Avs Talk - A Colorado Avalanche Blog

Is it time for another game? So soon? Have the Avalanche had enough time to fix what ails them? Doubtful unless calling up Kyle Cumiskey and possibly playing him at forward counts as "fixing".

Joe Sakic is "probable" tonight, just as he was before the Ducks game. Let's hope he doesn't come down with rickets before game time.

If Sakic plays, Wojtek Wolski doesn't and Granato wants to play Cumiskey at forward...which player will sit out?

Brian Willsie drew in last game and frankly I didn't really notice he was there. Of course if you read my recap, you'll notice I wasn't really paying attention.

But was Granato going to play Willsie regardless of Sakic's status? If so, who had he originally planned on sitting? David Jones? Tyler Arnason?

Or will Cumiskey end up sitting in the press box his first game up?

Unfortuantely we won't find out until about five minutes before puck drop unless AD drops some inside knowledge on us.

In the meantime, we can be intrigued by the Stastny-vs-Stastny matchup tonight as Paul squares off against his older brother Yan. Maybe not as intrigued as DD but intrigued nonetheless.

Goaltending
It's Peter Budaj vs Manny Legace (courtesy of goaliepost.com).

I'm a bit worried for Peter Budaj. If the team craps the bed again and needs him to bail them out, well it just might send the guy over the edge. He needs a rest at some point. You'd think resting him against a depleted Blues lineup would be an ideal time.

An alternative line of thinking is that this is an ideal game to play Budaj in as he likely won't face many shots and stands a solid chance of pulling out a win.

As for Legace, I think everyone is well aware of what he tends to do when facing off against the Avs.

Scouting
I caught the end of the Predators-Blues game last night as I was in disbelief that it was 0-0 with just five minutes left in the third. Chris Mason was playing superbly and more than making up for the Blues having little to no offensive support.

And that's key for the Avalanche tonight. The Blues only fired 17 shots on Dan Ellis last night and the ones I saw weren't very dangerous.

Now is not the time for mercy. Now is the time to take it to an injury-depleted team.

Video
Paul Stastny Pre-game comments
Ian Laperriere Pre-game comments
Tony Granato Pre-game comments

So even Lappy has to weigh in on the brother-vs-brother thing! But he's spot on with his comments of how to turn things around. Be hungry and win battles. At both ends.

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