SB Nation User Blog: Americanario

Avalanche Reduces Roster To 24

Americanario — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:20:12 -0000

Three Players Reassigned To Lake Erie
Sunday, 09.27.2009 / 1:25 PM / News Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has reduced its 2009 preseason roster to 24 players.

The following players have been reassigned to the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League:

Pos.     Player
C          Chris Durno
D        Derek Peltier
G          Tyler Weiman

After last nights game in Las Vegas the Avs have made the final cuts to the roster (or maybe it was done before since none of these guys played last night). I'm curious to see if O'Reilly stays up for more than 9-10 games, or if he's gone in a couple of weeks. I also expect to see Koci as a healthy scratch most night, but wouldn't it be nice if his partner in the press box was Tucker.

Jones signs 2-yr deal?

Americanario — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:26:49 -0000

David Jones Update

Adrian Dater is reporting he's heard Jones has signed, but no details as of yet.

I’m hearing Jones has signed a two-year deal with the Avs, but haven’t gotten it totally confirmed yet, and I don’t know for how much either.

No confirmation on the Haydar rumors.

I’ve heard the Darren Haydar rumors too, but don’t have it confirmed that he’s signed anything with the Avs. It’s a holiday weekend, and a lot of people around the team are off.

Avs may still be looking to bring in someone:

*People are asking about whether the Avs are in the market for a forward/center/PK guy/whomever, and my best answer right now is: could be. Guys like Yelle/Malhotra/Betts are out there still, and no it wouldn’t shock me if the Avs tried to sign one of them.

McLeod suits up with the Avs another 3yrs

Americanario — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:51:32 -0000

Avalanche ink McLeod to three-year deal

The Colorado Avalanche and forward Cody McLeod have agreed to a three-year deal worth $3.1 million.

The contract will see the 6'2, 210-pound native of Binscarth, Manitoba make $900,000, $1 million, and $1.2 million per year, respectively.

A little bit of a pay raise over the $522.500 he made last season. I have a feeling the organization is expecting McLeod to "replace" Lappy.

Also, a former Avs player is involved in one of the first trades of this offseason as Reinprecht was traded to Florida.

Coyotes deal Reinprecht to Panthers for Meyer

Reinprecht was set to be an unrestricted free agent, but has singed with Florida

Reinprecht's three-year deal has a cap hit of $2.050 million. He will get $1.8 million in the first year and $2.175 million in each of the following two years.

Deadmarsh to return to the Avs?

Americanario — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:39:16 -0000

It seems the nostalgia tour could be continuing for the organization as Dater reports that Adam Deadmarsh interviewed with the team for a management position.

Deadmarsh up for management post

His playing days are over, but Deadmarsh has interviewed for a management position with the Avs organization, the team confirmed Wednesday.

Avs vice president Jean Martineau said that while Deadmarsh is not up for the team's vacant second assistant coaching position, he has interviewed for another management job and is being strongly considered.

Is it possible he could be coaching in LE next season, or is there still a vacancy somewhere in the main office?

The BJ's now have a blog on the SB Nation. Maybe we should get a "field trip" planned and go cheer...

Americanario — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:14:40 -0000

The BJ's now have a blog on the SB Nation. Maybe we should get a "field trip" planned and go cheer against the Evil Empire.

The Cannon

Lake Erie vs Rochester Americans

Americanario — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:18:16 -0000

Just watched saturday's game (March 7th). Just a few notes of things I noticed.

Despite being 29th in the AHL the Monster's power play looked better than the parent club. They still pass a little too much, but their passes seem much crisper and faster. Some players barely hold the puck at all before passing (like they already know where their teammates are). The Monster had a long 5:00 power play early in the game, during which they also had a full 2:00 5 on 3. I don't know how hard Darcy Campbell's shot is, but he isn't shy about shooting the puck from the point. The Monsters kept the puck in the offensive zone most of the 5:00 and Campbell took a number of shots from the point includingone that beat the goalie during the 5 on 3.

Galiardi has a couple of good little moves. He used one to score on a power play as more good passing got him the puck to the goalies right, he deked the goalie and then back-handed a shot between the goalie and the d-man to give the Monster's a 3-0 lead. I mentioned the passing...four good quick passes spread the defense out. The second to last pass came to Rowe (from Macias) in between the circle which drew one d-man up away from the crease on the fake shot, then Rowe passed down to Galiardi who basically had the goalie to beat.

Matt Hendricks - looks like a Smyth style player. He scored in this game by working in/around the crease. They replayed some of his goals this season and a lot of them looked to be off deflections, or by picking up rebounds in the crease and banging them home. He seems to spend most of his time within a few feet of the goalie....

Hendrick's second goal was an ugly one for the goalie. He made the initial stop on Hendricks shorthanded chance, but it had just enough to squeak through the pads and knuckle across the line.

Late in the game Hendricks had a chance at the hat-trick. With the Monsters on the power play, a shot was thrown on net and Hendricks was crashing in from the goalie's left for the chance.

Per Ledin scored a goal camped in the crease and took a beating for his trouble. Early in the game he drew the 5:00 penalty. He was hit along the boards (nothing wrong with the hit) but then the American's player decided to sprear him in the ribs...not sure if Ledin said samething to ruffle the guys feathers or what?

Can't really say too much about Wieman. He wasn't tested much through out the game (5 shots in the first) and both goals against were pretty good scores. He did seemt o get across the crease fairly well...

It's just one game, but Hendricks looks like a guy that might be up with the Avs in the next year or two. Since he was just called up, it will be interesting to see if he plays, and if so, how he does.

Hensick "loaned" to Lake Erie for conditioning assignment. Some of us have wondered why this...

Americanario — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:11:23 -0000

Hensick "loaned" to Lake Erie for conditioning assignment.

Some of us have wondered why this hadn't happened. But at the same time, something doesn't smell right with the wording here. Hensick has only been scratched three games...why would he need conditioning?

Game 51: Preview and GDT: Lesson #2 How to extinguish Flames

Americanario — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:46:26 -0000

The Avs are once again hoping to not match their longest losing streak of the season (five games) as they face the Calgary Flames in the second to last game of this eight game home stand. Surprisingly the Flames are the last team the Avs beat before losing their last four. In case the boys in Burgundy and Blue have forgot, here's some tips on how to properly extinguish a fire.

50 games and more than half the season has expired for the Avs, leaving them in unfamiliar territory, even with the struggles they have faced since the lockout. With 32 games left on the season the Avs are three games under .500 at 23-26-1 and have been flirting aroung the .500 mark all season. With two more games remaining on this eight game homestand, the Pepsi Center has been anything but inviting for the Avs who have lost four straight and are steadily dropping further and further from a play off spot, though they remain a mere 6pts out. The Avs will face the number one team in the NW division tonight in the Calgary Flames and, ironically this is the last team the Avs beat. The Flames are still one of the hottest teams in the league, and will be a tough opponent coming into the Can having won their last three matches. One reason for the Flames success on the season has been the play of Mikka Kiprusoff who leads the league in wins at 30. Kipper has been in net for 17 of the Flames last 18 games, recording a 14-2-1 record. Kiprusoff has sat out just three games this season for the Flames, including the Avs only win against the Flames (5 games ago). Against the Avs, Kipper is 7-1-1 with a 1.57 GAA and two shutouts in the last nine contests. Also on a streak for the Flames in Michael Camalleri. Camalleri has scored 11 of his team leading 25 goals over the last 8 games. He also has two goals and four assists against the Avs this season.

Despite going 1-5-0 so far on this home stand, the Avs hope that home will continue to be an advantage against the Flames considering the Avs are 10-3-1 against the Flames in their last 14 meetings at the Can. Unlike the Flames, the Avalanche's goal-tending situation is questionable at best. Andrew Raycroft is struggling through a personal five-start losing streak, while Peter Budaj is not doing much better at 1-5-0 with a 3.92 GAA in his last seven starts. Budaj is expected to be back in net against the Flames after he made 27 saves against the Ducks in a 3-4 loss on Saturday. He's been in net for all five previous meetings with the Flames this season, allowing 2.84 GAA. He posted a career-high 47 saves in a 4-1 loss on Nov. 18 and then turned aside 32-of-33 shots in a 1-0 defeat on Nov. 20. Budaj posted a victory in his last outing versus Calgary a 6-2 win on Jan. 18 in which he posted a 39-save performance. Budaj also posted 27 saves in a 0-3 loss on Oct 28th and 30 saves in a 5-4 loss on Oct 14th.

Saturday's loss to the Ducks also saw the first drastic line changes made by Coach Granato this season, not directly influenced by injuries. The Avs two leading scores were separated for the first time this season as Hejduk was replaced by Svatos on the first line of Smyth and Wolski. Hejduk joined T.J. Hensick and Chris Stewart on the second line. Ian Laperriere returned to the line up while Tyler Arnason was a healthy scratch for just the second time this season. The Avs continue to be with out centers Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny, defense-men Adam Foote and Kyle Cumiskey, and winger David Jones.

Special teams, as always, could be a factor in the outcome. The Avs penalty kill continues to struggle having allowed a power play goal in ten straight games. Though in that span both Milan Hejduk and Ryan Smyth have recorded short-handed tallies for the team. Those two short-handed markers increases the teams total to four this season.

The power play has, however, improved as they have scored six times on 21 man-advantage chances (28.6%) over the past five games; the team holds a 17.3% success rate on the season (36 of 208) .

Both of those (power play and penalty kill) are huge aspects for any winning team. Right now, one of them is going and one isn’t,” said center T.J. Hensick. “We need to get them both going at the same time, especially the penalty kill. I think that’s the bigger of the two. If we can frustrate their top players and shut them down it’s only going to help us.

What's at stake for the Avs? The Avs currently sit 14th in the West, last in the NW division, and 6pts out of the playoffs. With teams like Dallas, Los Angeles, and Nashville starting to get hot, the Avs need to find a way to win, period. There is no more room for error.

"We have to have some urgency and a little bit of desperation in our game," said forward Sham Wow. "We played pretty well in spurts the last couple of games, but we need to put a whole game together to get the two points."

Then again, there are fans who are starting to think the Avs are better off tanking the rest of the season with the hope that they'll win the Tavares Lottery. With the lack of moves by the management this season, maybe the front office is already in that mindset?

Just in case that is not the path the team is on, here's another reminder of proper usage of an extinguisher:

Game 50: Cooking with the Avs: Duck a la Orange

Americanario — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:38:04 -0000

Rinse, trim excess fat from duck. Take a sharp knife and cut slits in the SKIN of the duck in a number of places on the back, ribs sides, thighs, drumsticks but NOT in the skin on the breast. Place duck on a rack in a roasting pan, laying it with the back up. Place in preheated oven for about 7 minutes. Turn duck over and place in oven for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off) and move duck to a cutting board and allow it to cool enough that you can handle it. Drain fat off pan and discard it. Reserve roasting pan. When duck has cooled, with a sharp knife, quarter the duck. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Place duck pieces skin side down on a roasting pan, sprinkle salt and black pepper. Bake in preheated oven at 350 Degree F. for 10 minutes. While duck is cooking, in a 2 quart saucepan, combine ginger ale with sliced ginger root; bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup. Add orange juice, brown sugar, orange marmalade, and chopped green onions and 2 Tbsp brandy. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mixture is a thin syrup. This takes about 30 minutes. Remove ginger; turn duck skin side up and drain off any fat. Baste thoroughly with sauce. Return to oven and bake for 7 minutes basting well. Add 3 Tbsp brandy to the remaining sauce and simmer until thickened. When duck has reached desired doneness (DON'T OVERCOOK), place duck on serving platter and pour sauce on it. Serve with wild rice, or parsleyed potatoes.

The only thing cooking in Denver at the moment is the blood of the fan base. Neither team coming into this game is setting the league on fire. While the Ducks still sit in the 8th playoff spot, they are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and could very soon find themselves basted with an orange sauce and sent to the tables. The Avs are currently on the outside and if things don't change in a hurry their reservation for dinner will be canceled. The Avs had hoped to take advantage of an 8 game home stand, but instead of serving up some tasty desert to their fans, they left the oven unwatched and have been burned in 4 of their last 5 games and 6 of the last 10.

In the first match of the season the Ducks defeated the Avs 4-1 in Anaheim, with Teemu Selanne scoring twice. Selanne has 25 goals and 54 points in 50 games versus the Avs. The Ducks, however, have struggled lately on the road, and more so in Denver, where they are 1-5-2 since 2003. Selanne hopes to give his team a boost as he plays his second game since missing 17 straight with a lacerated thigh.

"I think this is going to be the statement for ourselves," Selanne told the Ducks' official Web site on Thursday. "We are going to take a huge step forward in those away games."

Other Ducks to watch are youngsters Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry who lead the Ducks with 58 and 44 points respectively. Rookie Booby Ryan is riding a six game point streak and is tied for the team lead in goals with 17.

If the Avs want to cook up a win they need to get on the Ducks early and keep them off the board. The Ducks have scored 2 goals or fewer 23 times this season and have won just seven of those games, with three wins coming in OT/SO. The Avs continue to get scoring from their first line as Milan Hejduk scored twice in a 4-7 basting at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But with youngster David Jones out of the lineup the Avs need someone else to step up and put some points on the board.

Goaltenders have yet to be announced but I would bet Peter Budaj will get the start after Raycroft was roasted for seven goals on Thursday by his former team. For the Ducks, it might be better for the Avs if Giguere is in net as apposed to Hiller.

J. Giguere 12-12-4 3.08 GAA and a 9.04 Sv%

J. Hiller 12-10-1 2.14 GAA and a .926 Sv%

P. Budaj 14-19-1 2.91 GAA and .899 Sv%

A. Raycroft 9-6-0 3.01 GAA and .895 Sv%

Avs take on the Leafs GDT

Americanario — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:52:13 -0000

Since I just got home and there seems to be no GDT, I'll start one, but we're half way through the first and no one seems to be here.

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson's frustration with his team's poor defensive play is boiling over. He expects to see some improvement or he'll make personnel changes to get the desired results.

Wilson looks for a better defensive effort from the Maple Leafs, who have lost four in a row going into their first meeting in more than two years with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.

The Maple Leafs (17-23-8) have given up a league-high 174 goals, and Wilson's first move to try and improve the team's defense was to call up goaltender Justin Pogge from Toronto's AHL club.

Pogge, 22, was scheduled to return to the minors after starting the Leafs' game Tuesday night regardless of how he performed. The rookie, however, had little chance to make a case to stay in the NHL due to the sloppy play in front of him in a 6-1 loss to Minnesota.

Pogge, considered the team's top prospect, made 15 saves and had virtually no chance on all four Wild goals in the second period.

The lopsided loss was just the latest poor defensive performance for Toronto this season, and Wilson is reaching the point of exasperation.

"We have a lot of guys that have to show a lot more pride in their performance defensively than they're showing," he said.

"Right now it's a garden full of weeds and I need to pick some weeds. It's as simple as that."

The Maple Leafs have been outscored 16-7 during their four-game losing streak, and have lost eight of nine.

With Pogge returning to the AHL, struggling veteran Vesa Toskala is expected to be back in net Thursday. Toskala has lost his last three starts and is 2-8-2 with a 3.73 goals-against average since Dec. 23.

Toskala has not faced the Avalanche since 2006 when he was with the Sharks. He's 3-3-0 with one tie and a 2.56 GAA in nine games against them.

Colorado and Toronto haven't met since the Avalanche's 4-1 win Oct. 18, 2006, behind two goals from John-Michael Liles. The Avs have won their last three home games against the Maple Leafs since a 3-2 loss March 29, 1997.

The Avalanche (23-24-1) are halfway through an eight-game homestand that hasn't gone well. They've lost three of their first four in the stretch.

After scoring 11 goals in its previous two games, Colorado lost to San Jose 3-0 on Tuesday. The Avalanche have dropped five of six since a three-game winning streak.

Despite its recent struggles, Colorado is only four points out of a playoff spot.

"It's frustrating. We need all the points we can get right now," Colorado's Brett Clark said. "Little mistakes here and there. If we can eliminate those, we're going to be OK."

The Avs have also suffered from a shaky situation in goal of late.

Andrew Raycroft, who stopped 35 shots Tuesday, has posted a 3.12 GAA in losing his last four games, while Peter Budaj is 1-4-0 with a 3.89 GAA in six starts since Dec. 31.

Raycroft, who was in goal for Toronto in its last meeting with Colorado, is 3-5-1 with a 2.73 GAA in nine starts versus his former team.

Budaj made 27 saves in the win over Toronto in October 2006, his only career start against the Leafs.