Game Watch – Colorado Comes A Callin’

  
3:13 pm Pacific – Pre-game preparation, which means I try to think of any players on the Avalanche without having to look it up. So far I’ve come up with Matt Duchene, the great young defenceman. If you would have asked me a few years ago I would’ve been able to say Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Patrick Roy, but that was then and this is now. The preparation also includes spaghetti and petting the cat.

3:15 pm – The Avalanche destroyed Ottawa 7-1 the other night, which means if we beat the Denverites, we’re way better than Ottawa!

3:30 pm – We need this game. The standings show us in 12th place right now in the east. And there’s only 15 teams for $#&^% sakes.

3:55 – Scott Gomez tells Pierre Houde about “Hockey Fighting Cancer,” and we all appreciate the time the players take to hang out with those fighting this evil sickness. Years ago when I was visiting my mom in a Toronto hospital when she was fighting her own battle against the disease, I mistakenly got on the wrong floor and ended up on a floor of little kids, all bald, all sick. It’s unfair, and this is one disease that needs to be licked once and for all.

4:13 – There’s the flag kids and now the team. We need our scorers to score.

4:19 – Great save by our pink-padded, pink-masked Price. But they should never had been allowed to walk in like that.

4:24 – Horrible goal by Colorado, one that slipped through Price’s pads. But regardless of this bummer, Gionta, Plekanec, Cole and the rest have to start doing something. Far too often, the opposing goalie has the easist job in the world when the Habs are playing. Dismal start.

4:35 – Max Pacioretty ties it up after some nice pressure in Colorado’s end. Nice solid goal. They’ve played better in the last few minutes and I’m hoping for big things from here on in. It’s a tie game, which is much better than being behind.

4:52 – That’s it. End of period one, and it’s a 1-1 tie. Not bad. Habs are on a power play after Shane O’Brien tried his best Hulk Hogan headlock on Mathieu Darche.

Intermission babble:

We had several good chances in the first. Lars Eller a couple of times; Travis Moen came close, and Gomez sort of came close. Imagine if Gomez scored.

Max Pacioretty had six shots on goal in the first, which is more than some guys get in six games.

Second Period

5:10 – ET LE BUT!! Plekanec blasts it home on the power play. 2-1 Habs.

5:19 –  Montreal needs to bury a couple more and put this game out of reach. It’s too close right now, anything can happen, and we need at least two more. Maybe six.

5:25 – Max takes a holding penalty and this could either make or break things. Kill it, great. Don’t kill it, as happened a couple of times the other night, and everything could go south.

5:29 – There you go. Price gives the guy too much net to shoot at and the visitors tie it on the power play. This where I think about going to the beer store.

5:31 – Oh no, PK. Our man loses it after winding up, and the guy skates in alone and scores. PK, what a blunder. Time out. This is what I mean about things going south after not killing the penalty. 3-2 Colorado.

5:39 – Oh man. Travis Moen continues his Guy Lafleur impersonation by scoring clear in after being set up by Brian Gionta. Gomez got the other assist. Moen has scored a couple of beauties lately and seems to be enjoying being on a top line. It’s now 3-3.

5:45 – Ridiculous. Off a skate. Fools Price. 4-3 Avalanche.

5:48 – Siren goes.

Intermission babble. There’s been moments of fine play by the Habs, and more moments when they’ve been out of sync, and it’s obvious something is wrong. They’re a better team than what they’ve shown in three and two-thirds games, and why? Jacques Martin finally showed some emotion when he blasted them at the bench, and he looked extremely pissed off. I’m pissed off too.

Third Period

6:09 – Habs on the power play and swarm the net. They’re coming close and this could be a momentum builder.

6:20 – Almost for Kostitsyn. Avalanche have been lucky at times.

6:23 – Subban called on an obvious trip. Not the greatest night for our young star. He might want to get dressed and sneak out before Martin comes in the room tonight.

6:28 Gionta ties it!!!!! A little backhand through legs finds the mark. 4-4.

6:29 YES!!! Desharnais defects a smart Max pass and we’re in the lead. Holy smokes!!! 5-4 Habs!

6:36 – Diaz penalty for chopping the skate out from under his man. Lovely. Will they shoot themselves in the foot?

6:37 – Yes they did. 5-5. Penalties. When will they learn?

Overtime.

Didn’t have to be but it is.

Shootout:
Plekanec – nope. Hit the post.
Avs – yes
Max – nope
Avs – yes

Habs lose. Gawd.

Post game stuff – Carey Price wasn’t great. Subban either. But we saw some life from Cole, Gionta, and Plekanec, for what it’s worth.

Still no 100th win for Price.

This game may have been exciting somewhat because of the 11 goals, the back and forth leads, overtime and a shootout, but the team lost and they looked both good and bad while losing. And that’s 13 goals allowed in four games.

Next game – Tuesday, when Buffalo pays a visit.