8:20 pm. There was about 9.2 seconds left in overtime. The score was tied. Foul. Free throw. Time out. Foul. Time out. Ball out of bounds. Foul. Hail Mary shot! Ref review of play. Review of play. About to start play. Stop. Move play for a center court jump ball. 8:40 pm. Double overtime. Score! More score! Time out. Dribble dribble dribble. Time out. Time out. Time out. Score! Foul. Free throw. Dribble dribble dribble. Time out. Dribble. Game over, Nuggets win! This was a hard fought win, double overtime, blahblahbladdityblah. Interview time! What? I'm sorry, did you say something? An Avalanche game? On now? BUT WE'RE TALKING BASKETBALL HERE, PEOPLE!!
We now join the Avs game already in progress.
Apparently, for the first five or so minutes of the game, the Kings dominated the Avalanche. There was some kind of alleged penalty in there, too, which put the Kings on a power play. Supposedly the Avs killed it. I would not know if any of this was true because talking about the Nuggets is always more important than watching an Avalanche game.
When I did tune in, I saw Jan Hejda clang a nice shot off the post. Then Cody McLeod got whacked in the face with Dustin Penner's stick, cutting him across the bridge of the nose and the side of the eye. Scary stuff. Highlander skated right off the ice and to the locker room. If CodyMac is doing that, you know it's not good. So the Avs went on a four minute pleasure skate during which time they accomplished absolutely nothing.
With 49 seconds left, Kyle Quincey did some backchecking that apparently was too aggressive or something, so he was sent to the box for interference. Fortunately, the Kings power play was just about as inept as the Avs, and the score remained nil each as the teams went to the locker rooms at the end of the first.
During the intermission report, we found out that Mark Rycroft has fallen in love. I don't think I've ever seen him gush over a player like he did Peter Mueller. Not saying it's not well-deserved, but easy there fella. No one's going to buy the cow if you're giving away the milk for free.
Second period, GOGOGO! At this point, I was beginning to think those tales of the first five minutes were just that—fabrications, fairy tales, fables—because the Avalanche were outshooting, outhitting, outfaceoffing the Kings in a ridiculous way. But of course, that meant bad things to come. Revenge of the Corsi, dare I say. While the boys in white were dicking around on the other side of the net, a wide open Anze Kopitar tappity tap tap tapped in a sweet juicy plump little rebound, putting the Kings up 1-0.
But the Highlander was back on the ice, and he was not happy. So when he saw the silly Kings going off on a crazy line change which left him open enough to do some double lutzes, he looked back to see Stefan Elliott sliding the puck across center ice to him. "Well, alright then," you could hear Cody say. Breakaway. Hard to the net. Puck past Jonathan Quick. Mac's head into the post. Don't worry, folks. He was okay. It's all about the goAls, bb.
Mueller didn't want to disappoint Rycroft, so he decided to get into the action. Hard work all night by the John Hughes line paid off as Muells tipped in a shot from Paul Stastny and TJ Galiardi. For the record, Mueller was a freaking beast all night. I think he feels better.
Third period, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The Avalanche hit the ice with a 2-1 lead over Los Angeles. They also had a significant shot advantage, holding the Kings to only 14 in 40 minutes of play. (Are you sure about those five minutes? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THOSE FIVE MINUTES?) For a long, long time, the Avalanche didn't even let the Kings play in their yard. It was kind of silly, actually. The Avs were just being mean. I guess they felt bad about it because they gave Dustin Brown a chance...which he sent ricocheting off the post. Last time we be nice to you! Pffft.
The burgundy and blue boys wearing white decided to go for the win by holding on to the lead. You know how that always works out, yeah? Not this time, baby! Basically, this is how the rest of the game went down: Mueller got called for slashing, Hejda's helmet went flying off in a scrum and Jarret Stoll decided that was a good time to high stick him in the head. Then after Mueller escaped the box, Landeskog figured it was time to shut this game down. Power play goal, Avs! It was his 10th of the season, btw. Assists to Quincey and Stastny.
Why you hef be mad, Quickie? Pssssst. Slashing Daniel Winnik right in front of the ref is not the brightest of ideas when your team is down by two with less than two minutes to go.
Penalty killed (barely, what the hell was that, boys?), game over, good guys won. Yay!
- 1 Mueller. Mueller. Mueller. (I'm baaaa-aaaaaaack!)
- 2 Highlander (You slasha my face? I slasha your nuts!)
- 3 Jiggilooooo (I got dis, yo.)
- 1a Landeskog - O'Reilly - Hejduk
- 1b Galiardi - Stastny - Mueller
- 3 Winnik - McClement - Jones (which apparently is an unfair line according to Jim Fox)
- 4 McLeod - VDG - Kobasoooooooo
- 1 O'Brien - Johnson (still bigger than your Johnson, LA!)
- 2 Quincey - Elllliottttttt
- 3 O'Byrne - Hejda
- 1 Wilson was a healthy scratch tonight. Rumor alert! Could it have something to do with the fact Greg Sherman was spied chatting with Montreal's GM Pierre Gauthier? (I didn't know Sherm spoke French!)
- 2 The Kings did not get Quick anything for his birthday. It seems they left the box of defense on the table at home next to the syrup.
- 3 Ten of Mueller's 51 NHL goals have been game-winners.
The Avs hopped on the bus tonight (not the plane, dear Kyle. It's only a 45 minute drive) and headed down to Anaheim where they will face the red hot Ducks tomorrow.
Stick tap to SteveHouse for the recap title