Not Even Refs Can Stop Avalanche, Canadiens Fall

The Colorado Avalanche are 3-0 against Northeast Division opponents this year after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 last night.

Apparent super goalie Craig Anderson had 29 saves, including holding off seven Canadiens players in the final minute.

With Colorado up 3-2 late in the third Hal Gill got a holding penalty to put Colarado on the power play. Twenty seconds later, Darcy Tucker remembered it had been awhile since he did anything stupid and got a high sticking penalty.

The Canadiens pulled price to give themselves an extra skater in an effort to score. However, when Gill's penalty expired, he jumped back on the ice and joined the attack, giving the Canadiens 7 skaters on the ice. The refs somehow missed this and play continued. They still could not get one past Craig Anderson.

Avalanche rookie Ryan O'Reilly got his first NHL goal in the third, which turned out to be the game winner.

The Canadiens are back in action tomorrow night against the Senators!

Toronto Fans Rain Down Boos As Leafs Lose Again

Despite a line-up shake-up the Toronto Maple Leafs (0-5-1) lost yet another game, this time to the Quebec Nordiques Colorado Avalanche (4-1-1).

Colorado built a lead in the first period that they never gave up. Brett Clark scored on the power play and David Jones added a goal near the end of the first to put the Avalanche up 2-0.

Francois Beauchemin would try to pretend the Maple Leafs don't suck and scored on the power play to bring the score to 2-1.

Then the Avalanche remembered how easily the Maple Leafs defense is exploited and former Maple Leaf Darcy Tucker scored on the power play, followed four minutes later by John-Michael Liles. For those keeping score at home the Maple Leafs are still paying Tucker $1,000,000 a year after a buy out to score on them.

No one would score in the third as the Maple Leafs could not get anything going and the Avalanche were busy thinking about how much better they are than Toronto.

As is custom in Toronto these days, the Maple Leafs once again followed the theory that if you can't beat them, BEAT them.

First Colton Orr remembered that even though he isn't really that good at hockey, he sure can punch! Here he takes on David Koci:



In the second period Matt Hendricks got a lesson in boxing as Garnet Exelby took out the frustrations of a rough season on Hendricks' face.



Ron Wilson decided he is too disgusted to watch the team practice to give his team a day off from practice to refocus. The Maple Leafs are back in action Saturday against the Rangers.

Preview: Avalanche Defeat Maple Leafs!

Well, the game hasn't happened yet but is anyone else expecting a different result?

Fresh off a fairly dominating victory against the Boston Bruins, the Avalanche (3-1-1) come to town to face off against the Maple Leafs (0-100-1).

Joey MacDonald will get the start tonight as Vesa Toskala suffered an undisclosed injury last night in a losing effort against the Rangers. Reports are his pride was broken and he is mentally unstable after coming to grips with how un-talented he is.

Goaltender James Reimer has been recalled from the Marlies on an emergency basis. Tyler Bozak will be joining him.

Viktor Stalberg is expected to make his return to the line up tonight to provide an offensive....boost....?

Matt Stajan and Niklas Hagman will be healthy scratches to make room for Stalberg and Bozak. Neither is really contributing anyway.

Toronto won their one match up against Colorado last season 7-4, but that score will likely be shown in reverse tonight. Toronto has allowed 5 or more goals three times already this season.

Toronto will be without Jonas Gustavsson, Mike Van Ryn and Wayne Primeau, all nursing injuries.

Bruins Hate Defense, Avalance Roll

The Boston Bruins slogan for the start of the season is "Hibernation Ends in October." Apparently that does not apply to the power play. Or in general.

The Bruins were once again held scoreless on the powerplay and fell 4-3 to the Colorado Avalance in a terrible effort. Perhaps the Bruins should use one of those first round draft picks they got for Kessel to acquire some heart.

The Bruins showed their lack of team defense early as Milan Hejduk was allowed to stroll through the front of the net and grab a rebound to beat Tuuka Rask on the power play.

Less than a minute later Tuuka Rask gave up a terrible, awful, atrocious rebound that landed right in front of Scott Hannan and soon after found the back of the net to put the Bruins down 2-0.

The Bruins mounted a comeback in the second after goals from Mark Recchi and Blake Wheeler. However, the Bruins awful penalty kill allowed Colorado to go back up on a Marek Svatos goal.

Three minutes later the Bruins were putting on a clinic on how NOT to operate a power play when David Jones took the puck and scored short handed.

Michael Ryder scored in the third to bring the score to 4-3 but it was too little too late for the Bruins, who couldn't duplicate the magic they had agains the Islanders.

Thus far this season the Bruins have been playing incredibly uninspired, almost like they expect to just be handed victories. They're going to need to a quick turnaround if they don't want to completely fall of.

Preview: Bruins Welcome Joe Sak... umm... the Avs!

Early afternoon game today as the Boston Bruins (2-2-0) welcome the Colorado Avalanche (2-1-1) to the TD Garden.

The Boston Bruins are alternating strong and absolutely atrocious performances and hope to carry the momentum from their come from behind victory over the Islanders to today's game.

The Bruins have not beat the Avalanche at home in over 10 years (not that they meet much).

The Bruins have been terribly inconsistent while the upstart Avalanche, led by strong goaltending from Craig Anderson, look to grab another victory to end their small losing streak.

After getting booed by the home crowd for their terrible play, the Bruins hope to gain back some support.

"Hopefully we can get (the crowd) back Monday with another (win)," Savard told the Bruins' official Web site.

Tim Thomas is likely back in net today as Tuuka Rask was given the start Saturday night. Thus far this season Thomas has been the exact opposite of a Vezina winning goalie and hopes to get on a roll.

The Avalanche will try to avoid 3 straight losses today in the Bruins last home game before a mini road trip. Important game for both teams today in this young season.