Now, one game isn’t enough to sway the brains here at MHH,

Speak for yourself

wow. that’s quite the column, nice job.
Honestly, i think we’ll end up playing Chicago, and that’s actually a matchup that would be incredibly entertaining, and end in heartbreak in game 6 or 7, but a hell of a ride if we can step it up.

Honestly I’d love a Phoenix series, or a Chicago series.

If we go against Vancouver, I’m not even watching.

Is there a way for the avs to open against Toronto? Carolina? I’d take Edmonton or Columbus as well.

I still think it’s up in the air right now. Honestly I don’t see Vancouver giving up the NW. The Avs needed them to perform worse on their long road stretch and they didn’t. So the Avs will control who they play. I would love to see them edge out LA for the 5th spot (or pass both LA and Phoenix) and play Phoenix in the first round. Both are Cinderella teams this season and the Avs have played well against the Desert Dogs.
Honestly though I think they will drop a spot or two and face either the Hawks or the Sharks. I think a match up against the Hawks would be the most exciting series in the playoffs if the season series is any indicator. What happens when those game can’t be decided by SO?

I don’t want to see the Avs finish in the 6th spot and have to face Vancouver. The Avs can beat the Canucks a game or two, but they could also get completely blown out.

who would i like to see us play? chicago, but that would mean we would have slipped to 7th (or chicago to third) though out of all the games i’ve seen this season, the games against chi-town have been the most exciting, and that’s even with that douchenozzle Pat Kane..i would say that one goes..6 with our boys winning in triple OT and Kane crying like a school girl bitch

if we stay in 6th, well obviously vancouver..which may in fact be the worst 4 (ok maybe 5, we’ll give the boys one win at home) games i’ve ever seen..

Then I can actually go to a couple of Avalanche playoff games!!!

A man has to dream, doesn’t he?

All I want is for the Avs to still be playing in the first half of May. I know that is unlikely but hey can’t I be a little selfish i have been gone from home since the fall and I will be in Colorado for a week. I can’t rightly say who I would want to see them play as I haven’t seen them play. But anything can happen once the playoff start….right?

Is we play Phoenix. The parallels of the two teams are pretty extensive, not to mention the trade we made.

I’d like to play LA. I think we’d have a better shot getting by Jonathan Quick (there’s the pun) than Bryzgalov. Also, the D-men that PHX added kinda scare me in terms of playoff experience.

This is also assuming that we don’t win the NW division which we still can.

Those chokers in San Jose The Coyotes are the team I’d prefer the Avs to face, as far as having a winnable series goes. I don’t know about going up against the Hawks; our games against them have been great but back then we were rocking and they were still finding their legs, and now with things switched around, we’d probably get demolished.

If we can beat the Kings 3 times, we could finish as high as 4th (the Canucks are probably too good to relinquish the division at this point), but I expect we’ll make the playoffs regardless at about 6th or 7th as long as Anderson doesn’t die of overwork this month. Which he looks like he’s in the process of doing, so Budaj had better get a start someday. It’s a good thing we’re up against Keith Ballard, the Scourge of Goalies, next game – maybe Sacco will deem Budaj more expendable and give him the go.

And in somewhat related news:
Damn, two 3-point games in the West tonight: LA takes an OT loss in Chicago and the Canucks drop a shootout in Phoenix, which doubly sucks for the Avs. The Baron went barren though, if it’s any consolation (it’s not, I still love Wolski).

Also, why couldn’t Raycroft ever pull this kind of crazy shit for us?

I unfortunately see them playing Vancouver in the first round, but like almost everyone here, I’d absolutely love to see them play the Blackhawks. That’s mostly my opinion as a pure hockey fan, not as an avs fan.
 As an Avalanche fan, I’d really like to see Phoenix in the first round cause I think should be the most winnable matchup. Then again, they are higher than us in the standings.
But even if we did pull the Hawks and lost, it would still be the best test for this very young Colorado team, and as long as they play hard (and someone bitch-slaps Pat Kane) I’ll be pretty happy with their season.

Have I mentioned that I seriously hate that smug little shit Kane and his overly-entitled, spoiled brat attitude?

But honestly, I find it amazing how often members of this community flip their opinion of how our boys are doing. Yes it’s been inconsistent, but to call out the Canucks because they “looked 100% comfortable playing from behind – the mark of a seasoned and confident team” irks me. It’s like people have 1-loss amnesia.

2 games ago St. Louis went up after controlling the opening portion of the 1st period. Our guys wasted no time getting back into the game and got 5 unanswered. But no one cared because we were still seething from Wolski’s winner the game before.

2 games before that the Ducks were 2 up by the halfway-point. Our guys got 4 unanswered. But damned if we weren’t distracted because of the loss to the previous game’s loss to the Grey Wings.

I’m not saying those losses in-between weren’t hard to take: they could have/should have gotten points in all 3 losses since the break… but I’ll be damned if this team hasn’t impressed me this year with its bouncebackability (it’s uh… it’s a word). We’ve only lost 3-in-a-row (in regulation) once all season. ONCE. However, instead of focusing on those positive notions, GDTs after a loss usually start with countless cries of “Uh oh!” and “Here we go again.”

We exclaim how awesome it is for this team to be preforming so well for being so young, yet we don’t allow them any room for error.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the bank because I just gave my last $.02

"looked 100% comfortable playing from behind

Sounds like the Avs, actually.

I am actually up for a series against Phoenix. If for no other reason than to see if Wolski can repeat that goal. Plus, if the Avs did knock them out the playoffs, it would be sweet revenge.

Not that I’m bitter, or anything….ummm

I would love to see Chicago. All 3 games have been super fun to watch, and really close. Plus I would get to cover some games…so I’m selfish there

If you guys do get Chicago, you’ll have temporary fans from the rest of the conference rooting for you. Ain’t no one wanting to face them.

I’m just hoping we make the playoffs at this point. I’m definitely still sore about the Vancouver game but the Avs play since the Olympic break has not been good and that’s putting it lightly. They need to get their spark back for the final stretch and Budaj needs to be played in the back to backs, IMO, if we want to have any chance of a) making a playoff appearance and b) not getting tossed out in 4 games in the first round.