Dater’s NHL Daily: It’s Cold, But Avalanche Heating Up

A good Thursday to all. I hope everybody made it home safe last night, from the game. When I drove home from the Avalanche game at Ball Arena, I couldn’t see much more than a few feet in front of the car. The roads were icy and packed with snow. Glad I made it. I trust you did too. I think today is going to be a day of rest. Probably won’t be more on the site than this. Then again, I might write two or three new stories, you never know.

Let’s do some notes, quotes, links and observations:

• The Avalanche made it through the five-game homestand with a 4-1-0 record. Eight out of a possible 10 points? That works.
• What was the view from Montreal after that game tonight with the Avalanche? It’s right here (Montreal Hockey Now)
• I drive really slow in snow and ice now. Why? It stems from 2001, on a road trip. I was driving to Boston from New Hampshire, to cover Ray Bourque’s first game back. I was driving only about 40 mph or so on I-93 South, near Contoocook, N.H. I hit a patch of black ice underneath the snow. Next thing I knew, I was sideways, heading down off the interstate and down an embankment. The car flipped over. I landed upside down, in the snow. I had to drop to the ceiling of the car, unhitching my seat belt, and tunneled my way out the window through the snow. The other side of the car was badly dented in. Somehow, I escaped with only a sprained wrist. It was everything you have ever heard about with this kind of thing. Things flash before your eyes. Things slow down. Yet, it all happens so fast too. I didn’t like it, don’t want to go through that again.
• Bad news for the Florida Panthers, with regard to a veteran player (Florida Hockey Now)
• The first-place Dallas Stars didn’t have a good night at home against the Oilers. The story from Big D (Dallas Hockey Now)
• Pittsburgh’s power-play success revealed (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• Because it’s Christmas: get 33% off a new yearly subscription to Colorado Hockey Now. Just use promo code word prince in easy checkout box and price will drop from $29.99 to $19.99. (Easy checkout box)
• My book, “Blood Feud”, can still arrive in time for Christmas (Amazon)
• Charles Hudon scored a couple goals and Jonas Johansson stopped 31-of-34 shots to lead the Colorado Eagles to a 4-3 win last night over Bakersfield (Colorado Eagles)
• Jim Montgomery, coach of the Bruins, had some praise for Cale Makar over his sportsmanship episode the other night (Boston Hockey Now)
• Cal Clutterbuck is now sidelined (NYI Hockey Now)
• Not everyone is a critic right now of John Tortorella in Philadelphia (Philly Hockey Now)