Game 40 Recap: Avalanche 4 - Stars 1

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Dec 27, 2009 9:09 AM MST

Final - 12.26.2009	1	2	3	Total
Dallas Stars	0	0	1	1
Colorado Avalanche	1	1	2	4

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Will the real Colorado Avalanche please stand up?

Is it the aggressive, uptempo team that pressures opponents in the neutral zone to generate transition opportunities? That team has won 7 out of the last 10, including a 4-1 victory last night against Dallas. Or is it the listless team version such as the team that gave up 4 third period goals to Anaheim while being outshot 42-17.

The Avalanche got another big game out of their top line of Wojtek Wolski, Paul Stastny and Chris Stewart and if this keeps up, we're going to need to come up with a nickname for this line. The trio had 13 of the Avs' 33 shots and 4 points (to give them 41 in the last 12 games). Chris Stewart had a key third period goal to effectively seal the win (the Avs took a 2-0 lead into the 3rd period, but after Dallas cut the lead to 2-1. Until Stewart scored, the fear of a repeat of Tuesday's meltdown was hanging in the air of the sold out Pepsi Center).

It wasn't just a one-line effort, though. Matt Duchene, T.J. Galiardi and Milan Hejduk contributed a goal and Chris Durno scored his first NHL goal as the 4th line contributed both energy and a little offense.

And none of those players was the star of the game. That honor would go to Peter Budaj, getting a rare start for an under-the-weather Craig Anderson. Budaj was simply brilliant. Again. He looks like a completely different goalie this year; he still has that rock-solid technical base but he seems greatly improved in his reaction time this year. His GAA in 7 December appearances is 1.32 and his save percentage is .957, head and shoulders better than Anderson's 3.09 / .900 month. Clearly, Anderson is Joe Sacco's man, as Budaj has just 2 starts this year when Anderson was healthy. If the two keep playing as they have been, though, how long before Sacco stops being so damn stubborn about this. I mean, he eventually stopped playing David Koci every night, right?

Of all the areas the Avalanche could stand to improve (powerplay, shots against, faceoffs), the biggest may be the "c" word. No, not that one. I mean consistency. The Avalanche have shown they can compete with any team in the NHL. Now they need to prove that they are willing to do so on a regular basis. If they can pull that off, we might just start using the "p" word when talking about the team. And, yeah, I mean playoffs.

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we’re going to need to come up with a nickname for this line.

How about “team awesome”?

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Dec 27, 2009 9:16 AM MST reply actions

I have a serious man-crush on Chris Stewart right now.

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

by Joe Dunman on Dec 27, 2009 9:42 AM MST reply actions

I’m with ya! without the man part!!!

"You mess with our Hejduk and the Spirit of Lappy is coming!"-Jibbles
MHH- The Haiku capital of AvsNation.

by gl avfan on Dec 27, 2009 10:16 AM MST up reply actions

good game for the team, was great to see them keep the pressure on in the 3rd.

Stewie, what a shot. What a game.

Duchene had a good game, but he looks hurt a little to me, or tired or something. He hasn’t flashed his speed, and he’s not pursuing the puck like he did earlier in the year. that said, what a pass on that goal.

was Liles drunk last night? that one pinch in particular that led to the 3 on 1 the other day was… O_O

Splitting up Liles and Clark was the right move by Sacco, nice to see him recognizing that pairing was utter crap. I miss WIlson + Foote already though.

by thedoctor on Dec 27, 2009 10:33 AM MST reply actions

was Liles drunk last night?

please tell me you were being facetious because liles played an outstanding game last night, so much so that sacco had him on the ice late into the third. liles’ willingness to be pummeled like a steak being tenderized in order to stop that late goal was certainly not cuz he was falling down drunk.

it’s obvious that his confidence skyrocketed when paired with foote. i do think wilson suffered when being paired with clark, tho. hmmmmm, what’s the common denominator in all this?

"They're unbelievable, really good...They sure don't look like 18-year-olds out there." - Joe Sakic

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 11:16 AM MST up reply actions

Yes, I thought Liles had a great game last night!

Sandie

"That’s the way we’ll win championships"- The Baron

by Sandie Gauthier on Dec 27, 2009 11:52 AM MST up reply actions

no, im not. he played well much of the time and he didn’t dink around on the PP like usual either, but he made some absolutely egregious errors. defensemen simply can’t have mostly good games with totally freaking braindead mistakes that should lead to goals a couple times per game. Did you not see the 3 on 1 he gave up?

I liked Clark until he started that crap, and I’m very much hoping these mistakes don’t become a permanent part of Liles game.

by thedoctor on Dec 27, 2009 1:28 PM MST up reply actions

but please don’t forget that when that happened, he had cycled down into the offensive zone, something sacco has specifically told him to do (sacco himself has said this in interviews). when the d does this, it is the center’s responsibility to cover the point to prevent those 3 on 1s from happening. so you cannot say “liles gave that up.” that was a result of bad positioning by more than one player on the team, including (and maybe even mostly) the center

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 5:01 PM MST up reply actions

i completely disagree and i’ll tell you why. the play in question is at 2:30 of the NHL highlight reel in case you need to refresh your memory.

it joins the play at the tail end of a rush by the top line. Stewie is in the middle and passes to Stastny on the left side, who shoots and gets a rebound, but it’s batted away to the near half boards. all 3 forwards are below the circles at this point, a necessary result of the rush:

I do not think it’s correct to say Stastny or some other forward should be covering the point after a rush like that. You’d be crippling a very good scoring chance that’s not doing anything defensively irresponsible. You said the puck had cycled low, that’s not true. it was a rebound off a rush.

So at this point that Liles deides to make his risky pinch. It’s clear no forward can cover him, and Dallas will probably already have a 3v3 rush the other way. Liles isn’t even in the frame here, making him unlikely to be the first to the puck, and thus unlikely to win the battle. The situation is with a 2 goal lead in the 3rd. IF Liles wins this battle, there’s no imminent scoring chance generated, merely a kept in puck with no guarantee of possession.

I’m all for the Avs maintaining offensive pressure with the lead, but to pinch in this situation is absolutely braindead. It’s a huge risk for little reward, and comes when caution was an obvious choice. I understand that Sacco has asked him to pinch more and support the play, but I highly doubt he meant with a complete lack of regard for any semblance of situational awareness or defensive responsibility. Liles gave up that oddman rush, I’m sorry.

I don’t think you’re being objective simply because this was Liles. Imagine it was Clark, maybe it’ll help.

by thedoctor on Dec 27, 2009 7:44 PM MST up reply actions

I don’t think you’re being objective simply because this was Liles. Imagine it was Clark, maybe it’ll help.

this a completely unfair statement as i have been quite critical of liles’ play of late. i do not appreciate it.

this was simply a case of thinking of a different play. you are absolutely correct that it was a stupid move and he should not have done it. when he did it, i thought as much.

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 8:28 PM MST up reply actions

and the reason i thought it was a different play was because you said:

….that led to the 3 on 1 the other day was….

i thought you were referring to a play in the wild game. the dallas game would have read “last night.”

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 8:33 PM MST up reply actions

grammar nazi-ing? seriously? come on.

the other day can refer to any number of other days. yesterday, the day before, whatever. and I would have thought it obvious to which game I was referring, seeing as this is the game recap and all my other comments pertain to this past game.

And as to the “unfair statement,” I don’t think it’s out of line. I’m seriously getting tired of being internet-assaulted (incorrectly, I might add) every time I have something unflattering to say about Liles or try to discuss the possibility of him being traded. It’s a pattern now, that’s why I made the comment.

by thedoctor on Dec 27, 2009 8:47 PM MST up reply actions

Kids,

play nice!

Both of you please grow a bit of skin, it seems to be insufficiently thick for the situation at hand. On both sides.

Liles made a really bad play on this one, but overall had a much stronger game than we have seen from him in the recent past, which was nice to see.

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - Time to grow a pair, boys!

by Hopfenkopf on Dec 27, 2009 8:56 PM MST up reply actions

hops, i wasn’t being defensive at all. i had the wrong play in mind and i didn’t like him making the assumption as to why i was defending the play. that is all.

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 9:59 PM MST up reply actions

ugh

I’m seriously getting tired of being internet-assaulted

you do the same thing to me.

for the record, last year, i defended budaj and hannan just as strongly. the year before that? wolski. this year it happens to be liles. i conceded you were right and yet you still want to argue. it’s funny actually.

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 9:57 PM MST up reply actions

whew!

for a second there I thought I’d accidentally ended up on the avalanche.com discussion boards!

by centreice on Dec 27, 2009 10:17 PM MST up reply actions

care to show us when I’ve internet-assaulted you in this manner? I mean, I’m sure I’ve disagreed with you before on hockey topics, but you seem to come after me with some serious rancor. grammar nazing? ordering you around? you refuse to debate me on the facts and topic at hand, you always take it personal and off topic.

Look, I dont want to argue, as you say. I’m defending my comments against your aggressive and clearly misinformed comments and letting you know I don’t appreciate your assumptions, your internet bullying, and your tone.

at any rate, consider this my last response to your nonsense. ever. it’s dragging this place down, all the bickering about Liles, whining about perceived insults to fat girls, telling people to fuck off, and grammar nazi-ing.

feel free to email me at the email in my profile and I’ll continue to discuss this civilly, but I’m done feeding this publicly.

by thedoctor on Dec 27, 2009 10:19 PM MST up reply actions

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Dec 28, 2009 12:52 AM MST up reply actions

/read slowly, as if one has just woken (which i have)

the funny thing is, i wasn’t arguing. at all. it was a case of “mistaken identity” on the play, and the doctor was right about the play to which he was referring. i said he was right. i tried to say why i thought he was talking about a different play and i guess he assumed i was correcting his grammar or something (which those of you who have been around as long as i have know that is something i never do unless it’s to make fun of canary cuz he is typing like he’s drunk).

i’m tired of this. i had a couple of bad days brought on by stress related to some pretty bad shit going down in my life, stuff way too personal to talk about on a public internet board, and automatically it’s assumed by some that a discussion of mine in which there’s a divergent point a view is really an argument. like i said, for me (i cannot speak for the doctor) this was not by any stretch of the imagination an argument.

now, do i really care, in the grand scheme of things, about any of this? no, not really. but i have grown attached to a lot of you (as much as you can to strangers you only know through crazy monikers and avatars) and for those i won’t still be chatting with in the real world, i just didn’t want the above to be the last you remember of me. i want you to remember nurse beachie who’s taking care of your boys! = )

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 28, 2009 10:09 AM MST up reply actions

Liles played a bad game last night. Looks like he is mailing it in, hoping for a trade. The color commentator on Fox Sports Southwest (regular Stars broadcasting team) even pointed out a particular play where Liles didn’t play the man (Modano) and just stood out in front of Budaj with his thumb up his you know where. Luckily Modano fanned on the shot and it went wide. I noticed a few other bad Liles defensive plays.

by AvsRock on Dec 28, 2009 10:34 AM MST up reply actions

Percentages

9.57?

Please people, let’s get the stats right! Percentage is from 0 to 100, not from 0 to 1.0 and definitely not from 0 to 10.0.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Dec 27, 2009 10:35 AM MST reply actions

easy there, tiger. it was a typo.

"They're unbelievable, really good...They sure don't look like 18-year-olds out there." - Joe Sakic

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 11:16 AM MST up reply actions

TYPO RAAAAAAAAAAEG

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Dec 27, 2009 5:00 PM MST up reply actions

December appearances is 1.32 and his save percentage is .957

this is also wrong.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Dec 27, 2009 5:16 PM MST up reply actions

Yeh, it is. But for some reason that is the convention. You just have to live with it.

by pingu on Dec 27, 2009 5:26 PM MST up reply actions

Hey!

Remember that part in the game when there was this huge mid-ice hit and you were thinking, “Holy crap, was that really Clark??” Well, not only is the answer, “Yes,” but the NHL has it up as a hit of the night!!!

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 11:31 AM MST reply actions

Sweet!!

that was a great hit!

"You mess with our Hejduk and the Spirit of Lappy is coming!"-Jibbles
MHH- The Haiku capital of AvsNation.

by gl avfan on Dec 27, 2009 11:43 AM MST up reply actions

i had to rewind the dvr a couple of times to make sure i was seeing it right, that it was clarky…and then to just enjoy the beauty of it.

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 11:54 AM MST up reply actions

Remember that part in the game when… you were thinking, "Holy crap, was that really Clark??

THE WHOLE GAME, EH?

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Dec 27, 2009 5:01 PM MST up reply actions

Attendance

Even if last night turns out to be a single-game anomaly, I think it really shows the true nature of the fan base here in Denver. There are enough people out there that want to see Avs games that a solid 7,000-ish tickets were given as Christmas presents for this one game. It bodes well for our boys in bergundy

by centreice on Dec 27, 2009 12:16 PM MST reply actions

i say wait till the broncos are gone, then we’ll see everyone crossing the interstate to the can

'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 Dec 27, 2009 12:54 PM MST up reply actions

I watched the entire game, and yet, when I saw the box score and the two goals in the third for us, I still thought it was a typo.

Forever grateful that Joe Sakic isn't a douche bag like Brett Favre.

by Rather Dashing on Dec 27, 2009 1:12 PM MST reply actions

Budaj may have a SV% of .963, but he doesn’t lead the league in assists by a goalie like Anderson does.

Way to stop the Avs offence, Budaj =P

by HugoAgogo on Dec 27, 2009 1:28 PM MST reply actions

how he still has an NHL job after last night is anybodys guess

'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 Dec 27, 2009 1:31 PM MST up reply actions

It’s a conspiracy – damn you Bettman for keeping the Avs down!

by HugoAgogo on Dec 27, 2009 2:07 PM MST up reply actions

Good ole Avs.

Reminds me of how good we have it with these Avs rather than those stupid Broncos. Avs could miss the playoffs and I would still think this season is progress. At times, I hate the Broncos. But I don’t think I could ever hate our Avs.

Hopefully #9 is not ten less than #19

by InYoFace on Dec 27, 2009 6:26 PM MST reply actions

Remember, no matter how bad the Broncos do someone always has it worse! :(

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Dec 27, 2009 8:37 PM MST up reply actions

ugh, broncos. just…awful.

by thedoctor on Dec 27, 2009 8:48 PM MST up reply actions

In unrelated news ...

Happy Birthday to Paul Stastny!
(also, me)

by wickediz on Dec 27, 2009 7:53 PM MST reply actions

Happy Birthday Wicked!! And Paul!

"You mess with our Hejduk and the Spirit of Lappy is coming!"-Jibbles
MHH- The Haiku capital of AvsNation.

by gl avfan on Dec 28, 2009 7:18 PM MST up reply actions

And in other AWESOME news.....

the Canucks are beating the Flames 5-1 in the 3rd

by jd21 on Dec 27, 2009 8:15 PM MST reply actions

guys, i’m saying my goodbyes now. it’s been fun. i hope to be back. but we’ll see. stay cool!

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 27, 2009 10:34 PM MST reply actions

Aww. Come back soon!

Forever grateful that Joe Sakic isn't a douche bag like Brett Favre.

by Rather Dashing on Dec 27, 2009 10:35 PM MST up reply actions

noooooooooooo

Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.

by UZ on Dec 28, 2009 12:55 AM MST up reply actions

xoxoxo

Beachie: Headed on a humanitarian quest to Ibiza in order to help twenty-something Spanish men recover from groin injuries.

by BeachNSnowGirl on Dec 28, 2009 11:47 AM MST up reply actions

How does DGB think about durno getting his first goal?

Jesus Saves! Wolski gets the rebound and scores!

by An Unmitigated Disaster on Dec 28, 2009 10:12 AM MST reply actions

Has anyone ever noticed that Haynes HAS to say “shot” before he says “score!!” ? On the Durno goal, nobody knew what happened when the puck trickled into the net, but Haynes excitedly yells “shot, scooore!!” …. I love that guy

by centreice on Dec 28, 2009 2:58 PM MST reply actions