Avalanche visit the Wild- Avs win 3-1

This game marked the return of Zach Parise to the Wild lineup. Not only that, but Paul Stastny would be out again for the Colorado Avalanche.

Avalanche lines:

McLeod           Duchene       O`Reilly

Landeskog      MacKinnon    Parenteau

Bordeleau       Mitchell          Talbot

McGinn           Malone           Cliche

Hejda             Johnson

Benoit             Sarich

Barrie             Guenin

Jean-Sebastien Giguere

The Avalanche didn't like losing the last game, less than four minutes into the first Jan Hejda scored a nice little goal from the point. This goal showed the Avs that when you shoot on goal, with a lot of bodies in front of the net, good things can happen.Landeskog and MacKinnon had the assists on the goal. Hejda leads the Avalanche in hits, time on ice, and is tied with the best +/- on the team.

The rest of the first was a fairly physical game, both teams exchanging some solid hits while neither had dangerous chances. With just over two minutes left in the first McLeod hit Brodin into the boards in front of the Avalanche bench. After some tossing and shoving, the refs decided to gift McLeod with a five minute major boarding (served by Malone) plus a game misconduct. He'll also probably be hearing from Shannyban.The Avalanche managed to get through the rest of the first without allowing a goal on the McLeod penalty.

The Avalanche managed to kill off the rest of the McLeod penalty in the second. In fact, the Avs held the Wild back to one shot during the penalty kill. In cases like this, where the team kills off a big penalty like this it can be a momentum changer. The Avalanche came back hard. On a nice Landeskog shot, with PA Parenteau blocking Harding, MacKinnon was able to redirect the puck and find the back of the net.

Unfortunately the Giguere shut out wasn't going to last. Heatley deflected a shot behind Jiggy to get Minnesota to cut the lead in half. Avs head into the lockerroom at the end of the second up by one.

During the third, with thirteen minutes left, Landeskog thought he scored a goal, but it was disallowed because MacKinnon had crashed both the net and Wild goalie Josh Harding.With ten minutes left in the game, Patrick Roy used his timeout. With four minutes left the Wild put intense pressure on the Avalanche. With an empty net, and less than a minute in the third the Avalanche's Landeskog scored to put the Avalanche up 3-1. That would be the final score of the night.

Sandie's Four (because I can) MHH Stick Taps

Hejda

Landeskog

MacKinnon

Jiggy

Editor's (Mike) Notes:

• I thought the boarding call on McLeod was BS.
• The line-matching that Roy likes to use so much is REALLY missing Stastny.
• Clear a fucking puck Guenin.