A couple weeks ago, I experimented with an in-game blog for the Avs-Senators game, and it turned out to be more enjoyable than I expected. It also seemed to be pretty well received, certainly more popular than my comments this morning on Jose Theodore. So, the projector is on, my laptop is heating up to supernova levels on my lap, the kids are in bed, and I'm off on another in game blog. Enjoy.
I was hoping I'd get the Blues feed for the game - John Kelly is like an old friend. Bernie Federko just gave an answer by repeating what Kelly said in the question, but that isn't going to dampen my enthusiasm.
1st Period
20:00 As expected, it's Budaj against Legace. Stastny's line starts the game.
19:07 Marek Svatos looked a little lost in his own end last night, especially early in the game. He certainly doesn't need to be a defensive force, but there still seems to be a lot of room to grow there.
18:06 One drawback of getting different team feeds instead of getting all Altitude games is that I you have to hear about the Paul/Peter Stastny story for every game. I think every team has the same stock footage of Peter with the Nordiques to boot. It has become the new "Chris Drury played in the Little Leage World Series".
15:50 Bernie Federko just outed Joel Quenneville; he said that Quenneville's hair was greyer last year. I'm sure Q would love that info getting out there.
15:20 Budaj has made 2 nice saves so far. Make that 3 if you count the one on Ken Klee.
13:42 Hasn't really been much happening so far. Hejduk just got a nice chance though.
12:57 Guerin just missed a chance in front. I really dislike that man.
11:53 wow, Richardson just booted a pass from Brisebois and the Blues had a good chance. Budaj made a good save on Dvorak.
11:08 Hinote just had a great chance, but no dice. And he followed it up with a silly, silly penalty.
10:44 Powerplay Colorado.
10:00 I can't think of a team that does more behind the net than the Avs. Maybe San Jose with Thornton, but he seems to have changed his game up a bit. When he was in Boston, it was an almost automatic for him to feed Glen Murray from behind the net.
8:53 Stastny just tried to feed Wolski with a carbon copy of their first goal last night. This one didn't connect.
8:43 Oh, that was ugly. That's at least the third goal this year that Colorado has given up to a breakaway to a guy coming out of the box - Sydor in game 1. Rivet (I think) in the Montreal game, and now Hinote tonight. They need to work on holding on to that puck when the penalty is expiring. Good for Hinot though - I guess if anyone was going to scoree...
8:09 Anyone know the significance of 58 for Hinote? It's odd seeing him in something besides the 13...
8:03 John Kelly JUST answered my question. That is a little bizarre. (Answer, if you missed it, is because it was the two ugliest numbers that added up to 13). Meanwhile, they just showed one of those "sounds of the game" thing with Guerin mic'd up that might have been the most boring 10 seconds on TV. It basically amounted to him yelling "Danny" twice. Riveting.
7:25 "Jamie's Crying" is playing in the stadium. I'll take Van Halen over Gary Glitter any day of the week.
6:24 Colorado has had very little sustained pressure so far.
4:22 Klee just got beaten badly by someone (Rucinsky). Colorado is pretty lucky it's just 1-0 now.
6:49 Laperriere just had a nice chance. Legace made a beauty of a pad save.
3:38 They are interviewing the Blues equipment man, who was up until 4 am...and looks it. Blues played last night and had to travel, just like Colorado. That's probably a big factor in the flow (or lack of it) in this game.
1:37 12-11 on shots for St Louis, but it seems they've had a bigger advantage than that.
:27 Svatos and Sakic both had a good chance to tie things up; that would have been huge, but I think Colorado will be happy with just being down by one...
2nd Period
20:00 The arena staff is playing Autograph. Earlier we had Van Halen, and I caught some Jane's Addiction for a while as well. It's like they are playing the soundtrack of my life.
18:30 Keith Tkachuk just took a little swipe at Brett Clark after the play.
18:18 and my least favorite player just scored. Yay for me. Can't wait to hear that later on Sounds of the Game. Guerin was wide open. No reason for that to happen.
17:47 A slick save by Legace on Richardson keeps it 2-0. Rycroft ended up in the net, but that doesn't count.
16:46 Mrs Draft Dodger just came home and called me a dork. She has no appreciation for fine journalism like this.
13:14 This game has gone from ho-hum to a snoozefest.
10:59 29 minutes into the game, and we're just seeing the 2nd penalty. Christian Backman this time. A goal here might spice thing up *hint hint*
10:03 Wideman from the Blues just took a Brett Clark slapshot off of his hand. He couldn't even hold his stick afterward. Meanwhile, Ratt is blasting in the arena. I love this place.
8:55 No pp goal, but at least the Blues didn't get a breakaway at the end. Small victories...
7:22 Finally, a little bit of jump to the game. Arnason's name just got mentioned for what has to be the first time tonight. 27-15 shot advantage for Colorado. That has to be the quietest 27 shots I've ever seen.
5:58 John Kelly just said Colorado was without "key player" Pierre Turgeon. I suspect Kelly didn't see the Avs in the playoffs last year...
5:02 Sakic is in the box - first powerplay of the night for St Louis. Budaj just ROBBED someone. That was a ridiculous save. And oh my - it's the Taco Bell Big Save of the Night. What kind of trophy does Budaj get for that?
3:03 3-0 Blues. Bryce Salvador on the backhand. PP goal for the Blues. Things are looking rather bleak for the Avs. Correction, Sakic had just come out of the box - St Louis has 2 goals tonight just seconds after the end of a penalty.
2:13 Ken Klee just brightens things up a bit. Klee gets his first goal as an Av.
1:47 Colorado gets another powerplay. I've harped on this before, but they really need to take advantage of these. Wolski just fell asleep and blew a backdoor chance when he wasn't ready for a beautiful pass.
:50 So much for the PP. Brunette called on the the faceoff. There were 8 hooking penalties last night, and at least 4 so far tonight...
3rd Period
I'm live on tivo, meaning I now have to sit through these stupid Bud Light commercials. I can't wait to turn 36 next year so that I am no longer in the demographic that these stupid commercials are aimed at.
20:00 Wideman's X-rays turned out to be negative. Good to hear - that sure looked broken. Meanwhile, maybe the best Van Halen song ever ("Unchained") is playing. Great, great music.
17:53 This, officially, is the worst game ever to do a live blog of. This is just painful. For you as much as me, I'm sure.
14:11 good pressure by Colorado. They are starting to show some desperation.
13:33 Joe Sakic is the "Autotire Bottome Line Difference" tonight. Just another accolade to tack on to his career. That'll be on the mantle next to the Conn Smythe, for sure.
12:33 Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks" is the latest good song. Budaj just made a nice kick save.
12:12 Arnason's name just got mentioned for the second time tonight.
12:03 And the inevitable Peter Stastny interview in the stands is happening now. I think Paul Stastny would be much more fun if he had his dad's accent.
9:49 No shocker here - Colorado's powerplay fizzle is going to cost them another game. They pass well, but just don't seem to get good shots on the net.
8:44 Klee just got his ass beat by Tkachuk to negate an icing.
7:25 Then Klee got checked hard by Hinote. Not the shift he was expecting, I'm sure
6:53 Brisebois just broke up a 2 on 1 chance. That was a slick play.
6:10 Breakway for Guerin, but Budaj stoned him. The Blues are getting all the chances.
4:57 43-22 shots in favor of Colorado. Mirror image to last night.
3:41 Budaj has kept this from being a 5-1 game. This loss is not his fault at all.
2:35 And that will seal it. Guerin converts on a 3 on 2 breakaway. Weight gets his 4th assist for the night. Not an enjoyable game. Looks like they are reviewing it, but it should count. It does.
1:00 They just showed Mike Kitchen, and, in true head coach form, he looks like he just swallowed something disgusting...and he has a 3 goal lead.
Not the most exciting games to do this tonight, and not the outcome we wanted. Thanks for reading.