Avalanche/Hurricanes Notebook
O'Reilly Rolling, Tucker Update, Gusarov Honored
Saturday, 10.24.2009 / 12:35 AM
/ Features
By Craig Stancher
The Avalanche found themselves in a 2-0 hole to the Carolina Hurricanes just 5:49 into Friday’s game, but rallied off four straight goals en route to a 5-4 victory.
Paul Stastny’s second tally of the game, a goal that came at 6:21 with the Avs on a 5-on-3 advantage, stood up as the game-winner. Matt Duchene started the play at the left point, making a feed to Milan Hejduk at the left side of the net. From there, Hejduk slipped a pass across the crease to Stastny, who buried it past Carolina netminder Cam Ward.
The win improved the Avalanche’s record to 7-1-2 heading into Saturday’s contest against Detroit.
O’Reilly Rolling
Ryan O’Reilly, who centered a line that included Wojtek Wolski and Chris Stewart tonight, scored his second goal of the year at 16:16 of the first period. The tally extended O’Reilly’s point streak to six games (2g/6a). Just 31 seconds later, rookie defenseman Ryan Wilson picked up his first NHL point by registering an assist on Stastny’s second goal of the season.
The Avalanche (and NHL) rookie record for consecutive games with a point is 20, set by Stastny during the 2006-07 campaign.
All three players who have made their NHL debut with the Avalanche this season (Duchene, O’Reilly and Wilson) have recorded at least one point.
Another Quick Pair
While O’Reilly and Stastny scored 31 seconds apart in the first period, Hejduk and Wolski almost matched that feat in the middle frame. Hejduk netted a power-play goal from Stastny and Duchene at 10:00, while Wolski followed up 40 seconds later after a give-and-go play with Chris Stewart to give the Avs a 4-2 advantage.
Tucker Injured
A scary incident took place 5:26 into the second period, as Darcy Tucker was taken off the ice on a stretcher after absorbing a hit from Tuomo Ruutu in Colorado’s defensive zone. Ruutu was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding on the play, while Avalanche captain Adam Foote received two minutes for roughing after throwing Ruutu to the ice following the play.
Late in the second period it was announced that Tucker had regained consciousness, was fully alert and was sent to the hospital for further evaluation.
Gusarov Honored
Former Avalanche defenseman Alexei Gusarov became the second honoree of the Colorado Avalanche Alumni Association tonight. The club launched the association in celebration of Pepsi Center’s 10-year anniversary. Gusarov, the second of 10 players who will be honored this season, dropped the ceremonial first puck between Foote and Hurricanes captain Rob Brind’Amour. Gusarov was a member of Colorado’s 1996 Stanley Cup championship team and appeared in 565 games for the Avalanche/Nordiques, totaling 159 points (38g/121a).
Whitney Thwarted
Carolina’s Ray Whitney was awarded a penalty shot 3:03 into the third period after the Avs were caught on a bad line change and David Jones hooked the Hurricanes forward on a breakaway. Whitney’s penalty shot attempt nearly snuck by Anderson, but the netminder got enough of the shot to stop it before it reached the goal line.
Paul Stastny’s second tally of the game, a goal that came at 6:21 with the Avs on a 5-on-3 advantage, stood up as the game-winner. Matt Duchene started the play at the left point, making a feed to Milan Hejduk at the left side of the net. From there, Hejduk slipped a pass across the crease to Stastny, who buried it past Carolina netminder Cam Ward.
The win improved the Avalanche’s record to 7-1-2 heading into Saturday’s contest against Detroit.
O’Reilly Rolling
Ryan O’Reilly, who centered a line that included Wojtek Wolski and Chris Stewart tonight, scored his second goal of the year at 16:16 of the first period. The tally extended O’Reilly’s point streak to six games (2g/6a). Just 31 seconds later, rookie defenseman Ryan Wilson picked up his first NHL point by registering an assist on Stastny’s second goal of the season.
The Avalanche (and NHL) rookie record for consecutive games with a point is 20, set by Stastny during the 2006-07 campaign.
All three players who have made their NHL debut with the Avalanche this season (Duchene, O’Reilly and Wilson) have recorded at least one point.
Another Quick Pair
While O’Reilly and Stastny scored 31 seconds apart in the first period, Hejduk and Wolski almost matched that feat in the middle frame. Hejduk netted a power-play goal from Stastny and Duchene at 10:00, while Wolski followed up 40 seconds later after a give-and-go play with Chris Stewart to give the Avs a 4-2 advantage.
Tucker Injured
A scary incident took place 5:26 into the second period, as Darcy Tucker was taken off the ice on a stretcher after absorbing a hit from Tuomo Ruutu in Colorado’s defensive zone. Ruutu was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding on the play, while Avalanche captain Adam Foote received two minutes for roughing after throwing Ruutu to the ice following the play.
Late in the second period it was announced that Tucker had regained consciousness, was fully alert and was sent to the hospital for further evaluation.
Gusarov Honored
Former Avalanche defenseman Alexei Gusarov became the second honoree of the Colorado Avalanche Alumni Association tonight. The club launched the association in celebration of Pepsi Center’s 10-year anniversary. Gusarov, the second of 10 players who will be honored this season, dropped the ceremonial first puck between Foote and Hurricanes captain Rob Brind’Amour. Gusarov was a member of Colorado’s 1996 Stanley Cup championship team and appeared in 565 games for the Avalanche/Nordiques, totaling 159 points (38g/121a).
Whitney Thwarted
Carolina’s Ray Whitney was awarded a penalty shot 3:03 into the third period after the Avs were caught on a bad line change and David Jones hooked the Hurricanes forward on a breakaway. Whitney’s penalty shot attempt nearly snuck by Anderson, but the netminder got enough of the shot to stop it before it reached the goal line.
