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 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
Avalanche Game 19 Recap: Top of the Mountain
The Colorado Avalanche have been on a bit of a winning tear as of late, with the latest show being a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. After enjoying Thanksgiving and all that came with it, the Avs got back to work on Black Friday, this time against the Minnesota Wild. Oh boy. We Avs fans are mighty sick of the Minnesota Wild. Here's a fun fact. This rivalry is the longest running division rivalry in the overall history of the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche. Even the old provincial rivalry between the Nordiques and Canadiens in the Adams Division wasn't as long as this one; they were division foes from 1981-1995. The Avs and the Wild have been division rivals since 2000--over 20 years. Whether it's the old Northwest Division, the current Central Division, or even that shortened season in the localized West Division, these two teams just can't get away from each other.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 18 Recap: Giving Thanks
The Colorado Avalanche entered Game 18 of 82 coming off an evening where certain victory was snatched from the team at the last moment. In the last game before Thanksgiving is celebrated in the U.S., the Avs returned to Ball Arena to face off against a very strong Vancouver Canucks club. These were two teams who were pretty much cut from the same cloth. Nathan MacKinnon vs Elias Pettersson, Alexandar Georgiev vs Thatcher Demko, and the highlighted matchup, Cale Makar vs Quinn Hughes.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 17 Recap: WTF?!
With a three game winning streak, as well as a massive comeback win in Dallas, the Colorado Avalanche entered Nashville for the second leg of their two-game divisional road trip. In recent years, the Avalanche and the Nashville Predators have had some interesting encounters. This includes two playoff matchups, with the Preds winning in 2018, while the Avs swept them in 2022 during the Stanley Cup run. This meeting is the first of three between the clubs, but they will not see each other again until March.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
The Boston Bruins Are Doing That Thing Again
You know, I really need to stop making certain takes about the Boston Bruins, because for the most part, I've been like the Boston Red Sox: constantly swinging and missing. In all seriousness, let's go back a bit. After the 2021-22 season, which saw the Bruins ousted in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes, I said that the Bruins wouldn't make the playoffs. I had my usual arguments; the team's not deep, they live and die by the Perfection Line, Tuukka Rask isn't there anymore, and the added bonus, they fired Bruce Cassidy as head coach.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 16 Recap: The Comeback is Bigger in Texas
The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a huge 8-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, winning back-to-back games for the first time since the team's 6-0 start. The Avs left Ball Arena and headed on a two game divisional road swing, with the first stop being a big one: Dallas. The Dallas Stars have had to start over after missing the playoffs in that shortened 2020-21 season (following their Cup Final run in the bubble), with the following season seeing them snag a Wild Card spot, and last year saw them in the Conference Finals. Entering this weekend, the Stars and Avs are one and two in the Central Division, and this was Colorado's chances to make a dent in their small division deficit, as well as remind the Stars just who the hell this team is.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
The Vancouver Canucks Are Legit
As of this writing, the Vancouver Canucks are in first place in the Pacific Division. Honestly, it makes me happy to say that. Once upon a time, I couldn't stand this team, and that was mainly because of the Steve Moore incident. I absolutely loved seeing this team fail, especially in the 2011 Cup Final, and in the following year's playoffs, which saw them only win one game after winning the Presidents' Trophy again. Then the 2020 bubble happened, and I saw the Canucks make a surprising playoff run, ousting the Minnesota Wild in that Qualifying Round, eliminating the then-defending Cup Champion St. Louis Blues in the opening round, and taking the Vegas Golden Knights to the maximum seven games in the West Semis, but coming up just short.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 15 Recap: Duck Season
The Colorado Avalanche returned to their home arena coming off a huge win over the Seattle Kraken, finishing off the season series. A 5-1 win in the Monday outing was exactly what they needed, and as for Game #15, the Avs were back at home facing off against the Anaheim Ducks for the first time this season. For the Ducks, this is the second game of a back-to-back; they defeated the Nashville Predators, 3-2, a day earlier.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 14 Recap: Just What the Doctor Ordered
The Colorado Avalanche entered this new week coming off a very awful home loss to the St. Louis Blues, and now, the team looked to make up for their defeat while returning to the road to face off against a very familiar foe: the Seattle Kraken. This is the last meeting of the season between these two clubs; with the teams splitting the first two games. Not only were the Avs looking to win the season series against Seattle, they were also looking to do something that hadn't been done in weeks: score a goal on the road.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
Avalanche Game 13 Recap: Unacceptable
After receiving our first home loss of this young season, the Colorado Avalanche looked to truly bounce back in the third and last game of this homestand. The team heading into Ball Arena was none other than the St. Louis Blues. This was a Division Rivalry game, and the Blues were in their first full season after the teardown that happened in the middle of last year. So the Blues were a wild card. The Avs' recent history with the Blues had been a good one, but this was a new season series. Even so, it is often fun when the Blues and Avalanche get together.
By Clyde E. Dawkins2 years ago in Unbalanced
