After their worst performance of the season, Saturday vs. the Vancouver Canucks, the Avs responded great, beating the Calgary Flames 3-2.

This was a huge win for the Avs. They came out, played really hard, got their chances and got the first goal of the game off the stick of Ryan Wilson.

After Paul Stastny maneuvered from behind the net to the goalline and put the puck toward the net. Wojtek Wolski then put a shot toward the net which ended up coming to rest in the slot.

Wilson picked up the loose puck and made a nice forehand-backhand move the threw it in the net to get his first NHL goal on the team that traded him.

The Avs continued to put on the pressure and, for a change, won a majority of the faceoffs (Duchene won 10 of his 12 faceoffs!) and kept up their energy.

Even when the Calgary Flames got two quick goals from Jarome Iginla and Rene Bourque, the Avs didn't give up.

42 seconds after Bourque's short-handed goal, Paul Stastny took a great long pass from Wilson, from his own goalline no less, drove up the left wing, then passed it to a streaking Cody McLeod who fired it past Mikko Kiprusoff.

Then, 54 seconds later, Milan Hejduk got a deflection off of Jay Bouwmeester's skate to put the Avs up for good at 3-2.

This was a really key gut-check game for a young team. They had been embarrassed at home 8-2 on Saturday and to make things worse, they lost Adam Foote in the first period. But they didn't give up, they played hard and won they way they did all of march: with hard work.

This is the way the Avs have to play to win games, not with flash or slight of hand but with nitty gritty hard work. If the Avs are to continue their winning ways, it has to stay that way. Win or lose, they have to work hard from the drop of the puck.

Three Stars

1. Ryan Wilson- First NHL goal and added an assist with some really good physical play. He played a Jeff Finger-like game tonight.
2. Craig Anderson- Stopped 34 shots tonight en rout to the win.
3. Paul Stastny- Two assists, both to get the Avs energy going.

Facepalm of the game

Wojtek Wolski wasn't very good tonight. He got 6 shots but was really useless on defense and should have been covering Iginla on his goal. He wasn't bad but he was the only player close to being facepalm worthy.

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