Thursday, April 10, 2008

Overtime Joe clinches the game one show


A familiar name on the playoff score sheet once again ended an NHL overtime game, as Joe Sakic scored his eighth overtime winning goal as he led his Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild.

Sakics overtime heroics are nothing new; he is the one player that the Avs have turned to time and time again, whether in regular season action or playoff action to pick up the key goal or make the needed assist, his is an almost automatic presence that all will work out in the end.

Wednesday’s overtime thriller, came after three periods which saw the Wild outshoot the Avs by a healthy margin, but Jose Theodore continued to provide the strong play in the nets that allowed the Avs to climb back into the playoff race and secure a spot.

His play on Wednesday provided more proof that perhaps, he’s found his groove once again and may be set to help out the Avs as they make another bid for the Cup.

A second period scare brought a hush to the Excel centre crowd as the Wild's Mark Parrish went head first into the boards after a collission with the Avs Ruslan Salei, Parrish laid on the ice for ten minutes while trainers and medical officials examined him, eventually helped from ice he was taken to hospital for observations and released, though its expected he will be examined in the morning again before his status for the rest of the series is determined.

It was just one of many hits and close quarters battles that broke out during the course of the game, as the two sides made sure that any incursion into a zone, or attempt to move the play forward was greeted by someone looking to change some momentum.

In the end however, Wednesday's reviews however really had but one name to remember, Joe Sakic, once again showing why he's become on the most dependable players in the league and the one face you don't want to see in your end of the rink in overtime.

Minneapolis Star-Tribune-- Resurgent Theodore key to win
Pioneer Press-- Same old story
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NHL.com-- Stats package


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