 |
| POWER
PLAY |
29TH
- 14.6 |
| PENALTY
KILL |
20TH
- 81.4 |
| FORWARDS |
| PAUL
STASTNY |
24-47-71
(+22) |
| ANDREW
BRUNETTE |
19-40-59
(+5) |
| MILAN
HEJDUK |
29-25-54
(+8) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| JM
LILES |
6-26-32
(+2) |
| RUSLAN
SALEI |
6-24-30
(-4) |
| BRETT
CLARK |
5-16-21
(+5) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| JOSE
THEODORE |
28-21-3
(3 SO)
2.44 GA
.910 PCT |
|
| PETER
BUDAJ |
16-10-4
(0 SO)
2.57 GA
.903 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Colorado
vs Minnesota |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
| 1 |
APR.
9 |
COLORADO
3 - MINNESOTA
2 (OT) |
SEED
6 |
2 |
APR.
11 |
COLORADO
2 - MINNESOTA 3 (OT) |
SEED
3 |
44-31-7
(95) |
3 |
APR.
14 |
MINNESOTA
3 - COLORADO 2
(OT) |
44-28-10
(98) |
| |
4 |
APR.
15 |
MINNESOTA
1 - COLORADO 5 |
|
| |
5 |
APR.
17 |
COLORADO
3 - MINNESOTA
2 |
|
| |
6 |
APR.
19 |
MINNESOTA
1 - COLORADO 2 |
|
| |
7 |
APR.
22 |
COLORADO
at MINNESOTA |
|
| Colorado
Wins Series 4-2 |
|
SERIES
PREVIEW |
|
|
Colorado
Avalanche
In the spring of 2003 the upstart Minnesota Wild defeated
the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche in an insane game seven
overtime that saw Hall of Fame bound, record breaking
goalie, Patrick Roy, go down in ignominious defeat. In
the spring of 2008 those same two teams will meet again
in the Western Conference Quarter Finals.
The gutting of the talent laden Avalanche team by the
implementation of the salary cap and some free agent signings
that did not work out, have reversed the roles from 2003
to 2008. The Avalanche are the lower seed and the decided
underdog in this year's match-up.
Goaltending
Among the odd similarities in the 2003 and 2008 playoff
years is the fact that this year's 'Avs also have in goal
a highly-touted and award winning former Montreal Canadiens
goalie who was traded to the Avalanche by the Canadiens
under less than optimal conditions. Jose Theodore, much
like Patrick Roy, was considered to be on the decline
with on and off-ice issues that made it a good move for
both teams.
Theodore had a tough first year with the Avalanche and
was benched in favor of Peter Budaj for much of the 2006-2007
season.
Late in December of the current season Theodore started
to find his game again and his resurgence has been the
single greatest reason that the Avalanche are in the playoffs.
Budaj had an amazing run late in the previous season but
never seemed to get that same positioning back this year.
He has potential and will be a more than capable to step
in if Theodore falters.
Forwards
Led by the ageless captain, Joe Sakic, the Avalanche have
a hugely skilled and fast skating group of forwards including
arguably the best hockey player in recent years, Peter
Forsberg. The talented Swede, an important member of the
2003 playoff club, was essentially sent packing from the
club as a result of salary cap issues a few years ago.
Forsberg was brought back shortly before the trade deadline
after missing the whole season with foot and ankle issues.
Forsberg is still not, nor may he ever be, fully healed
but as so many pundits will tell you Peter Forsberg at
75% is better than most of the league at 100%.
Complimenting Sakic and Forsberg are two familiar names
from that same 2003 playoff series, Milan Hedjuk and Andrew
Brunette. Hedjuk has been rejuvenated by playing with
Forsberg again and now leads the team in goals. Brunette,
who scored the overtime game winner for the Wild in 2003,
is now a member of the Avalanche and jokes about getting
revenge against "himself" in the upcoming playoff series
against Minnesota.
Ryan Smyth acquired through free agency last summer is
the type of power forward that will stand in front of
the goal and take abuse to score the ugly goals.
In addition to the very solid veteran group of forwards,
youngsters Paul Stastny, Wojtek Wolski, and David Jones
have been producing on the top lines for the Avalanche.
Ian Laperriere, Cody McLeod, Ben Guite, Cody McCormick,
Tyler Arnason, and Jaroslav Hlinka will provide toughness
and secondary scoring from the lower lines.
Defensemen
What would "getting the band back together" be without
adding former Avalanche stalwart defensemen Adam Foote?
Unable to come to terms on a contract extension with the
Columbus Blue Jackets, Foote waived his no-trade clause
to accept a trade back to Colorado at the deadline.
The Avalanche defense was also solidified through free
agency with the addition of former San Jose Shark Scott
Hannan. His game has had ups and downs but Hannan appears
to be settling in as a strong stay-at-home defenseman
complimenting the offensive skills of partner, John-Michael
Liles.
AHL call up, Jeff Finger, has grown into a very proficient
NHL defenseman over the course of the season and his emergence
has allowed Jordan Leopold the time to heal his numerous
injuries.
Minnesota native, Kurt Sauer, who the Avalanche acquired
in a trade for Martin Skoula,(the Minnesota Wild's number
4 defenseman) and Belorussian, Rusalan Salei, round out
the Avalanche defensive group. Both are solid, defensive
defensemen, who will help to win those low scoring defensive
playoff games.
Intangibles:
One of the biggest uncertainties is the health of Peter
Forsberg and if his troublesome ankle and tender groin
can withstand the pounding of playoff hockey. He is a
gamer and will put it all out there every night if at
all possible. The Avalanche, who have nine wins and a
loss in games where Forsberg is in the lineup, know how
important he is as a playoff performer.
Jose Theodore needs to keep up his outstanding second
half play into the playoffs.He appears to have regained
his Hart Trophy form but beating Minnesota and advancing
in the playoffs is going to challenge him to truly play
his best hockey.
Prediction:
Avalanche win in 6 games.
Contact the author at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild enter the Stanley Cup playoffs for
the second time in two years, and their opponent in the
first round is the Colorado Avalanche, a team the Wild
are more than familiar with. At the end of overtime in
the final game of the season, both teams made it clear
that the playoff series would get physical as Ian Laperriere
and Marian Gaborik exchanged punches as the final horn
sounded.
Injuries have haunted the Wild as of late, with Kurtis
Foster breaking his leg late in a game against the Sharks,
and now Nick Shultz going undergoing an appendectomy this
week. Foster is out for the season, and Shultz will be
out for at least the first round. While the Wild have
depth at the blue line, the loss of two everyday players
is tough for any team. Veterans Keith Carney and Sean
Hill will need to step up to cover the huge gaps left
in the line up.
For the Wild, Marian Gaborik is hot right when he needs
to be. Scoring two third period goals against the Flames
to clinch the Northwest Division title, and setting franchise
records for both goals (42) and points (83) in a season,
Gaborik led his team out of midseason slump. Goaltender
Niklas Backstrom is also playing well down the stretch,
which is crucial for a post-season push. Backstrom also
set the franchise records for wins (33) this season. Defenseman
Brent Burns set team records in goals (15) and points
(43) for a defensemen, and is also showing a more physical
side late in the season.
General manager Doug Risebrough added tough guys Chris
Simon at the trade deadline and Todd Fedoruk off of waivers
earlier in the season. The Wild are hoping that the added
physical attributes will help them push further into the
playoffs after being knocked out in the first round last
season by a much larger and more physical Anaheim team.
The Wild and Avalanche have history, both in the regular
season and in the playoffs. They both come out of the
Northwest Division, facing each other eight times each
season, and deepening the rivalry each game. The Wild
came out on top of the season series with a 5-2-1 record.
The 'Avs and Wild met in the second round in the 2002-03
playoffs, with the Wild coming back from a 3 games to
1 deficit to beat the 'Avs in seven games. However, that
was five years ago and the Avalanche and the Wild both
realize this is not that series, and this is not the regular
season.
The author can be contacted at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com. |
|
| Game
1 |
Colorado
3 - Minnesota 2 (OT) |
|
by Terry Sanford - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Colorado
Leads Series 1-0 |
St.
Paul, MN - Playoff hockey has it's own brand of
intensity and the two teams skating tonight at the Xcel
Energy Center tonight upped the ante' on intensity and
ferociousness.
The first period was as strong a period of hockey as the
Minnesota Wild have played all season. They peppered Avalanche
goalie Jose Theodore with 11 shots on goal to a meager
two shots by the visiting Avalanche, yet the game was
tied at zero after the first 20 minutes of play.
In the second stanza the Avalanche found their skating
legs and pounded home two goals while out shooting the
Wild nine shots to five. The first by low-scoring defenseman
and Minnesota native Kurt Sauer who converted on Joe Sakic's
beautiful centering pass early in the period.
A power play goal from Ryan Smyth assisted by Jeff Finger
and Andrew Brunette was the second goal scored by the
Avalanche in the period. Smyth slid between Wild defensman
Martin Skoula and goalie Niklas Backstrom to tip in Finger's
hard shot.
Colorado, like Minnesota in the first period, played their
best period of hockey in the third but were "rewarded"
with two goal reviews denied and at least two shots off
posts or crossbars and two goals scored against by an
opportunistic Minnesota team.
Mikko Koivu scored the first Minnesota goal by banking
it off Colorado's Finger and through Theodore's five-hole.
The second Wild goal on a Minnesota Wild power play was
scored by tough guy Todd Fedoruk who appeared to have
tons of time in front of the Avalanche goalie to pick
up the puck and throw it over the shoulder of Theodore
for the game-tying goal.
At the end of regulation the score was 2 to 2 and it was
bonus hockey time. The first overtime saw an even greater
level of intensity and determination by both teams and
Avalanche Captain Joe Sakic was fortunate to convert on
a pinballing pass in front of the net for the game winner.
Sakic's overtime goal extended his all-time NHL playoff
overtime goal record to eight.
Game two is Friday night at the Xcel Energy Center.
Contact the author at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
2 |
Colorado
3 - Minnesota 2 (OT) |
|
by Terry Sanford - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 1-1 |
St.
Paul, MN - Another Avalanche versus Wild game,
another overtime contest. It seems Colorado and Minnesota
have a hard time deciding games in the normally allotted
60 minutes.
Once again the Avalanche had an early lead on a beautiful
goal from Peter Forsberg at 17:06 of the first period
on a 25 foot wrister assisted by Jeff Finger. But the
Minnesota Wild used an early power play to tie the score
at 1:37 of the third when Brent Burns passed the puck
to Pavol Demitra who beat a screened Jose Theodore with
a 60 foot slapper.
For the bulk of the third period the two teams seemed
to be headed to a 1 to 1 overtime session but Mikko Koivu
found the net behind Theodore at the 18:09 mark to give
the Wild the lead for the first time in the series.
Less than a minute later with the Avalanche goalie pulled
with Colorado already on power play Milan Hedjuk made
the overtime a certainty by tipping John-Michael Liles
point shot one past Niklas Backstrom.
This overtime also took less than the full twenty minutes
to produce the winner. The Wild scored on a deflection
in front of Jose Theodore credited to Keith Carney at
1:14 into the extra session to give Minnesota a 3 to 2
victory.
Tied one game apiece the series moves to the Pepsi Center
in Denver, Colorado for the next two games which will
be back to back on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
Contact the author at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
3 |
Minnesota
3 - Colorado 2 (OT) |
|
by Terry Sanford - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Minnesota
Leads Series 2-1 |
Denver,
CO - A return to playoff hockey at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado after last year's failure to qualify was met with another 3 to 2 game decided in overtime between the Wild and the Avalanche. In each of the three games in this series the Avalanche scored the first goal and managed to give up the lead in the third period and go to overtime. The first game was a win for the 'Avs but the Wild took the next two.
The Avalanche came out with a lot of energy at home and took it to the Wild in the first period. The home team carried the bulk of the play scoring the only goal in the first 20 minutes on a well orchestrated passing play between Wojtek Wolski who slipped the puck to Joe Sakic who in turn fed it across to Andrew Brunette for the tap in.
Showing their speed strength and skill in the second period, the Minnesota Wild dominated the action in the middle period but were not rewarded with a goal. Both Niklas Backstrom for the Wild and Jose Theodore for the Avalanche played strong in net to keep the score 1 to 0 in favor of the Avalanche heading to the final frame.
After the second intermission the teams exchanged chances leading to a Mikko Koivu snapshot that found it's way behind Jose Theodore at 7:13 to tie the game at 1 to 1. Minnesota continued their hard work into the third period when Brian Rolston assisted by Pavol Demitra took the puck on a shorthanded two on one into the Avalanche zone and whipped it by Jose Theodore to take the lead 2 to 1 at the 11:32 mark.
Joe Sakic put on his Super-Joe cape and backhanded the Avalanche even with the Wild at 14:56 on assists from Peter Forsberg and Brunette. The remainder of regulation was a prelude to overtime with David Jones of the Avalanche taking a late game penalty that carried over into the extra period.
Penalty killing continued to be a bright spot for the 'Avs as they were able to take care of Jones' penalty to start the overtime but a misplayed puck on an icing at 11:58 led to the game winner as Pierre-Marc Bouchard sent a wrister by Theodore for a 2 games to 1 Minnesota series lead.
With less than than 21 hours to recuperate the Avalanche and the Wild will resume their series tomorrow night.
Contact the author at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
4 |
Minnesota
1 - Colorado 5 |
|
by Terry Sanford - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 2-2 |
Denver,
CO - After a subpar effort in game three of the
Western Conference Quarter Finals, the Colorado Avalanche
vowed to play a more complete game in game four. True
to their plan the 'Avs were flying from the first puck
drop outshooting the Wild 18 to 7 in the first period.
Colorado scored the first goal of the game for the fourth
game in a row on a setup from Jordan Leopold to Ruslan
Salei and tipped in by Andrew Brunette at 4:01 of the
first period.
Two more even strength goals, a wrister from Wojtek Wolski
assisted by Ian Laperriere and a beautiful slapshot goal
by Tyler Arnason, after a turnover created by Peter Forsberg,
gave the home team a 3 to 0 lead heading to the middle
period.
The Wild had no answer for the Colorado scoring outburst
when the Avalanche made it 5 to 0 on a Salei slapshot
with helpers from Arnason and Leopold on the power play
and on another power play goal from Milan Hedjuk with
assistance from Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth. Down by five
goals late in the second period, the Minnesota Wild started
sending physical messages for the next game even though
the entire third period was yet to be played.
To begin the final period Niklas Backstrom was replaced
in goal by Josh Harding in hopes of giving the Wild a
spark. Instead the Minnesota Wild were penalized thirteen
times, including five - ten minute misconduct penalties.
Although the visitors did manage to score a short handed
goal by Mikko Koivu assisted by Keith Carney and Brian
Rolston to break Jose Theodore's shutout at the 3:49 mark
of the third.
Period three was played like a modern version of the movie
Slapshot with messages sent and received and resent by
the tough guys on each team. The Avalanche sat Forsberg
for the entire third period and Sakic and Hedjuk played
very limited minutes. This 5 to 1 game could not end soon
enough for the winning Avalanche or the losing Wild.
The series returns to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul,
Minnesota on Thursday night. Tied at two games each it
now becomes a best two-out-of-three with Minnesota keeping
the home ice advantage.
Contact the author at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
5 |
Colorado
3 - Minnesota 2 |
|
by Bryan Reynolds - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Colorado
Leads Series 3-2 |
St.
Paul, MN - The Colorado Avalanche won yet another 3-2 game over the Minnesota Wild, this time back in Saint Paul, and this time it gave the Avs a 3-2 lead in the series. Jose Theodore was phenomenal in net for Colorado yet again, making 38 saves and giving up the second goal with just three seconds left in the game.
In the first two periods end-to-end physical hockey became the name of the game, electrifying the crowd in Saint Paul. The Wild gave up the first goal, the ninth playoff game in a row that they have done so. They also scored late in the first period, the first time they have scored in the first period the entire series. The Avalanche added a goal in the third on the power play, and another from Paul Stastny, his first of the series.
The Wild have clearly reverted to their regular season ways, when they were very streaky, and it was difficult to predict which team would skate on to the ice. When the Wild play well, it is difficult to stop them, and last night was a prime example. They out shot the Avs 40 to 17, 11 of which came on the power play, but continued to struggle to find a way to solve Theodore.
The Avalanche, with their 3-2 series lead, statistically own the series. In a stat reported on NHL.com a few days ago, the team that wins Game 5 goes on to win the series 80% of the time. While the Wild are by all accounts playing a game that leads to success, they have run into a Colorado team that is committed and playing well. They are dropping to the ice repeatedly to block shots. They are in the heads of Marian Gaborik, holding him off the score sheet thus far.
While Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Paul Stastny, and Milan Hejduk have played well, they have not been the deciding factor in this series. That honor falls squarely to Jose Theodore who is hot, which is the key to any long playoff run. The Avalanche are doing everything right. Blocking shots, scoring goals, stepping up at key times, matching the physical play of the Wild, and simply playing the game they want to play.
While Jacques Lemaire is happy with his team’s performance, saying, "We're very pleased the way we played, we can't play much better. You look at the intensity right from the first face off to the end, you know, it was just the best effort we can ask from them,” he has to be concerned. The Wild playing the best they can has not been good enough, to this point. They are short on defensemen, and their key blue liners are playing in excess of 25 minutes a game. Defenseman Sean Hill was a healthy scratch after game 4, allowing Eric Reitz to make his playoff debut, a sign that Lemaire may be desperate to change the team, and shake things up a bit.
It has been the close series most predicted, save for game four, and the series does not look to lighten up at all. Going back to Denver, the Avalanche have a chance to end the series in six, and get a couple days of rest before their next series. The Wild, on the other hand face elimination and will come out desperate, looking to force the series to seven games. The series has been exciting to this point, and game six shapes up to be one of the best of the young playoff year. If the game is airing in your market, tune in.
The author can be reached at bryan.reynolds@prohockeynews.com.
|
|
| Game
6 |
Minnesota
1 - Colorado 2 |
|
by Terry Sanford - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Colorado
Wins Series 4-2 |
Denver,
CO - The depleted defensive corps of the Minnesota
Wild were finally worn down enough to find themselves
unable to control the Colorado Avalanche's fast skating,
high-scoring forwards. In Game 6 Brent Burns and Kim Johnsson
just ran out of gas. Jacques Lemaire gambled by bringing
back Nick Schultz who a mere ten days ago had his inflamed
appendix removed. His 4:22 of ice time was not much help
for the leg weary top 4 defensemen.
The 'Avs scored first at 8:02 of the first period on a
perfect pass from Joe Sakic to a streaking Ben Guite for
his first playoff goal on a short handed breakaway. The
assist also gave Sakic 100 career playoff assists.
Period two started out with a Minnesota goal scored at
the 36 second mark. Aaron Voros, scored his first playoff
goal while Marian Gaborik finally got on the scoreboard
as he and Pavol Demitra were credited with the assists.
The score remained 1 to 1 until Ryan Smyth put the puck
top corner past Niklas Backstrom after some pretty cycling
and passing by David Jones and Tyler Arnason.
That was all the scoring that the loud and proud fans
at the Pepsi Center would see although Peter Forsberg
had a couple pucks clang off posts and even had a the
goal spotlight turn on him for second when one of his
signature power moves appeared to have produced a goal.
Alas it was stymied by the goal post.
The Colorado Avalanche won the Western Conference Quarter
Finals playoff round in 6 hard fought games and will presumably
have plenty of time to heal and rest while awaiting their
next opponent.
Contact the author at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| POWER
PLAY |
7TH
- 18.9 |
| PENALTY
KILL |
2ND
- 85.2 |
| FORWARDS |
| MARIAN
GABORIK |
42-41-83
(+17) |
| PM
BOUCHARD |
13-50-63
(+11) |
| BRIAN
ROLSTON |
31-28-59
(-1) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| BRENT
BURNS |
15-28-43
(+12) |
| KIM
JOHNSSON |
4-23-27
(-4) |
| KURTIS
FOSTER |
7-12-19
(0) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| NIKLAS
BACKSTROM |
33-13-8
(4 SO)
2.31 GA
.920 PCT |
|
| JOSH
HARDING |
11-15-2
(1 SO)
2.94 GA
.908 PCT |
|
|
|
