Avalanche Country Today (1/23/07) ~ Lappy Breaks Through

[RMH]

Avalanche Country Today
~ Tuesday, January 23, 2007: Lappy Breaks Through ~
volume 2, number 75 (#196)
Previous ACT | Archives

News and Perspectives about Colorado Hockey Welcome to this edition of ACT. Here is today's menu: Daily Snap! Ian Laperriere, by Bling ACT Notes: What's Happening? In the System: Farm Report, by Jori Sidebar: January Schedule/Results In the Papers: Articles from the local press. ACT Notes The All-Star Super Skills and Young Stars game will air tonight on Versus, beginning at 5:30 PM. Wolski and Budaj will be featured in the latter match, and obviously Paul Stastny should be there, but he will get to enjoy some rest after amassing 10 points (4g/6a) thus far in January. That's twice as many as Wolski, who seems to be adjusting his game in an effort to be more physical. Meanwhile, here is what happened with the Avalanche prospects over the past weekend, courtesy of Jori. Speaking of prospects, tomorrow, ACT will have an interview with Ryan Stoa. In the System by Jori AHL: Friday - Syracuse hammers Albany 6-2. Tyler Weiman made 37 saves in the loss. Box Score. Saturday - Albany beats Philadelphia 4-1. Cody McLeod recorded a natural hat trick. Box Score. OHL: Friday - Kingston tops Brampton 4-1. Chris Stewart scored a power play goal. Kitchener out skates Sarnia 3-1. Victor Oreskovich had a power play assist. Belleville beats London 3-1. Kevin Montgomery finished minus one. Saginaw holds on to beat Sudbury 6-5. Nigel Williams had two power play assists and was plus one for the game. Saturday - Barrie trips up Saginaw 4-3. Nigel Williams scored his 13th goal of the season. London trims Sault Ste. Marie 5-4. Kevin Montgomery finished even. Sunday - Kitchener hammers Brampton 6-2. Victor Oreskovich scored his 18th goal of the season and finished plus two. Kingston doubles up Ottawa 4-2. Chris Stewart had two assists and a fight in the third period. Owen Sound trips up Saginaw 3-2. Nigel Williams finished even. London thumps Sudbury 10-5. Kevin Montgomery had a power play assist. WHL: Friday - Kootenay thwarts Kamloops 6-4. Raymond Macias was minus one. Brandon shuts out Spokane 1-0. Codey Burki finished even. Prince George shuts out Chilliwack 4-0. Chris Durand had a power play assist. Saturday - Prince George shuts out Chilliwack 5-0. Chris Durand scored a power play goal. Brandon thumps Swift Current 5-1. Codey Burki was even for the game. Medicine Hat hammers Kamloops 7-3. Raymond Macias was minus three. Sunday - Kamloops tops Lethbridge 5-2. Raymond Macias scored once and added an assist. Central Hockey League: Friday - Colorado beats Arizona 3-1. Ryan Steeves had three shots on goal. Saturday - Lubbock tops Arizona 6-4. Kris Mayotte made three saves in relief of starting goaltender Chris King. Sunday - Arizona beats Lubbock 6-5. Ryan Steeves scored two goals and added an assist. NCAA (Full Schedule) Friday - Cornell and Yale skate to a 2-2 tie. Mark McCutcheon had a power play assist and three shots on goal. Dartmouth doubles up Canisius 6-3. David Jones notched a goal on the power play and finished even. Boston University shuts out Merrimack 3-0. Brandon Yip did not record a shot on goal. Miami and Ohio State skate to a 4-4 tie. Tom Fritsche had two shots on goal and finished plus two. Justin Mercier had two assists. New Hampshire tops Massachusetts 5-1. Brett Hemingway had one assist, two shots on goal, and was plus two. Denver upsets number one Minnesota 1-0. It’s the first home loss for the Golden Gophers this season. Ryan Stoa had two shots on goal and finished even. Mike Carman recorded one shot and was even. Derek Peltier also had one shot and finished even. Observations: Peltier is a nice college player, but there is nothing that sticks out that oozes future NHLer. Ryan Stoa hasn’t taken that next step that I and others had predicted. His play is stagnant; you only really notice him on the power play. While some Avalanche fans have had notions of him turning pro after his sophomore season, he’s better off spending another year at Minnesota. Mike Carman looks to be the best of the Gophers Avs prospects at this point. He hits, kills penalties and has some nice offensive instincts. He looks as if he could fill that 3rd/4th line center role in the NHL; a scoring threat on the PK. Michigan thumps Alaska-Fairbanks 6-2. T.J. Hensick , who has not scored a goal since November 25, recorded a hat trick. Hensick only trails Air Force’s Eric Ehn in NCAA scoring with 41 points. Observations: It would seem that T.J. Hensick is the most NHL ready unsigned Colorado Avalanche prospect. He’s a very good setup man, but in the first game against the Nanooks, he found his scoring touch. Hensick kills penalties and is good on face-offs. Hensick has reshaped his game from selfish puck hog to solid two-way player. Billy Sauer has had a nice stretch in which he was recently named CCHA Goaltender of the Week. His rebound control is an issue, but Sauer’s form looks better then earlier in the season. Saturday - Minnesota holds on to beat Denver 5-4. Ryan Stoa did not record a shot and was minus one. Mike Carman had two assists and was plus one. Derek Peltier had one assist and finished plus one. Brown tops Cornell 5-2. Mark McCutcheon had a power play assist, four shots on goal, but was minus two. Dartmouth out lasts Sacred Heart 4-3. David Jones scored once and added an assist. He recorded four shots and finished even for the game. Boston University trips up Merrimack 2-1. Brandon Yip had one shot on goal and finished even. Massachusetts shuts out New Hampshire 3-0. Brett Hemingway recorded three shots on net, but was minus one. Michigan sweeps a two game set with Alaska-Anchorage with a 5-2 win. After scoring a hat trick in the previous game, TJ Hensick was held to one shot on goal. Billy Sauer continued his strong play by making 32 saves. Sauer increased his record to 16-9-0 and was named the third star of the game. Sunday - Miami trims Ohio State 2-1. Tom Fritsche had three shots on goal and was minus one. Justin Mercier recorded three shots and finished even. Observations: Fritsche admittedly is not 100 percent and still trying to regain his speed, but the offensive instincts are not lacking. Mercier isn't big, but he certainly loves to hit, just ask the Buckeye player who found himself in the Miami bench.	Daily Snap! Thank you, Hockey Gods! #14 Ian Laperriere Photo by Bling January Schedule/Results All times Mountain. TV/Radio: Altitude and AM 950 The Fan. If a different station than Altitude or AM 950 The Fan is carrying the game, they are noted. 1/1 - Mon - at Nashville - W, 5-3 1/5 - Fri - Tampa Bay - W, 4-2 1/6 - Sat - at Minnesota - W, 2-1 SO 1/9 - Tue - Detroit - L, 3-4 SO 1/11 - Thu - Calgary - L, 3-7 1/13 - Sat - Anaheim - W 3-2 SO 1/15 - Mon - San Jose - L 3-1 1/17 - Wed - Phoenix - W 4-3 1/20 - Sat - Detroit - W 3-1 1/26 - Fri - 7:00 PM Phoenix 1510 AM 1/28 - Sun - 1:30 PM at Detroit NBC 1/30 - Tue - 6:00 PM Nashville VERSUS It's All About Lappy.. for Charity Congratulations to Lappy for scoring his 2nd goal of the season against Detroit. While I don't count on Ian for any more than 20 points a year or so, as has been his average, I'm sure he is relieved to have gotten over that dry spell. Be a part of the Ian-Crowd! Visit the Website to order your "It's All About Lappy" t-shirt! "I love the game, I love to play. I am like a kid everyday. The day I am going to take it as work is the day I am going to have to retire." -Ian Just needed to make an adjustment... Photo by Bling
In The Papers
From the Denver Post: Avs celebrate their 500th sellout For a team that came to Denver with no name in 1995, the Avalanche certainly has made a lasting mark on the Avs down Wings to snap skid The victory sends Colorado (24-20-3) into the all-star break with 51 points. From the Rocky Mountain News: Budaj's rise has been rapid Two years ago, he was toiling in the American Hockey League with the Hershey (Pa.) Bears, hoping to impress the Avalanche brass enough to get a promotion as the backup goalie to David Aebischer. Judge dismisses suit against NHLPA A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Detroit Red Wings star Chris Chelios and other members of the NHL Players’ Association in an attempt to oust the union’s executive director. Old guard makes way for new at NHL All-Star game Martin Brodeur is used to coming to All-Star games to catch up with friends, guys he knows from Team Canada and previous midseason gatherings. On Monday, he might as well have worn one of those "Hello, my name is ..." badges. NHL, Reebok reveal new uniforms that can make players faster Detroit Red Wings veteran defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom certainly likes the NHL's new sleeker and streamlined uniforms. ''Especially when I heard that I'm going to be faster,'' the 15-year veteran and ninth-time All-Star said Monday. Avs jockeying for good position While encouraged by what he's seen of the Avalanche since New Year's, coach Joel Quenneville knows his team still has a tough fight ahead just to earn a playoff spot. Avalanche clip the Red Wings So it really is possible for the Avalanche to knock off the Detroit Red Wings.
A presentation of Avalanche-Country.com
Many thanks to the Mayor for the signature, and to today's contributors!	Avalanche Country Today is brought to you by: RMH ..................... Editor Today's Contributors Jori ........................ Prospects Report Bling ..................... Stellar Photographer MGISJ ................... ACT Golf Pro If you would like to contribute to ACT please email avalanchecountry@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!

[pingu]

I'm looking forward to tomorrows ACT interview already.

[chiavsfan]

I can't wait to see the Budaj and Wolski in the Young Stars game. Are they doing 4-on-4 10 minute periods like they did last time around?

[RMH]

I believe so, chiavsfan.
_________________

[chiavsfan]

I mean it's been so long since the last one. Sauve was the MVP, now he's not even a has been, rotting in the AHl as a barely call-up to the NHL.

Compiling an AHL record of 10-13 this year with a .87 Sv% and a close to 3.2 GAA. And we were so high on him

[RMH]

Actually Sakic was the All-Star MVP last time around (2004).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4217141/
_________________

[js_cooldude]

Guess he meant MVP of the Youngstars game.
_________________

[chiavsfan]

Yeah, Youngstars game...my bad. If Sauve had made the actual All-Star game, pigs would currently be flying

[RMH]

Oh yeah, I completely misread that... Sauve, All-Star? Shouldn't occur in the same breath without a short-circuit.
_________________