Chelios, shmelios. While everyone on Earth raves about the Red
Wings' revamped lineup, the Avalanche have quietly put together a
six-game unbeaten streak.
While much-maligned for remaining relatively quiet at the trading
deadline, the Avs' decisions are looking smart now, as they've gone
undefeated since acquiring Dale Hunter at the deadline.
True, the Red Wings made a bigger splash -- but as Pierre Lacroix
asked, if the Chelios deal and Colorado's trade for Theo Fleury
came on the same day, which would more people talk about?
And Hunter -- who was variably described as too old and too slow to
make any difference -- has been a spark plug and a solid
fourth-line center.
In his first game, he was his usual agitating self, in a chippy,
physical game against the Canucks that was happily all Avs.
The big guns -- Joe Sakic/Peter Forsberg/Theo Fleury -- gave pause
to anyone from other teams watching as the three combined for eight
points, and Claude Lemieux and hot rookie Milan Hejduk contributed.
Then, in came Washington for an emotional game - Hunter's first game
against his old teammates after 12 years in Washington. He didn't
hold anything back, either, getting into tussles, sticking Brian
Bellows in the face and then, for a nice touch, getting the game's
final goal.
The whole team went wild against the poor, pathetic L.A. Kings, who
went through two goalies and appeared to be playing sans defensemen
as the Avs lit them up, 7-2. Fleury continued his torrid pace, with
a hat trick and an assist, and Hejduk picked up four assists in a
game that was easy and pleasant to watch.
The Kings win also propelled Patrick Roy into the all-time regular
season and playoffs win leader for goalies with 506, one past
Jacques Plante.
For old-home week part two, Calgary came to town for Fleury's first
game against the Flames since getting traded. The Avs scrambled for
a tie after a lackluster game, prompting Fleury to rip into his
teammates afterwards -- a ripping which only partially paid off, as
the Avs played another lackluster game the next night but managed
to eke out a win against the Sharks.
The sloppiness kept through the first period of a third game, fer
gosh sakes, as the Avalanche went down 2-0 early to the pesky
Oilers. But, again, the trio of Sakic/Forsberg/Fleury led them back
to an eventual easy win.
Injuries
With Jon Klemm and Cam Russell about to return, the Avs are (knock
wood) relatively injury-free. The only exception is Valeri
Kamensky, who had surgery and is likely gone for good.
Other trades
The Avs also acquired Sami Helenius from Tampa Bay for a conditional
draft pick on deadline day, and immediately assigned him to Hershey.
Helenius is a big, physical defenseman, about whom little else is
known. A man of mystery, that Sami Helenius.
