Say this about Gabriel Landeskog, he puts on a show for the national media.
Two games in row on NBC Sports network, Landeskog has stepped up his game. In the first game, he wired a shot by Jonas Hiller in overtime for the win. In the second game, he went coast-to-coast with more determination than a Cheetah on a three-legged Gazelle to set up Jamie McGinn's tying goal with 1.5 seconds remaining.
Avs nation and the other 19 Avalanche players saw the game slipping away and maybe with it, the Avs' playoff chances. Landeskog saw players standing around and said "follow me" as he deked around four Sabre skaters, put a shot on Ryan Miller, got the rebound to Ryan O'Reill who put it back out front where it trickled in front for McGinn. The play was so outstanding, Eddie Olczyk compared that play to the ones Peter Forsberg was famous for.
McGinn scored two goals on the night bringing his goal total to seven goals, nine points in his first eight games with Colorado. Too bad the Avs didn't get him in November, he'd be leading the league in goals.
Semyon Varlamov played well under tough circumstances with 20 tough saves on the night. Miller matched him and more with 38 saves as the Avs pushed hard late. Both goaltenders played great even while defenses where overwhelmed the by speed on display.
Both teams were pushing hard to get into the playoffs and it showed. Midway through the game, the refs cancelled the hockey game and started the track meet. The zamboni drivers had to resurface the ice twice in between periods to get it fresh.
Few teams in the NHL have speed to match the Avs but the Sabres are one of them, fast enough to beat the roadrunner on speed in a footrace. Marcus Foligno scored his second and third career goals, one of them off his skate as he was falling down.
Foligno even did his father, Mike's, legendary jump after his first goal and was a force along with linemates Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis (both three points).
With the win, the Avs provisionally move into seventh in the playoff picture. Now Avs fans have to resort to rooting for the Vancouver Canucks to beat the Phoenix Coyotes to keep the Avs there.
Three Stars
1. Gabriel Landeskog- picked the team up and carried them to overtime.
2. Jamie McGinn- two more goals
3. Marcus Foligno- showed glimpses of the player he'll become
Facepalm of the Game
Peter Mueller and Erik Johnson get this one for missing the drop back pass on the powerplay (doesn't work now btw) leading to Stafford's shorthanded goal.
Bang Bang play of the Game
I can't even explain this one, just watch:
Landeskog also had five shots, two points, and eight hits.
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • 
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