Good news everyone, the Avs are back into the playoffs.
The Avs slipped past the Edmonton Oilers for an ugly 3-2 shootout win to provisionally move past the San Jose Sharks and into the playoffs.
Granted the Sharks have to lose to the Coyotes in regulation but for now the Avs are in the playoffs.
Milan Hejduk and Peter Mueller scored in the shootout and Semyon Varlamov continued his shootout dominance as the Avs escaped their matinee matchup with a win.
As coach Joe Sacco is fond of saying, the Avs did not start the game on time. They came out sluggish against the fastest team in the NHL, resulting in a 1-0 Oilers lead by the hands of ex-Av Ryan Smyth at the end of the first.
Cody McLeod would respond with a goal five minutes into the second period after Ryan Wilson powered behind the net and set up McLeod on the doorstep to tie the game. Six minutes later, Peter Mueller tapped the puck after a brilliant Milan Hejduk move to give the Avs a 2-1 lead after two and once again, Wilson was out there for a plus.
Wilson and his defensive partner Matt Hunwick were outstanding. Hunwick broke up two key Oiler passes that would have been easy goals. All game long, this was the pairing that brought stability to an Avs team that played rather horrific.
All game long the Avs gave up the blue line and let the Oilers use their speed. Up and down the ice the teams went and the Avs got caught trying to skate with this team and it nearly burned them.
If it weren't for a lucky call by the referees, calling Sam Gagner standing behind Varlamov after being pushed there by Gabriel Landeskog goaltender interference, the Oilers might have won this game.
Tonight was a must win and the Avs nearly beat themselves. It was only Varlamov that kept the Avs in the game and allowed them to even reach the shootout.
Three Stars
1. Semyon Varlamov- 28 saves and two saves in the shootout for the win
2. Nikolai Khabibulin- 30 saves in the loss
3. Jordan Eberle- two assists, was the Oilers' best skater.
Facepalm of the Game
Two are handed out. The refs who called Gagner for goaltender interference get one because, let's face it, it wasn't. A second also goes to Paul Stastny who slid into Varlamov and was sitting on him, literally, when the Smyth goal went in.
Bang Bang Play of the Game
Mark Olver's pass to Milan Hejduk who made a spectacular move that Peter Mueller only needed to tap the puck in (Happy Gilmore style) for a 2-1 lead.
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • 
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