DENVER—A year ago, a scenario where the Colorado Avalanche might have first-round home ice advantage seemed impossible.
This year, the Avs have clinched a spot and find themselves two points behind Minnesota for the first place in the Northwest Division. It’s a long shot, but winning home ice advantage would still mean the Avs will have to play their first two playoff games on the road because the Pepsi Center is hosting the NCAA Frozen Four on April 10-12.
“Six years ago when we were negotiating about the possibility of our building hosting this tournament, back then the season started a little later and ended a little later,” general manager Francois Giguere said. “Our intention at that time was that we would probably have to finish the regular season on the road.”
Instead, the 2007-08 regular season started earlier and will end earlier. This raised a conflict with the Frozen Four coming to town and the possibility the Avalanche would open the playoffs at home.
“We sat down with the people from the NHL to look at the scenario of what would happen if we would gain home ice advantage with our building not being available for four or five days,” Giguere said. “The league assured that we would maintain our home ice advantage in the playoffs.”
For the division title and home ice advantage, Calgary would have had to win in regulation Thursday in Minnesota and Vancouver would have to beat Calgary Saturday night. Then the Avs would have to win Sunday against Minnesota.
Colorado had to deal with a similar situation in their opening playoff series in 1999 against San Jose. Holding home ice advantage, the first two games of the series with the Sharks were played in San Jose because of the Columbine High School shootings.
The Avalanche didn’t let the risk of losing momentum bother them. Colorado beat the Sharks twice in San Jose and won the series 4-2.
“We figure it would be similar to what happened with San Jose in 1999,” Giguere said of a 2-3-1-1 arrangement. “That is what our intentions are, but we need to sit down with the NHL and look at that.”
“Out of superstition we kind of kept away from that right now,” he said.
Giguere refused to comment on the status of coach Joel Quenneville. Quenneville does not have a contract beyond this season.
“It’s always been my policy not to discuss anything when it comes to negotiations with the management,” Giguere said. “When the season gets over we are going to sit down and evaluate all of our guys, the coaches and the players. I’m not in the position where I want to discuss those things.”
