Gameday - Avalanche

Thursday, February 15, 2007

7:30 p.m. MST

Pengrowth SaddleDome

Colorado @ Calgary

Sportsnet West

• This is the first of three games between the Flames and Avalanche in the next week. While the games are consecutive for Calgary (H-H-A), there is a game in Vancouver for the Avalanche. Which means that tonight is the first game in a three game road trip for Colorado before heading back to Denver to host the Flames. It also means that we'll be softening them up for what is probably our biggest rival in the Northwest right now...
• In their most recent game, in Denver, the Avalanche and Peter Budaj shut out the downward spiralling, once mighty Ducks 3-0. However, they are still only 4-5-1 in their last ten games...
• Calgary is coming off a big home win against the Atlanta Thrashers, where their big guns finally showed up again, 4-1. While still only 4-2-4 in their last ten games, they are still very much dominant at home, going 4-0-1 during that stretch (as well as winning the previous 5 at home)...
• Miikka Kiprusoff will likely be facing off against Budaj tonight, as Jose Theodore has been relegated to backup duty since he has yet to show the form that won him the Hart trophy over Jarome Iginla in 2002...
• Joe Sakic is the leader for Colorado in regards to goals (24), assists (39) and points (63), while Ken Klee leads the team with a +11 and Ian Laperriere with a team high 102 PIMs...

My prediction is a romping by the home team 5-1. Goals by Iginla (2), Daymond Langkow, Kristian Huselius, and Jeff Friesen (!) for the boys in red, and Milan Hejduk for the visitors in white...