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Vancouver Canucks |
8 MT / 10 ET / 3 GMT |
Colorado Avalanche |
| 10-10-0 | November 14th, 2009 |
12-4-3 |
| 20 pts | Pepsi Center |
27 pts |
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t-9th in West |
Denver, CO |
2nd in West |
The Avalanche host the Vancouver Canucks tonight, a game Joe Sacco has called "must win" (geez, he throws that phrase around like our own Joe does*). But this game is really about one thing: the jerseys. The Avs wear their new revenue source third jerseys tonight for the first time. We've all seen them by now, but this will be our first chance to see them on the ice. For those of us who can stay up that late, that is. (For the record, no recap from me tonight)
Craig Anderson will start for the Avs. Tom Preissing could make his season debut (I think he will) and Milan Hejduk could return as well (bank on that). Ruslan Salei took part in a full practice Friday, so he's close to returning too - but I don't think we'll see him yet. John-Michael Liles and TJ Galiardi are getting closer, but they won't play. Philippe Dupuis has been returned to Lake Erie.
For the Canucks, Roberto Luongo is back and he's the presumed starter tonight (thank goodness, as I don't think I could stomach getting shut out by Andrew Raycroft again). One of the Sedins is out (no, not that one, the other one. Or is it? I can't tell). The Canucks still have a very potent powerplay but are so-so at even strength. They have 18 goals at 5 on 4 and 28 at 5 on 5. The Avs have 11 PP goals and 36 5 on 5.
I am very excited today as we're taking the kids to Boston to see Star Wars in Concert. I've heard nothing but raves about this, and my kids are stoked (even my daughter who is under the weather). Why am I mentioning this? I actually do have a reason. My wife and I debated going to this for quite some time, as tickets were something like $60 each. To me, that was a lot of money for a concert. While we ultimately relented (and I'm glad we did), it occured to me later that that's considerably less than I would pay for one hockey game. To see the Bruins, only a handful of shitty seats are under $60. Where we're sitting for Star Wars (Loge 9), B's tickets cost $130 (plus fees) to see the crap teams and $150 to see the good teams. To me, that is an insane amount of money to spend on one hockey game. Playoff game? Sure. Beyond that, I can't justify spending $300 for tickets alone for my wife and I to go to a game (nevermind the price for parking, food and street hookers). We've been to 2 hockey games in the last 5 years, and both were special occasions (once for my birthday and once as a Christmas present for my wife). I really don't mind spending all the wads of cash I rake in from this site (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha), but $300 for a single hockey game? Not worth it. I know lots of you have weighed in on the reasons for the Avs' attendance woes. As of this 10am this morning, I could buy tickets for great seats next to the glass (sect 130, row 1) for tonight's game...at $216 a pop. To me, that's just simply too much. Call me when tickets are $20.
*[Geez, you make a mistake two years ago and they never let you hear the end of it. Tough crowd. -Joe]
Canucks vs Avalanche coverage