One month in the books

If someone would have told me the 09/10 Colorado Avalanche would set a record in October, I would have believed them.

But I would have thought it would be for fewest points to start the season.

Right now, life is good. The Avs 10-2-2 record ties the most points ever in the month of October, and the schedule is about to get easier after playing the past 11 of 13 on the road.

One problem: EVERYONE is injured. Everyone.

For the third season in a row, the Avalanche players are having significant trouble staying healthy. I can't really blame the training staff because injuries have ranged anywhere from a cheap shot into the boards to the H1N1 flu.

How long can Colorado keep winning with all these players out, and what happens if MORE players get injured?

Tom Preissing still hasn't played a game, but right now healthy defensemen is low on Colorado's list of priorities. Even with Salei and Preissing on the IR, the solid play of Wilson still makes a log jam on the back end.

I hope McLeod is able to play when Colorado returns home after Sundays game against Vancouver. The organization has been pretty mum on his eye injury, so who knows?

What I do know is the team can't afford to have he or Tucker out for much longer. Hensick and Svatos have been inept offensively, and Willsie/Durno don't even have the skills to produce.

Colorado splits November 50/50, with seven games at home/on the road. That's a much lighter schedule than the ten road games they played last month, but eight of the games are against division rivals. It's going to be a big month, but I expect a winning record as long as Stastny/Anderson don't go down to injury.