Avs Talk - A Colorado Avalanche Blog

I'm actually not looking forward to these NBC games anymore. Every time they happen, the Avs get dominated by the Wings and it makes me sad. Well actually most times the Avs play the Wings they got dominated so I can't blame NBC. It would just be too easy to point to one thing and blame this season on it. It's a comedy of errors that has the team in the hole they're in.

I thought Theodore had a very good game. I didn't catch the first period so can't comment much there, however he seemed to really settle down in the third. He came up with some big saves, including some good glove saves which is great to see. His glove has always been a trouble spot and he flashed it out a few times. He still needs to work on sucking the puck into his body and dumping rebounds to the corners. Other than that, I'd say he was the best Avalanche on the ice tonight.

I would put Paul Stastny as a close second. He really had some legs tonight and was doing some good forechecking. A hard forecheck is something the Avalanche sorely need so it's good to see Stastny step up there and show some folks how it's done. He's very calm and poised out there and has a great work ethic. I'm looking forward to seeing him in an Avs uniform for a long time.

No matter what those two did though, it couldn't make up for a terrible showing by the team. When you get outshot 41-11, that's just plain embarrasing. That doesn't include the 20 blocked shots the Avalanche had. To come away with a 3-1 win is damn near a moral victory in light of the shellacking they received in every other category. They were simply outhustled in total. The Wings beat them to every puck and just put a licking on them in the Avalanche end. It felt like a perpetual powerplay for the Wings.

Milan Hejduk had a very off game tonight. He was coughing the puck up a lot and just couldn't do anything right. It wasn't for lack of trying as he was flying out there, he just had one of those nights. And to go with the wheels of Hejduk was Marek Svatos. He really had some jump out there and made a few nice moves. He's just not strong enough to finish on those in tight plays. He's far too easy to knock off the puck.

Ben Guite had another solid game. He ended up with 17:47 in ice-time and that's really all that needs to be said. You don't end up with near top-line minutes if you're not out there working hard, finishing checks, and being a pest. He was good on the faceoff again and just looks extremely confident out there. He created a few rushes while on the PK and, although he came away with a -1 rating, is deserving of some credit.

On the worse side of the +/- was Brett Clark and Karlis Skrastins. This pair is really hit and miss at times. Some games they are hot, other games they are lukewarm. And sometimes it fluctuates during the game. They were shot-blocking machines out there but I really think they're showing signs of carrying the defensive load the last while. These aren't #1 d-men and can't handle those type of minutes without having some brain cramps. Witness the play Clark made on the PP that led to a huge shorthanded chance by the Wings. Theodore bailed him out, but not before Clark had taken a hooking penalty, negating the Avs chances at a momentum swing (if the chance really existed).

The Good
- good game by Theodore
- umm....

The Bad
- badly outshot
- badly outhit (if you take away Lappy's play)
- badly outchanced
- badly outplayed
- embarassed by Detroit again

The Ugly
- Lidstrom taking a puck to the ear (just beat out Chelios' mug)