AVALANCHE BRIEFS
was hired as Avalanche coach in part because general manager liked what he heard as Bednar outlined his push-the-pace system.
But with Colorado likely to finish the calendar year with the fewest points in the 30-team NHL, it seems fair to say it isn’t working with this team. The Avalanche’s 6-0 loss to Toronto Thursday was Colorado’s seventh shutout defeat of the season and the Avs have the fewest goals in the NHL. Plus, Colorado has been plagued by errors leading to odd-man rushes the other way.
On Thursday morning, Bednar said he isn’t backing off.
“There’s only one way to really play the game,” Bednar said after the morning skate. “You have to be able to play fast. No one in the league is trying to slow the game down. No one in the league is trying to tip-toe around the perimeter. Now, there’s a handful of different systems guys use, they’re mix and mash around the league. But you have to find a way to execute them and play with pace, play faster and get to the dirty areas to score goals. And then you need your guys to make plays in certain areas.
“So it’s not like my system is so much different than everyone else’s. It’s a system that the teams that win have found a way, whether it’s through their execution, their pace, they’re one step ahead in the thought process, they’ve got some speedy eyes … whatever it is, they’ve found a way to play fast and be tenacious on pucks. No one’s trying to sit back in this league. You have to find a way to get quicker and quicker every day, every week, every year.”
Scratched. The Avalanche injury list now has only one name — , who is out with a broken fibula. The healthy scratches against the Maple Leafs were forward and defenseman .
Breaks. Perhaps a break — or two or three — will do the Avalanche some good.
The NHL collective bargaining agreement calls for a three-day Christmas shutdown Saturday through Monday, with neither practices nor games allowed, and then the Avalanche faces Calgary at home Tuesday night.
Then in a new arrangement that was part of gaining NHLPA approval for the overhaul of the All-Star Game format, making it a 3-on-3 tournament of teams from the four divisions, each team has a five-day bye window in January or February. The Avalanche’s is Jan. 7-11, with only a practice after 4 p.m. permitted on the final day because Colorado plays Anaheim at home Jan. 12. If a team doesn’t play on the day after the bye window, it can’t practice on the fifth day.
The All-Star Game is Jan. 29 in Los Angeles and the Avalanche doesn’t play between a Jan. 25 home game against Vancouver and a Jan. 31 game at Anaheim.
