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Home | Sports | Minnesota Wild

Scouting the Avalanche

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: April 8, 2008 - 11:15 PM

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AVALANCHE SEASON RANKINGS

Overall record: 44-31-7, 95 points

Home record: 27-12-2

Road record:17-19-5

One-goal games: 19-19 (14th in the NHL)

Goals for: 224 (2.73, 15th)

Goals against: 216 (2.63, 12th)

Shots for: 28.6 (19th)

Shots against: 27.3 (5th)

Power play: 14.6 percent overall (28th)

Penalty kill: 81.4 percent overall (tie 20th)

AVALANCHE VS. WILD

Season series: 3-4-1, outscored 22-19

Goals: Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny 3, Andrew Brunette, Milan Hejduk, Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth 2

Points: Sakic 8, Stastny and Wolski 7, Hejduk and Smyth 4

Penalty minutes: Adam Foote 20 (16 with Columbus), Ian Laperriere 9, Smyth 8, Jeff Finger 7, Jordan Leopold 6

Goalies: Peter Budaj: 2-2, 2.51 GAA, .901 SP; Jose Theodore: 1-2-1, 2.70 GAA, .910 SP

Power play: 7-for-33 (21.2 percent)

Penalty kill: 19-for-28 (67.9 percent)

OFFENSE

Plain and simple: Peter Forsberg changes the complexion of this team. Colorado scored 28 goals in its past seven games, and Forsberg has 12 points in his past five. This team, which loves to work the puck behind the goal line more than any in the West, is made up of some unbelievable star power -- forwards Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny, Milan Hejduk, Andrew Brunette, Ryan Smyth and Wojtek Wolski, and defenseman John-Michael Liles. Add Forsberg, and the Avalanche has the ability to light you up quickly and painfully.

DEFENSE

While the Avs play an identical neutral-zone system to the Wild, this is where they are vulnerable. They are much improved with the additions of rugged blue-liners Adam Foote and Ruslan Salei at the trading deadline, but their blue line has holes. The Avs create opportunities for opponents by activating their defensemen often in the offensive zone. That could prove beneficial for the Wild's speedy wingers, who love to counter.

SPECIAL TEAMS

"Stay out of the box'' would be a good piece of advice for the Wild. Colorado's 28th-ranked power play and 30th-ranked road power play (19 goals all season) is deceiving because again, these numbers mostly were tabulated pre-Forsberg and for a team that was decimated all season by injuries to its top players. In the third period of Sunday's game in Denver, the Wild took two penalties, and Sakic and Hejduk turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead in a snap. However, the Avs are vulnerable on the penalty kill, where they are so overly aggressive at times that the Wild could get some open looks.

GOALTENDING

Jose Theodore just might be the NHL's Comeback Player of the Year. Remember, this is a guy who was acquired to be Patrick Roy's replacement but turned into Peter Budaj's $5.33 million backup last season. But his play lately is reminiscent of his 2002 Hart and Vezina Trophy campaign. He's 12-4-1 in his past 18 starts and has allowed two goals or fewer in 23 of his past 37 appearances.

COACHING

One of the league's most underrated coaches and considered a strong bench manager, Joel Quenneville won a Stanley Cup as an assistant with Colorado in 1996. He coaches an up-tempo style in which the Avs work the puck tight around the opposing net. However, he still coaches a center-ice trap. Quenneville, Jacques Lemaire and Bob Pulford are the only coaches in NHL history to play and coach in 800 or more games.

INTANGIBLES

Confidence is sky high. Since signing Forsberg and trading for Foote and Salei, the Avalanche is 13-5-1. It finished on a 5-0-1 string. And no team has been more resilient, surviving long-term injuries to key players -- Sakic, Smyth, Stastny and Marek Svatos. Also, it has a knack for rallying, having the NHL's second-best record (8-22-2) when trailing going into the third period.

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