[Game Thread] Avalanche vs. Red Wings

Colorado has been on fire early…5-1-0 with Craig Anderson in net, with a sparkling 1.99 GPA. It’s been a great season for them, with Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly both jumping out in their rookie seasons with the Avs.

…after receiving a smackdown against the Sabres, they gave one to the Kings in a dominant 5-2 victory. The most impressive stat: Detroit killed off all 5 penalties.

Stephen Walkom and Dan O’Rourke with the orange bands

With a shot to the face from Lidstrom.

Good to see

Red Wings: Datsuyk, Meech, Eaves
Avalanche: Liles, Hensick, Stewart

…but the Red Wings are starting to press. Rafalski with a one-timer with a broken stick.

Helm’s drive to the net puts the puck right on Justin’s stick, and he nets his first NHL regular season goal.

…but he skates off under his own power.

…and Osgood makes a good glove save.

…Williams tried to set up Filppula

Shots: Colorado 2, Detroit 5
Hits: Colorado 4, Detroit 4
Faceoffs: Colorado 1, Detroit 6

…carrying over from Thursday’s strong performance.

…and the darn linesman stops it before it starts. Mickey is not happy with the linesman for that!

Shots: Colorado 2, Detroit 7
Hits: Colorado 6, Detroit 5
Faceoffs: Colorado 1, Detroit 8

And I miss the old Nords. BRING BACK THE FLEUR-DE-LYS!

Colorado PP Season: 10/30 (33%, 4th)
Detroit PK Season: 19/26 (73%, 22nd)

…but missed it and hit an Avs player.

…but the Avs get an extra man back to stop it.

… that Osgood closes up the pads to block it.

Shots: Colorado 5, Detroit 8
Hits: Colorado 7, Detroit 8
Faceoffs: Colorado 2, Detroit 9

…good to see the Wings are still solid on the penalty kill, keeping it up from last night.

…goes just north of the post.

May’s got a few good shots in! McLeod trying to get haymakers and connecting…McLeod get a strong left, and May’s cut, so they’ll stop

DET: May (5-Fighting)
COL: McLeod (5-Fighting)

…but aren’t pressing much at all to get shots.

…but can’t put it in.

Detroit PP Season: 8/28 (29%, 5th)
Colorado PK Season: 26/30 (87%, 7th)

…skips right over Leino, who had a great chance but couldn’t get the puck on his stick.

The Wings look very nice in this period. Good job by the Wings overall…let’s see if they can keep it up in the second.

Shots: Colorado 5, Detroit 12
Hits: Colorado 9, Detroit 8
Faceoffs: Colorado 4, Detroit 12
Penalties: Colorado 2/7, Detroit 2/7
Power Play: Colorado 0/1, Detroit 0/1

The Red Wings power play will continue as we start the period.

…but Kyle Quincey makes a better block to stone him.

Foote was too cute for his own good, and Bertuzzi gets on the score sheet!

Shot from the blueliner…

Ryan Wilson tries to lay a hit, and he takes the worst of it

…but too much Avs traffic. Wings are really tightening the thumbscrews.

…but can’t get a clean shot.

Hope everyone had a good offseason.

I’m watching on a slight delay. (Bertuzzi just scored).

Go Wings.

Shots: Colorado 9, Detroit 20
Hits: Colorado 14, Detroit 8
Faceoffs: Colorado 7, Detroit 14

Colorado PP Tonight: 0/1, 1 shot

…off Osgood and it dribbles harmlessly to his left.

…looking very sharp!

Shots: Colorado 11, Detroit 21
Hits: Colorado 15, Detroit 9
Faceoffs: Colorado 7, Detroit 16

…than in mid-period player interview.

…after Rafalski breaks his stick setting up a three-on-one!

…pushes him against the board. Wings definitely in control.

…though off an icing, they can’t make any changes.

Not like Phoenix on Thursday luckily.

…and for some reason they chose the older Steve instead of the younger one.

But he couldn’t pull the trigger.

Love the NRG tonight.

How did Leino miss that chance….

Detroit PP Tonight: 1/1, 2 shots

Shots: Colorado 12, Detroit 23
Hits: Colorado 19, Detroit 11
Faceoffs: Colorado 9, Detroit 18

…not much shooting this power play.

Colorado PP Tonight: 0/2, 2 shots

Tucker and Filppula discuss string theory briefly as the horn sounds.

Wild day of running around just now got me in front of the computer/tv

Shots: Colorado 5-8=13, Detroit 12-11=23
Hits: Colorado 9-11=20, Detroit 8-3=11
Faceoffs: Colorado 4-5=9, Detroit 12-8=20
Penalties: Colorado 2/7-1/2=3/9, Detroit 2/7-2/4=4/11
Power Play: Colorado 0/1-0/2=0/3, Detroit 0/1-1/1=1/2

anyway you could get the recap?

nice goal or clean up work?

…she’s not even watching the game!

Avs will continue on the power play

…but the Wings are holding them off nicely.

…but Osgood with a great glove save.

…but Anderson stones him!

Williams is cut…he’ll go off the ice.

Detroit PP Tonight: 1/2, 2 shots

…but another outstanding save by Anderson. He’s keeping them in the game.

…but can’t get ’em near the basket.

See you guys later.

…can’t convert. Not a good night for Leino.

I can watch the last period of this game.

…Wings can’t convert it.

Shots: Colorado 20, Detroit 27
Hits: Colorado 23, Detroit 12
Faceoffs: Colorado 17, Detroit 21

…oh, Mickey, thank God we love for you something other than your musical knowledge.

He puts it right through Osgood’s five hole. The lead’s down to one.

…McLeod still with a nice shot.

…to the right of Anderson.

…brief delay there. Back to action.

Puts a 40 footer past Osgood on the far side. We’re tied on his first career goal.

Shots: Colorado 22, Detroit 28
Hits: Colorado 24, Detroit 15
Faceoffs: Colorado 18, Detroit 25

…drains the energy out of the crowd.

…and the Wings are looking out-of-sorts.

…puts a shot wide.

He finds the puck with a wide open net! Wings take the lead back!

…Wings can’t clear it…finally do.

…finally gets it out. Nice play by him.

Shots: Colorado 24, Detroit 29
Hits: Colorado 25, Detroit 18
Faceoffs: Colorado 19, Detroit 28

…gets away with it.

The Wings are caught on a line change, and no one could stop McLeod who easily puts it past Osgood.

…after they ice the puck.

…and they’re outshot tonight as well, 30-25.

…set up from Cleary, but puts it high into the net.

…no call.

…we’ll play bonus hockey. Lousy period for the Wings.

Shots: Colorado 5-8-13=26, Detroit 12-11-7=30
Hits: Colorado 9-11-5=25, Detroit 8-3-8=19
Faceoffs: Colorado 4-5-12=21, Detroit 12-8-11=31
Penalties: Colorado 2/7-1/2-1/4=4/13, Detroit 2/7-2/4-0/0=4/11
Power Play: Colorado 0/1-0/2-0/0=0/3, Detroit 0/1-1/1-0/1=1/3

…let’s see if the Wings can avoid the shootout.

…can’t get the shot off. But he steals the puck back…

…Osgood with the toe save! Nice job!

…Avs are hot.

But can’t get the shot off.

…no call.

…but they go offside. Sloppy play by the Wings.

…playing defensive.

…but a Wing is tied up and can’t get his stick down.

…so we’ll play the skills competition.

Shots: Colorado 5-8-13-2=28, Detroit 12-11-7-0=30
Hits: Colorado 9-11-5-1=26, Detroit 8-3-8-1=20
Faceoffs: Colorado 4-5-12-2=23, Detroit 12-8-11-1=32
Penalties: Colorado 2/7-1/2-1/4-0/0=4/13, Detroit 2/7-2/4-0/0-0/0=4/11
Power Play: Colorado 0/1-0/2-0/0-0/0=0/3, Detroit 0/1-1/1-0/1-0/0=1/3

COL: Statvos, Hejduk, Duchene
DET: Williams, Zetterberg, Leino

Goes wide…1-0

A fast backhander goes past Osgood on his right side: 1-1.

He goes right onto the left blocker of Anderson.

Again with a simple backhand, and Osgood was going the wrong way: 2-1.

Leino with a very weak backhand, and that does it. A lousy shot by Leino caps off a lousy game for him.

…Wings blow a 2-0 lead at home. They get one point, but they will not like it. Off to write the recap. Thanks for following along, everyone!

Can’t believe I leave for a period and they lose the game.