Game 26 Preview: Avalanche at Wild

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Nov 27, 2009 8:48 AM MST in Game Previews Comment 17 comments


Colorado Avalanche	12 MT / 2 ET / 7 GMT	Minnesota Wild
14-7-4	November 27th, 2009	8-12-3
32 pts	Xcel Energy Center	19 pts
3rd in West	St Paul, MN	15th in West

The Colorado Avalance are in Minnesota this afternoon to take on the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have had a rough season so far and are currently mired in last place. They simply haven't been able to get anything going this year and have only managed to put together two consecutive wins twice (they've yet to win 3 in a row). Like Colorado, the Wild got a loser point on Wednesday, falling to the Boston Bruins in a shootout.The Wild are their normal low-scoring selves this year. Unfortunately, they are 23rd in the league in goals against per game (just ahead of the Avs) to go with that. It's hard to win 2-1 hockey games when you are giving up 3 goals a game...

The teams have met each other once this season, with the Wild taking advantage of a slew of Avalanche penalties and winning in the shootout, 3-2. Neither team really play the sort of style to facilitate this, but the opportunity is there to develop a little bad blood, as they are playing 3 times over the next 2 weeks (today, tomorrow and December 9th). Derek Boogaard and David Koci did tangle in the first game, but it wasn't much of a fight.

Minnesota is expected to be without forwards Martin Havlat and Antti Miettinen; both missed the game on Wednesday and neither practiced on Thursday. The Wild hope to have Gillaume Latendresse in the lineup; he was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens earlier in the week. No word yet as to who the starting goalie will be for Minnesota, but Niklas Backstrom has started 20 of the Wild's 23 games.

The Avalanche will again be without the services of Adam Foote, who will be missing his 5th game with a mere flesh wound, and Kyle Cumiskey (broken jet pack). Brian Fahey was called up from Lake Erie yesterday and it's possible he'll play instead of Tom Preissing. Craig Anderson is the starter today, according to Adrian Dater's reborn twitter feed. Andy is 8 games away from his NHL season high of 31.

Tale of the Tape

Colorado			Minnesota
5th	32	Points	28th	19
7th	3.00	GF/G	27th	2.35
22nd	2.88	GA/G	23rd	2.91
22nd	18.4	PP%	23rd	18.2
15th	80	PK%	8th	83.2
30th	25.8	S/G	23rd	28.7
25th	32.6	SA/G	10th	28.5
29th	46.7	FO%	8th	51.4
13th	13.4	PIM/G	5th	11.3
Stastny	23 pts	Top Scorer	Koivu	21 pts

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Comments

1th!

On paper, the Avs should win this, however, I think it will be a closer game than the formbook says.

It's hard to be a saint in this city

by Nemesis44UK on Nov 27, 2009 9:14 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

okay, i fully regret starting the first, 1th, whatever thing. i take full responsibility for it. now can we just make it end, pretty please?

2009-2010 Avs: a game away from being up on blocks

by BeachNSnowGirl on Nov 27, 2009 11:38 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

At least in this case he made a normal comment to go with it, and didn’t just post the 1th!

Still dumb, but just saying.

The 2009-10 Avalanche: It's like having a banana split while all the other kids are getting an ice cream cone.

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

by Americanario on Nov 27, 2009 11:44 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Snort

Broken jet pack, I love it.

Sandie

by sandiegee on Nov 27, 2009 9:43 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Anderson again today. Hopefully Budaj plays tomorrow. Andy can’t keep playing both ends of back-to-backs. Especially with another one on Wed/Thur (3 total in Dec), and a schedule that doesn’t give the Avs more than one day rest until mid December (15-19th)

The 2009-10 Avalanche: It's like having a banana split while all the other kids are getting an ice cream cone.

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

by Americanario on Nov 27, 2009 10:26 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Foote now on the IR (retro to Nov 17, so can be activated at any time)

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

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Nov 27, 2009 10:42 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Stupid day games. I’m goin’ skiing, so I won’t be here. Go avs, and keep the pics going in the GDT.

Get rid of the loser point

09-10 Avs- Nowhere to go but up!

by TheRed on Nov 27, 2009 10:57 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

i knew i shouldn’t have stayed up till 3 watchin the godfather…

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Nov 27, 2009 11:04 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

at least none of us are going to miss this game because we were shopping.

Mile High Mayhem just another ho-hum Avs blog.

by InfamousM on Nov 27, 2009 11:14 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

actually..i might be..

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Nov 27, 2009 11:20 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

I missed it because I forgot it was a day game and was vegging out watching a Band of Bros marathon… I find that an acceptable excuse.

The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time

by Jibblescribbits on Nov 28, 2009 9:42 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

You didn’t miss much.

This is a hockey board — You fuck with our Hejduk, and the spirit of Lappy is coming. =)-Jibbles

by gl avfan on Nov 28, 2009 9:48 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Band of Brothers was probably more exciting, had more action, and was less gory….

The 2009-10 Avalanche: Have the wheels fallen off?

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

by Americanario on Nov 28, 2009 1:01 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

I’ll be watching, I’m at work and usually we’re not allowed to watch tv during the day. but, since it’s a holiday for all but the most essential personel, weekend rules are on.

This is a hockey board — You fuck with our Hejduk, and the spirit of Lappy is coming. =)-Jibbles

by gl avfan on Nov 27, 2009 11:14 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Second most penalty minutes per game,

dead last in shots on goal, and poor Face Off percentage.

I’m amazed they’re still winning!

by Ace O'Dale on Nov 27, 2009 11:20 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

ah, but the shots on goal we do it, sometimes go in ;)

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Nov 27, 2009 11:26 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs