By "Only Kurt Sauer and Joe Sakic remain on the injured reserve list", you mean "Only Kurt Sauer, Joe Sakic and Tyler Arnason remain..." right? Is Arny getting better too?

I AM excited! This is the game I've been looking to all year! I wanted to go so bad, but I can't cause of the snow. Man I hope we kick their ass!

Sakic will have surgery and is out for 8-12 weeks. See you in the playoffs, Super Joe.

http://avalanche.nhl.com/team/app/?s...

I just have a hard time focusing on the game AND posting. Nobody ever accused me of being a good multi-tasker.

My personal whipping boy made a horrifficly crappy play on that second goal.  You learn to hold your post in midget freaking hockey.  Not only does it confuse the hell out of your centerman when you chase a forward up past the faceoff circles but you are putting Stastny back in a defensive position which 1.) Isn't his forte, if the coaching staff wanted Stastny to play defense they'd start him there.  2) It puts Stastny an extra 30 feet from a breakout play. The best player on your team should be leading the offensive out of the zone.  Not Karlis "loser of many a battle with gravity" Skrastins.

I swear, Skrastins positioning makes Brisebois look good.  The game should be 1-1.  Skrastins is killing me.

/rant off

Svatos had a great chance from the left of Hasek but couldn't stuff it past him.  And Hlinka had his back in case a rebound came off.  That's good offense.

The Avs don't look like they're under much pressure out there.  The Wings aren't dominating the ice or totally controlling the puck.

That's very good.

Ben Guite made a huge play, almost made a diving goal but was stopped by a trademark Hasek flop fest.

Holy crap what is Guite doing with that handlebar mustache?!

Svatos scores off the rebound from a great shot by Hlinka!!

What a great play!

All tied up

What are the fans in The Can chanting?

Red Wings suck?

Hasek misplayed the puck in the corner and just about got scored on.  So close!!

The defense is pretty solid so far tonight, minus the two early goals from the Wings.

Damn.

Wings score, now up 3-2.

Hudler beat Budaj on the near side top shelf.

The Red Wings don't play dump-and-chase offense.  They skate it in and shoot it almost every single chance they get.  No wonder they score so many goals.  

is in full Red Wings Crush mode.  I swear if I hear about how great a team they are one more time, I'll be spending the x-mas bonus on a new TV...

Altitude just showed Lappy running his mouth and grabbing his ass, but didn't show who he was talking to or explain what it was all about.

Funny to watch though.

Cody McLeod got in a brief scrap behind the net with a Wings player.  I like this kid.

Nevermind, they are homers.

Haynes just said Roy beat up both Chris Osgood and Mike Vernon.  Osgood, sure, but Vernon?  I'd say that fight was pretty even.

We've all noticed it before, but the Avs play extremely disciplined hockey.  They have yet to be called for a penalty tonight, which is good considering how lethal the Detroit power play is.

Second period almost over and no Avs penalties.

The Duke is chasing hard for those pucks down in the corners tonight.  Good to see him skating like that.

Ryan Smyth had a great no-look pass to SOS deep in the Wings' zone, but no dice on that one.  Hasek closed the door.

Does Stastny have a shiner?  He looks like he has a black eye.

And Smyth is talking to the Wings big-time.  He looks pissed about something.

Usually over the past couple seasons, when we play the Wings, we are always in our zone defending and getting out shot 40-15, but we're playing BETTER than the Wings this game and still losing. The Wings haven't had much chances at all so far. The first goal was pure luck, the second goal was on Budaj imo, that was bad rebound control. And the third goal was also stoppable. This sucks double now, because if we lose, and with Budaj letting in 2 questionable goals; you know Theodore's going right back in net. And then it's back on the highway to doom.

It must be the mustache.  Guite is a one-man wrecking crew out there tonight.

In case anyone missed that, Joe Sakic will have surgery on his groin/abdominal area and will miss three more months.  I'm thinking this may be the end for Super Joe, but let's hope not.

Hasek beat Cumiskey, who had the best chance the Avs have had since Wolski missed early in the third period.

The first penalty of the night on the Avs.

Red Wings are the best team in the league on the PP.  Big shock there.

Steal by Guite, but his short-handed shot was wide and missed the net.  Damn.

McNab says the game has been a great one for the Avs, and even all around.  What does everybody think?

Lidstrom gets called for tripping, the Avs go on the PP with the Wings' without their best d-man.

Six skaters on the ice for the Avs.

not a bad game.  Not great, but hey they are the best team in the league, at least according to the Altitude crew...

The Avs played hard, and kept up with the Wings for most of the game.  Unfortunately, the best team in the league played like the best team in the league.  Those guys are a well-oiled machine, definitely.

Depth, skill, speed.  They've got it all and I hate them for it.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooo.

To me it looked like he was waaaaay to deep in the net. If he was out a little more, that wouldn't have went in.

Bought ONE lonely 5th row ticket from (Craigslist)a guy who had someone bail on his group. I verified they were Av's fans so I wouldn't get stuck next to a bunch of Wing Nuts.

Speaking of Wing Nuts... holy crap there were a ton of Wings fans. And yes, that was a very loud "Red Wings Suck!" chant you heard. People were still yelling it after the game ended.

Lappy was really funny to watch tonight. He was constantly mouthing off to the Wings, really egging them on.

Great game, well worth the $140 (ouch) and drive through crappy roads.