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Former Avalanche player, Matt Hendricks, was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. Still miss that guy.
“I want to help fill that role, that niche, that hard-to-play-against-guy who brings that work ethic to the rink every day,” said Hendricks, who has three years left on a $1.85 million-per-year contract. “Bring a little bit of leadership and voice in the lockerrooom.”
Don’t look now, but suddenly Luke Gazdic and Matt Hendricks are two-thirds of a line that nobody in the NHL really wants to play against.
“I think in this league you have to be that way,” said Hendricks. “It’s not a league where you have to go down and punch people’s teeth down their throat every night, but it is a league where you need to be hard to play against.
“You need to keep your opponents on their toes at all times. Playing physical is the way it’s done.”
So, this happened.
Corey Perry had two goals and two assists, Teemu Selanne had two goals and an assist, and the relentless Anaheim Ducks beat the Vancouver Canucks 9-1 Wednesday night for their 18th victory in 19 games.
Nick Bonino scored also two goals for the NHL-leading Ducks, who earned their eighth consecutive victory by scoring a club-record six power-play goals in the highest-scoring performance in the franchise's two-decade history.
A preview of the Devils - Avalanche game.
The Avalanche overcame his absence Tuesday, when Tyson Barrie scored with 50.7 seconds left in overtime to secure a 3-2 win at Chicago.
"I feel our team has been able to win key games. That's positive to me," first-year coach Patrick Roy said. "It shows the character of the team. It shows the leadership that we have. It shows that our guys care. It shows that our guys want to do well, and they want to get better, and they're not satisfied.
"Obviously, it makes me really proud of them."
Colorado may have to withstand another absence from Stastny, the team's third-leading scorer who is expected to be a game-time decision.
Langenbrunner announced his retirement.
Jamie Langenbrunner announced his retirement Wednesday after a 16-year NHL career in which he won two Stanley Cups.
The 38-year-old right winger played for Dallas, New Jersey and St. Louis. He won Stanley Cup rings with Dallas in 1999 and New Jersey in 2003. He was also on the U.S. Olympic team in 1998 and 2010.