hockey
We talk pucks and objects of that kind. We yell, complain, and analyze in the language of hockey fandom. Gretzky can do no wrong.
Avalanche Game 35 Recap: It Was 4-0
Well...at least we're back in first place. Yay? The NHL returned from their three-day holiday break with 14 games, and the Colorado Avalanche were no exception. The Avs were coming off a big 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on December 23, and in this go-around, the Avs faced the Yotes again, this time in the desert. Mikko Rantanen was my Avs Twitter Psychic pick in the game, and for only the third time this season, I was correct. It was a power play goal late in the first, and it was Rantanen from Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. The Avs led 1-0 after 20 minutes, and for MacKinnon, his points streak reached 19 games.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
The Airing of Grievances: NHL Edition
The day is here; a Festivus for the rest of us! Hardcore Seinfeld fans remember this very well. One of the episodes from the show's ninth and final season, "The Strike," revealed that Frank Costanza (played ever so brilliantly by the late, great Jerry Stiller) created Festivus as a response to the commercialism of the actual holidays. The holiday is celebrated on December 23, and instead of a tree, a pole is put up, as Frank finds tinsel distracting.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 33 Recap: The Nathan MacKinnon Show
I repeat: Put Nathan MacKinnon's name on the Hart Trophy already! Following the team's loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Colorado Avalanche returned home for the holidays (well, close to it) for the first meeting against the Ottawa Senators. A little bit about the Sens; it's been hell for them at this point, and they just hired a new coach---well, sort of. Jacques Martin, who coach the Sens from 1996-2004, and coached them to the Eastern Conference Final in 2003, returned to the helm, with Sens legend Daniel Alfredsson as the assistant.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 32 Recap: Shenanigans
The Central Division race has been crazy in the last week or so. The top three in the division has changed a lot, and after the win over the San Jose Sharks, the Colorado Avalanche took the division's top spot and held it...for 24 hours. The Dallas Stars surpassed Colorado when they defeated the Seattle Kraken, leaving the Avs to try to get back on top once again. The Avs went on the road for Game #32; the Windy City, to be exact. It's always interesting when the Avs and the Chicago Blackhawks get together, and this season is no different, mainly because of Connor Bedard. The first meeting was the Avs' home opener, and it was a shutout win for Colorado.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 31 Recap: No Bigger Boat Needed
Entering the second leg of a back-to-back, the Colorado Avalanche found themselves in third place in the Central Division. It was a three way tie in points with the Winnipeg Jets and the Dallas Stars; both of whom had a game in hand over Colorado. Game 30 was a disaster, but Game 31 was a welcome opportunity to return to the top of the Central. The Avs faced off against the San Jose Sharks, the second of three meetings this season. The first meeting was Colorado's second game of the season, a 2-1 win via shootout. However, a lot has happened in the last two months. This is a different Sharks team. While they're still not in a good position, they are playing with a lot of "give a damn" and it's led them to nine wins in the 20 games they've played since their horrendous 0-10-1 start.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Underdog's Triumph
The sun hung low over the picturesque hills of Kentucky, casting long shadows across the rolling landscape. In a quiet corner of this idyllic countryside, a small and weathered garage echoed with the clinks and clatters of tools, the heartbeat of a dream in the making. This was the unlikely birthplace of an underdog team destined to challenge the giants of the Formula 1 world.
By Ayomide2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 30 Recap: Rough Night in Winnipeg
So quite a bit happened regarding the Colorado Avalanche following the team's five game homestand. The team traded Tomas Tatar to the Seattle Kraken, receiving a 5th-round pick in return. The Avs acquired Tatar during the offseason from the New Jersey Devils, but his start to this season has not been a good one. Tatar, usually a 20-goal-per-season player, only put one puck in the net this season. The assists were there, but the goals weren't. Tatar's only goal with the Avs came in the 6-5 comeback win over the Calgary Flames; it was actually the Avs' first goal of the game.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 29 Recap: Welcome Home
The Colorado Avalanche's five-game homestand concluded with the second and last meeting of the season against the Buffalo Sabres. The first game was a close 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, but it was followed by two-goal losses to the Winnipeg Jets and the Philadelphia Flyers. It looked like the homestand would be a failure when the Avs fell behind by two goals late against the Calgary Flames, but Colorado scored three in the final eight and a half minutes to win it. Right now, the Avs needed to win this one to salvage the homestand.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 27 Recap: Trouble at Ball Arena
The Colorado Avalanche's home loss to the Winnipeg Jets left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. To me, the game was lost when the Jets scored that goal with 2.2 seconds left in the first period, because that took away whatever momentum the Avs had--hell, Winnipeg actually scored to start the second period. Even so, these are the Avalanche, and this team usually bounces back from losses like this. Plus, this was the third game of the Avs' five-game homestand, and home cooking is always good for teams.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 26 Recap: Momentum Shift
The Colorado Avalanche's five-game homestand got off to a thrilling start, winning 3-2 over the Anaheim Ducks to finish the season series. One down, four to go, and the next team to enter Ball Arena was the Winnipeg Jets--the first meeting of the season between the division foes. As an Avs fan, I have been focused on the Dallas Stars, but I have not forgotten about the Jets, as they are in the thick of this Central Division race as well. The Jets are coming off a playoff appearance in the previous year; their fifth in their last six years, and their seventh since moving to Winnipeg from Atlanta (where they played for 11 seasons as the Atlanta Thrashers).
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 21 Recap: Just Like 2022
The Colorado Avalanche's winning tear continued with a home win over the Calgary Flames, and the brief two-game homestand continues with a meeting against a team who is very close to them: the Tampa Bay Lightning. This will always be special to us Avs fans; as we all know, the Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to win the Stanley Cup in 2022. Since then, however, the Bolts have won the last two meetings from last season, while the names have definitely changed from both sides since that iconic Cup Final took place.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 20 Recap: When You're Hot, You're Hot
From what we've seen in the last few games, the Colorado Avalanche that we know and we're used to? That team is back. The Avs picked up a huge Black Friday victory over the Minnesota Wild, but it's right back to work a day later. This time, the Avalanche returned home to face off against the Calgary Flames for the first time all season. With this, the Avs have one Pacific team they have yet to face this year: the Edmonton Oilers. Colorado entered this meeting with a 6-2 record against Pacific opponents.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
