Game 4: Avalanche At Blues, Preview and Open Thread
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 12, 2007 6:59 AM MDT
in NHL News
Email
Print
Since Joe is off backpacking across Europe (or something), I'm filling in for today's preview thread. After a four-day break, the Avalanche get back in action tonight in St Louis against the Blues.
Both teams are 2-1-0 and tied for 2nd place in their respective divisions. With 1st place Minnesota idle (the only NW team to have the night off), the Avs could claim a share of 1st with a win.
That may be easier said than done. The Blues gave the Avalanche fits last year, winning 3 of the 4 games (and outscoring the Avs 11-7). The Blues have a couple of notable new faces this year, and both are off too strong starts: old friend Paul Kariya leads the team with 5 points, and Brad Boyes - a deadline acquisition last year - has 3 goals. Boyes, who once was traded for Lake Erie's Jeff Jillson, has struggled to regain his stellar rookie-season 69-point form from a few seasons ago. It looks like the 25-year-old is off to a solid start this year.
The Avs potent offense will be facing a weakened Blues defense. Jay McKee (foot) and Eric Brewer (shoulder) are both on the IR, and superprospect Erik Johnson (foot) is doubtful as well.
Jose Theodore gets his first start of the season. He did not see any action against St Louis last season.
Game time is 8:30 Eastern (that's 6:30 Mountain, right?). I don't think Joe will be around to post in the open thread tonight, and I know I won't be...but that shouldn't stop the rest of you from posting during the game as normal. And don't forget that Diary posts are great ways to share your thoughts on the game after it's over.
Go Avs.
17 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Blues
The blues are a better team than people give them credit for (me included). They have really improved, and Legace is better than most.
Oh and Theo's in net which always has me worried
by Jibblescribbits on Oct 12, 2007 12:58 PM MDT reply actions
Re: Blues
I totally agree. The Blues are far more solid than they have been in recent years, and Legace is still a good goalie. He's always had the Avs' number.
Theo :\
So, Theo is in net. Budaj gets the night off on the back to back to face Columbus at home. On one hand I think it's smart to give Theo his first start on the road and the Avs don't have another back to back game until mid-December. I also see that the schedule is set up to where Budaj can carry games all the way through the week of November 18th. Once that week starts, there are games every other day on one of those brutal Calgary/Edmonton road trips. All that means that Theo could theoretically (PUN!!) ride the pine for a long stretch after this game.
Now, on the other hand I can't see many other teams in the NHL that are already starting backup goaltenders at this stage in the season.
My secret wish is that Theo just puts on a spectacular show and raises his trade value.
Re: Theo :\
Aaaaahhh Dario, I would like the name of the guy you buy your drugs from...
*scared face*
we're pinned in our zone a lot, geez.
joey's line has zero pressure so far. :( not lookin good (expect for stastny's line).
1st period notes
Where's Leopold? Don't tell me he's hurt already... Skrastins has been up a down so far in this game. Good positionally for the majority of the 1st, but a couple of bad clears. Have to see how he finishes.
What do you know, Kariya FINALLY contributed to the Avs offense!! Only took a couple of years after he left...
Smyth-Stastny-Duke = the good
Hlinka-Sakic-Brunette = the bad
Theo overreaction for most of first period = the ugly
Theo is scrambling ALOT. The team seems to enter scramble mode whenever he doesn't control a rebound. They are collapsing right on top of the crease. Methinks they have no confidence in Jose. He just seems down early and often and was oversliding and purely reactionary for most of the 1st.
Arnason looked decent in the early going, have to see how he holds up.
Looks like this will be one of the games Wolski disappears.
The Guite-Lappy-Smith line is doing a good job of maintaining pressure. Throwing their weight around too. Hannan and Clark laid some good hits in that period too, especially in their own end. Sauer had a good one too.
Joe seems a step slow tonight. Given that Smyth-Stastny-Hejduk started the game, and Joe and Co. haven't done much, we may be kidding ourselves in considering the Sakic line as the #1.
re: 1st period
leopold is hurt -- hip injury. no idea what the severity is.
the sakic line's problem is brunette, plain and simple. he's slow, and he's not passing well, and he's not in the right spot. as i type this, he just made an insane pass to hlinka...followed by a great chance for hlinka and sakic. so nm. :)
arny has looked so pitiful defensively its scary. wolski is in full on glide mode as well. sigh
skrastins has played pretty well tonight, in good news!
2nd period notes
Wolski had A good shift tonight.
Joe and Co. generated some good opportunities. Was anybody else shocked when Hlinka shot the puck? Much better period for that line compared to the first.
Theo made a huge save on the PK! Of course, if he'd covered the routine shot about 10 seconds earlier and bailed out his D, he wouldn't have had to, so...
Skrastins has looked like he's getting better as the game goes on.
Finger had to cover for Liles after a bad pass, followed by a weak clear a few seconds later. They better keep Finger around once Richardson gets back.
Guite looked great on the PK as well. Another dagger in Arnason's back, hopefully.
Why is Clark on the PP? WTF?
I like the aggressive, puck possession PK. Hope they can keep that up and not make any mistakes. Kinda risky ragging the puck that much.
Horrible call on the Duke at the end of the period. Apparently half of the crew forgot this is a CONTACT sport.
I was worried that the building was starting to wake up about 3/4 of the way through that period. Hopefully the Avs can kill the penalty to start the period and generate a goal pretty quick to take them out of it.
Let's play...
COUNT THE REBOUNDS!!!!!
Clark got pwned by Hinote...
Seriously, why cover a puck when you can just kick it back out to let the Offense have another shot at it Theo?
The wheels are flying off...
Theo...
WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?
He has one save selection: butterfly. That second Hinote goal was brutal! He BF'd way too early and then just watched...
The D is running around. Wolski is up on the Sakic line at one point? Joey Q. is playing mad chemist again.
Game notes
Theo sux.
Seriously. The second and fourth goals he took himself out of the play. On the second goal in particular, a controlled BF slide to his left would have made the initial save and allowed him to be in position for a rebound and follow up shot. The Dominik Hasek "Fall over and hope it hits me" move got the initial save, but left him lying in the crease like a wounded pigeon. The fourth goal, he BF'd too early trying to make a blocking-type save, he overchallanged forward to the shooter and then just turned and watched the puck slide by.
PP was impotent all night, but let's give some credit to Legace who had a really good game. He made a half dozen steller saves. PK looked good for St. Louis in streaks too.
Early last season the Avs got burned a couple of times with little awareness of when the man is coming out of the box. They nearly got burned again early in the 3rd. That's lack of communication from the coaching staff + Theo should be trying to let his guys know. I didn't hear a stick banging on the ice, and even the Blues color crew noticed that.
Horrible 3rd period by the Avs. The Hejduk-Stastny-Smyth line was the only one who showed up to play all three periods.
Take away the own goal by Kariya and the Avs haven't scored yet on the road. That doesn't bode well.
Joey Q. HAS to find some way of getting the first line going. Give Svatos or Wolski a shot up there for more than 1 shift or something.
Liles had a pretty weak night all around also. Still, at least two of those goals could have been prevented by a mildly competent netminder, and the other two were a result of scrambling and lack of backcheck from the forwards. Defensive guru Quennville needs to address that quick, fast, and in a hurry.
I'm disappointed in the showing. The Blues are a one-line team, and the Avs let the depth players jump all over them in the 3rd. Hell, Hinote has been a healthy scratch twice this season!
Re: Mike
Mike, I want to thank you for taking over the thread in my absence. You did a great job and I really appreciate it!
No problemo
Unfortunately, I switched pens after the first period. That may have something to do with the outcome...
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Mile High Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
