Game 11: Wild At Avalanche, Preview And Open Thread

Ten minutes left in the third period with Colorado up 2-1.  What are the odds they can hold on to this?

Goals by Ryan Smyth and Marek Svatos, still no points for Paul Stastny.  

Arny is showing some hustle in this final period---he's been checking hard and in good position.

The Wild just got called for delay of game, Burns will sit.  Power play chance for the Avs with just 6:20 left.

Budaj has had a great game so far, which is becoming increasingly typical for him.  Always a good sign.  He's currently got 19 saves on 20 shots.

I don't know how he did it, but Budaj made an incredible glove save on a great chance by the Wild.  He got hung up switching sides of the crease but tossed his glove up on the way down, face-first on the ice.  Holy crap!

That was amazing.

The Wild just got called for too many men on the ice.  Nearly the entire remainder of the game could be an Avalanche power play.  

Wolski scores, Stastny with an assist!!!

Game now 3-1 with 30 seconds left.  Hell yes!

Peter Budaj gets his 50th career win, the Avs go 5-0 at home, and they now take second place in the Northwest and close the gap to the Wild to just two points.

Stars of the game:

3. Peter Budaj

2. Ryan Smyth

1. Joe Sakic

I did not watch the entire game, just bits of it. Anyway, here it goes. After a minute and a bit of play, the Wild had a powerplay and put in a lot of pressure even after the PP end. The Avs scored the first goal in a similar situation to the game winning goal against Calgary: two on one with Sakic assisting Smyth who scores on a one-timer.

Svatos did great on that second goal: Mr. Joe had a great work retrieving the puck with his stick near the boards behind the net and Svatos tried twice to score and was able to. Budaj saved the game with an awesome incredible glove save. Not just a great save, an impossible save really. The net was wide open, because he was on the other side, he stretched his leg to cover the lower part and then the glove, just over his leg, caught the puck. Amazing. That penalty 2:16 to end the game killed the game for the Wild, confirmed by the Avs 3rd goal, a good team play with Woslki maintaining his point streak and Son of Stastny getting back to scoring points. Good game, very important win to keep us fighting for the division title from the beginning of the season.