February 12, 2010 - Coyotes at Avalanche

Friday nights at the Pepsi Center really are the best. Especially when the Av's win. I read things on the hockey blogs words blasting the Av's like (regarding today's game at L.A.): "A win by the Avalanche would move them into 3rd and guarantee them at least 5th place over the break. Certainly, the effort will need to be better than it has been for that to happen.". Dater did not post anything on this one, but I am sure he would have blasted the way they played until the 3rd period, when they caught up and scored the game winner.

Phoenix Coyotes left wing Vernon Fiddler (38) crashes into Colorado Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson (41) as the puck flies through the air in a clowd of snow during a regular season game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Phoenix Coyotes at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche beat the Coyotes 2-1 in regulation.

Duchene scored both goals, but both were opposite end of the ice from me... so I didn't get action on the goals. Here's a celebration pic. I did catch some really decent action at my end.

Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Clark (5) celebrate a goal (Duchene's 2nd goal on the night, and Clark with the 1st assist).

This was the last Av's home game before the Olympic break. Next up: Red Wings on March 1st. Should be a good one.

February 10, 2010 - Thrashers at Avalanche

Crazy comeback. The Av's flipped their script for this one by coming back from a 3-1 deficit early in the 3rd period, to an OT win. The first image is of the celebration of the OT win, which was significant in a couple ways - it was the Av's first OT "sudden victory" win of the year, and was the fastest in franchise history, coming at :09 of the 5-minute period. Plus, it was awesome.


Colorado Avalanche defenseman Kyle Cumiskey is lifted into the air by teammate Scott Hannan as Chris Stewart (25) and Paul Stastny celebrate Cumiskey's game winner during a regular season game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Atlanta Thrashers at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche beat the Trashers 4-3, with the game winning goal coming 9 seconds into the sudden victory overtime period.

24 year old Paul Stastny is headed to the Olympics as part of the US olympic team.

February 8, 2010 - Blues at Avalanche

A nice win for the Av's. They blew the game open in the 2nd period, and the final score was 5-2.

Here's Olympian Paul Stastny showing happiness after a nice goal.



Key enforcer David Koci busted his hand pretty bad in an early fight. With him unavailable in the 2nd period, power forward Chris Stewart policed the ice. His opponent, B.J. Crombeen, is apparently a Denver native.

February 6, 2010 - Oilers at Avalanche

Nice, balanced image of young defenseman Kyle Cumiskey.



The Av's have beaten the Oilers by a score of 9-0 in their last two contests in Denver. Not much else to say.

An interesting picture I took in 2003 or 2004.

February 5, 2010 - A top baseball image from the 2009 season - Dexter Fowler demonstrating style and grace on the basepath

February 2, 2010 - Blue Jackets at Avalanche

Besides the slow start and relatively tame 1st period, this was a fun game to be at. These ladies were having fun at least. The Pepsi Center was pretty empty, with entire sections of the upper levels nearly empty. I still found some fans to photograph.


The rookies led the charge, with Brandon Yip (pictured) and Ryan O'Reilly each scoring two goals. T.J. Galiardi (also pictured below) had assists on 4 of the 5 goals the Av's scored. Even the single goal scored by the BJ's was a beauty, and short-handed as well. Here, Yip and Galiardi celebrate what would turn out to be the winning goal in the 5-1 victory.


The only real star player on the Blue Jackets is Rick Nash, so I followed him with my lens. Here, he is stuffed by an Av's defender as he falls to the ice after taking a shot. Nash did have the assist on the BJ's goal.

Thanks for looking!

January 31, 2010 - Rangers at Avalanche

Av's loss, but a good game to be at. Rangers star Marion Gaborik had a hat trick, and since about 1/3 of the fans were Rangers fans, he even got a couple dozen hats thrown on the ice. Here's a shot of his 3rd goal, where he beat Kyle Quincey in a one-on-one break, fell, and slid past Av's goalie Craig Anderson before smashing into the back boards and being mauled by teammates.



Here's a shot of some of the hats thrown.