Edmonton, Alberta – The Avalanche is usually in a hurry to get out of this city in the cold Canadian Northwest. The Edmonton Oilers haven’t always been the most hospitable of hosts, and today’s modern era means the Avs usually are 30,000 feet in the air an hour after a game.
But the Avs get to play again against the Oilers at Rexall Place on Friday night, and would probably love to play every game the rest of the season there if they could.
The Avs are back within four points of a playoff spot after crushing the Oilers 5-1 on Wednesday night, extending their points streak to 10 games (9-0-1). Tyler Arnason, who previously had a three-point game this season at Edmonton, had three assists – two on goals by Ian Laperriere – in Colorado’s third straight victory in Edmonton.
“It took a little bit longer, chemistry-wise, for us to jell as a team,” Laperriere said. “We had some new faces, and sometimes it takes time, but right now I really like how we approach games, and tonight we came out with the kind of start we needed.”
Right now, the Oilers are Johnny Carson bad. The late comic legend would have had a nice punch line or two after being asked by his audience, “How bad are they?”
It was Edmonton’s 12th consecutive loss. As one longtime Oilers beat writer said in the press box when the Avs built a 5-0 lead and could have had a much bigger one if not for some just-misses, “It’s gone from tragic to comic around here.”
“But these are the kinds of games you worry a little bit about,” said Arnason, whose behind-the-net, backhand pass leading to Laperriere’s second goal was a beauty. “But we took care of business. We played the game we had to play. We didn’t give them too many chances the first two periods.”
Indeed, the Avs were in no mood for mercy. They came out blazing, putting 12 shots on Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson in the first 5:54, with goals from Laperriere and Joe Sakic. Oilers coach Craig MacTavish called a timeout and spent much of the two minutes gesturing wildly with his arms at his troops. It did little good.
The Avs had a 5-0 cushion entering the third period after goals from Laperriere, John-Michael Liles and Brett Clark. Goalie Peter Budaj lost the shutout when the Avs had a rare defensive lapse and allowed a short-handed goal midway through the period. But otherwise the game was a breeze, and now the Avs get the same injury-ravaged, playing-out-the-string team again Friday.
“We know they’ll come out harder Friday night,” said Avs winger Andrew Brunette, who had two assists and has at least two points in his last four games. “They’ve got a tremendous amount of pride in the sweater they wear, and in some ways it’s an even more (dangerous) game for us, so we have to be ready.”
MacTavish took no questions after the game. He simply delivered a short statement to the press.
“It’s disappointing, on a lot of levels, for this to happen on fan appreciation night,” MacTavish said. “We got schooled tonight by a team that’s playing very well right now.”
Staff writer Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com.
