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Preview: Avalanche (2-3) at Flames (3-4)
Date: October 26, 2011 10:00 PM EDT
Off to an unbeaten start on the road, the Colorado Avalanche now face an opponent that has been almost equally adept at defeating them in recent matchups.
The Calgary Flames look to add to their recent mastery of Colorado and avoid a season-high third straight defeat Wednesday night at the Saddledome.
Colorado (6-2-0) extended a team record by improving to 6-0-0 on the road Saturday against Chicago. After blowing a 3-1 lead, the Avalanche got a tying goal from rookie Gabriel Landeskog with 1:48 left in regulation and went on to a 5-4 shootout win.
"It's always nice to be on the road with the boys," defenseman Shane O'Brien said. "We've got a good group of guys in here. Everyone gets along with everyone. They have fun coming to the rink. Right now, we're road warriors, so we're going to try to continue that."
This game will close a road-heavy season-opening stretch for the Avs, who will have played seven of nine away from Denver before beginning a three-game homestand Friday.
Colorado has won three times via shootouts during its road run and is looking to become the seventh team to start 7-0 or better on the road. To do so, the Avalanche will have to beat a club that's outscored them 23-8 while taking five straight matchups.
The Flames, though, have managed six goals over their past four games. They were shut out for the first time this season Saturday by Nashville, losing 2-0 despite a 33-14 shot advantage.
That dropped Calgary (2-4-1) to 1-2-0 on its season-high six-game homestand.
"It's frustrating when you lose games where you feel that you should have won," defenseman Mark Giordano said. "I feel like we're going in he right direction. The last couple of games have been pretty solid for our team. I think the next step is getting those wins."
To help take that step, coach Brent Sutter is planning to reunite the line of David Moss, Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross - three players that put up impressive numbers versus Colorado last season.
"I would like to get the three of those guys back together at this point," Sutter said. "They're history speaks for itself when they play together."
Jokinen, who has one goal this season, had a team-best nine points (three goals, six assists) against the Avalanche in 2010-11. Glencross totaled four goals and two assists over the six meetings, while Moss had two goals and four assists while playing in three of those games.
Jarome Iginla scored a team-leading five times in last season's series, but has only two goals and an assist this season.
Semyon Varlamov will likely be in net for the Avalanche's first Northwest Division matchup of the season. He stopped 10 shots of 12 shots in relief during Washington's 5-3 loss March 28, 2010, in his only appearance against the Flames.
Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff has won six straight versus the Avalanche with a 1.53 goals-against average.
Colorado forward David Jones has scored five times as many games, but he has one goal in 13 career contests against the Flames.
Date: October 26, 2011 10:00 PM EDT
Off to an unbeaten start on the road, the Colorado Avalanche now face an opponent that has been almost equally adept at defeating them in recent matchups.
The Calgary Flames look to add to their recent mastery of Colorado and avoid a season-high third straight defeat Wednesday night at the Saddledome.
Colorado (6-2-0) extended a team record by improving to 6-0-0 on the road Saturday against Chicago. After blowing a 3-1 lead, the Avalanche got a tying goal from rookie Gabriel Landeskog with 1:48 left in regulation and went on to a 5-4 shootout win.
"It's always nice to be on the road with the boys," defenseman Shane O'Brien said. "We've got a good group of guys in here. Everyone gets along with everyone. They have fun coming to the rink. Right now, we're road warriors, so we're going to try to continue that."
This game will close a road-heavy season-opening stretch for the Avs, who will have played seven of nine away from Denver before beginning a three-game homestand Friday.
Colorado has won three times via shootouts during its road run and is looking to become the seventh team to start 7-0 or better on the road. To do so, the Avalanche will have to beat a club that's outscored them 23-8 while taking five straight matchups.
The Flames, though, have managed six goals over their past four games. They were shut out for the first time this season Saturday by Nashville, losing 2-0 despite a 33-14 shot advantage.
That dropped Calgary (2-4-1) to 1-2-0 on its season-high six-game homestand.
"It's frustrating when you lose games where you feel that you should have won," defenseman Mark Giordano said. "I feel like we're going in he right direction. The last couple of games have been pretty solid for our team. I think the next step is getting those wins."
To help take that step, coach Brent Sutter is planning to reunite the line of David Moss, Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross - three players that put up impressive numbers versus Colorado last season.
"I would like to get the three of those guys back together at this point," Sutter said. "They're history speaks for itself when they play together."
Jokinen, who has one goal this season, had a team-best nine points (three goals, six assists) against the Avalanche in 2010-11. Glencross totaled four goals and two assists over the six meetings, while Moss had two goals and four assists while playing in three of those games.
Jarome Iginla scored a team-leading five times in last season's series, but has only two goals and an assist this season.
Semyon Varlamov will likely be in net for the Avalanche's first Northwest Division matchup of the season. He stopped 10 shots of 12 shots in relief during Washington's 5-3 loss March 28, 2010, in his only appearance against the Flames.
Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff has won six straight versus the Avalanche with a 1.53 goals-against average.
Colorado forward David Jones has scored five times as many games, but he has one goal in 13 career contests against the Flames.
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