What A Game!

After losing 4 straight games (three of them in overtime) the Avs bounced back with a vengeance the last two nights. Last night they defeated the Atlanta Thrashers who have been hot lately, a 4-2 game. Tonight they played the Capitals in Washington and were facing a team that has struggled of late, which can always be a dangerous situation. It was clear in the early going that this would be a really fun game to watch. Despite having played last night the Avs came out flying.

The scoring started early for the Avs as rookie Kevin Shattenkirk put the Avs up 1-0 a little over 2 minutes into the game. The Capitals tied the game up nearly halfway through the first period, but that was the last time the game would be tied. Unfortunately, on this play Kyle Quincey fell down into the boards and injured his shoulder and did not return to the game. Ryan Wilson scored a goal late in the first period to put the Avs on top 2-1. Wilson had easily his best game of the season after having been scratched for the last 4 games. He was throwing hits and looking a lot like the Ryan Wilson we saw last season.

In the second period Washington's Alexander Semin got tossed out of the game for a cross-check to the head of John-Michael Liles. The Avs received a 5 minute power play as a result and Paul Stastny netted his team leading 12th goal of the season. Shattenkirk made a nice pass to Stastny on the goal and had his second point of the night. Stastny, having assisted both Avs goals in the first period got his third point of the game.

The only scoring in the third period came from former Avalanche player Matt Hendricks, further extending the curse of former Avs players scoring against them. The Caps came on strong late in the third period, out-shooting the Avs 17-5 in the final 20 minute frame. The play in the last 5 minutes of the game was very intense and if you weren't watching, you really missed out. The Avs won their second game in two nights and they had to fight hard to keep their 3-2 lead late in the game. All in all, this was a very entertaining and intense game to watch, probably the best game from the Avs all season long (with no Hejduk, Galiardi or Stewart in the lineup!).