The Avalanche take on the Stars again tonight at the Pepsi Center, with Budaj likely to play the whole game in net and Coach Q to be testing the Smyth-Sakic-Brunette line pretty heavily. He hasn't been all that impressed by them. They've been completely out-played by the various second line incarnations centered on Paul Stastny and Jaroslav Hlinka.
To be honest, I think Hejduk (when he gets healthy) should play on the top line with Sakic and Smyth and Brunette should line up next to Stastny and Hlinka. But that's just me. Either way you have two amazing line combinations, so it doesn't really matter that much. As long as somebody is scoring---and often---who cares?
The pre-season ends this week, and then finally the regular season gets going with the Avs playing the Stars again in the Pepsi Center on October 3rd. The next night Colorado will play in Nashville. I'll actually be at that game, despite the ridiculous price hike the Predators somehow think is justified after purging their team of talent and threatening to leave town. My upper level tickets that cost $22 the last few seasons now cost $35. Bastards.
As for the blog, we've got big things coming up. On October 1st is the huge cross-posting orgy called the Avalanche Bloggers Roundtable, which I hope everyone will help to promote on the various hockey message boards that Avalanche fans seem to frequent. On October 3rd, MHH will post the very first "Game Preview And Open Thread" of the season, and I'm counting on everyone who's able to participate to join in on the fun. Post comments to the thread as you watch or listen to the game. If you're familiar with game night open threads from other sports blogs, you know they can be a lot of fun.
Let's call it a date.
I'll be buying my subscription to Center Ice Online in the next few days (splitting the cost with my brother the Penguins fan), so I'm just about ready to go on the season. I trust everyone else is, too.