Avs Can Explain Power Outage
Hejduk's absence is felt during past two games
(from the Rocky Mountain News)
By Pat Rooney
Special to the News
February 6, 2006 - Ian Laperriere has a message for anyone who hit the panic button after watching the Colorado Avalanche's power-play units commit turnovers, struggle to set up and fail to control the puck during Saturday's shutout loss against the Detroit Red Wings:
Chill out.
Yes, the Avalanche's once-mighty power-play units have been missing in action for two games. And yes, as Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville pointed out, those shortcomings have led to the club leaving points on the table against Detroit and during Thursday's overtime loss at Nashville.
But extenuating circumstances have hung black clouds over the Avalanche's power-play units the past two games, and there is reason to be optimistic the club can reverse its fortunes with a man advantage when it returns to the ice Tuesday against Northwest Division rival Edmonton in the Avalanche's final home game before the league's two-week hiatus for the Winter Olympics.
"We didn't score any goals (Saturday), but we're like fourth in the league. I don't think that's that big a struggle," Laperriere said. "You do have slumps here and there, but it's two games. Talk to me in 20 games, and I hope I don't jinx our power play, and if we're 23rd in the league, then I'll answer that question. We're (about) third or fourth in the league on the (power play). I'll take that any day."
Adversity conspired to throttle the Avalanche's power play last week.
The Avalanche went 0-for-7 on the power play against the Red Wings after going 0-for-8 against Nashville. Colorado went 2-for-7 on the power play during Tuesday's win against the Minnesota Wild but failed to score in its final two power-play chances, giving Colorado an 0-for-17 power-play drought entering Tuesday's game against Edmonton.
Laperriere's assessment was only slightly off, as the Avalanche remained ranked sixth on the power play despite the recent slump. And while no one in the Avalanche dressing room is making excuses, explanations are abundant.
First, the Avalanche played most of the past two games without right wing Milan Hejduk, whose 10 power-play goals rank second on the team behind the 11 scored by rookie Marek Svatos.
Secondly, the Avalanche's abrupt power outage has occurred against some of the top penalty-killing units in the league. Detroit is second in the league, killing penalties at an .865 clip (42 goals in 312 chances).
Nashville is ranked sixth with an .850 penalty-kill percentage (52 goals in 346 chances), and the Avalanche's recent two-goal performance with a man advantage against the Wild is even more impressive, given Minnesota's league-leading penalty-kill percentage of .888 (34 goals in 305 chances).
Edmonton isn't in the same league as this past week's opponents on the penalty kill, ranking 13th with a penalty-kill percentage of .835.
For its part, the other half of the Avalanche's special-team units is on a roll, killing 17 of its opponents' 18 power-play chances during the past four games.
Colorado has won only twice in eight games since having an eight-game winning streak snapped. But in three of those other six games, the Avalanche still managed to come away with a point, a sign of renewed competitiveness the club hopes to keep alive in the final four games before the Olympic break.
"We find a way to get points," Laperriere said. "Even at Nashville, we got a point. A month ago, we couldn't find a way to get a point. I think we compete way more now than we were before our streak. We'll regroup, watch the Super Bowl, and get ready for (Edmonton)."
INJURY REPORT: The Avalanche's struggling power play should get help with the expected return of Hejduk against Edmonton.
Quenneville indicated he is optimistic Hejduk can return to the lineup against the Oilers after the right winger missed Saturday's game because of a neck injury he suffered Thursday at Nashville.
It was the first time Hejduk has been out of the lineup since he missed the first six games of the season after knee surgery in late September.
Bob Boughner, who missed the Nashville game because of an injured hip, returned to the lineup against the Red Wings and played 6 minutes, 41 seconds.