The Avalanche has participated in two shootouts so far this season. But the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Joe Sakic, has yet to get a shot.
Sakic has been designated the third shooter in shootouts, but each time, he has failed to get a chance as the Avs already had lost by the time it was his turn. Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars was the latest case.
Avs coach Joel Quenneville said he may change the order. Legendary former coach Scotty Bowman said recently he would always have his best shooter go first, and Quenneville may be coming around to that school of thought.
“We’ll definitely (revisit) the order as we move forward,” Quenneville said.
For his part, Sakic is not upset with his place in the order.
“I don’t mind being third,” he said. “If I had my choice, I’d be third. If it gets there, you decide it one way or the other. If it doesn’t get to you, chances are you weren’t going to win it anyway.”
The Avs used Milan Hejduk then Alex Tanguay, but they were stopped on excellent saves by Marty Turco.
Footnotes
Bob Boughner and Kurt Sauer were the healthy scratches for Colorado. … Quenneville did not play his fourth line much. Forwards Brad May and Brett McLean failed to play more than six minutes. … The Avs won 60 percent of the game’s faceoffs (34-for-57). … May is no longer getting booed by the Pepsi Center fans. …The Avs awarded the first of 10 major prizes Saturday night to a fan. Eugene Coppola of Lone Tree won a 65-inch television between the first and second periods.
