Save the Date! 2011-2012 schedule breakdown
by Brett Shumway on Sep 21, 2011 10:00 AM MDT
in Avalanche By The Numbers
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PrintWith the preseason upon us, let's take a second to examine the upcoming regular season schedule and see what gems and/or turds we can discover and/or get our panties bunched-up about in giddy anticipation.
The new look Avs are starting the season of redemption off in a big way on October 8th by taking on the geriatric Red Wings in the season/home opener in which they will (rumored?) also honor Wade Belak, Karlis Skrastins, and Ruslan Salei. If that wasn't enough, they will also retire Peter Forsberg's number - only the 4th Avs sweater to be retired and merely the 8th in franchise history (if you don't know who the other 3 Avs are, well, then: Welcome! This is a hockey blog. What is "hockey" you ask? Click here). The stage is set for opening night to be a HUGE event. The Avs new marketing campaign is no longer "all about the A", it seems to be: blow your wad right away and hope you can ride that high to the end and nobody notices.
Schedule Highlights
- Thursday, October 13th, Craig Anderson gets shown up by Varlamov and rookie Gabriel Landeskog scores his first NHL goal against the team that he may have gone to had Anderson not been traded.
- Monday, October 17th, Avs visit to Toronto to see John-Michael Liles' first career hat trick.
- Saturday, December 17, Varlamov proves Caps fans wrong.
- Thursday, December 27th, Welcome back Winnipeg! We've missed you.
- Hooray for home cooking! The Avs enjoy an eight-game homestand from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4. This is the longest continuous homestand in Avalanche history. So regardless of the on-ice performance, the Avs will be making history this season!
- Sunday, February 19th, Avs play first game in Winnipeg since 1996, I think.....
- The Avs DO NOT play on Valentines Day. Thank God.
Schedule Breakdown
- Just like last season, the Avs play one game at home and then launch an an extended 5 game road trip. These long road trips to start the year have been the case the past couple of seasons for the Avs, and they seem to be beneficial as the teams have enjoyed great starts the past two years. Maybe it's the team bonding, or the bowel-comforting distance from Casa Bonita, but starting on the road agrees with the Avalanche. Luckily, this is the longest road trip the Avs will face all season. Weird note: The Avalanche face the defending champions game #2 this season. Last season started with the Avs season opener against the then-defending champion Blackhawks.That's some spooky Twilight Zone action right there.
- The Avs will play every team once. They'll play 3 Eastern Conference teams twice: Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Winnipeg. And the standard 6 games per team in division (3 home, 3 away) and everybody else in the west 4 times (2 home, 2 away).
- After being abused with 15 back-to-backs last season, and a sadistic record 16 two season ago, the Avs will only endure 10 back-to-backs this season. If this were Anderson/Budaj, I'd wager another 70 starts for Andy, but seeing as we're entering the Varly/Giggy era, I think we'll see a more judicious splitting of goal-tending duties despite the kinder schedule. Gotta keep our groins fresh.
- Every game on Altitude except for: 9 games on VS this season, and 1 game with no TV coverage. Seriously? WTF Columbus?!?
FAN QUESTION: What game/face up are you most looking forward to this upcoming season?
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Varly vs. Anderson.
A man who stole my whisky used the defense that no one could resist a bottle of Scotch. I had no choice but to testify on his behalf.
by c6hor8 on Sep 21, 2011 10:06 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
I’m guessing they won’t be retiring Foote’s number at the Columbus game then. I’d imagine they would do it earlier in the season anyway, but no tv coverage is a nail in the coffin I would think.
I need a drink, please.
by MalachiConstant on Sep 21, 2011 10:13 AM MDT reply actions
The Avs enjoy an eight-game homestand from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4.
And I’m being sent to the Middle East by my job during most of that. grumblegrumblegrumble
And it has begun....
by Cheryl Bradley on Sep 21, 2011 10:13 AM MDT reply actions
That’s Army life, darlin’.
2011-2012 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Vyechnaya Pamyat!
2011-2012 Colorado Avalanche: The possibility exists that this may not suck.
Traveling to desolate countries with no hockey?
That’s
ArmyArny’s hockey life now, darlin’.
A man who stole my whisky used the defense that no one could resist a bottle of Scotch. I had no choice but to testify on his behalf.
by c6hor8 on Sep 21, 2011 2:15 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Brutal October schedule, the team will be lucky to be .500 at the end of it.
Chip, I'm gonna come at you like a spider monkey!
by An Unmitigated Disaster on Sep 21, 2011 10:15 AM MDT reply actions
The Anderson stuff is so overblown that it’s ridiculous at this point.
I’m looking forward to the 4 Hawks/Avs games, and of course every Red Wing game. The rest of the schedule is “just win the damn games, I don’t care who it’s against” type of thing
Stabilize your rear deflectors, watch for enemy fighters.
I disagree that it’s overblown. Patrick Roy was my favorite player. When he retired, he left a void on the Avs and a void in my heart. I have hoped and hoped for a replacement to come. Aebischer, Theodore, Budaj, Raycroft. Someone to fill that void. Then came Anderson. He had the swagger, he had the arrogance, he had a personality that made me hope again. I thought I had found that which was lost for almost 7 years. He played so well, he carried a young team. There was hope again that he might be the one to fill the gaping chasm in my hockey soul. He then over sold himself and his arrogance told him that he was worth more than the Avs offered. He then let that carry over to his play and started under-performing. The goalie I had been hoping for for so long would do such a thing? The goalie that defended would have such weak convictions? This is the second coming of Roy? No. That person is not a competitor, that is a self-absorbed quitter.
He became dead to me because, and this is my fault, I told myself that he was the bringer of hope instead of letting him prove it to me. The Avs found someone better now*. I want Varly to destroy Anderson and show “Andy” what he is missing. I want him to suffer for shattering my hopes and dreama. It is not overblown, Chia, nor is it ridiculous. That is the most important game to me because I gave my soul to a player who shattered my dreams and now I want the Avalanche to take vengeance for me.
- Clearly, I am making a similar choice with Varly that he is the new hope in net based upon nothing other than hope really. Clearly, I will not be wrong this time.
A man who stole my whisky used the defense that no one could resist a bottle of Scotch. I had no choice but to testify on his behalf.
by c6hor8 on Sep 21, 2011 11:11 AM MDT up reply actions 3 recs
I’m looking forward to all of the games against the “wild”. I hope me and a certain special someone can sit by the fire and hold hands while we listen to them on the radio.
Nothing is beautiful and true.
It is a magical thing. Where rainbows are born and unicorns fly through the sky stabbing those bastard pegasi with their foreheadhorns. It’s a place that only exists in the deepest places of a blogger’s heart, accessible only through true love and the wanton desire to be constantly aroused.
Whatever it is I certainly don’t use the quotation marks to imply that the team make-up and style of play is nowhere near the same as the meaning of the word (untamed, exciting, et al.)
Nothing is beautiful and true.
Obviously from their logo it is a cougar head with trees and a yellow sun and a river for a mouth and a star for an eye. Nothing says “Wild” like that cluster f’ck of a logo.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 11:05 AM MDT up reply actions
Versus/NBCSportsWhateverNetwork
Because the Oct. 12 game against CBJ is on a Wednesday, there is no TV because the soon to be former Versus future NBCSports Network has exclusive coverage for Wednesday night hockey now. You’ll notice on the schedule that the Avs have a few Wednesday night games on Versus/NBCSportsWhateverNetwork. The rest (other than the CBJ game) are on Altitude. Any game that starts before 7 PM MDT won’t be televised by anyone unless it’s Versus/NBC (unless the VS/NBC game is scheduled for later like the few Wednesday Avs games they have). You’ll notice that those Wednesday Altitude games generally start at 7:30 or 8:00 PM MDT as opposed to the usual 7 PM start (for Avs home games anyway. There are few road games in there but other than two in Vancouver, they’re in the Mountain Time Zone). I noticed that both the Panthers and Devils visit Denver with 9:30 PM Eastern start times. Midnight hockey for those fans.
I think this is absolutely ridiculous. They sign their big TV deal to grow the game but they deny the hardcore fan base the chance to see their teams. I don’t see how alienating your base is growing the game. Listening to the game on the radio sucks, but that’s what I’ll be doing on 10-12. At least it only happens once and it’s out of the way early (though I’d much rather it be against Minnesota because watching their boring, suffocating, trap hockey is painful any way you slice it).
"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten." - George Carlin
It happens in Canada too
HNIC has rights to all Canadian games on Saturday.
It's all about the A-
by Sandie Gauthier on Sep 21, 2011 11:06 AM MDT up reply actions
But at least HNIC is awesome.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 11:08 AM MDT up reply actions
Why, you don’t want to see the return of Video Lock Error?
A man who stole my whisky used the defense that no one could resist a bottle of Scotch. I had no choice but to testify on his behalf.
by c6hor8 on Sep 21, 2011 11:21 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
VLE was a stud but I can’t see his return if the return isn’t televised
It's all about the O'
by SteveHouse on Sep 21, 2011 11:27 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
He led the team in blocked shots during that one game, if I recall correctly.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 11:28 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
I have flashbacks to when I didn’t live in Denver (but had FSN Rocky Mountain) and they had several games on UPN 20 and I had to listen to them on the radio. Now I can watch every game but one. Please, don’t make me go back to those dark days of not being able to watch 1 or more games. I can’t go back. Don’t make me do it!
"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten." - George Carlin
OTTH
I really wish they still had some games on a local over the air station, because it would provide exposure to a lot of folks who don’t have cable or satellite here in the area.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 1:59 PM MDT up reply actions
Bibby, you ignorant slut:
If the peasants can’t afford cable and/or satellite, they most certainly can afford neither tickets, nor merchandise for the Avalanches. Therefore, they serve no meaningful purpose save as fodder in my Soylent Green factories.
Your friendly neighborhood benevolent despot,
Enos
2011-2012 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Vyechnaya Pamyat!
2011-2012 Colorado Avalanche: The possibility exists that this may not suck.
I CO playing at Boston on Columbus day a “thing”? Seems like it happens most years.
No soup for you!
Second time in three years as far as I know. Don’t remember much previously. Seems like the Blue Jackets would be a better fit, no?
4th biggest pessimist of MHH.
"There's always next season." -- Jimmy Howard on not winning the Calder Trophy.
For some reason I want to say this will be at least the 3rd time the Avs have had that day game in Boston on Columbus day. But I can’t tell you off the top of my head which years it’s happened previously. It’s also possible that I’m hallucinating. I did drink a lot of cough syrup this morning.
No soup for you!
05-06 the Avs didn’t play in Boston, but played Calgary on Oct 10th (Columbus Day)
06-07 Played at Boston in March, did not play on Columbus day
07-08 the Avs didn’t play Boston, did not play Columbus day
08-09 played in Calgary on Oct 12 (Columbus day), had Boston at home on the 9th
09-10 Played in Boston on Oct 12th (Columbus day)
10-11 Played in Philly on the 11th (Columbus day)
11-12 Will play in Boston on the 10th
So in the last 7 seasons the Avs have played on Columbus day 5 times, but have play in Boston twice, Philly once, and split with Calgary.
Datsyuk may have done it first, but he learned it from Peter Forsberg.
Thanks for everything Foppa!
Footer: We'll miss seeing you clear the riff raff off your lawn.
by Americanario on Sep 21, 2011 6:05 PM MDT up reply actions
I will be at the game. Annoying my sister by wearing an Avalanche jersey.
A man who stole my whisky used the defense that no one could resist a bottle of Scotch. I had no choice but to testify on his behalf.
I’ll also be at the game in Boston on Columbus Day. I’m a New Hampshire resident and always try to make it down to any Avs-Bruins games, although I’m especially excited for this one because it’ll be the first time I’ve been at center ice (Row 3, Section 1). I’ve been in the corners (my favorite spot) and right up against the glass on the ends, but never center ice. Should be a good one.
by Kyle Stucker on Sep 21, 2011 12:05 PM MDT up reply actions
I’ve never been more impressed with the 14-game pack.
The Pens, Caps and Lighting, as well as both home games against the Wings and Blackhawks. Even the Devils game looks interesting as Parise scopes out his new digs. The only game I would trade is that Jan. 24 game against the Wild. The Sharks aren’t in the pack at all, and I would have preferred one of those games.
4th biggest pessimist of MHH.
"There's always next season." -- Jimmy Howard on not winning the Calder Trophy.
Sign of bad times when they package all of the desirable games in that package, to be sure. Until the team catches fire and ignites fan interest again, expect to see sub-10K crowds for the non-14 pack games?
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions
I’d say. Yesterday I bought 4 lower bowl corner seats for $15 each off stubhub. It’s for the Pheonix game, but can’t beat that.
I need a drink, please.
by MalachiConstant on Sep 21, 2011 11:36 AM MDT up reply actions
Wow. That is ridiculous.
The only way it made sense for me to keep my season tickets this year was to take advantage of the “Avaholic” deal the Avs now offer to season ticket holders. In addition to upper bowl seats that I’m paying $23 each for, I now also have (and share many ways) a pair of lower bowl tickets that are also running $23 each. Those lower bowl seats are $94 each, season ticket face value. Which means that we’ll be sitting near people who paid over 4 times as much as we did for those tickets. I can’t help but wonder if these inequities in pricing all over the arena now are actually hurting full-paid attendance. Why fork over big money for tickets when you know that there are killer deals out there to be had? Which also makes me wonder if it would have been a better long-term strategy for the team to just lower ticket prices accross the board at some point?
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 11:45 AM MDT up reply actions
The price differential is especially painful when it’s the end of the 2008 season and you pre-paid $105 per ticket to a practically empty stadium and people are getting better seats than you for 1/4th the price.
I do think the high face value puts off a lot of fans who look for the easiest way to purchase tickets. Going to tickethorse and seeing tickets for section 376 cost $66 plus $9 “convenience” fee puts off a lot of potential attendees. Those 376 section tickets are $48 a piece through the 14-game pack, without the “convenience” fee.
I appreciate the bulk deal on tickets, but I also recognize that $75 for a single balcony seat for the second-worst team in the league that is struggling to fill the building is pushing it.
4th biggest pessimist of MHH.
"There's always next season." -- Jimmy Howard on not winning the Calder Trophy.
4.5 sleeping Dans.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 2:51 PM MDT up reply actions
They must have turned it over to Joe.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 11:32 AM MDT up reply actions 2 recs
How about this?
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 12:03 PM MDT up reply actions
So let me get this…the 3rd f’n game of the season is not televised anywhere?
After waiting 6 god damn months, I’m kinda irked they pulled this shit because Versus has a blackout period…if they don’t want to air the game, fine, but don’t make it so that no one else can watch it.
Paul Stastny did, what Paul Stastny does. Score big goals.
Last season didnt we start with cup champs, and then cup runner ups, games 1 and 2?
LANDESKOG!!!!!
How Swede it is
by Cole D Hamilton on Sep 21, 2011 1:18 PM MDT reply actions
bowel-comforting distance from Casa Bonita
This is, of course, opposed to the sphincter constricting proximity to Casa Bonita for all home games.
"It's all about the $"
Lawn defender since... crap, I can't remember.
Now with even more watered down cheese sauce!
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 2:51 PM MDT up reply actions
That place sucked 35 years ago. It must really suck now. I wonder if they still have the same stale chips.
"It's all about the $"
Lawn defender since... crap, I can't remember.
by Busted Twigg on Sep 21, 2011 3:39 PM MDT up reply actions
Everything I know about Casa Bonita I learned from south park
It's all about the O'
by SteveHouse on Sep 21, 2011 3:52 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Took the fam to la Casa this summer. Was the first time for Mrs. Hopf and both of the Hopflets. They loved that shit. Cliffdiving apes? Who the hell else has that?
2011-2012 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Vyechnaya Pamyat!
2011-2012 Colorado Avalanche: The possibility exists that this may not suck.
It is a one of a kind institution, no doubt. Love the atmosphere. Love the unique experience. But they’d be better off getting their food from Taco Bell. We’re talking TV Dinner quality food. Bad TV dinner quality food. Except for the sopapillas. Those are good.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Sep 21, 2011 5:50 PM MDT up reply actions
Kinda like going to the taco truck for the ambiance. Some strengths some places just don’t have.
Eat before you go. Drink. Heavily. Much better.
2011-2012 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl: Vyechnaya Pamyat!
2011-2012 Colorado Avalanche: The possibility exists that this may not suck.
I think that was the advice my dad got when the place opened.
The Twiglets never got the experience. It might be a bit too late now as the biggest Twiglet is bigger than I am and the youngest has discovered teenage cynicism.
"It's all about the $"
Lawn defender since... crap, I can't remember.
by Busted Twigg on Sep 22, 2011 7:20 AM MDT up reply actions
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