Dear Gary,
This is normally the point in the day where I write my insightful recap of the previous night’s Colorado Avalanche game. But I’ve got a little problem, and I hope you can help me out with it.
You see, Gary, I live on the East Coast. Normally, it’s not a big deal to follow a team that’s two time zones away. I shell out for DirecTV’s Center Ice programming each year, and they only occasional fuck it up so that I can’t watch my game. The only time I run into trouble is with the West Coast games, like the one last night.
vs. last year:
I’m not a young man, Gary. I may have been at one point in my life, but that is no longer the case. I need my sleep. And it’s really tough to do that when I’m watching a hockey game that starts at 10:30 where I’m at. This was a key game for us - must-win, if you will - and I tried my best. I got through the entire first period without much trouble. It helped that the period was enjoyable; my Avs outshot the Sharks 13-4 and got a pretty goal when Ben Guite deflected a Brett Clark point shot past Evgeni Nabokov to give the team a 1-0 lead at the intermission (apparently, the Avalanche have led just 12 times after the first period). There was a lot of other cool stuff in the first period too. Cody McLeod clipped Joe Thornton in the face with his stick and then got in a fight with Mike Grier. I’m a bit worried about McLeod, Gary. He had that late hit on Lilja…or Lebda…or Lulu - I don’t know, some guy on the Red Wings with an ‘L’ in his name - the other day, and now this “accidental” high stick. Is he operating just a bit beyond his level of control?
Anywho, it was a fun first period. But by the time I got through intermission (where I got to see Ian Laperriere on a garbage truck for the 200th time), my eyelids were getting heavy. The 2nd period didn’t start until 11:15 or so. I wanted to stay awake, but I just couldn’t do it. I did stick around long enough to see Sandis Ozolinsh make a great pass on the powerplay to lead to Patrick Marleau’s goal, but that was about it for me. I missed TJ Hensick’s 6th goal of the season (that dude has all four of our powerplay goals in February). I’m told that also was a deflection of a Brett Clark point shot - man, I wish Clark would shoot more often. I guess I also missed a great game by Jose Theodore, who has really turned his career around. Bummer.
So, Gary, do you think it’s possible to do something about those start times? Even moving the West Coast games back an hour would be, like, totally rad. That would mean they would start at 9:30 where I’m at - no different than most of the other Avalanche games that I watch. Would it be that much of a hardship for the good people of San Jose to have a game at 6:30? That one hour would make all the difference in the world to us in the east. I figure if we can figure out a way to make glowing pucks, outdoor hockey games, and ugly jerseys that make players move whateverpercent faster, moving a game up an hour to allow for hockey fans across North America to watch the game with falling asleep at their desks the next morning shouldn’t be a difficult task. Right?
Thank you in advance,
Grumpy Old Hockey Fan.
Lines
- Hlinka, Brunette, Hejduk
- Arnason, Wolski, Svatos
- Guite, Richardson, Laperriere
- Hensick, McLeod, McCormick
On defense, the Avalanche were Skrastins Not Withstanding for the 2nd straight game…
Quick Hits
- Colorado’s three goal scorers on the night were Ben Guite, TJ Hensick and Jeff Finger. Finger and Guite were in the AHL at the beginning of last season, and Hensick, of course, was still in college.
- Despite his 3-game scoring streak, Hensick has not gotten much ice time. He had just 9:55 TOI last night, and a good chunk of that (3:43) was on the powerplay. He hasn’t topped 11 minutes in any of the last 3 games.
- John-Michael Liles led the team in blocked shots (3) for the second straight game. On the other side of the ice, the Sharks were led in blocked shots by Sandis Ozolinsh (also 3).
- The “change from last year” graphic above reflects season highs in all three categories (well, season low for goals scored).
Next Up
The Avalanche take on the Canucks in Vancouver Saturday night.
And eliminate my pre-game beers/buffalo burger? Suck it up weenie
Besides you got to see the good period. The rest of the game was marred by:
The Avs sending one guy in to forecheck while the rest of the team changed to play defense, resulting in absolutly no offense the rest of the game
Theo playing spectacularly (that was nice to see)
Brett Clark doing his best to lose the game in the last 2 minutes with the worst icing of all time, and putting the puck over the glass in his own zone with minimal pressure. (the only reason it wasn’t called was because the puck went over the boards, and then the side boards to the Avs bench, landing in the Avs bench., the lineman missed it)
And mass confusion every other shift change on the Avs bench. How they didn’t take a too-many-men on the ice penalty this game is beyond me.
Have you ever been to California? All of the things they say about the traffic is true. If you moved the start times that far back, everyone in San Jose would miss the only period you saw. You could all get together and have a whole game, but that’s about it.
I’m sure there were some very bitter wage slaves during the Ducks cup run last year, with the early start times for national TV. Don’t upset these people. They are crazy. They stop you from bringing in fruit at the border. They are nuts.
heh - I’m FROM California, so I’m one of the crazieeees.
I figure if 60,000 people can get to a football stadium early enough for a Monday Night Football game, 17,000 people can show up an hour early so that I can get some freaking beauty sleep.
Can’t js eat his buffalo burger at 5:30?????
Hey, you may be interested in this site:
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western/Northwest/Avalanche.html
It calculates our (and every other team’s) chance of making the playoff, chance of finishing in a certain position, and most importantly: exactly how the current day’s games will affect the Avs chances.
Everybody knows that Jibbles’ metabolism is a finely tuned machine and, Skrastins not withstanding, any deviation from his routine would derail his bodily perfection.
After Thomas thinking he’s a girl, he can’t risk any harm to his manly gut, or people will start thinking he’s a PREGNANT girl.
Theo was really impressive last night. He’s certainly proving me wrong. I was convinced he would relapse but so far the hiccups have been minor. How can a guy turn around at that age when he’s been bad for three years? I’m turning from a complete skeptic to skeptically optimistic, Skrastins not withstanding.
That was a really effective road game. It was a bore fest for the last 12 minutes but that’s the NHL if you want to win right now. Guite/Lappy/Richardson are still contributing key goals but we need our skill guys to carry the load. I can’t remember what this team looks like with Sakic any more.
Vancouver has been as ham-stringed with injuries as the Avs have been, except it’s been their defense. The Avs should get plenty of shots off and be able to contain the anemic defense. As always, it’s just a matter of beating Luango.
Selanne, that site is the fucking bomb. thanks!
I’m in the West (not as far as California - but same time zone) and that game felt late for me; of course I ha no sleep the night before so that might be the problem Skrastins not withstanding.
Seriously though. The only reason I would be in favor of a time change is so the bloody East Coast Media will have fewer excuses to not cover the teams in the Western Conference that are further west than Detroit. I firmly believe that Stastny got snubbed last season because no one saw him until we played those Eastern teams. Of course if they go back to a schedule where we play every team at least once (better twice home-away) there will be less need for this. In short…suck it up you wussies, I was living on 2 hours of sleep in a 48 hour period when the game started and I made it through, Skrastins not withstanding.
And Theo was steller, Skrastins not withstanding.
Theo did play well, and as far as thinking he may have turned a corner, the pessimist in me think it may have more than a little something to do with this being a contract year. Still, if his desire to be shown some $$ next season carries the Avs back to the playoffs, I’m all for that, Skrastins not withstanding.
“The only reason I would be in favor of a time change is so the bloody East Coast Media will have fewer excuses to not cover the teams in the Western Conference that are further west than Detroit.”
Thornton is the only West Coast player to win the Hart, right?
The year he played 1/2 a season in the East.
oh yeah. the year I bought a Bruins Thornton jersey a week before he was traded
Damnit. I am incapable of quoting correctly. That was in Response to “Selanne, that site is the fucking bomb. thanks!”
Mirtle was unstickied from my list of everyday reading awhile ago due to his haterade for hockey in Nashville.
That has nothing to do with anything. Sometimes my fingers are faster than my logic center, Skrastins not withstanding.
To answer you’re question from earlier… no my buffalo burger must be eaten no earlier than 6:00pm Besides the bar makes less money if i get there and drink my beer during happy hour (4-6).
Are you trying to drive San Jose restaurants out of business DD?
I bet DD is a vegan. Or a republican. ‘Economic Stimulus’ my ass…
I kid, I kid.
Don’t discuss politics or religion with those you consider friends. And never ever lend money you can’t afford to give away to those you would call a friend. (SNW).
“I bet DD is a vegan. Or a republican”
you hit the nail on the head!
Weak! I’d like to see you stay up until 4 5 and 6 in the morning watching the Avs as I did many times
ha. there’s just no way.
Yeah quit complaining. I’d like to watch teh Avs full stop. damn Australia, i’ve seen two games and none live.