Avalanche Training Camp Day 2

In addition to the usual technique drills and skills exercises that make up a large part of any hockey training camp, the Avalanche again held a scrimmage between Team Black and Team Gray.  

Most of the lines stayed the same, but the outcome was a major change.  On Friday it was a close game, ending as Black 5, Gray 4.  Peter Budaj never allowed a goal and the top Black line of Smyth-Sakic-Brunette scored the game-winner.

Not on Saturday.  Budaj allowed a bunch of goals and Team Gray completely took over, winning 7-2.  The key to success for the Grays was the new combination of wingers Eric Healy, Marek Svatos and center Jaroslav Hlinka, the free agent signing from the Czech leagues.  Both Healy and Svatos scored two goals apiece as Hlinka consistently fed them excellent passes and looked extremely comfortable on the ice, by all accounts.  Paul Stastny, John Michael-Liles and Tyler Arnason also scored for Team Gray.

Ryan Smyth was relatively quiet on Saturday except for an altercation with prospect Mitch Love near the end of the scrimmage, which resulted in Smyth on the ice and then skating off angry.  Lappy came to Smyth's defense a little later, but his fight with Love ended in a draw despite each landing a bunch of blows.  

Tyler Weimann was the star in goal on Saturday, and in general throughout training camp, allowing only one goal in two scrimmages.  He will likely be the number one in Lake Erie at least until Jose Theodore gets sent there some time in early November.

But, players aside, the real champions of Avalanche Training Camp have been the fans.  There are a bunch of great videos on YouTube, some really good reports at the Avalanche message board, and some excellent fan-taken pictures to pour through.

Today is the annual Burgundy vs. White scrimmage, played like an actual regulation game with a shootout at the end regardless of the score.  It will be very important for the prospects to have a good showing during this game as it is the final contest before the pre-season begins on Monday against Phoenix.