Preseason Game 8: Avalache at Kings (In Las Vegas)

So, here's the deal... I'm writing this on Thursday night.  As a matter of fact, there's only :37 seconds left in overtime in the game that's happening down at the Broadmoor right now.  Also, at the moment, there's no record on NHL.com about the stats from the game besides the score.  Gotta love the pre-season.

So, being what it is, this preview is likely to be slightly scattered.  But it'll be ok.  Tonights game (meaning, the game set for the evening when you are reading this), is the annual awesome excuse to hang out in Vegas and maybe finalize some rosters for both teams.  While technically a home game for the Kings, the game tonight is being held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in sunny, drunken, ridiculous, awesome Paradise, Nevada.  Lets get it on, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Note:  Apparently we've lost the Thursday night game in a shootout, so at least it was close. The stats on the NHL website haven't been updated yet, so I have no idea who scored or how, or what team was on the ice.

The Avs are winless in the 7 games thus far in the preseason.  Honestly, I haven't been studying these games too hard, because a glance at the lines ups tell me all I need to know.  With the myriad of youngsters and AHLers that the Avs have had in their camps this year, its good to see battles for roster spots... or more accurately, battles for call-up positions and developing chemistry.

I am not worried about the Avs record in this preseason.  I don't care about the preseason much at all, honestly, because I believe that Coach Roy uses it the way I would... to really test his team, putting different players in different situations, to truly evaluate the best options available to him.  That being said, winning against Los Angeles is always sweet to me, so I would really like to see us come away from the desert with something nice.

Lets just sit back and enjoy this game.  We all know that the most important wins come starting on Thursday, and as long as we get those, I'm fine with the preseason being a blank in the win column.  Let the boys have their fun in the sand, play some hockey, and get distractions out of their systems now.  This is the final dress rehersal, boys.  Make the most of it.

If anything big happens on Friday, Mike said he would edit this post and update you all.  But until then, happy weekend, and Go Avs!