Avs vs. Chicago Blackhawks 4-3

Last night the Avs played the Chicago Blackhawks in Denver. I was unable to see the game as I had to work, but I read all about it...from what I heard, the Avs played terrible and it was a complete miracle that they won at all! I'm so disappointed. I was looking for the Avs to bury the Blackhawks. Sure, Chicago doesn't really have anything, but their jobs, to lose so I should have taken that into account. But honestly, the Avs should have played a lot better. I can't know for sure, but it's my guess that a lot of the reason for the goals against the Avs went in is because of breakdowns in the D Corp.

I sometimes wonder about the D. I mean, Rob Blake is amazing, no two ways about it. John-Michael Liles can be okay, but I think he might have lost sight of his defensive core and has become too concerned with scoring goals, which he hasn't been doing lately. Brett Clark is a solid D-man but he's not Blake. Karlis Skrastins (or as I like to call him Scratch and Sniff) is also solid, but needs some work. Then we have my two least favorite, Bob Boughner (Booger as I like to call him) and Patrice Brisebois (Breeze-by as many Avs fans like to call him), both these guys just aren't pulling their weight. Booger is often a healthy scratch, while Breeze-by lives up to his name and just skates around getting in the way of the other Avs out there. Last we have Kurt Sauer, who spent most of the season with the Hershey Bears of the AHL on a conditioning assignment, meaning in the year of the NHL lockout, he didn't do anything...the loss of Ossi Vaananen has really hurt the D. For example, he hasn't played since the week before the Olympic break, in that time, he still has the second highest plus/minus on the team behind Milan Hejduk (+13), and tied with Joe Sakic (+10).

On the other hand, we need to have some defensively minded forwards. Brad May isn't helping anyone with is -13..

I hope that the team is not pleased with their performance last night and that they refocus their game for the Wednesday match-up with the San Jose Sharks. There is no way I am missing that game, Joe Thornton, Jonathan Cheechoo, not to mention the return of Matt Carle to Denver since he decided to forego his senior season and signed with San Jose. Should be a great match up as they are coming off a win against Dallas.

~Catie