Posts Tagged Colorado Avalanche
Consecutive Draft Picks Score Consecutive Goals to help Colorado Top Detroit
Coming off of its worst season in Franchise history, the Avalanche is savoring a sweet Saturday night victory in Denver thanks to contributions from homegrown talent in a 3-1 victory over conference-rival Detroit.
Sophomores T.J. Gailardi and Chris Stewart each tallied a goal to give Colorado the edge over Detroit in the second meeting between the rival clubs this season on Saturday Oct. 24. Center Paul Stastny tacked on an empty-net goal with one minute left in the third period to assure the victory.
The win would not have been possible without the 47 saves that Craig Anderson provided between the pipes, but the obvious difference between this season’s Avalanche squad and the pitiful one of last season is the fresh young talent on the ice.
The team has committed to a youth movement and the commitment is paying off. Gailardi (selected by Colorado in the second round of the 2007 draft) netted the game-tying tally with a sick back-hand shot from inside the slot at the 14:26 mark of the second period. It was his first goal of the season, and it was a pretty one at that.
Stewart (selected by Colorado in the first round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft) sported a sly smirk after netting his goal, the game-winner, at the 9:20 mark of the third period. Stewart rushed into Detroit’s zone and launched a wrist shot that almost looked like a lob that he hoped to follow up on, but much to his chagrin – it evaded Detroit’s Jimmy Howard and landed in the upper shelf of the net on the first attempt. The two goals provided by the youngsters, plus Stastny’s empty-netter, was enough to hold off the Red Wings for the win.
Nine of the players on Colorado’s roster in Sunday’s game were drafted by Colorado in recent years – which goes to show how the organization is building the team – and it seems to be working. The Avalanche is 8-1-2 this season and lead the Western Conference with 18 points. They are second only to Pittsburgh in the overall standings.
Add comment October 25, 2009
21 is Significant.
This has been a significant number in my life, not because it is the legal drinking age in Amercia, but because of the the legendary player who the number 21 belonged to: Peter Forsberg.
Although his short lived return to the NHL last season was a huge let down…I will forever love Peter Forsberg. I once re-named my pony Foppa in honor of the swift skating Swede.
I’ll even tell you a secret about myself…I used to HATE hockey. I hated hockey until middle school when my older brother Eric, sat me down in front of the TV during an Avalanche game, and explained the rules to me.
Suddenly, I was obsessed with the sport. Following hockey became my new hobby. In June of 2001 I visited Denver with my Girl Scout troupe (that’s embarrassing to admit) the night the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 in game seven to win the Stanley Cup. I missed the game because I was forced to go shopping at the mall with the girls in my troupe. I begged my leader to let me stay at the hotel so I could watch the game on TV, but I ended up just watching the highlights that night…and listening to Denver celebrate its victory all night long.
Not to bore you with my nistalgia…but Peter Forsberg was one of the main reasons I loved the Avalanche. He was just SO good at hockey, and so humble. It’s sad to see him now. He was born to play hockey…but injury keeps plaguing him.
Whenever the Avs were behind in a game, each time Foppa stepped onto the ice–you just knew anything could happen. It was like the puck was an extension of his person–he could coax it around the defense, skate in behind the net, and then somehow he could flick the puck over the goalie’s shoulder from an impossible angle. Number 21 was the greatest player in the world.
I hope that while I am 21 he will return to the league for another brief stint– even if he will never play as good as he once did.
Add comment November 7, 2008
