Things aren’t looking good for the Colorado Avalanche these days. They have lost three games in a row and five out of the last six, and they are having difficulties getting the puck into the net. Something a bit askew for a team ranked fourth in the NHL in terms of scoring goals.

There are many factors as to why the Avs are in a slump and why they can’t win any games lately. However, there is one key factor that is hindering the Avs from excelling to the expectations that are set by fans and the players; goaltending.

Last year, Craig Anderson was the staple for the Avs and was the key reason why this young team was able to slide into the playoffs. This year, his record is 13-13-3 with a .901 save percentage and a 3.15 goals per average. Last year, Anderson’s numbers were significantly lower, and it involved a season were the goaltender was starting in almost double the amount of games.

It is true that Anderson has been bothered by a groin and knee problem, but is it the reason why he is not as reliable as he was last season?

This season, Anderson is allowing in soft goals and making it difficult for the team to get things going when they have to fight to get back into the game. With always having to play catch-up, the Avs tend to lose focus on their style of play and end up playing to their opponent’s.

Peter Budaj isn’t as consistent as he was last year as well. This year, he has posted a record of 12-8-3, with a save percentage of .896 and a goals against average of 3.13. Just like Anderson, Budaj’s numbers aren’t as high as they were from last season, and he is letting in goal after goal, which again prevents the Avs from playing their style. Although Budaj does have a winning record, he is now in limbo with Anderson as to who is going to start the next game for the Avs.

One thing is for certain; the Avs have a major problem with their goalies and the numbers of games are getting less and less as the season moves along.

Whether it is Anderson or Budaj, one of these two goaltenders need to step up and become a leader on this team. The Avs are relying on these two to be cornerstones for success, but are turning out to be a major let-down.

In their last game before the NHL All-Star Game, the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Phoenix Coyotes in Denver, Colorado. This would be the second of four meeting between the two teams, as the Coyotes won the first meeting 2-0.

The Avs, coming off a close win against the St. Louis Blues, were looking to win the last game of their five-game home stand.

The Coyotes, coming off a loss the night before in Edmonton, were winning 2-0 and ended up losing 4-3 with a late goal-against by the Oilers.

For the third game in a row, the Avs were able to score the first goal of the game, but then saw the lead diminish with unanswered goals.

Ryan Stoa scored his second goal of the season, at the 4:20 mark in the first period.

Scottie Upshall would then score a power-play goal, followed by Keith Yandle, to give the Coyotes the 2-1 lead.

After Yandle’s goal, Avs Coach Joe Sacco pulled starting goalie Peter Budaj, who would be replaced by Craig Anderson. Sacco pulled Budaj not only because the two goals-against were kind of soft, but to send a message to the team to start playing better.

The message to get things in gear was not receive by the Avs, as the Coyotes would extend the lead to three, when Eric Belanger would score early in the second period.

Belanger received a pass from Taylor Pyatt and at first glance it looked like Belanger kicked the puck into the net. After further review, it was clear that Belanger would kick the puck, but the puck would hit the post and then Belanger would poke it in past Anderson.

The Coyotes would broaden the lead to four when Kyle Turris would send a wrist-shot past Anderson. Anderson was trying his best to convince the refs that he was interfered with, but it wouldn’t work and the goal would count.

After the fourth goal and an attempted comeback from the Avs, it was clear that this game was done for.

Although the game was all but over for the Avs, Matt Duchene didn’t quit and fought hard to get his 20^th goal of the season, as well as his 100^th point of his NHL career.

The Coyotes would score an empty goal to make the game 5-2, which was also the final score.

Despite the score, this game could have been completely different, had a couple of things gone in favor for the Avs.

In the second period, after having to kill three penalties, the Avs finally got things in gear and started to send pucks towards the Coyotes net. Seeing as they were only able to generate one shot on net in the first period.

As the game was still 3-1 in the second, the Avs had a nice rush and were able to score what looked like the second goal. The referee behind the net called no-goal on the ice and stated that Cody McLeod had interfered with Ilya Bryzgalov. Initially, the Avs and the fans thought it was called no-goal because a Coyotes’ player had intentionally knocked the net off the moorings.

Then, five minutes later, the Avs had another rush up the ice and Coyotes defenseman Derek Morries knocked the net off the moorings and again no call from the referees.

Sacco and players were furious with the referees for blowing two missed calls and Captain Adam Foote had words with the refs at the end of the period.

Had the appropriate called been made, this game might have had a different complexion. Instead, the Avs lose by three goals and end their five game home stand with a 3-2 record.

With the calls not going in the Avs favor, there is still plenty of blame that can be placed on the Avs shoulders. The Avs committed nine penalties in the game, with five of the nine coming in the first period alone. Had the Avs played smarter hockey and been able to stay out of the penalty box, this could have given them a better chance to fight back, instead of losing in a horrible fashion.

On a good note, the Avs only allowed one power-play goal.

Whether it is bad calls, too many penalties being taken or too many goals-against; one thing is for sure; the Avs are not playing well at all.

Many teams use the All-Star break to gain momentum for the final stretch of the regular season to get into the playoffs. One can hope that the Avs are able to group together and work on their game, to ensure they make it to the playoffs.

It just goes to show that when the Colorado Avalanche score three or more goals, they are a difficult team to contain.

The Avs broke a two-game skid against the visiting St. Louis Blues Monday night, and they did it as a team, not as individuals.

Even though the Avs got the eventual win, it didn’t come easy, as it took them a while to figure out Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak. The first period would remain scoreless, but saw the Avs come out strong and used their speed to generate many chances.

To start the second, Avs forward Brandon Yip sent a shot from the blue-line that snuck under the pads of Halak.

Just like Saturday against the Boston Bruins, the Avs took the lead but were unable to maintain the lead. Jay McClement sent a shot over the left should of Avs backup-goalie Peter Budaj, and knotted the game at one.

Five minutes later, the Blues took the lead, as Eric Brewer was fed a nice pass and sent it over Budaj’s right shoulder.

Just like the Bruins game, the Avs took the lead and then lost it with unanswered goals. The Avs were wondering if they were going to be able to come together and fight back.

Yip would turn out to be the hero, as he would score a power-play goal to tie the game back at two. Yip would find a rebound behind the net and wrap it around and under the skate of Halak.

It had been 18 games since Yip had scored and has been a healthy scratch lately, due to his lack of performance.

The third period would be an exciting period, as Kevin Shattenkirk would score another power-play goal, and forty second later, Ryan Stoa took a shot that trickled behind Halak and into the net. Initially, the referee signaled no-goal and play continued. Upon further review, it was clear that the puck completely cross the goal-line.

The Avs were in control of the game and had put the Blues in the rear-view mirror. However, the Blues didn’t plan on going quietly into the night.

With less than two minutes to go in the game, the Blues pulled Halak for the sixth-attacker. Philippe Dupuis would carry the puck into the Blues zone and shoot at the empty net to seal the deal; except that wouldn’t be the case. Dupuis would carry the puck into the zone, but the shot would be blocked and the Blues would send the puck into the Avs zone and score. David Backes would bring the Blues within one goal, and change the game completely.

The late goal fueled the Blues to fight even harder and to send everything they had at the Avs and Budaj.

With ten seconds to go, Alexander Steen found himself on the doorstep with Budaj, but Budaj would flash the leather and shut-down Steen.

The Avs would go on to protect the puck for the final few seconds and secure the victory.

Despite the score being 4-3 in favor of the Avs, this young team got the message that they need to play much better.

They came out with lots of energy and were using their speed to control the puck in the Blues zone. Yet, that wasn’t the reason why they were able to beat the Blues. The special teams were the difference in this game, as the Avs went 2-5 on the power-play and killed all three penalties.

With the special teams being the Achilles heel for this team, it was clearly night and day as to why the Avs were able to hold on to beat the Blues.

Another aspect that helped the Avs win was the help from the blue-liners. An Avs defenseman would account for at least one point on all four Avs goals. When the defenseman get the puck deep or find an open winger, the Avs tend to have a lot more success than when relying on the forwards alone.

The Avs have one more game before the All-Star break, as they will host the Phoenix Coyotes. It is not clear as to which Avs team will show up on Wednesday night, but one could hope that it is the speedy team that played Monday night.

After an embarrassing loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday night, the Colorado Avalanche were going to have to do their best to bounce back and return to their winning ways. This afternoon, they hosted the Boston Bruins for their second of six matinee games for the year.

Everything seemed to be going well for the Avs, as Paul Stastny recorded his 100^th NHL goal to give the Avs an early lead. Stastny’s goal came two minutes into the first, off a shot from Kevin Shattenkirk.

That was the highlight of the afternoon for the Avs, as it was all downhill from here.

At the 9:20 mark in the first, Brad Marchand scored to tie the game at one. Marchand’s goal was just one of four points the Bruins forward would record for the game.

Three minutes later, Avs defenseman Ryan O’Byrne was called for a delay-of-game penalty, and it took the Bruins only twenty seconds into the power-play to score. Milan Lucic found himself in a position where it was very easy to tip the puck past Avs goalie Craig Anderson.

The Bruins controlled most of the first period, as they outshot the Avs 19-8, and had the lead going into the first intermission.

Although the Avs would outshoot the Bruins 14-9 in the second, the period belonged to the Bruins, as they were able to score two more goals to extend the lead to three.

Marc Recchi scored his 10^th goal of the year at the 14:44 mark, and Lucic got his second of the game, 19^th of the year, at the 19:04 in the second.

The Avs were in desperate need of some sort of spark to get things moving in their favor, as Coach Joe Sacco pulled Anderson and let backup Peter Budaj start the third period.

By pulling Anderson, it seemed that the Avs as a team received the message that they weren’t playing well, as Shattenkirk scored 1:41 in the third. The Pepsi Center came back to life and it seemed that the Avs had a chance to comeback and tie the game.

Those dreams were shattered at 9:56 when Patrice Bergeron (16) scored a goal that went off the skate of Avs defenseman John-Michael Liles.

After the fifth goal-against, many fans in the seats made their way towards the exit, knowing that the Avs were done for.

The Avs were fortunate enough to get a four-minute power-play at the end of the period when Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg hit Avs forward Ryan Stoa in the face with his stick. Sacco pulled Budaj in hopes to get a couple of goals on a six-on-four advantage. The only person taking advantage of the empty net was Marchand, as he scored his second of the game and 12^th of the year.

At the end of the game, the Avs came off the bench to huddle around Budaj to signify that everything was alright, but Budaj skated past everyone and headed into the locker room.

The Avs looked terrible all game long, even though they scored the first goal of the game and had the potential to comeback. They were flat all game long and allowed the Bruins to dictate the flow and speed of the game.

Sacco explained last year that the Avs just need to stick to their identity in order to wins games. For the past three to four games, the Avs have been anything but their identity and have not been using their speed to their advantage.  Teams are using the Avs speed to exploit their weaknesses and attack after the Avs make a mistake.

The Avs are looking miserable as they have two more games before the All-Star break. Something needs to happen to give this team a boost, as they lost forward Tomas Fleischmann for the rest of the season to a blood clot.

Peter Forsberg skated with the team today and is thinking about making another return to the NHL. Forsberg might not be the knight in shining armor to help this young team out, but he could be a catalyst to give this youthful team a boost to returning back to their true identity.

Tonight’s matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and the Nashville Predators can be summed up in four words; the Avs got dominated. The Avs lost tonight by a count of 5-1 and lost more than just the game.

It was discovered hours before the game, that Avs forward Tomas Fleischmann will miss the rest of the regular season, due to pulmonary emboli.

Prior to the game, Coach Joe Sacco had assigned T.J. Galiardi to the Lake Erie Monsters and called up forward Ryan Stoa. Stoa played on the line with Matt Duchene and Chris Stewart and came close to scoring a goal late in the second period. The Avs were already down 2-0 at this point in the game.

After the Avs had killed a penalty, they sent a flurry of shots towards Predators goalie Pekka Rinne. About halfway through the flurry, it seemed as if Stoa was able to tip a Duchene pass past Rinne. The call on the ice was a no-goal and play continued on for another thirty to forty seconds, until the Predators iced the puck. The referees called Toronto and came back with a decision that there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the call on the ice.

This was the turning point in the game, as the Avs could have come within one goal of tying the game. Instead, the second period ended with a 2-0 lead for the Predators.

The third period is when the Avs fell apart, as it only took the Predators three minutes to sneak another goal past Craig Anderson. Then, two minutes later, David Legwand sent a rocket past Anderson to extend the lead to four. Finally, with ten minutes to go in the third, Colin Wilson put the nail in the coffin as he scored on a rush from the Predators zone.

Matt Duchene was able to spoil Rinne’s shutout, as he scored his 19^th goal of the season off his own rebound.

Bottom line, the Avs were embarrassed in front of their home crowd. Whether it was due to the loss of Fleischmann or that they were just outplayed by the Predators, the Avs looked flat all game long.

Saturday afternoon doesn’t get much better as the Avs host the Boston Bruins, who have the hottest goalie in the NHL. If the Avs plan on getting back on their winning ways, they are going to have to regroup quickly.

Thursday night was suppose to be a happy and uplifting night for the Colorado Avalanche, as they finished their two-game road trip in St. Paul Minnesota. The Avs were getting two key players back in the lineup, Chris Stewart (who was out seven weeks with a broken hand) and Cody McLeod (who missed 11 games due to a groin injury). These two players were going to give a spark that this team desperately needed to get back on the winning track.

Everything was going in favor for the Avs, as they were winning 2-0 in a building they don’t have a lot of success in, and were fortunate enough to face a rookie goaltender making his second NHL start. Then the Avs were up to the task of killing a penalty against a team that knows how to score on the power-play. Only that wasn’t the scariest thing that happened on the ice during the penalty-kill for the Avs. Ryan O’Reilly was out on the ice, contributing to the penalty-kill, and then all of a sudden when crashing into the boards head first. O’Reilly was trying to poke the puck away from a Wild player, lost an edge and went into the boards and did not get up. He laid on the ice for approximately ten minutes, before he was taken out on a stretcher and sent to a local hospital. Team officials have not disclosed what the injuries are, but they say that he will be OK. Matt Duchene also Tweeted that O’Reilly will be traveling back home with the team.

Even though a beloved teammate went down and did not return to the game, there are two good things that happened for the Avs. One, the Avs were able to control their emotions and continue the strong play to secure a victory. Two, the special teams were a huge factor to the success, including strong play from goalie Craig Anderson. Although Anderson was lucky to hear the ping from the puck hitting the pipes a few times, he did play like he did last year, which helped the Avs return to the playoffs.

Despite the loss of another key member to the Avs squad, the Avs got two important players back and were able to win 4-1 in a very hostile environment. In addition to the environment, the Avs were able to overcome adversity, put their emotion in check, and play like a team that knows how to win.

It is not clear as to how long O’Reilly will be out of the lineup, but one thing is for certain; the Avs got a boost from two players that were missed dearly and Anderson is starting to regain his form in net.

Monday night, the Colorado Avalanche were able to do something that they haven’t been able to do in quite some time; win a game in regulation.

If anyone remembers the last time the Avs played the Detroit Red Wings, it was a game in which the Avs controlled every aspect of the game, expect for the penalty-kill. Although it was entertaining to see the Avs dominate a puck-controlling team, it was sad to see them have to fight back to send it to overtime.

Monday’s game was different, as the Avs scored four goals on goalie Jimmy Howard on ten shots, and then added a fifth against Joey MacDonald. All four goals-against Howard came in the first period.

At one point in the game, the Avs were leading the Red Wings by a score of 5-2. Yet, the game ended in a 5-4 victory for the Avs.

Although the Avs did secure the win, it shouldn’t have been as close of a game. What was the cause of the game being so close? The special teams.

The Avs had five opportunities to score a power-play goal, but were unsuccessful; gave the Red Wings three power-play chances, and allowed in two goals. The special teams for the Avs are horrific and are the main cause for the Avs recent slump over the past nine games.

Still, the Avs did get the win against the Red Wings, but did allow them to get back into the game, and almost send it into overtime.  Avs Coach Joe Sacco said it best; “Our special teams need to be way better.”

Now that the Avs have been able to win in regulation and get over the inability to score more than three goals in a game, they can now focus more on a dreadful penalty-kill. The power-play is ranked ninth in the NHL, but has not been scoring as much as of late.

Congrats to the Avs for beating the rival Red Wings in a thrilling game; now it is time to get back to their winning ways, something that starts on the special teams.

The Colorado Avalanche played one of their several matinee games today, as they hosted the surging New York Islanders.

Everything seemed to be going the Avs way, as it only took Milan Hejduk 45 seconds to score the first goal of the game. Then just a minute later, David Koci tipped a shot from Ryan O’Byrne, to make it a two goal game. A minute and forty five seconds into the game, the Avs were in control of the game and into the mind of rookie goaltender Kevin Poulin. Then three minutes later, the 28^th ranked penalty-kill in the NHL was sent onto the ice and asked to kill a penalty.

This was the turning point of the game, as the Avs were unable to stop the Islanders from getting a power-play goal. Power-play goals ending up being the theme for this game, as three of the Islanders’ four goals came on the power-play. Another first period power-goal would be added to the count, and then a second period power-play goal would give the Islanders the lead.

Not to discredit the Avs, as they took control of the game in the third period and sent all that they could at Poulin, including the kitchen sink. However, the rookie net minder was standing on his head in the third and was frustrating the slumping Avs. That was until four seconds were left in the game. Avs goalie Craig Anderson was pulled for the sixth-skater, and Hejduk sent a shot past Poulin, to knot the game up at three. The goal came off an interesting play, where the puck hit an Islanders player in the face, landed near Hejduk, who shot the puck off of Poulin’s shoulder and into the net.

“We tried to buzz around there and put everything on net,” said Hejduk, who hadn’t scored since returning from the groin injury. “We were hoping for some rebounds or that something would go in. Fortunately enough, I got a pretty good juicy rebound at the end. Unfortunately, we were in a situation where we had to battle back. Probably we shouldn’t be in that position, especially when we had a pretty good start.

As all great rallies do, this game went into the overtime period, where the Avs have not gone to a shootout at home this season. To keep with that tradition, the game ended in overtime, but not in favor for the Avs. Islanders forward John Tavares drove hard to the Avs net, and as he attempted to come out in front from behind the net, Avs defenseman Matt Hunwick accidentally tipped the puck up and over Anderson.

In the end, what hurt the Avs the most was not the effort they put into the game, but the penalty-kill. Allowing a team to go three out of four on the power-play will always result in a loss. The Avs penalty-kill, which ranks 30^th in the NHL on home ice, was the ultimate reason why they lost the game. Although they did end up with a point in the overtime loss, this game could have been completely different had the Islanders not been allowed three goals on the power-play.