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Game one goes to the Avs

April 15, 2010, 1:23 AM ET [ Comments]
Aaron Musick
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Avs inserted some doubt into their series, beating the San Jose Sharks 2-1.

TJ Galiardi forced the game-winning goal with half his lip hanging off his face, fifteen bruises on his back and still found a way to keep Rob Blake busy.

The Avs came out, weathered an early San Jose powerplay and with Craig Anderson backstopping the Avalanche to victory.

After the penalty, the Avs got their game going. They attacked with speed and kept the Sharks from dictating the pace of the game and fought back.

With the help of hard work of the first two lines, the Avs powered through the San Jose attack and found ways to get the puck down low and getting Nabokov to look behind him.

Overall, the Avs did a good job of keeping the puck under control, under composure and really putting the pressure on San Jose, at one point even turning the crowd's cheers into boos against their own team.

Tuesday, the Avs worked on four things: clear outs, cycling and getting traffic in front of the net and key faceoffs. They used all four to win this game.

While the Avs were not huge in the faceoff circle, they won the big ones.

Of all the things the Avs worked on, the cycling helped the most and set up their powerplay goal. On the goal from Liles, Stastny and Duchene cycled the puck, got the penalty killers tired and then put a shot- a screened shot nonetheless- on net.

Craig Anderson was sharp, making good reads and as focused and determined as he was on game 1.

Now the Avs have turned the tables. San Jose already has the repuation of chokers in the playoffs. By winning game one, especially with a game-winning goal in the last minute, the Avs have now let doubt creep into the fans, the players, everyone around San Jose. Now, if they can attack the first ten minutes of game 2 and get San Jose on their heels, you could force San Jose to overthink and make mistakes.

It's a good start but it's just one win in the goal of 16 but now the Avs have the momentum. It'll be interesting to see them run with it.

Three Stars

1. Craig Anderson- 25 saves on the night
2. TJ Galiardi- He was roughed up tonight but came up big late
3. John-Michael Liles- Was a huge presence for the Avs

NEW Double facepalm of the Game

If you've been reading this blog during the regular season, you know my Facepalm of the Game goes to the epicly bad play of the game. Now, with the playoffs having bigger stakes, the Facepalms are bigger. It is time to implement the Double Facepalms.

Tonight's goes to the refs missing the high sticking on TJ Galiardi. When the player has his lip hanging off his face, you know something wrong just happened.

Aaey of the Game

This award, for the most awesome play of the game, goes to Brandon Yip who, one shift before the game-winning goal, made a huge individual play to get the puck deep and get the Avs, who were on their heels, back in the game. Huge play.
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