The Colorado Avalanche played nearly 2 1/2 periods of good hockey last night, while he Columbus Blue Jackets played a half period of great hockey. The half period of great hockey won, as Columbus came back from a 3-1 deficit to start the third to win 5-4. It’s the first time this year the Avalanche have blown a third period lead. It was a deflating loss - the type of loss that cause head coaches to lose their jobs.
The Blue Jackets got on the board first (how many times has that happened in the last month or so? Too many) when Rick Nash’s dazzling spin-o-rama fooled Scott Hannan and Peter Budaj right out of their skates. Despite falling down a goal, the Avs actually were the better team in the first two periods (25-14 shot advantage) and worked hard to get on the board.
They finally broke through early in the 2nd, when Wojtek Wolski put home a rebound past Columbus’ Pascal Leclaire. Then, late in the 2nd, Paul Stastny scored after a wild battle in front of the net. Leclaire had stopped the puck and flopped on it, but the play continued and the puck squirted out from underneath the goalie and trickled towards the net. Adam Foote was able to clear it out, but when they went upstairs to review, it was evident that the puck had crossed over the line first. The Avs made it 3-1 less than a minute later when Jeff Finger innocently fired the puck to the net. Leclaire was more concerned with having Ryan Smyth draped in front of him than he was with stopping the puck, and the puck went in. The Blue Jackets (and their announcers) were livid that Smyth wasn’t called for interference on the play. It didn’t change the goal, but it sure seemed to fire them up in the 3rd.
Ken Hitchcock replaced Leclaire with Fredrik Norrena in the 3rd, and, for a few minutes, it looked like the Avs were going to be able to coast the rest of the way. All of a sudden, though, Nash scored a dandy wraparound goal, and the entire game changed. The crowd woke up from their game-long slumber and went absolutely berzerk. The players went from going through the motions to playing with emotion. From there, you knew the Avs were in trouble. Joakim Lindstrom scored on the PP to make it 3-3. Nikolai Zherdev scored with a bit over 5 minutes left to make it 4-3. Scott Hannan tied it again to make it 4-4, but the relief was short-lived, as Dan Fritsche scored the game-winner just 30 seconds after that. The Avalanche just had no answer for the steam-rolling effort the Jackets exhibited in the final 10-15 minutes.
Obviously, this was a bummer of a game to watch. I’m still a bit cranky this morning. Peter Budaj didn’t look very good. Was it the mechanics of his game? Nope, he just didn’t look confident out there. I have no idea why that would be, unless it’s the fact that almost every time an Avalanche goalie loses, they sit (Quenneville has started a goalie 3 games in a row just once this year - the first 3 games of the year when Theodore was hurt).
Meanwhile, the Avs are looking remarkably thin up front. The Stastny line accounted for 15 of the teams 36 shots and was on the ice for 18:27 of the game at even strength. That’s tops for any Colorado line this year, just edging out…the 17:50 they had in Monday’s game against San Jose. 18:27! That means the line was out there almost 38% of the time the team was at even strength. I know Sakic is out and Brunette is not himself because of the flu (just 10:52), but it also goes to show that while we have a ton of depth, when the game is on the line we’re relying on a few key people. We seem to have a huge abundance of skilled 5-10, 185 pound 3rd line wingers. Wouldn’t it make sense to package a couple of those guys for a top 6 forward?
I have a lot of emotions going through my head today. You know what the biggest one is? Jealousy. The way the Jackets rallied in the 3rd and started playing with emotion in front of a roaring crowd…I miss that. As lousy as it was to witness on my end (oh, that annoying cannon), what a blast it had to be for Columbus fans. The Avalanche have some solid character guys, and I love that…but for the love of Tyler Arnason wouldn’t it be great to have a Colorado team that gets fired up like that. And no, Thomas, I’m not saying what you think I’m saying.
Game Notes
Game notes are here
Lines
I haven’t been doing a job of getting the line reports done in a timely matter. Maybe I’ll make that a New Year’s Resolution. The rumored line of Richardson, Hensick and Svatos did not materialize.
- Stastny, Smyth, Hejduk
- Arnason, Wolski, Laperriere
- Hensick, Brunette, Svatos
- Hlinka, Richardson, McCormick
Quick Hits
- In another example of bias in the secondary stats, the Avs were credited with 5 hits to Columbus’ 19. John-Michael Liles, who had at least 3 notable hits, was credited with 1.
- Peter Budaj and Jose Theodore now have almost identical stats. Both have a 2.95 GAA. Budaj’s .887 save percentage is just a fraction better than Theo’s .888
- Hannan has 6 points (1g, 5a) in his last 6 games.
Next Up
The Avs host the slimy Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.
I’m spent at this point. You know when McNabb goes in to his, “For you young players out there..” routine? Well, I got one. For you young players out there, despite Hannan’s goal and Skrastins’ pad stacking save, this is exactly how you DON’T play good, positional defense.
Budaj had a bad game AND he was hung out to dry by the defense. Nash’s wraparound for the Columbus second goal was entirely Tyler Arnason’s fault — he allowed Nash to skate out in front without being touched. He had another misplay that led to a goal, but I can’t remember it right now, only that when I turned the game off I went “2 goals that shit Arnason is responsible for.”
Clark had a poor game too. He whiffed on clearing that pass in the crease, wide open net for Columbus.
Great point about the Stastny line being the only line on this team. they were on ice for essentially all the goals tonight — one PP goal, and 2 even strength goals.
Why in the world do you scratch Guite? Why not McCormick? Or Arnason? I think it’s just a roulette wheel every night at this point.
yeah, a russian roulette wheel.
Richardson was one of the few bright spots against the Sharks and he also gets the scratch. How did Svatos and Arnason do last night?
Arnason was the worst player on the ice, and Svatos looked like himself on a non-scoring night: tiny, ineffective on offense, and lost in his own zone. business as usual!
Richardson played, actually. At one point in my notes I thought he was scratched, but I was counting wrong.
My new DR-21 from DirectTV picked the RMS feed from Ohio and the center ice feed. Both of which I don’t have, I missed the first two periods. Which means that it’s all my fault they lost. That and Altitude flashing the stat on the screen that the Avs are 10-0-0 when leading after two periods. But yeah, Guite probably could have done a little more than Svatos, Arnason and McCormick.
First I wish the announcers would stop already with the third period stats fest that always seems to screw us. Like the Avs are 10-0-0-0 going into the third with the lead. Or telling us every five seconds that the Avs haven’t given up a ppg or how much time is left in the shootout bid (not that that’s happened this year). Every time they shoot off with one of these stats the other team ruins it. Can you say JINX!
Second the Avs might have a line if Arnason could finish even once on the chances he’s getting thanks to Wolksi (yet another post and two more miffed shots last night).
Svatos looked OK, but just doesn’t seem to have that same step and instinct to finish the play.
Hannan’s goal last night nor his 5 assists in the last few games in no way makes up for his terrible play through out the season. Either it’s our defensive style that ruins stay at home d-men, or it’s Quenville (maybe both). I mean even Breezy looks better in Montreal this year than he did in his short stint in Colorado (food for thought). Since Foote left, this team has not had quality defense (the same time Quenville showed up - coincidence?)
I guess it speaks volumes about how bad we were last year that it’s been quite a while since we’ve gotten a real number of points, and yet we are still 3 up on last year.
[/end smallest silver lining ever]
Since Foote left, this team has not had quality defense (the same time Quenville showed up - coincidence?)
And the screwed up thing is that Q is supposed to be some kind of defensive expert.
I mean even Breezy looks better in Montreal this year than he did in his short stint in Colorado (food for thought)
that is an excellent point.