Avs net home win

When the Vancouver Canucks acquired respected Montreal-born goaltender Roberto Luongo from the Florida Panthers for Todd Bertuzzi in the offseason, they hoped they were not only getting rid of some bad karma, but also getting a long-term solution in the net.

Against Colorado and everyone else.

Yet after the Avalanche got two goals from Andrew Brunette and one from Paul Stastny, plus 36 saves from Jose Theodore in a 3-2 victory over the Canucks on Saturday night in the Pepsi Center, Luongo had lost all six of his starts against Colorado in his seven-season NHL career.

For the second time this season, Theodore outdueled his fellow Montreal-born goalie and longtime Eastern Conference rival, since Colorado also won by the same score Oct. 8, also at the Pepsi Center. And Colorado took this one, despite being outshot 38-20.

Theodore's work was especially crucial in the first period. Though Colorado came out of it trailing only 1-0, Theodore made 15 saves as the Canucks - especially the Sedin brothers, Henrik and Daniel - controlled the puck and the play.

"I just felt I did my job," Theodore said. "As a goalie, you just want to make every save. That's what I tried to do for 60 minutes, and the guys took care of the rest, scoring the big goals when it was time."

Theodore downplayed any notion of a personal rivalry with Luongo.

"The only thing I think, every time you play one of the good goalies, you know you're going to have to bring your game up a level," he said. "He's approaching it the same way. We both want to win, and we both take a lot of pride in trying to be the best out there."

It wasn't that Luongo was awful, either, especially because he was hung out to dry on the Avalanche's game-winning goal, which came when Colorado's two former Atlanta Thrashers teammates - defenseman Brett Clark and Brunette - sensed what was coming. Clark kept the puck in and got it to Brunette, who was alone down low, and Brunette went to the backhand and slid the puck past a committed and prone Luongo to make it 3-2 at 3:22 of the third period.

"We played with each other before, and he kind of knows where I am," Brunette said of Clark. "He just threw it in the vicinity of where I usually am. Luckily, I had some time there."

The former Thrashers also worked together on Colorado's first goal, when Brunette tipped a Clark shot past Luongo to tie the game at 1-1 at 1:32 of the second period.

Before Brunette's tie-breaking goal, Colorado didn't take advantage of an opportunity to go back in front later in the second period.

The Avs had a 5-on-3 power play for the full two minutes after the Canucks' Rory Fitzpatrick (slashing) and Lukas Krajicek (hooking) both went off at 16:17. But the Avalanche could get only three shots during the two-man advantage, and the third was a relatively harmless drive from Clark as the penalties wound down.

After consecutive non-capacity crowds in the past three home games - albeit with announced attendance still more than 17,000 in all three - the Avalanche was back in the sellout mode Saturday night. The crowd of 18,007 was Colorado's fourth sellout of the season and came nearly three weeks after the franchise's sellout streak ended at 487 games.

Avalanche net late goal to best Canucks

Marek Svatos scored the second of his two goals with 5:44 remaining to help the Colorado Avalanche beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Sunday night.

The Avalanche had to wait a few minutes to see if Svatos' late goal stood up. The referees reviewed the play to see if Svatos had kicked it in, but replays confirmed it went off his stick.

It's the first win of the season for Colorado, which dropped its first two games in overtime. It was the Canucks' first loss after two road wins.

Vancouver pulled goalie Roberto Luongo with 1:39 left -- and with the Canucks on a power play -- but couldn't score.

The Avalanche thought they had the go-ahead goal by Ian Laperriere with 9.2 seconds left in the second, but the refs ruled the whistle had blown for a penalty before the goal. Laperriere, who thought he'd scored his 100th career goal, had already begun celebrating. The Avalanche failed to score on the power play after the hooking penalty on Jan Bulis.

Joe Sakic had a pair of assists and now has 87 points against Vancouver, the most of any active player.

The bad blood that had existed between Vancouver and Colorado has subsided with the Canucks' trade of Todd Bertuzzi to the Florida Panthers last June.

Bertuzzi was booed every time he came to Colorado after he fractured former Avalanche forward Steve Moore's neck with a hard open-ice body check in 2004.

Luongo, who was acquired from Florida for Bertuzzi, is 0-5 against Colorado with four of the losses coming while he was with Florida.

Markus Naslund took advantage of Colorado not clearing the puck when he tapped in a shot late in the second to tie the game 2-2. Naslund's second goal of the season came after Jose Theodore turned back a flurry of shots.

It didn't take long for Colorado to capitalize on a hooking penalty by Rory Fitzpatrick in the second period. Just 12 seconds into the penalty, Svatos scored on his second poke at the puck in front of the net. Svatos' goal at 2:48 was his first of the year and gave Colorado a 2-1 lead.

The Canucks' Daniel Sedin opened the scoring with his third goal of the season after a shot by Lukas Krajicek caromed to him off the pads of Theodore at 5:57 of the first period.

Colorado tied it at 12:42 of the period on Wojtek Wolski's power-play goal following a tripping penalty on Josh Green. Paul Stastny tried to cram it in from behind the net but Luongo turned it away. Stastny gathered up the puck and centered it to Wolski, who shot over a sprawled out Luongo for his second goal of the season.

Notes:@ Brett Clark had two assists for the Avalanche. ... Milan Hejduk has 25 career goals against Vancouver, but hit the post on a 2-on-1 break midway through the third. ... Naslund recorded his second assist of the season in the first period.

It's the Avs!

PRESCOTT VALLEY ­ It only seems natural.Team president Hayne Ellis worked there for eight years. Co-owner Shawn Fowler calls the "Mile High City" home. Heck, co-owner Eric Lacroix is the son of the team's former longtime general manager and current president Pierre Lacroix, spent part of his hockey playing career there, and later worked for the franchise's front office staff.Yes, it's true.
The Arizona Sundogs are now an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche."It's one big happy family," Lacroix said after the announcement Saturday at the Prescott Valley Convention and Events Center's "Topping Off" ceremony. "We're obviously very happy with bringing the Avalanche credibility to our organization.
Not only that, but it's a give-and-take relationship and I think they'll be very happy."For Ellis, the affiliation announcement was almost like a homecoming."It's like I never left. It was like a family there, and it still is," Ellis said.
"I don't want to call it an umbilical cord running back to Denver, but to be associated with a first-class organization like the Colorado Avalanche, it is something very special.
"Now, what exactly does it mean to have such an agreement?Well, the Sundogs immediately become one of the upper-echelon teams in the Central Hockey League. Only a half-dozen out of the 17 teams in the entire league have landed NHL affiliations.
"It means a lot for our franchise," Sundogs coach Marco Pietroniro said. "It's a great opportunity to be aligned with a franchise that's successful. Whoever comes to us, we will make sure that we develop them and create a winning atmosphere where they're ready to move up."Indeed, the Sundogs plan to become a breeding ground for future Avalanche players."We don't want guys here for an extended period of time, a year or two, that's what we want," Lacroix said. "Once they go to the next level, it will be neat to be able to say that he was a Sundog once.
"Players independent of the Avalanche franchise will want to play with the Sundogs to increase their chances for a shot at the big time."It enables us to go out there and say, 'hey, you are going to be able to be in the position to make the next step. If you're willing to put in that work and willing to put in that effort, then the eyes are there to see you.' I think that offers a really important dimension for this organization moving forward," Ellis said.
The Sundogs ­ unless a very special situation arises ­ will not have a direct pipeline to the Avalanche. Colorado also has a continuing affiliation with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League, which is a step above the CHL and a step below the NHL.Craig Billington, director of player development for Colorado, said the Avalanche and Sundogs would be on the same page when it comes to working with the athletes.
"Anytime you have an opportunity to maintain a consistent philosophy, it's always a plus," Billington said. "From our past history working with some of the people here, including the owner, we have a strong confidence level Š also knowing that the level of excellence pursued here is something reflective of what we believe in Colorado."Billington confirmed that the Avalanche plans to sever ties with the San Diego Gulls of the East Coast Hockey League.

"We felt that the continuity of our program here was a good fit and we are excited about what the future holds and what we can develop," Billington said, adding that Arizona will be Colorado's first-ever agreement with a CHL team. "I'm not disappointed with San Diego at all; it was a good working relationship and I know they feel the same.
This was just an opportunity to move in another direction that we feel would strengthen our prospects and development process.
"Brad Treliving, CHL president, said the agreement gives the Sundogs immediate integrity."Anytime you have a new expansion franchise, you're selling your program, and this goes a long way in terms of selling your program," Treliving said.
"From a competitive standpoint, it puts them on the map right away. You know you're going to have a number of players that will be here from an NHL affiliate whose goals are to move upward and onward."

Vernace signs with Colorado Avalanche

Defenceman Michael Vernace of the Brampton Battalion has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, the National Hockey League club announced Thursday.
Colorado acquired the rights to Vernace from the San Jose Sharks earlier Thursday for a sixth-round pick in either the 2006 or 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Vernace, who was chosen by San Jose in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, had to be signed by Thursday or reenter the draft this year.
"It went right down to the wire," Vernace said by telephone. "It was a stressful day, but I'm happy. Colorado's a great organization to go to. I hope they look at me as a prospect with some potential."
Vernace, who turned 20 on May 26, said a glut of blueliners in the San Jose organization prompted the Sharks to trade his rights.
"They had 14 defencemen signed in their system and they felt for my benefit it would be better if I got a chance elsewhere. Hopefully I can fit in with the Avalanche organization and work toward the NHL, because that's my ultimate goal."
Vernace said he attracted the Avalanche's attention during the club's monitoring of Battalion centre Wojtek Wolski in the recent Ontario Hockey League season. Wolski, a first-round choice by Colorado in 2004, opened the season in the NHL before being reassigned to the Battalion on Oct. 26 and then recalled for the Stanley Cup playoffs after the Troops' season ended.
"They came to see Wojtek all the time, and that was a bonus. They became familiar with me and the kind of game I play."
On the Avalanche website, Craig Billington, director of player development, described Vernace as "a highly skilled defenseman with great vision and passing ability who will enhance our organizational depth on the blueline."
"We were impressed with his development at this point in his career and we're looking forward to helping him continue that progression in our system."
Vernace, a Toronto resident, said he expects to play next season with the Albany River Rats, Colorado's American League affiliate.
"Stranger things have happened, but I have to be realistic. We'll see how things go there."
Chosen by the Battalion in the ninth round of the 2002 OHL Priority Selection, Vernace joined the Troops late in 2003-04 at the end of his season with the Bramalea Blues of the Provincial Junior A League. He had two points, including one goal, in two games and recorded two goals and three assists for five points in 11 playoff games.
Vernace had 50 points, including 12 goals, in 68 games with the Battalion in 2004-05 and added two goals and four points in six playoffs games.
Last season Vernace was second among league defencemen in scoring with 10 goals and club records of 62 assists and 72 points in 68 games. He had six points, including one goal, in 11 playoff games.
An OHL first team All-Rookie selection in 2004-05, Vernace was voted to the league's third All-Star team last season. He's the highest-scoring defenceman in Battalion history, with 23 goals and 101 assists for 124 points in 138 career games.
"It seems like a long time but it's only been a few years," said Vernace. "Everything's gone by so quickly, and I'm happy for the opportunity I got in Brampton. Stan Butler and everyone in the organization gave me a great chance, and I'll always have the Battalion to thank for everything I have in professional hockey"

Avs to go with Giguere as GM

The Colorado Avalanche named Francois Giguere their new general manager on Wednesday, bringing him back to the team with which he started his front-office career.
Giguere takes over from Pierre Lacroix, who stepped down as GM a day after the Avalanche were swept out of the playoffs by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Lacroix remains team president and praised his replacement.
"When we listed all the necessary attributes for this position, one name became clear in our minds," Lacroix said in a statement. "Francois embodies all the requirements a strong executive needs in today's NHL."
Giguere, 42, served as an assistant general manager with the Dallas Stars from January 2002 after spending 12 years in the Avs organization.
He began his career with the franchise in 1990 as a controller in the finance department with the Quebec Nordiques and made the move with the team to Denver.
He later served as hockey operations administrator (1992-95); assistant GM (1995-00) and vice-president of hockey operations (2000-01).
"My family and I are extremely happy to be able to return to Colorado," said Giguere. "I'm excited about the challenge of maintaining the level of excellence that the Avalanche has always held. I can assure Avalanche fans that those standards will be the focal point of my work on a daily basis."

Lacroix: Avs don't need drastic changes

Colorado Avalanche president Pierre Lacroix insists a front office makeover doesn't necessarily mean a big refurbishing of the roster.
Lacroix, who is stepping down as general manager, said his top priorities this summer are finding his successor to run the day-to-day operations of the franchise and re-signing captain Joe Sakic and defenceman Rob Blake.
He takes exception, however, to the suggestion the Avs have to get younger and faster to keep up in the new NHL, a notion even his coach was touting after Colorado was swept from the playoffs by Anaheim.
Among the Avs players whom the Ducks really made look their age were forward Pierre Turgeon, 36, and defenceman Patrice Brisebois, 35, Both were among Lacroix's free agent signings last summer, before the NHL resumed play with new rules that opened up the scoring - and put a premium on youth.
Lacroix said he's never been "drastic or emotional" in making changes and wasn't going to deviate from a cautious approach now. He said he's drawn praise from "hockey people" for his off-season moves last year and wouldn't change a single one of them.
When pressed whether the Mighty Ducks exposed the Avs as too old school to succeed in a newfangled league that prizes fast, fresh skaters over seasoned ones, Lacroix again bristled.
"Well, the best way to answer again is, it's a game of momentum and when there are 22 teams playing golf and you're not, if you would have asked me the question after Dallas, you would have thought that we were too fast for Dallas. So, it's tough for me to answer," Lacroix said.
The Avs bumped the second-seeded Stars from the first round of the playoffs in five games.
"When you're down to eight teams in a span of 30 teams and you perform like we did, I don't think you can be emotional in thinking, well, we're too slow, because I'm saying to you seven days before we were too fast," Lacroix said. "That's how I look at it and that's how our people look at it.
"That's why we have to be rational now and we have to take a good and deep breath in looking at the adjustments. I don't think we would qualify ourselves, are we too slow or too fast. Definitely, we lost. There's something missing."
To coach Joel Quenneville, it was obvious what that was.
"Look at the teams that are leading and still alive in the playoffs, from top to bottom they have quickness," he said after the Avs were eliminated. "They have size, they have speed, they have skill and they have youth."
With 13 players eligible for free agency July 1, that might be a blueprint the Avalanche would want to follow.
"The game is now one of quickness and speed," Quenneville said. "And hockey sense is part of that too. But there is no secret. I think we knew all year with the way the games would be that speed would be important to a team's success. We are looking at that all the time. Our scouts are looking at that, and they know it is something we want."
In announcing he was giving up his GM title last week, Lacroix said he had a candidate in mind to replace him and would name his successor before the June 24 NHL draft in Vancouver. He said among the criteria was somebody who shared his business philosophies, including keeping a low public profile.
Speculation immediately centred on Hall of Fame forward Michael Goulet, 46, who has served at Lacroix's side since the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995.
Goulet has been in charge of player personnel and player development for the Avs and last year served as special assistant to the president. He also fits the profile of somebody who wouldn't mind Lacroix looking over his shoulder as he grows into the job.
"Am I going to be 30 days in the office in a row? Could be," Lacroix said. "Because I know myself and I'm not retiring from the business."

And a Child Shall Lead Them

By Mike Brody
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Rookie goaltenders have had success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before – most notably with Ken Dryden in 1971 and Patrick Roy in 1986, both leading the Montreal Canadiens to the Cup – but never before has a crop of rookie goalies dominated the playoffs like they have this season.

Of the five remaining teams in this year’s playoffs, three are led by rookie goalies and another by a first-year starter. Carolina’s Cam Ward, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Anaheim’s Ilya Bryzgalov, and San Jose’s Vesa Toskala have all enjoyed incredible playoff success thus far.

Seven-year veteran Dwayne Roloson of the Edmonton Oilers, who was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Minnesota Wild, is the only experienced goaltender left. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that, especially with the presence of such big-name goalies as Martin Brodeur and Miikka Kiprusoff, and other veteran backstops or NHL powerhouses like Detroit’s Manny Legace, Dallas’s Marty Turco, and Colorado’s Jose Theodore, among the contenders.

The New Favorite

Thanks to a surprisingly easy 4 games to 1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, and a dominating performance winning four straight games over Montreal after losing the first two in Round 1, the Carolina Hurricanes have emerged as the new favorite to win Lord Stanley’s Cup. Despite finishing the regular season with 112 points, just 1 behind Eastern Conference leader Ottawa, the Hurricanes’ odds of winning the Cup entering the playoffs were posted at 10-1. That was before the oddsmakers had seen Ward turn away almost every shot he’s faced.

In 10 playoff games, the 22-year-old rookie has allowed just 17 goals while posting a 1.77 goals against average (GAA). Ward let in just five goals in Carolina’s four victories over New Jersey as he outplayed his boyhood idol Brodeur. With his stellar play, and the Hurricanes’ opportunistic offense, led by 100-point scorer Eric Staal, Carolina will be tough to beat.

The Upstart Challenger

The Sabres’ Miller is the only U.S.-born goalie among the Fab Four. He hopes to duplicate the feat of another rookie American goalie, Ron Hextall, who led the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1987. After a shaky start in Game 1 against Ottawa, Buffalo’s defense and Miller shut down the Senators the rest of the way, allowing two or fewer goals in each of the last four games. The Michigan native has a 2.25 GAA and a .921 save percentage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Buffalo’s defense has been stellar in front of Miller. Defensemen Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder lead all playoff performers in plus/minus at plus-13. The Sabres’ offense has been scoring in bunches. Buffalo has a team-leading 43 goals scored in 11 games and is riding high after winger Jason Pominville’s shorthanded, overtime goal clinched the series against Ottawa.

Mr. Perfect – Almost

Anaheim’s Bryzgalov has been the most surprising and impressive of all the rookies. Bryzgalov didn’t even enter the playoffs as the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie. That honor went to Jean-Sebastian Giguere, who led Anaheim to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003, his second year in the league, and was named the Conn Smythe winner as the MVP of the playoffs that season.

After splitting their first four games against Calgary in Round 1, the Ducks made the switch to Bryzgalov and they haven’t regretted it. The 24-year-old Russian has practically stood on his head as he is sporting a ridiculous 0.87 GAA and .967 save percentage. He recorded three straight shutouts, including Game 7 at Calgary to clinch that series. In doing so, Bryzgalov set a rookie playoff record, holding opponents scoreless for 249 minutes, 15 seconds. Only Montreal’s George Hainsworth, 270:08 in 1930, has had a longer playoff scoreless streak.

The Final Four

San Jose’s Toskala is hoping to join his fellow first-year netminders in the conference finals. After an excellent series against Nashville in Round 1, including a shutout in Game 2, and two 2-1 victories to open the Edmonton series, Toskala and the Sharks find themselves on the ropes as the Oilers have stormed back to take a 3-2 series lead. Edmonton will try to close it out at home on Wednesday night.

San Jose’s offense is led by Patrick Marleau, who leads all playoff goal scorers with nine. The Sharks will need to get an early lead and help Toskala protect it to force a Game 7 at home on Friday.

The Finals

The matchup between Ward and Miller should be as entertaining as it gets. Both are capable of stealing a game or two for their respective teams. Carolina is the favorite, but Buffalo has a lot of momentum and Miller has shown he can win the close games with four one-goal victories against Ottawa. Look for the Sabres to get to the Finals.

The Ducks have had a long time off after unexpectedly sweeping the Avalanche. Anaheim may be a little rusty to start the conference finals, but the Ducks have good veteran leadership in Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne and will ride the stellar play of Bryzgalov past either the Oilers or the Sharks to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Avs won't look for sweeping changes

Colorado Avalanche president Pierre Lacroix insists a front office makeover doesn't necessarily mean a big refurbishing of the roster.
Lacroix, who is stepping down as general manager, said his top priorities this summer are finding his successor to run the day-to-day operations of the franchise and re-signing captain Joe Sakic and defenseman Rob Blake.
He takes exception, however, to the suggestion the Avs have to get younger and faster to keep up in the new NHL, a notion even his coach was touting after Colorado was swept from the playoffs by Anaheim.
Among the Avs players whom the Ducks really made look their age were forward Pierre Turgeon, 36, and defenseman Patrice Brisebois, 35. Both were among Lacroix's free-agent signings last summer, before the NHL resumed play with new rules that opened up the scoring -- and put a premium on youth.
Lacroix said he's never been "drastic or emotional" in making changes and wasn't going to deviate from a cautious approach now. He said he's drawn praise from "hockey people" for his offseason moves last year and wouldn't change a single one of them.
When pressed whether the Mighty Ducks exposed the Avs as too old school to succeed in a newfangled league that prizes fast, fresh skaters over seasoned ones, Lacroix again bristled.
"Well, the best way to answer again is, it's a game of momentum and when there are 22 teams playing golf and you're not, if you would have asked me the question after Dallas, you would have thought that we were too fast for Dallas. So, it's tough for me to answer," Lacroix said.
The Avs bumped the second-seeded Stars from the first round of the playoffs in five games.
"When you're down to eight teams in a span of 30 teams and you perform like we did, I don't think you can be emotional in thinking, well, we're too slow, because I'm saying to you seven days before we were too fast," Lacroix said. "That's how I look at it and that's how our people look at it.
"That's why we have to be rational now and we have to take a good and deep breath in looking at the adjustments. I don't think we would qualify ourselves, are we too slow or too fast. Definitely, we lost. There's something missing," he said.
To coach Joel Quenneville, it was obvious what that was.
"Look at the teams that are leading and still alive in the playoffs, from top to bottom they have quickness," he said after the Avs were eliminated. "They have size, they have speed, they have skill and they have youth."
With 13 players eligible for free agency July 1, that might be a blueprint the Avalanche would want to follow.
"The game is now one of quickness and speed," Quenneville said. "And hockey sense is part of that too. But there is no secret. I think we knew all year with the way the games would be that speed would be important to a team's success. We are looking at that all the time. Our scouts are looking at that, and they know it is something we want."
In announcing he was giving up his GM title last week, Lacroix said he had a candidate in mind to replace him and would name his successor before the June 24 NHL draft in Vancouver. He said among the criteria was somebody who shared his business philosophies, including keeping a low public profile.
Speculation immediately centered on Hall of Fame forward Michael Goulet, 46, who has served at Lacroix's side since the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995.
Goulet has been in charge of player personnel and player development for the Avs and last year served as special assistant to the president. He also fits the profile of somebody who wouldn't mind Lacroix looking over his shoulder as he grows into the job.
"Am I going to be 30 days in the office in a row? Could be," Lacroix said. "Because I know myself and I'm not retiring from the business."
Nor is he through shaping the Avs in his image.