Play of the Year - Round 1, Session 1
Top Play of 2008-09 Will Be Decided by Avalanche Fans
Monday, 04.20.2009 / 12:20 PM
/ Features
By ColoradoAvalanche.com - Official Site of the Colorado Avalanche
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The time is here to vote for the Avalanche's "Play of the Year" via a bracket-style tournament. Each of the 27 weekly winners - as voted by Colorado's fans - are in the mix, along with five wildcards.
Cast your vote for each of the four match-ups below.
In the opening set of contests, we focus on the Patrick Division. Voting on this session ends Thursday, April 23 at 12:00 p.m. MT.
Click here for a PDF of the full bracket
MATCH-UP 1: #1 Wojtek Wolski vs. #32 Adam Foote
Wolski's shootout tally against the Minnesota Wild on March 12 goes up against Foote's goal on Feb. 20 against the Washington Capitals. Wolski's shootout winner is the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket, while Foote's tally was the final wildcard to sneak into the field.
Wolski Bests Backstrom - 3/12 vs. Minnesota (65.97% in Week 22)
Wojtek Wolski continued his shootout magic, netting the game-winner in the Avs’ 2-1 victory over the Wild. Wolski baited Niklas Backstrom out of the net and actually faked two shots before sailing an attempt over the Minnesota netminder.
Foote Finds Opening – 2/20 @ Washington (33.78% in Week 20)
Adam Foote’s first tally of the season held up as the game-winning goal in Colorado’s 4-1 triumph over the Capitals. As Milan Hejduk controlled the puck behind the net, Foote cut in and took a feed that he chipped over the right shoulder of goaltender Jose Theodore.
MATCH-UP 2: #16 Wojtek Wolski vs. #17 Wojtek Wolski
Two Wolski goals go head-to-head, with the reward being a possible match-up with the No. 1 overall seed - another Wolski tally.
Wolski Sends Sens Packing – 2/17 vs. Ottawa (47.85% in Week 19)
Wojtek Wolski’s goal 80 seconds into overtime gave the Avs a 3-2 win over the visiting Senators. Wolski shot a puck from the blue line that was stopped by Ottawa netminder Alex Auld. However, it caromed right back to a charging Wolski, who knocked it in for his 12th goal of the season.
Wolski Dazzles Pens – 1/10 vs. Pittsburgh (47.44% in Week 14)
Wojtek Wolski broke a 2-2 tie with the Penguins when he made a pass to Ryan Smyth, skated into the Pittsburgh zone, took a return feed and beat Dany Sabourin over his left shoulder. The goal, which came midway through the second period, was Wolski’s 11th of the season.
MATCH-UP 3: #9 David Jones vs. #24 Milan Hejduk
Jones' hard-working goal against the Predators takes on Hejduk's tally against the Ducks in this opening round match-up.
Jones Sticks To It – 12/29 vs. Nashville (51.44% in Week 12)
If at first you don’t succeed, simply put a shot on net. Forward David Jones carried the puck up the right boards and worked his way around a Nashville defender before trying to make a pass to Wojtek Wolski during a 2-on-1. The puck never got there, hitting off the stick of Nashville’s Shea Weber and coming right back to Jones, who notched his sixth goal of the year.
Hejduk Snaps It In – 3/25 vs. Anaheim (40.32% in Week 24)
With the Avalanche on a power play, Milan Hejduk deposited a shot past Anaheim netminder Jonas Hiller from the top of the left faceoff circle. The goal was Hejduk’s 26th of the season, tying him with Ryan Smyth for the team lead.
MATCH-UP 4: #25 Paul Stastny vs. #8 Andrew Raycroft
Stastny's wrister on March 14 against Edmonton tries to pull off an upset against a big Andrew Raycroft save on Patrick Sharp during a Jan. 8 contest.
Stastny Cuts In – 3/14 @ Edmonton (38.92% in Week 23)
Paul Stastny put the Avs ahead of the Oilers early in the third period with this power-play goal. After gaining the puck at the blue line and avoiding a Denis Grebeshkov hip check, Stastny cut toward the middle and beat Dwayne Roloson with a well-placed wrister.
Raycroft Stones Sharp – 1/8 vs. Chicago (54.02% in Week 13)
Andrew Raycroft’s stop on Patrick Sharp during the second period of Colorado’s 2-1 win may have been the best of his career-high 43-save performance. Chicago’s Dustin Byfuglien circled behind the net before tossing a pass out front to an open Sharp. Raycroft quickly moved back into position and made a big stop with his left pad to keep the game tied 1-1.
Cast your vote for each of the four match-ups below.
In the opening set of contests, we focus on the Patrick Division. Voting on this session ends Thursday, April 23 at 12:00 p.m. MT.
Click here for a PDF of the full bracket
MATCH-UP 1: #1 Wojtek Wolski vs. #32 Adam Foote
Wolski's shootout tally against the Minnesota Wild on March 12 goes up against Foote's goal on Feb. 20 against the Washington Capitals. Wolski's shootout winner is the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket, while Foote's tally was the final wildcard to sneak into the field.
Wolski Bests Backstrom - 3/12 vs. Minnesota (65.97% in Week 22)
Wojtek Wolski continued his shootout magic, netting the game-winner in the Avs’ 2-1 victory over the Wild. Wolski baited Niklas Backstrom out of the net and actually faked two shots before sailing an attempt over the Minnesota netminder.
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Foote Finds Opening – 2/20 @ Washington (33.78% in Week 20)
Adam Foote’s first tally of the season held up as the game-winning goal in Colorado’s 4-1 triumph over the Capitals. As Milan Hejduk controlled the puck behind the net, Foote cut in and took a feed that he chipped over the right shoulder of goaltender Jose Theodore.
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MATCH-UP 2: #16 Wojtek Wolski vs. #17 Wojtek Wolski
Two Wolski goals go head-to-head, with the reward being a possible match-up with the No. 1 overall seed - another Wolski tally.
Wolski Sends Sens Packing – 2/17 vs. Ottawa (47.85% in Week 19)
Wojtek Wolski’s goal 80 seconds into overtime gave the Avs a 3-2 win over the visiting Senators. Wolski shot a puck from the blue line that was stopped by Ottawa netminder Alex Auld. However, it caromed right back to a charging Wolski, who knocked it in for his 12th goal of the season.
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Wolski Dazzles Pens – 1/10 vs. Pittsburgh (47.44% in Week 14)
Wojtek Wolski broke a 2-2 tie with the Penguins when he made a pass to Ryan Smyth, skated into the Pittsburgh zone, took a return feed and beat Dany Sabourin over his left shoulder. The goal, which came midway through the second period, was Wolski’s 11th of the season.
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MATCH-UP 3: #9 David Jones vs. #24 Milan Hejduk
Jones' hard-working goal against the Predators takes on Hejduk's tally against the Ducks in this opening round match-up.
Jones Sticks To It – 12/29 vs. Nashville (51.44% in Week 12)
If at first you don’t succeed, simply put a shot on net. Forward David Jones carried the puck up the right boards and worked his way around a Nashville defender before trying to make a pass to Wojtek Wolski during a 2-on-1. The puck never got there, hitting off the stick of Nashville’s Shea Weber and coming right back to Jones, who notched his sixth goal of the year.
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Hejduk Snaps It In – 3/25 vs. Anaheim (40.32% in Week 24)
With the Avalanche on a power play, Milan Hejduk deposited a shot past Anaheim netminder Jonas Hiller from the top of the left faceoff circle. The goal was Hejduk’s 26th of the season, tying him with Ryan Smyth for the team lead.
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MATCH-UP 4: #25 Paul Stastny vs. #8 Andrew Raycroft
Stastny's wrister on March 14 against Edmonton tries to pull off an upset against a big Andrew Raycroft save on Patrick Sharp during a Jan. 8 contest.
Stastny Cuts In – 3/14 @ Edmonton (38.92% in Week 23)
Paul Stastny put the Avs ahead of the Oilers early in the third period with this power-play goal. After gaining the puck at the blue line and avoiding a Denis Grebeshkov hip check, Stastny cut toward the middle and beat Dwayne Roloson with a well-placed wrister.
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Raycroft Stones Sharp – 1/8 vs. Chicago (54.02% in Week 13)
Andrew Raycroft’s stop on Patrick Sharp during the second period of Colorado’s 2-1 win may have been the best of his career-high 43-save performance. Chicago’s Dustin Byfuglien circled behind the net before tossing a pass out front to an open Sharp. Raycroft quickly moved back into position and made a big stop with his left pad to keep the game tied 1-1.
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