Colorado beats the Flames, win 3-2.

After a blowout loss against the Oilers Thursday night the Avalanche took on the Flames Friday night. Not only did the Avs lose against the Oilers, they lost Jan Hejda, who is now back in Denver and is expected to be re-evaluated tomorrow. Altitude mentioned that it's not as bad as they originally thought. With Hejda out, Erik Johnson will have a new partner in crime.  Not only that, but he'll be playing on the left and Guenin playing on right with him

First Period:

EJ did have a couple nice point shots. Hearing David Jones name announced made me pause, but I realized I'm not even mad that he's gone.Not that I wish him ill, just that it's not even something I've thought about. Avs keep pressure on the Flames. Had a wrap-around chance but weren't able to capitalize on it. Flames went on a rush, but Avs contained it and brought it down the other way.

Mitchell goes into the box for two minutes for holding. Bad Mitchell. Jiggy had a nice save on that penalty kill. McLeod blocked a shot, and it seemed to sting for a moment, he took a few seconds to get up, but he skated it off and kept going. However he got scored on, Jiggy felt he was interfered with... threw the stick down. Pushed the net off and towards the boards and earned a two minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

McLeod dropped the gloves with MacDermid. Number 55 took MacDermid down, brought him back up, and then both players go down. MacDermid blatantly ran into Jiggy while Jiggy had his back turned. McLeod took exception and stood up for his goalie.  None for fighting with a visor. McLeod and MacDermid both got seven minutes on the play.

During the intermission Altitude showed a clip of EJ.

EJ handles stress by playing with dogs.  Used to be a cat owner as a kid, he got his first dog while in St-Louis.

He said Roy told him he believed in him, and it gave him confidence.

Second Period:

The beginning of the second is rather sluggish.

Halfway through the second Avs went on a  power play. Avs are unable to do much with it. With two minutes left in the second, Max Talbot gets the puck off of a nice pass from the corner by Mitchell and gets it in the Calgary net. That's Talbot's first goal in Avs gear. Unhappy with the prospect of going into the lockerroom tied, PA Parenteau scored off a nice play by Talbot. The Avs head into the third period up by one.

Third Period:

Two minutes into the third MacKinnon carries the puck into the Flames zone, drops pass it Landeskog, MacKinnon went around the net and hung out waiting for the pass from his Captain. When he got it, he capitalized on it to bring the Avs up 3-1 over the Flames.

Benoit heads to the sin bin to feel shame for two minutes for some hooking. With 15 seconds left Stempniak went to his Bin for two minutes for hooking. The guys really moved the puck well during the power play and moved well. With just under nine minutes left in the third, Landeskog went to the box. But then Nate Guenin gets a breakaway shot, however, the opposing player caught up to him and threw his body underneath him. There was no penalty shot given, but Giordano heads to the box thus negating the Flames power play. On the twenty seconds remaining of the Avalanche power play they were unable to make anything happen.

With a couple minutes left in the third, the Flames pull their goalie. The Flames are able to put the puck behind Giguere. Making the score 3-2 with under two minutes left in the third. With 40 seconds left the Flames pull Ramo again. With .3 seconds left the refs call a penalty on the Flames when Duchene got pulled down. It wouldn't matter. In the end, Jiggy earned his seventh win of the season (7-0) and the Avalanche picked up their 20th win of the season.

Things you may have missed:

The Avs face offs were not good at all.

Talbot was pretty much everywhere.

Mitchell and Talbot were the only two Avalanche players to win the majority of their face offs.

Guenin was a second away from having 25 minutes of ice time (this is the team lead of the game).

Three Stick Taps

Max Talbot

Erik Johnson

Jean-Sebastien Giguere