The Monsters have had a really disappointing second half of the season here. Now there were a few games that gave me hope like the one where Sami squared off at center ice against Admirals goalie Scott Darling, and VDG had a hat trick. But the rest of the second half has been a whole bunch of fail. I’m not really sure where the blame lies, weather it be with the coach as some suggest, a lack of defense, poor netminding, all of the above, even none of the above.

The Monsters have been consistent in that their problems have been all over the place. They are like my car, fix one thing and another breaks on the drive home from the mechanic, I really need to get myself the best jump starter, my car is not an up-start!

In a season like this, the only place to look is the coach. I have a feeling that Dean Chynoweth’s days at the helm are very limited. At least the Monsters final game of the season wasn’t disappointing. Pickard did a wonderful job in the net, while the officials made quite a few questionable calls at best. I mean the puck touched the line it didn’t cross it no way that’s Grand Rapids goal should have counted.

On a brighter note, now that my itchy, ginger, playoff beard is making it’s self known. How about them Avs? Wow what a season we have had in Colorado. Between the beginning of the season where the Avalanche couldn’t lose or Semyon Varlamov breaking Roy’s win record and also facing more than 2000 during the regular season, it has been a wild ride.

Patrick Roy has done some amazing work this season. He took a team that was at the bottom of the list last year and made them one of the best in a single season. I most certainly did not expect the Avs to have ended the season with the record that they have had, and I believe that is mostly due to having a man behind the wheel who knows what he is doing.

The Avs have been amazing during the post season so far. We are only two games in so far and Nathan MacKinnon already has one goal and six assists for a total of seven points. Damn this kid has had an amazing rookie season for an 18 year old. I think we took the better draft pick with MacKinnon.

I am a little worried though. We have had and still have problems with our blue line. I mean, if I was Roy when looking at the stats that Varly has seen more than 2000 shots on goal this season I would have sat down with my d-men and told them to step up their game, and that they should not be relying on stellar goaltending alone, especially in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Follow me and my ginger playoff beard on Twitter: @LEMonster88

October this year belonged to the Colorado Avalanche, well not just October, but the season so far. As of the time of writing the Avs are 13-2-0 with 26 points and a .867 win %.

Right now based on the first 15 games of the season the Avalanche have nearly the best record in the NHL, only trailing the Ducks by 1 win. We have seen some amazing hockey coming out of Colorado this season especially in the first Avs game that I had the pleasure and torture of seeing in person, the October 21 game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, I practically chewed my fingernails off during that game.

What has been going on with the Avalanche though, last season the Avalanche couldn’t win even if their lives depended on it but this year they can’t be stopped. Is it seriously  something as simple as clearing out the old regime and installing one hand selected by Patrick Roy. Because if it is that simple, why didn’t the Avs do that sooner. Because it would have been nice to see the Avs actually have a chance last year.

Personally I like what I am seeing this year and I will not complain about it. What’s nice to see is that the Avs success so far this season has not gone to Roy’s head. He plans to take it one game at a time, like he should, and not let the team rest on their laurels.

Nathan MacKinnon: To all the naysayers out there who did not believe that the Avs choice of Nathan MacKinnon as the first overall draft pick in 2013 draft, well look at his stats so far this season.

He has played in all 14 games so far racking up 2 goals and 7 assists for a total of 9 points on the season so far. Oh and he also has a plus 5 as well.  He looks good on the ice, and he seem to be taking well to the Avalanche. He can go really far with the Avalanche organization, especially if he stays on this learning curve that he is on. Now Seth Jones has been no slouch either in his debut NHL season, and only time will tell us for sure if the Avalanche made the right choice last year, but all the signs currently point to yes.

The Battle for Cole Harbour – Round 1: A couple of weeks ago I finally got to see my first Avs game in person (thanks to one very amazing uncle who managed to get seats for the game). It just happened to be against my second favorite NHL team the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was also the first game between the two Cole Harbour first round draft picks, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby.

What a game it was. The Avs kept taking penalty after penalty and Giguere kept blocking shot after shot that the Pens took against him (he was an impenetrable wall out there and that was amazing to see). The Penguins put forth an amazing effort and by all accounts they should have won. All in all it was one of the few times that I have had to enjoy a hockey game with my family, and the better team won, unless you talk to them. Crosby in particular had a number of shots on goal, but he could not find the back of Giguere’s net. Oh and the first round of the Battle for Cole Harbour goes to Nathan MacKinnon.

Semyon Varlamov: With all the good there has to be some bad. On October 30th, Semyon Varlamov turned himself into the Denver Police after a warrant was issued for his arrest. The warrant was for charges of kidnapping and assault.

According to the accusations against him, he had stomped on her and dragged her by her hair in a drunken rage leading to the young woman becoming unconscious. What I have not seen any evidence of is the kidnapping charge. He was arraigned the next morning and a low bond of $5000.00 was set, and he has been allowed to travel out of the state until trial. To me this seems to suggest that the system is actually working the way it is supposed and that Varlamov is being considered innocent until proven guilty.

What’s odd is that some Russians believe that this is a stunt by nefarious interests to ruin their chances at winning gold at the Sochi Olympics. To the Russian officials who said that, it is not an American government conspiracy, it is the State of Colorado that is charging him, and since the State of Colorado does not actually have any say in the Olympics I call BS on that. Some are saying that this is just a ploy for Varlamov’s girlfriend to take advantage of American laws. Personally, I am following the example of Roy and standing behind Varly until he has his day in court.

Patrick Bordeleau: As everyone knows I have a crush on a certain French-Canadian left wing enforcer who plays for the Avalanche.

And while I was happy to see that he was re-signed over the summer, but after seeing the new rules that are limiting the role of the enforcer, this does not bode well for Patrick Bordeleau.

I think that the team and him will have to work on transitioning him from a primary role of an enforcer to one of a goal producing forward. He has the talent, but he needs time on the ice to be able to develop those skills.  Otherwise the Avalanche have a player taking up more of the salary cap then they are worth. Hopefully Roy sees the value that Bordy can bring to the team if they can transition his primary role.

So after having an amazing Avstober what will November have in store for the boys in Colorado. Go AVS!!!

AHL UPDATE–My Lake Erie Monsters who are a game below .500 with a record of 5-6-0 (Mostly because we keep playing Calvin Pickard, gggggggrrrrrrrrrrr. And a much deserved congrats to the Utica Comets who had their first ever franchise win November 8th.)

Hockey Day in America might be our new fave holiday.  A Caps win followed by losses for the filthy Rangers and loathesome Penguins. How does it get better than that?  Well, a day off work and a salute to our former presidents for starters. 

Hail to the Chiefs: Debora Robinson - Getty

And then maybe a thrashing of those flightless and listless birds later tonight.

The Sabre game was a nail-biter (of course it was) but mostly satisfying. The PP worked, our boys were mostly agressive for the full sixty and MP85 and MJ90 lit the lamp. 

Photo: Don Heupel - AP

A flash of the old Alex set one of those up – he was swarmed by three Sabres and still got off a great shot, leaving M&M to pick up the loose change and score.

Photo: Rick Stewart - Getty

A great effort by those three guys was trumped by our fave Russian Machine, Number 1 on the ice and Number 1 in our hearts: The Varlmonster:

Photo: Don Heupel - AP

Photo: Don Heupel - AP

Photo: Don Heupel - AP

We’ve got some wind at our backs (a slight breeze) and both us and the Pens are faced with back-to-back games. They are still short-handed with Sidney and Geno out, and we seem to play great against them.

We couldn’t help but notice the facial contortions of Coach Dan “Mr. Personality” Bylsma, on the bench yesterday as time was winding down and a loss to the Hawks was evident.  Let’s give this joker and his team a few other reasons to grimace this evening.

 “Paging Matt Cooke – white courtesy phone, Matt Cooke, a Mr. Matt Hendrinks is holding for you…”

Deadline, what deadline?  As we’ve said before, we’re happy to yield the first round of reporting to our colleagues, who, like the Politico, will win the morning.  We’re happy just to play for a tie in the afternoon.

You get what you pay for:  We took the game in at Verizon, from the cheap seats in 428.  We’re used to seeing the Caps play just 20 of a 60 minute game, but we’re used to seeing a third period big effort rather than one in the first. 

Caps up 2-0, one goal via a PP?  I asked PB Doug what was up with that. “Do the Habs kinda suck or are they just playing like the Caps normally do in the first period?” 

The answer came soon enough.  We played craptacular hockey for the following 40.

Day-Tripping:  MP85 did it again.  He shows up in town and he lights up the board and the team. 

Maybe, just maybe, Coach Boudreau and GM2 should think about cycling other members of the team to Hershey and bring them back 24 hours later.

No Laichy:  Six penalties and a costly Carlson mistake may have helped the Habs more than anything else.  Just two goals, courtesy of Brian Gionta, is all that the stinkin’ Habs needed to tie the game.  Locker’s words from a few weeks back still haunt us, “Good teams take advantage of mistakes.” 

THE Russian Machine:  Varly.  Again, the man.

Jamie Squire/Getty

He stopped 34 of 36 and kept the outshot Caps from being outscored more than they were.  

OTs and SOs suck for us, but at least Varly got us there and stretched the night a little longer. 

We love his colleague Neuvy, but who’s Number One in the net?  You even have to ask?

Because we like aviation video:

Always look on the bright Side of Life:  The PKs were flawless.  Oh, and we scored a PP, too.  That two minute skirmish looked like another missed opportunity until Knuble was the right man in the right place at the right time.

Kid Dino-Mite: It was Dino night at Verizon and the newly inducted Hall of Famer dropped the ceremonial puck. 

Maybe we should’ve sent him to the dressing room right after to suit up. 

We sure could’ve used that feisty guy last night.

Robot Chicken: Dino wasn’t the only old-timer returning to the ice last night.  Slap Shot 1.0, Winger, made his less than triumphant comeback, too. The years have treated Dino very well, but with Winger, not so much. 

He appeared so slow and flat-footed, we thought he was playing on one of the second period lines. 

We knew it wasn’t going well when we saw him wrestle burritos and Papa Johns from some of the fans in 117.

Clyde has the best pic of Winger’s return and a spectacular shot of Alex launching Subban.

Sasquatch SashaWatch:  While pushing the countless Mike Green lady fans out of our way during the warm-ups last night, we’d hoped to see the 28 blazing around the rink.  No luck.

Sasha in the lineup was a game night decision, and the decision was no. 

He’s was back on the ice at Kettler this morning and maybe, just maybe, Sasha finally unleashes his pent up fury on the Bolts Friday night. 

Teams we hate: Another Bolts win last night.  Of course they did.  And they have us dead in their sites for Friday night on their home ice – part of their 20 game home stand.  Then it’s Super Sunday and THOSE guys again.  If there was ever a week for things to start clicking with the Caps, now is the time.

Patriotism:  I’m actually starting to like the Canadian National Anthem, but wonder where the missing “Oh’s!” are. 

Chalk it up to Bob McDonald.  That dude has some pipes.  So much so that he can fill Verizon without a mic we bet.

That’s a Wrap:  A nod to that Howard Hawks classic:

“You know you don’t have to act with me, Steve.

You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve?

You just put your lips together and… blow.”

We know how to blow. 

We learned how watching the Caps 2nd and 3rd periods last night. 

Alex and Varly are ready for their close ups Mr. Demille. 

What a week for the Caps. And what a season for DC’s two Boys in the Pipes- Semyon Varlamov and Michael Neuvirth.

Photo courtesy The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

First Neuvirth, our 22-year-old Czech import, was called up from the Hershey Bears to fill for an injured Varlamov – and he doesn’t just excel, he wins October Rookie of the Month.  It’s been a thrill watching this kid respond to some of the shellings he’s received and rarely get psyched out of his cup. And we confess, we’ve always had a certain fondness for various Czech imports.  We’re talking about the beer, Marys.

And now today the other half of our Net team, Semyon Varlamov is named the NHL’s first Star of the Week…this less than two weeks after more or less returning to the ice following what may by a Neuvirth injury.  It’s been a hell of a holiday season for the big Russian (though no less of a kid than Neuvirth) with one shut-out against Montreal, followed of course by his star-making performance at Heinz Field.

Everyone on the team is crucial – we’ve seen what lapsed defense can mean for the score.  But the goalies have it extra…and these two guys have had moments where they’re dazzling.  Whatever your leg workout regimen boys, keep it up.

And we just can’t pass by another shot at Russian-hater Don Cherry.  He may turn up his nose, but in our eyes the Caps European delegation has more than shown their value.  (Now if we can just get Sasha on the board again…)