Avalanche fans who want tickets for the second round of the playoffs still can get them – at face value, no less.
“We have about 1,500 per game still left,” said Paul Andrews, vice president of marketing at Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
Tickets are available for Games 3, 4 and possibly Game 6 at the Pepsi Center. The Avalanche will play either the San Jose Sharks or the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, with the first two games on the road. If Calgary beats Anaheim tonight, the Avs will play San Jose. If Anaheim wins, the Avs will play the Mighty Ducks.
Andrews said the number of available seats is typical at this stage.
“It’s usually like that until people know the exact time and opponent, which we don’t yet,” Andrews said. “But I think people are even more excited to go into Round 2 than past years, because this was a No. 7 team versus a No. 2 team (Dallas) in the first round. Based on the calls and e-mails we’re getting, people are very excited about this Avs team.”
Andrews said the Avalanche already is selling season tickets for next season. A $200 per seat deposit is required, and a few hundred seats are available.
“What we’re doing, basically, is filling in spots from the (NHL) work stoppage (of last season),” Andrews said. “We’ll have some seats to fill in this summer as well probably.”
TV time
With the Avs getting another day off, defenseman John-Michael Liles passed some of his time appearing on ESPN’s “Hot List.”
Liles mentioned that the last two days off helped heal some “bumps and bruises” of several teammates.
“It’s a good break for us, mentally and physically,” Liles said.
Vindication
Avs veteran Dan Hinote said there is a feeling of vindication for some players after many pundits said the team would be on the decline with the departures of stars Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote and Paul Kariya.
“We knew we still had a very good team here,” Hinote said. “A lot of people probably overlooked us because we lost some very good players. But it gave some other guys a chance to fill the void.”
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
