Game 26: Sharks At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread
by Joe Dunman on Dec 3, 2007 11:48 AM MST
in NHL News
Email
Print
I have to say that the 2007-08 NHL season is officially the most ridiculous in the history of the sport, at least as far as the scheduling goes. Hockey fans have complained a lot about the divisional overkill system that has been in effect since The Lockout, but the stupidity extends outside of the divisions, too.
This is the Avalanche schedule since November 20th until today:
Calgary-Edmonton-Calgary-Edmonton-San Jose-Los Angeles-San Jose
Seriously? The last seven games have been played against just four teams. That's just gottdamn ridiculous. And not only that, but the Avs play Columbus (in Columbus) on Wednesday, December 5th and again (in Columbus) the very next Wednesday, December 12th. Why? If I was really interested in saving time, I could just copy and paste these game previews over and over and nobody would know the difference.
Anyway, the Avs play the Sharks again tonight, this time at home in the Pepsi Center. They split a two-game road trip with a loss to said Sharks last Friday and a win against the Kings on Saturday.
As for the personnel, who knows? Kurt Sauer has officially been placed on the IR list and they've called up poor Brad Richardson, who's probably starting to feel like a human yo-yo. Joe Sakic, Ian Laperriere and Marek Svatos are all still listed as day-to-day with various "lower body injuries", and there's no word on Andrew Brunette's battle with the flu.
So, at this point, I pretty much don't have any idea who will be wearing an Avalanche uniform on the ice tonight.
The game starts at 7:00 PM Mountain time, 9:00 Eastern. Unless I get dispatched by an angry pajama suit-wearing mall rat while Christmas shopping after work, I should be around to keep the thread going. Not that I've really been needed the past couple of games, because a growing number of amazing, wonderful, perfect Mile High Hockey members have done it for me. You know who you are, and know that I love you.
ESPN preview.
90 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Goalie
Re: Goalie
Still don't know. I think the Post and the RMN took the day off from their Avalanche coverage.
Somebody should call Dater and ask.
I know how much you'll miss me...
Have tix for the game tonight, I'll be the one with the "We Miss You Lappy" sign (yeah, yeah I know).
Oh Oh! me me!
Sign that reads,
"Pick a goalie and stick with it!"
or
"Lappy's tears cure cancer, too bad he never crys"
or
"McNabb! I dare you to make fun of Coach Q's mustach!"
or
"Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, PICK A FREAKING STARTING GOALIE"
or
"Dear Coach Q, Two defensemen on the point for the Power Play and I'll buy you a cookie"
Re: Oh Oh! me me!
The "Roses are Red" sign is my favorite.
Also, how about "Tell Liles I'm Single"
Oh, wait. Oops.
schedule
besides the death-march of boring that is playing four teams eight times, there's also the dumbness of how the avs are currently on a three games in four nights kick, while the season's also littered with gameless stretches of three and four nights.
i am sure that scheduling 1200 odd games, accounting for travel and and nba games (pepsi center, msg, united center, etc.) and everything else, is legitimately kinda difficult, but still, is it too much to ask for some kinda consistent frequency?
by andrew @ Mile High Hockey on Dec 3, 2007 5:41 PM MST reply actions
Re: schedule
It's not hard. They have software programs that do it for them. Just plug in the variables (like NBA games in the same building) and out it pops. It's not like they still use slide rules and abacuses (or is that abaci?).
Re: In Goal
Apparently who ever won the last game is now the starting goalie.
Oh good god
Peter McNab is convinced that Scott Hannan is playing better and better for the Avalanche.
He had one good game, Pete.
goals
did not take long to get it tied back up.... ok jose time to wake up and play now
Quick Goals
Game all tied up at 1, that quick.
Avs so far
The Avs look okay so far. They're playing well and look like they're awake. That's a start.
Uh oh
The Sharks are starting to take over now. Theo got lucky as the puck went over the net, but the entire team needs to crack some heads and get out of their zone.
Mike Grier
Peter McNab, Mike Grier is NOT one of the top five most underrated players in the NHL. Not even close.
Stop talking already.
Pressure
The Avs are putting some good pressure on the Sharks now. It's starting to look like they'll score another goal any second.
I like that.
Hannan on Thornton
Hannan has been shadowing Joe Thornton the last couple of shifts, and he's doing a decent job shutting down the Sharks' ace.
You think
he might be quoting lines from Slapshot to Joe? Stuff about his wife and all from their playing time together?
First Period
Haynes is right. Good energy, good game so far. Both teams are playing hard and looking sharp.
Let's hope it doesn't last for the Sharks.
Howdy boys
Thought I'd join you guys tonight - I live in Nor Cal and don't have a TV so I don't get to watch many games. (I went to the game in San Jose friday and that was only the 4th or so game I got to watch. But I follow the avs religiously here and on the web...)
BUT this one's on Yahoo Live on the Interweb, so I get to watch it!
so anyway...hi. The avs certainly seem to have a lot more energy than the first half of hte last game against the sharks - it felt like the sharks just dominated the first half of that game and the crowd was way into it.
by tdo on Dec 3, 2007 7:46 PM MST reply actions
Re: Howdy boys
Thanks for joining in. I wish I was in Nor Cal right now. It's 30 degrees outside here.
weather
20 degrees here... but i am headed to vegas this weekend, but its still only 60 some degree in vegas
RE: weather
Well its 60 here...and COLD! HA HA HA
Seriously I lived in CO my whole life until about a year and a half ago...and I must admit I miss the cold and the snow. But only sometimes.
Man that Hensick goal was pretty last game...
by tdo on Dec 3, 2007 8:03 PM MST up reply actions
End of PP
Cheechoo's penalty ends the man advantage for the Sharks.
Theodore made a couple of great saves in that last flurry.
Theo
For a guy that usually has very weak positioning, Theo has been in the right place at the right time all night. So far.
Please don't let this comment jinx him.
Ozolinsh
Its nice to hear he's getting his shit together. He was always one of my favorite avs from the early days and I know he had some rough times.
DAMN YOU THORNTON! (What a beast of a man, by the way)
by tdo on Dec 3, 2007 8:16 PM MST reply actions
Knock some fucking bodies around already
Everytime we play the Sharks I can't help but cringe as everybody from Clark to Brunette to Arnason is just thrown around the ice like a rag doll. We don't need one stupid Parker roughing penalty, but a little checking this team on their asses at open ice (like what happened to Arnason) wouldn't hurt! It drives me crazy! Every player on their team makes hits - and I'm not talking about "following your checks along the boards," I'm talking about laying a guy on his ass at center ice. It drives me up the wall.
by Brad @ Mile High Hockey on Dec 3, 2007 8:17 PM MST reply actions
Re: Knock some...
No kidding. Other than McCormick laying out Phaneuf a few games ago, when's the last time you saw an Avalanche player check somebody on open ice?
NEVER.
How hard is it to body check somebody? I body check my little brother all the time and he's bigger than me now.
Yep
Especially Cheechoo. Fuck, give me the skates. I'll go out there, line up him and center ice and separate him from the puck with about three feet of air. I mean, maybe it's not a good idea because we can't compete physically, but we're getting owned now; may as well try to intimidate some guys.
by Brad @ Mile High Hockey on Dec 3, 2007 8:34 PM MST up reply actions
Re: Yep
McCormick has an obligation to launch Cheechoo three feet in the air.
Earn your place on the team, Cody! DO IT!!
Second Period
Well, the Avs have kept up the pressure, but Nabokov is stopping everything shot his way.
Thornton has been shut down, but that didn't stop the Sharks from scoring again.
Let's hope for a super strong third period.
the shedule
They have spider monkeys to do the scheduling.
by cupster33 on Dec 3, 2007 8:40 PM MST reply actions
I don't know why exactly
but we need to make sure that semi-nude women and discussion of retarded spider monkeys NEVER occur in the same thread again.
I'm not watching due to a agreement with my wife that we'd watch something she wanted to watch for a change, but I'm sneaking in here every now and then to check up.
Somebody give me a status on Theo.
Did Richy dress tonight?
Theo and Richy
Richy is playing, Theo has looked pretty good considering allowing two goals.
The Avs can't get anything past Nabokov at all. Wolski just rang one off the post.
Damn him
Nabokov is not looking at the pictures above. He's more focused than Keith Tkachuk with a box of Krispy Kremes.
Puck ownership
The Avs totally own the puck right now. They've controlled the Sharks' zone for most of the third period but they just can't get anything past that bastard goalie.
This is getting infuriating.
WTF?!
Grier fires a knuckle puck, bounces off of Theodore's stick and into the net.
What a horrible bounce.
Sharks up 3-1 but they totally don't deserve it.
Cody
McCormick's throwing his body around a little...trying to get the boys going. I like it!
by tdo on Dec 3, 2007 9:05 PM MST reply actions
Penalty
Clark just took out Cheechoo, who now has a cut over his eye that is gushing blood.
Clark didn't even mean to take him out!
Good work though.
GOOOOAAAALLL!!!
Andrew Brunette channels Valerie Kamensky with a shot right off the face-off!!!
NICE!
Still enough time to tie this thing.
Avs down 3-2.
WRECKED
Hlinka got crushed by two Sharks on the end boards. I'm not sure how he got up after that one.
Coach Q looks pissed about something.
coach
coach q dropping f bombs about the hit on hlinka
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Mile High Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
