I guess my 4-2 prediction wasn't so far off. Right away I have to say Craig Anderson was dominant. He was absolutely phenomenal, especially during the Sharks 5 on 3 power play. 38 saves on 40 shots made him the well deserved 1st star of the game.I thought the team played excellent...for two periods. The flood gates really opened in the 3rd (out shot 19-1), but Anderson held the fort.
- Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly both got their 1st NHL points tonight, and both were strong defensively. Duchene had some good offensive chances (and a screen that led to the Liles goal); it'll only be a matter of time before he gets his first NHL goal.
O'Reilly didn't stand out as much to me. I thought he was pretty good on the PK, but even then he was out shined by his partner T.J. Galiardi. One game is a small sample size, and we'll have to see how he does the next 2-8 games to see if he warrants staying in the NHL this season.
- I could really see Matt Hendricks becoming a key part of the team as things move forward. His positioning was great, and he stood out to me every time he was on the ice.
- Kyle Quincey brought exactly what I thought he would to the table. Many Avalanche fans complained when management traded Smyth for him...well, I didn't hear any complaining tonight! Clearly the team's best defenseman tonight, but I think Liles also had a great game.
- I must give credit where credit is due. Darcy "Darby" Tucker had a great game - even if you don't count the goal. I would go as far as to say tonight was his best night in an Avalanche jersey, and I for one am glad. He was always a quality player in Toronto, and he was god awful last year. Hopefully this game will be a turning point in his work ethic.
- Wolski looked good because he was finally driving the net. Hopefully he'll finally start to fulfill his potential this season. Then again, he's scored a goal on opening night every season of his career.
- I agree with the decision to bench a healthy Salei in favor of Cumiskey (even though he was pretty mediocre tonight). The Avs are rebuilding, and the choice is between a 22 year old or a 34 year old. Hmm.
As for Joe Sakic's ceremony- it was done well...except all those wrinkles in the banner. Like...really? Shouldn't they have made sure it was ironed or something?
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Next game is Saturday at 1 pm MDT (3 pm EST). I don't expect another win (3-1 loss), but hopefully I'm proved wrong.
Also, my 100th career blog is the one you just read. Because you care.
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