Daily Cupcakes- August 12th, 2011

 I got sent a link today about the ex-Avs goalie Peter Budaj his goalie mask, and other masks as well, being highlighted for their nerdom.

Perhaps best known for having Ned Flanders from "The Simpson's" on the back of several of his masks, current Montreal Canadiens goalie Peter Budaj(notes) also featured … well, the antithesis of Ned Flanders on a mask while playing for the Colorado Avalanche.

That would be Altair, the main character from Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed," whom Budaj honored in 2008 according to Mile High Hockey. (Due respect to an assassin, but it's nowhere near as cool as having Ned Flanders on his Slovakian Olympic team mask, okaley doakaley neighborino?)

An article on Mercier.

At just 24, Justin Mercier considers himself old in hockey years.

 

The Colorado Avalanche's youth movement, which began in earnest two years ago, has produced an NHL club with future stars like 20-year-olds Ryan O'Reilly, a former Erie Otter, and Matt Duchene.

 

Mercier, an Erie native, is as old or older than nine of the 25 players listed on the club's roster. So with a recently signed one-year contract in hand, Mercier said, "it definitely puts a little bit of added pressure. It's a business for them. They're at a point where (they) have a lot of young prospects coming up here."

Fox takes a look at everything the Avalanche have done recently to avoid the same fate as this past season.

After one of the worst stretches in club history overshadowed a sparkling first-half performance, the Colorado Avalanche have excercised all means of change this offseason to help kick-start a new era for the franchise.

From taking highliy-touted prospects Gabriel Landeskog and Duncan Siemens with the No.2 and No. 11 selections in the Entry Draft to acquiring Semyon Varlamov and former Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the 2011 offseason has been the lastest step on the Avs' road to restoration that begun at the turn of the calender year.

Today's question comes from Jog73 : Aside from the two cup clinching games, which is your all-time favorite Avs game? Well, I'm going to add "or memory?" to the end of that question.