also had this to say about the astounding 2009-10 Avalanche:

"There's no quit in the room," said Sacco. "You get in those situations, play back-to-back games on the road, there's a good hockey team here waiting for us, but there's no quit."

...

"There's a good feeling going on, the guys are pulling for each other, they're working hard. The guys really believe they can win right now, doesn't matter if the situation is we're down 1-0 or 2-0, we have that feeling that we can come back at any time," Sacco said.

And just in case you hadn't heard, 10-1-2 is the best start in Avalanche history.

0 recs | Comment 46 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Wolski goal = sweet.

The goals again were the first truly “bad” goals (especially the Iginla one) that Anderson has given up this year

by chiavsfan on Oct 29, 2009 6:08 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Or goals against…

by chiavsfan on Oct 29, 2009 6:09 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Had to happen some time. And yet…the team still came back.

So much for “smoke and mirrors.”

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 6:24 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup…all smoke and mirrors, RED WINGS RULE!!!

by chiavsfan on Oct 29, 2009 6:45 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

that deserves to be flagged

even if it is sarcasm, red wings rule should never be allowed on either of the two sites I post on for hockey, here or stlgt

Pujols takes out "I" in BIG and "A" in MAC, previously considered to be an unyielding, consonant threat

by DESTROYER on Oct 29, 2009 6:47 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve watched the goal about five times so far, and it never gets old.

by Rather Dashing on Oct 29, 2009 8:50 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know.

I think this is all just dumb luck. j/k I’m totally lovin this!

I was there when they lifted #19 to the rafters. Were you?

by gl avfan on Oct 29, 2009 6:29 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I was only able to watch the last 5 minutes of the second and the whole 3rd but I thought Duchene was pretty bad last night. He worked hard which is good but he was a turnover machine IMO. How did he play during the 1st & 2nd periods?

Wolski was flying tonight and I thought for a second he was going to force Phaneuf into scoring into his own net when the net was empty.

How awesome was it to see that Sacco has so much confidence in O’Reilly that he had him take the draw in his own end with 1 minute left.

by kh2733 on Oct 29, 2009 6:46 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I want to see Duchene with Wolski and Hejduk for a few shifts….just to see if good linemates will help him more.

by chiavsfan on Oct 29, 2009 6:50 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Duchene had a bad game overall. It’s OK, it happens.

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 7:19 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he’s had a few off games in a row

Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 29, 2009 8:50 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that. but he’s trying to do too much

Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 29, 2009 8:50 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

With linemates that are always changing.

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 9:27 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yep. his feet aren’t moving as much, and he looks frustrated.

by thedoctor on Oct 29, 2009 9:31 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I bet. He’s used to racking up the points and he’s not doing that now. He’ll be OK. He’ll find a rhythm and some confidence and cruise.

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 9:40 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree and I’m not worried, I just feel bad for him.

by thedoctor on Oct 29, 2009 11:02 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am a bit worried

Wolski is going to get to comfortable and slow down…anyone else think that?

but i hope he doesnt

Pujols takes out "I" in BIG and "A" in MAC, previously considered to be an unyielding, consonant threat

by DESTROYER on Oct 29, 2009 6:48 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Wolski's laziness vs. Sacco

Sacco isn’t really the type of coach to let a player slow down. He’ll bench anyone and doesn’t have any ‘untouchable’ players.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 29, 2009 7:11 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wolski is getting a lot of positive reinforcement lately.

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 7:20 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boy Wonder did look a bit worse than previous nights. But that’s okay for me, considering he’ll be with our organisation for the next 20 years.

The Baron really schooled the entire Calgary team with his sweet stickhandling and body usage on his goal!

Even though it’s the best franchise start ever, it doesn’t feel like we’re in control of games as much as we were in the golden days.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 29, 2009 7:13 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

No doubt about it, this team has to be scrappier and more hard-headed than the glory days’ teams. But a win is a win, and who cares how they get it?

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 7:21 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wolski GOALLLLLLL was more then sweet it was fantastic I think he even mesmorized the Lames on the ice.

I missed the first two periods while being at work but made it home to see the third and ohhh what a third it was. As for the nay sayers the “The AVs will hit a wall” guys all I can say to you is I hope you have to eat a lot of crow at the end of the season!!! This season has been great to see and I just can not wait until the AVs come to Carolina in Jan so i can see the boys live in person!!!

Keep it up Boys we are behind you 100% no matter what!!

by BryceLeo on Oct 29, 2009 7:32 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Wolski Goal

it was sweet fantastic

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 29, 2009 7:43 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

"The AVs will hit a wall"

With the fight and never say die attitude this team seems to have, they may hit that wall and claw their way through it. Right now I’m thinking it’s going to have to be a pretty tough, and very thick wall .

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. - Jesse Owens -

I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.

by Americanario on Oct 29, 2009 1:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hard Working Team

what they might lack in elite $8 million dollar players, they make up with hard work when they are down. I love the never give up attitude.

When those two ugly goals were scored in less than 2 minutes into the game, I figured the game was over. Last year, the team would have quit skating. Those bad goals would have destroyed the confidence and moral of the team (as Chi said numerous time last year about bad timing of bad goals). This year, doesn’t seem to matter. The chemistry of this team and the work ethic makes them work even harder.

Sacco: his “tough love” approach is good for this team. Benching Wolski was a good thing for him. He is making Wolski play to his potential. Remember last year all the discussions about how we wished he could take those crazy shootout goals and put them into regulation. He is doing that. He seems a lot more confident and patient with the puck than last year, and he is using his big body more effectively. Look at Stewart. Sent down to the minor, called back up, and playing great. Sometimes pissing a player off a little isn’t a bad thing; it lights a little fire under their arse.

I love the way this team believes in itself, plays for each other, and never gives up. That is what hockey is all about.

Colorado Avalanche: Please excuse the mess while we are under construction.

by hockeymom on Oct 29, 2009 8:19 AM MDT reply actions 5 recs

rec’d!

by Mrs @ MHH on Oct 29, 2009 8:31 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

rec'd

i couldn’t have said it better myself. im loving this team.

by thedoctor on Oct 29, 2009 9:32 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Detroit

Ever since that game in Detroit, I haven’t felt the Avs were ever out of a game. And I don’t think they have either. Thanks for the boost, Detroit.

by Dixomatic on Oct 29, 2009 3:08 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sometimes pissing a player off a little isn’t a bad thing; it lights a little fire under their arse

Unfortunatley for me, in my experience pissing a player that isn’t me off never works out. Either that or my theory of “positive encouragement through negative comments” on play doesn’t work.

The Savage has spoken. Let it be done

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost

by Savage33 on Oct 30, 2009 3:46 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

It depends on how it is done

Saying “Your lazy and useless” probably isn’t going to work very well. Saying “This is a hard working team and I am having trouble lately seeing how you fit into that identity.” and then sitting the player for the rest of the game, but then playing that player the next game isn’t a bad idea. That gets the player thinking. Same with telling a player he has some work to do on his game and sending him down to the minors, but making him the first call back when there is an injury. I subscribe by the “Prove me wrong” method.

You’re a goalie and Kng of the World, so none of this could possibly apply to you.

Colorado Avalanche: Please excuse the mess while we are under construction.

by hockeymom on Oct 30, 2009 10:47 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

That could be why i wasn’t getting the reaction I wanted. My idea of encouragement was continuelly telling him he sucks, can’t shoot, doesn’t skate and tries the same crappy slap shot/drop pass/one timer that he stuffs up everytime. He still hasn’t proven me wrong, although most of it was somewhat jokingly cause he’s a mate there is still alot of anger involved.

The Savage has spoken. Let it be done

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost

by Savage33 on Oct 30, 2009 7:26 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not much of a hockey fan, so I don't know how many games there are per regular season

But this group could get 120 points on this pace.

"I always believe there's a reason why you go through everything." -John Elway

by LACK on Oct 29, 2009 8:29 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Galiardi did play a PK shift near the end of the 2nd period, after he hurt his ankle. I watched it on my DVR after the game last night. He didn’t look good on that shift, but he actually did take a shift.

Hey Peter McNab, I'm starting to see sunshine and rainbows here.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 29, 2009 9:07 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

They did the right thing by pulling him. Don’t push their luck with the ankle, let him rest up today and hopefully hit the ice tomorrow against the Sharks.

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 9:28 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

i might even sit him that game. no reason to push it.

by thedoctor on Oct 29, 2009 9:33 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep. Wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Mile High Hockey: Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, hating the Wings.

by Joe Dunman on Oct 29, 2009 9:40 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

McCloud?

Is the Highlander ready to return? I’m starting to run out of names on my depth chart if T.J. is out of the lineup.

by Dixomatic on Oct 29, 2009 3:10 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Spellcheck?

Depth chart is so low, I’m going ahead and changing guys names, too, it seems.

by Dixomatic on Oct 29, 2009 3:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

ANYWAYS

let’s try some drastic new lines on for size. our current problem is getting Duchene going/better linemates without trashing O’Reilly’s line. so why not…

Wolski – Stastny – Hejduk
Duchene – O’Reilly – Jones
McLeod – Galiardi – Stewart
Durno – Hendricks – Svatos

I think it’s worth a try.

by thedoctor on Oct 29, 2009 11:08 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I’d try Duchene on center, and YA’Really! on the wing.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 29, 2009 11:46 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

O’Reilly is a RW when he plays there, evidently, and I like to play guys on their natural wing. Plus, O’Reilly has been better at faceoffs. It’s not a cut at Duchene at all, I honestly think he’s a better defender with his speed, more just trying to maximize everyone’s efficiency.

by thedoctor on Oct 29, 2009 2:48 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs