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On thin ice, and it's melting

Avalanche tries to buck odds minus some key players

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 30, 2008 at 9:33 p.m.

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Colorado's Paul Stastny, back, colliding with Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg during Game 2, is one of a handful of Avalanche players who won't play in Game 4 tonight because of injuries.

Photo by Carlos Osorio / Associated Press

Colorado's Paul Stastny, back, colliding with Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg during Game 2, is one of a handful of Avalanche players who won't play in Game 4 tonight because of injuries.

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The Avalanche could ice a couple of formidable line combinations with the players who were being treated for injuries or being examined by doctors Wednesday.

The team's season is on the brink of ending, but there is no guarantee forwards Peter Forsberg, Ryan Smyth or Paul Stastny will be in uniform tonight when the Avalanche, down 3-0 to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference semifinals, faces elimination at the Pepsi Center.

Wojtek Wolski was lost for the remainder of the series in Game 1 and Marek Svatos has been recovering from knee surgery for nearly two months.

"I've been here for a lot of years and I've never seen anything like this," Milan Hejduk said. "It's just ridiculous how many guys are hurt. It makes it really difficult, but we have to battle through it."

Makeshift crew or not, the Avalanche needs a win or will be swept out of the second round for the second time in its past two trips to the postseason. The Anaheim Ducks took four in a row in the conference semifinals in 2006.

The thought of taking four straight from the Red Wings is daunting, to say the least, when considering the Avalanche has lost all seven times the teams have met this season.

It's why the Avalanche isn't pondering that possibility and is concentrating on winning once to extend the series.

"You have no choice," Adam Foote said. "We're the ones that put ourselves in this situation. You can't think about the other three if you don't get the first one. That's how we have to approach this game."

Said John-Michael Liles: "You made your bed, you've got to lie in it."

Colorado should be used to playing under adverse conditions after losing 325 man games to injury or illness during the season.

"I think you just kind of shrug," Andrew Brunette said. "It's almost, 'What's next?' It just seems every day it's somebody."

Coach Joel Quenneville said Stastny, who hurt his knee in the first period Tuesday, is "unlikely" to play tonight. He said Smyth (foot) is "doubtful" and Forsberg (groin) was "getting checked out . . . hopefully, everything will be all right with him."

To have a chance tonight, the Avalanche has to play better defensively and with more discipline. The Red Wings went 2-for-7 on power plays in each of the past two games.

"We can't be killing penalties like that," Foote said. "It seemed in the second period (Tuesday) we were in the box a lot and in the second period of the second game we were in the box a lot. They gain momentum and you can't give a team like that that many power plays. We have to stay out of the box and our 'PK' has to be better."

Foote said the Red Wings' speed and ability to find open ice aren't the only reasons the Avalanche has been guilty of penalties.

"If you punch a guy in the head, it has nothing to do with speed," he said. "We have to play with the same emotion and the same intensity, but we can't just be going to the box. We have to be in more control of our emotions."

Captain Joe Sakic never seems to lose his cool and said it wouldn't be necessary for him to come up with a fiery pregame speech.

"I don't really think you have to say too much," he said. "I think everybody knows we're facing elimination and you have to be at your best. The series is not over until someone wins four games.

"We just have to worry about (tonight) and try and play our best game and hopefully get the win. You have to try and find a way to win the hockey game and try to get some momentum on your side."

Brunette pointed out any time the momentum has turned in the Avalanche's favor, the Red Wings have managed to take it away.

The Avalanche scored the first goal in Games 1 and 3, then took penalties or made the kind of costly mistakes that the Red Wings are so good at exploiting.

"When we were against Minnesota, we got the lead a few times early and forced them to do things they didn't want to do," Brunette said. "Here, when we do get our lead, we seem to lose our momentum real quick for some reason, whether it's a penalty or a breakdown. Then we start forcing the issue again and start running around again. We've played into their hands the whole series."

Results, schedule

* Game 1: Red Wings 4, Avalanche 3

* Game 2: Red Wings 5, Avalanche 1

* Game 3: Red Wings 4, Avalanche 3

Red Wings lead series 3-0

* Today: at Colorado, 8 p.m.

* *Saturday: at Detroit, 11 a.m.

* *Monday: at Colorado, 8 p.m.

* *Wednesday: at Detroit, TBA

All times Mountain; * if necessary

Comments

  • May 1, 2008

    4:11 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    LOUIE writes:

    Swept in the World Series, Swept in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and now a possible sweep in the NHL. I guess getting beat by the best teams like the Sox and the Lakers is some consulation; hope the Avalanche can pull off one victory, as true to thier name they are buried pretty deep.

  • May 1, 2008

    9:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Avs_Blow writes:

    Its over...GO WINGS!

  • May 1, 2008

    10:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Shaupeen writes:

    C'mon Avs. Put it together. Take one game, at least. Otherwise, I won't hear the end of it from colleagues who are from Michigan.

  • May 1, 2008

    11:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tarabusikid writes:

    Go Wings!!! Pack it up Av's. Time to start working on your golf swing!

  • May 1, 2008

    11:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rnano1 writes:

    Hey Shaupeen, get ready for an ear full, even if the
    avs take one. I'm sure your buddies will let you
    have it. Looking for a new game tonight with new
    energy from the avs. I hope the avs don't
    resort to goon hockey I'm thinking they are to
    classy for that. GO WINGS>>>

  • May 1, 2008

    11:28 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rodney writes:

    HEJDUK SAID HE`D NEVER SEEN IT LIKE THIS; SO MANY HURT. WHEN YOU PLAY A TEAM LIKE THE REDWINGS THAT ARE BIGGER, STRONGER AND FASTER,. THAT OUT WORK AND OUT HUSTLE YOU. YOU PROBABLY CAN EXPECT A BRUISE OR TWO. WE LOVE OUR AVS BUT THE REDWINGS ARE JUST TO MUCH FOR THE AVS. IN THE LAST 11 GAMES AGAINST THE REDWINGS THE AVS ARE 1WIN AND 10 LOSSES. SHAUPEEN SAID C`MON AVS PUT IT TOGETHER. PUT WHAT TOGETHER? THE AVS ARE LIKE HUMTY DUMTY; BROKEN. AND ALL THE KINGS HORSES AND ALL THE KINGS MEN CANNOT PUT THE AVS TOGETHER AGAIN

  • May 1, 2008

    11:34 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tarabusikid writes:

    Well said, Rodney.

  • May 1, 2008

    11:54 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Shaupeen writes:

    Good point Mano1. I'm already hearing some smack--that's fine--but I'd like to be able to deal just a bit back out. Can't really do that with a big stinking donut on the board!

    I hope you're wrong, Rodney. I'd like to see the series go at least longer than tonight! And you never know...

  • May 1, 2008

    12:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Buckee writes:

    All,

    Lets not forget all the great Playyoff Series' from these 2 teams. There is and always will be a mutual respect that comes from both sides of the Mississippi...

    Being a life-long Wings fan makes me happy that they (Red Wings) will probably prevail in this series. But as any true Wings fan knows, Colorado will never be taken lightly.

    Too much history between the 2 teams.

    But for now, we all seem to be "guardedly" confident. But trust me Colorado will be back, be it this season or the next.

    GO WINGS!

  • May 1, 2008

    1 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HockeyHak writes:

    You know it's really unfortunate that the Avs have so many injuries. I really feel for you fans, no really. What an aweful break! They are usually such a tough, fast team. I just feel so, so bad for the Avs! Gosh, what a shame. I really hate it...

    ...NOT!

  • May 1, 2008

    1:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Finn writes:

    "If you punch a guy in the head, it has nothing to do with speed," he said.

    Ha,ha,ha...that made me laugh. So true. The Avs have just been too aggressive, or, more correctly, have had too much displaced aggression.

    Well, on the bright side, at least their D is pretty healthy. Maybe they'll show up for this game and actually mark a man. GO AVS!!!

  • May 1, 2008

    2:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HockeyFan69 writes:

    It's nice to read a thread where everyone is not hurling insults. As a wings fan, I must say I know how you Avs fans feel. Last year we were down two of our top D men, and then lost to the Ducks. Playing the "what if" game only makes it hurt more. I speak from experience. I for one would like to see the Avs get healthy and come back with this same team next year. That would make for some exciting games.

  • May 1, 2008

    5:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Shaupeen writes:

    Best line I've heard today:

    "Boy, after the Rockies got swept by the BoSox and the Nuggets got swept by the Lakers, if the Avs get swept by the Red Wings you guys are going to have to put a broom on your state flag."

  • May 1, 2008

    10:30 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    redwingsfan4ever writes:

    AVS are history.. GO WINGS!!