Your Colorado Avalanche obliterated the St. Louis Blues 4-0 to cap off a relatively successful five game road trip. Peter Budaj looked phenomenal in net, stopping all 35 shots that he faced, including a few potential game changers.
Courtesy of nhl.com
Peter Budaj earned every ounce of this shutout with his play tonight. The guy was in position 99% of the time and really only had one scary play in the whole game. I think he needed this to help his confidence but it was a pretty win for him.
The entirety of the first period was one fast paced, back and forth, goaltending battle, with both sides coming up with huge plays. Chris Mason looked outstanding, robbing the Avs of a 3 on 1 chance one minute and stuffing Wolski on another chance.
With nearly two minutes left in the period, the Blues took the first penalty of the game, setting the Avs up for some nice chances. Kyle Quincy in particular was on a mission, ripping multiple shots from the point until, with 11 seconds left, he had a blast tipped by Chris Stewart. The puck sailed top shelf, glove side past Mason, with Stewie having great positioning.
Moving into the second, it was apparent that the 1-2-3 punch combo line of Wolski, Stastny, and Stewie were going to dominate the game. At one point Color man Peter McNabb commented that Coach Sacco had those boys out on the ice every other shift. Around the 6 minute mark of the period, Wolski found himself in the corner with the puck, dishes a lovely feed across the slot to Stewart, who tried to feed it back. Mason made an initial save, and as Wolski tried to finish, he was knocked down into the sprawling keeper.
Having the right ice presence to move in, Stastny bombed down, destroying the puck into the the vacant net and bringing the Avs lead to 2 goals to none.
The best part of tonight’s game? Not sitting back on the lead. Up by 2, the Avs kept up the good fight, working hard, finishing checks, and keeping pressure on St. Louis. At the 13:40 mark, Stewart had a great opportunity on another tip that caught Mason five hole but couldn’t trickle in.
15 seconds later, Wolski does some fancy dancing on the blue line to keep puck possession before dishing it off to John Michael Liles. Liles let the canon rip, with Stewart battering the barreling puck five hole on Chris Mason. Did I mention that this line was obliterating it tonight… I mean killing it!
The Blues had some nice looks after this, one of which Boods stuffed but lost the rebound. He was looking the wrong way and the puck was ripe for the picking but great Colorado defense and strong back checking prevented a potentially momentum changing goal from going in.
The hard work tonight was typified by the checking done by the Avalanche defense. All around the Blues offense was absolutely punished behind the Burgundy net. The award for best hit(s) of the game goes to Ryan Wilson, who simply destroyed T.J. Oshie, which simultaneously created a turnaround scoring opportunity for the Avalanche which brought about the first no goal of the night.
The Avs went into the locker room (and came back out) controlling this hockey game. I must admit that it is one of the best games that I’ve seen the Burgundy Boys play this season. Everything they did was right. They drove the Blues offense wide, forcing shots from outside, they brutalized anybody with the puck down low, they beat the St. Louis to most pucks, and were constantly clearing the zone.
The third period saw the Avs first penalty, which was subsequently killed. It also saw Matt Duchene’s second no goal call of the night, when Dutchy drove the net, forcing his own rebound and the keeper into the net. This one was totally questionable and makes you wonder why the f**k the NHL has some ridiculous rule regarding the “Intent to Blow the Whistle”. It cost us a goal a few games back as well.
Needless to say Duchene was sick of it, and a good forecheck forced a neutral zone turnover right to the Boy Wonder. He skated in, pulled back the puck to buy a second of time, and sniped a wrister five hole (again) on Chris Mason. There’s no need to point out that Mason was a bit leaky between the legs tonight, but I will anyway.
Colorado finished strong, shutting down St. Louis and netting Budaj a shutout. Duchene was stellar as was the entire team, taking it to the hot Blues. Chris Stewart has been an unstoppable force lately. Whether he plays with Duchene or Wolski and Stastny he is owning your life on the ice right now. Not to mention that Dutchy, Wolski, and Stastny (also Stewie Duh) have continued their point streaks.
Courtesy of nhl.com
Say what you will be this is a team that can produce. What did you think of the game? Which line do you like better: Wolski-Stastny-Stewie or Stewie-Dutchy-McLeod? How do you feel about Boods now?
Related posts:
- Budaj In, Duchene 3rd Star
- Avs vs. Jackets Game Notes
- Avs Bag Another vs. Blues
- Ryan O’Reilly Out Vs. Blues
- Avs Drop Coyotes 4-1
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