Calgary – Rob Blake keeps getting closer to zero, which is a good thing for the Avalanche.
The veteran Avalanche defenseman had a plus-minus rating in the negative double figures not long ago. For a stretch, he had the worst minus number in the NHL.
But after Monday’s game against the Calgary Flames, Blake had it down to a minus-3, and is playing perhaps his best hockey of the season. He is a plus-7 in his past seven games, and he was one of the better players on the ice in a 4-3 loss to the Flames.
Blake just shrugged, however, when asked if he is playing his best hockey of the season.
“It’s just the way it bounces,” Blake said. “There’s been nothing different. That’s just the way she goes once in a while.”
Blake’s minutes have been scaled back slightly since the resumption of NHL play after the Olympics. He played 22 minutes, 22 seconds on Monday night, down from the usual 25 or 26 previously.
Blake likely will see his usual minutes after the Avs finish a six-day break in the schedule.
As Sakic goes …
When Joe Sakic scores, good things usually happen for the Avalanche.
After the loss to Calgary, in which he scored, Colorado carried a 14-4-2 record when Sakic finds the net.
Footnotes
Entering the game, only one NHL player (Joe Thornton) had more assists since 2003-04 than Colorado’s Alex Tanguay. Thornton had 117 assists to Tanguay’s 101. … The Avs did not score in the first period. Colorado entered the game leading the NHL in first-period goals with 82. … Cody McCormick and Brad Richardson were the lone healthy scratches for Colorado. Bob Boughner was inserted into the lineup and played some on a line with Pierre Turgeon and Antti Laaksonen. … The Avs will not practice today or Wednesday. … Flames veteran Tony Amonte thought he should have been awarded a goal in the first period, but video replays were inconclusive.
