Last time I posted the playoffs had just started and the Avs held a 1-0 series lead on the Sharks. Well since then a lot has happened. Although only 1 team has officially been eliminated (Philadelphia ousted New Jersey in 5 games) many will soon be facing the brink of elimination by the end of today. The remaining 3 series in the East can all come to a close by tomorrow night, with Washington looking to close out Montreal in the Nation’s capital, and Boston looking to do the same at Buffalo. Pittsburgh had a chance to end Ottawa’s run last night, but in a thrilling 3OT game, the Sens were able to score the winning goal and keep their playoff lives going.
As for the Western Conference, each of those games is tied at 2-2 with exception to the San Jose vs Colorado series which I will discuss later, but is at 3-2 in favor of San Jose. Both the Coyotes and Canucks look to gain control of their series at home tonight against Detroit and Los Angeles respectively. The Blackhawks were able to tie up their series the other night in Nashville and they go into Saturday’s game in Chicago looking to go up on the Predators as well. Each of these series is tough to tell since they have gone back and forth each game but I believe that the Blackhawks and Canucks are starting to get things going and should be able to win their respective series’ from their. However with playoff hockey it’s always hard to tell each series can go either way from here.
Now comes the time to talk about the Avs. Following the 5-0 whooping by Sharks last night in San Jose, the Avs are now in danger of being eliminated with a loss Saturday afternoon in Denver. However, if the Avs are able to defeat the Sharks tomorrow then there will be a game 7 in San Jose to decide it all. The Avs will definitely have to step it up because it seems that San Jose has not only found their offense, but have found how to score off that offense as well…something they have been lacking since that high scoring game 2. Since that game however the Avs have been unable to produce anything against that stingy Sharks D, despite the shaky play of Nabakov all series. The Avs have been vastly out shot by the Sharks this whole series and you just can not win like that. Anderson’s 51 saves in game 3 were outstanding, but you can’t ask the man to play like Jesus in net every night. We got lucky game 3 when Danny Boyle scored on himself, but to be honest we should have lost that game. The Avs played game 4 as tough as they could, and in the end we let the game and a 3-1 series lead just slide out of our grasps with a 2-1 OT loss. The truth is the Sharks are a number 1 seed for a reason, and its starting to look like they’re finally starting to play like one as well. The Avs just need to forget about last night’s 5-0 thumping and play their hearts out tomorrow because it very well could be their last game of the season. I expect them to bring their all, and I can definitely see the Avs taking game 6 if they can ride the momentum of the crowd and solve San Jose’s defense and forcing a game 7 and if it gets to that? Well let me just say its playoff hockey, and anything can happen. Lets go Avs and force it to a game 7.
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It is always funny to read this type of post, after the fact. It brings me right back to all that hope and enthusiasm that was shattered coming out of game six. But there is still some light at the end of the tunnel, right? Sacco’s a contender for coach of the year, and the Avalanche are in the process of building what should soon prove to be an unstoppable franchise. Can’t wait for next season.