The train is starting to pick up steam. The Avalanche won their 3rd game in a row - all 3 against divisional opponents - beating the Wild today 3-1. The Colorado offense has been struggling to get things going lately, averaging just 3 goals a game in their last 4 games. But their defense and especially their goaltending have tightened up - the Avs have given just 2 goals a game over that same stretch.
Jose Theodore put up a .951 save percentage against the Flames on Friday. Peter Budaj topped that by a hair, with a .955 save percentage today. Both goalies have had to make some terrific saves to keep their team in the game lately; Budaj’s glove save on Petterri Nummelin today was one for the highlight reels. While I’m impressed, perhaps I’m alone. On Friday, Sportsnet’s Charlie Simmer didn’t think Theodore was one of the 3 stars of the game. Today, Terry Frei thought Budaj’s performance was just worthy of the 3rd star.
I don’t like to celebrate injuries to players, but I have to admit that the team has probably been helped by the injuries to Karlis Skrastins and Jordan Leopold. Both have been inconsistent. More accurately, Skrastins has been inconsistent. Leopold has been flat awful - a turnover machine (in a bad way). The injuries have meant that Jeff Finger gets into the lineup on a regular basis, and Kurt Sauer is given a larger role. Both have been stabilizers on the blueline while some other players - Brett Clark and Scott Hannan - were struggling earlier in the year. Now that Hannan seems to be finding his form, and Clark has shown some signs of awakening, this is shaping up as a nice unit.Offensively, the team has sputtered a little bit. Without Milan Hejduk, the team loses a bit of its touted scoring depth. Marek Svatos has moved up from the 3rd line in Hejduk’s absence, but that leaves a 3rd line of Tyler Arnason, Ian Laperriere and Wyatt Smith. Arnason has been showing signs of life lately, but hasn’t really been given a lot of tools to work with here. I think this is an important stat: the 3rd and 4th lines have been kept completely off the scoresheet in 6 of the 11 games so far. 6 games where half of your forwards can’t manage a measly assist. With all the good young players the Avs have at Cleveland, I have to wonder why a TJ Hensick hasn’t been called up to get some 3rd line time. Is it that critical to have Scott Parker for two or three minutes of the game? Don’t want to rush Hensick? Heck, I’d be happy with journeyman Eric Healey, who has 5 points in 8 games for the Monsters.
Game Notes
Game notes are at the following link
Lines
Lines and Shift Chart are up. The lineup was the same as the Calgary game, but the lines were shifted a tad. Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny swapped wingers - Ryan Smyth and Marek Svatos played with Sakic and Andrew Brunette and Wojtek Wolski played with Stastny. All the scoring in the game came from those 6 players.
On defense, Kyle Cumiskey moved to join Scott Hannan and Kurt Sauer joined Brett Clark. I thought the group as a whole were rock solid tonight - probably their best effort of the year. While I like Cumiskey and think he’s got promising future, I wouldn’t mind seeing what 6′3″ Jeff Jillson looks like on the ice for a game or so.
Quick Hits
- The Avs improved to 3-3 in games where they’ve outshot their opponents.
- Peter Budaj has a 2.37 GAA at even strength this year
- For the first time this year, the Avs won the faceoff battle, winning a whopping 58.6% of the draws today. They are now 50.6% against the Wild this year.
- I haven’t been the biggest Wyatt Smith supporter this year, but his defensive play on a critical kill in the 3rd period was key in helping preserve the 1-goal lead.
Up Next
The Avs host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. And I think you all know what that means. That’s right, folks, Jarkko Ruutu is coming to town! Woot!
Jarkko! Jarkko! Jarkko!
On a related note, I have a very distinct feeling that Scott Parker is going to get beat up by Laraque on Thursday.
Two things:
1) Am I the only guy really happy when Ben Guite comes on the ice? He’s shown a lot of hustle and good work the last few games, reminding me a little bit of (and I pray I’m not hexing anything here) Steve Moore in the few weeks before the Bertuzzi attack.
2) What needs to be done to get Hlinka going again? I feel like I’ve seen him make some good shots, but he’s been all around the line up, including time on the 4th line.
I’m a staunch Guite supporter too. He’s played really well this season and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do going forward.
Hlinka won’t get going again until he spends more than one game with the same linemates. Q has moved him around a ton, and it doesn’t seem to be a result of poor play on his part, more he’s trying to find a spark for other players. Another example of Hejduk’s absence throwing other stuff out of whack. However, if the missing H-link doesn’t do anything but continue his stellar work on the PK for the Avs all season, I’d be happy and consider it $600k well spent.
back in May, I said that “Guite is probably the guy I most want to see re-signed”
I’m very excited to have him back, and love to watch him play. His toughness is understated.
Hlinka? The 4th line is just not a great place for him.
Am I the only guy really happy when Ben Guite comes on the ice? He’s shown a lot of hustle and good work the last few games, reminding me a little bit of (and I pray I’m not hexing anything here) Steve Moore in the few weeks before the Bertuzzi attack.
No especially not. In the ALT broadcast of the Wild game they mentioned Wyatt Smith was playing on the 3rd line as a promotion for his work this season and the first thing I thought of was “Why the hell wasn’t Guite on the third line instead?” I’d like the Avs to form a true checking line whose goal is to frustrate the hell out of the other teams top line. Maybe when Richardson comes back it’ll be:
Rich-Guite-Lappy but I have the feeling that the coaches prefer Smith over Guite for whatever reason right now.
i can’t figure why Smith is on the 3rd and Hlinka or Guite isn’t either, Jibble. i mean, Smith pulled almost 15 min of ice time, while Wolski pulled just over that, Hlinka pulled 11 min, and guite just under 10. what planet are you from to think Smith is more deserving of ice time than Hlinka, and as much as Wolski?!
color me confused. also makes you wonder what will happen when Richardson comes back.
I’m in the same boat. Smith did have that great play on the PK in the Wild game, I just haven’t seen anything else from him to explain why he’s getting such love. Offensively, he seems like a dud. But even defensively I haven’t been all that wowed. I just don’t get it at all.
The defense looks much better. I like how Clark and Sauer are playing together. It’s totally shocking that they could do so well as a pairing…oh, wait a second. They played a bit together last year too didn’t they? What time of year was that, how did they do? I’m going to have to look this up. While I’m at it I should see who was in goal. These are mysteries that must be investigated.
I’m still concerned about a more top heavy scoring line going against this defense. Is Q going to shift Cumiskey against Thorton? I’m not sure how it’s going to work out and if you juggle your defensive pairings I’m not sure how the defensemen gain any chemistry together.
I’d really be interested to see Finger and Hannan play as a pairing. I have a feeling that Finger can contribute more on the offensive side of the ice than we think. He and Liles are the only blue-liners doing any slap shots from the point right now. With Smyth on your team that has to be like a hockey sin or something. On the flip side if Hannan and Finger have a couple shifts together, that leaves Liles and Cumiskey. Not only would that be a surreal tandum (perhaps the shortest defensive pairing in the history of the NHL post 1980), but it would be hilarious and intriguing at the same time. This has to happen at least once this year. I don’t care if it’s because the Avs have an eight goal lead or three defensemen in the box with five minute majors and there’s nothing left. I would be horrified and riveted all at the same time.
[...] talked about the improved defense in my last recap, but I think it bears revisiting. I really think this unit is coming into shape. While Sydney [...]