Post Game Avs/Sabres: What the Players Did

What an exciting game put on by the Avs and Sabres! Jamie McGinn, are you kidding me? They should not have won this one. Varlamov was an absolute stud between the pipes tonight. If it was not for his first period heroics, the Avs would have found themselves in a hole way too big to fight their way out of. The Avs did not start with the passion they needed to take a strangle hold early. With the playoff race as close as it is, and the Avalanche clinging to their last life, every game, and every two points is so crucial. The defense was slow out of the gate and they failed to make outlet passes out of the zone when they needed to most. Too much north-south hockey gave the Sabres a good number of scoring chances in the first period. If Varlamov did not stand on his head, Colorado could have been down three goals quick. But the boys in white pulled it off. Jamie McGinn’s miracle goal with 0.7 seconds remaining shocked everybody in the Avs community. What a rush by Landeskog. Great on ice awareness and sense of mind to realize how much time was remaining. Varlamov was solid again in the shootout, and Mueller’s snipe was all the Avs needed. A big two points in a game they should not have won. But I think I speak for everybody when I say they’ll take it!

Players of the Game:

Gabriel Landeskog. What a game by the 19 year old. AGAIN! All I can say is Calder for this guy. He is the reason we won the game. What a last second rush.

Jamie McGinn: 2 goals by the newest member of the Avs. His second 2 goal game of his young career. Both have been with Colorado. McGinn for Winnik and Galiardi? Great move Sherman.

Semyon Varlamov: As previously stated, the Avs lose the game big without Varlamov. He let 4 goals in, but they weren’t all his fault. The Avs still overpaid for him, but these clutch performances are helping to shoulder the blow.

Steve Downie: No points for Downie, but he played over 21:00 minutes of ice time, and was a physical FORCE. I don’t know about you, but I loved watching him rough it up with Patrick Kaleta. Downie had some great chances, had good hustle, and was dangerous in front of the net. You don’t need numbers to have a great game and Downie’s contributions are proof of that.

Avaholics Doghouse:

Milan Hejduk: Invisible again. People say “well he’s only playing 4^th line minutes”…so? He can still be a difference maker on the ice, get some good chances and generate scoring. He has done virtually nothing the past 20 games. Time to step it up captain.

Paul Stastny: He had a couple of good shifts, but again was not a difference maker on the ice. He disappeared in the last half of the game. He is letting the new kids on the block take over. Don’t be surprised to see him shipped out of Colorado by next season.

Kevin Porter: uhhhg….

Matt Hunwick: Bad game from #22 in white. Poor defensive plays, made some awful passes, just an all-around bad night. But don’t lose your faith in him yet, he has played some very solid hockey. One bad game shouldn’t make him lose all the praise he has garnered since his return to the lineup.

Lets talk Peter Mueller. His giveaway that led to the Sabres SH goal was brutal. That was a bad play by Mueller. BUT. It would not have happened if the Avs abandoned that STUPID neutral zone drop pass. There will be more on the drop pass in a future blog. But, tough break Mueller, you made up for it in the SO!

Avaholics Unanimous’ 3 Stars:

1.      Gabriel Landeskog

2.      Jamie McGinn

3.      Semyon Varlamov