"It's the Hope That Kills"

Dallas dominant in Denver, taking down the Avs, 7-4

“The Avalanche selected forward Alex Tanguay with the 12th overall pick in the 1998 NHL Draft.”

That has nothing to do with Sunday night’s 7-4 loss to the Dallas Stars, it was just the fact on my Colorado Avalanche daily calendar. It was also a reminder of simpler times and a player who brought joy during my childhood. 

That was needed today as last night’s game brought no joy after Sean Walker’s first-period goal. What followed that was a disjointed, lackluster and frustrating effort from a team in need of a solid effort. 

Welcoming in a team you’re chasing down for the division title should have been enough motivation for you. It wasn’t. Taking on a team you’ve already bested in all three previous meetings this season should have given you confidence. It didn’t. Playing a team that flew into the Mile High City earlier in the day following a game the previous afternoon should have given the Avs the advantage of rest and routine. Somehow… it didn’t.

And the result of all those failures was a 7-4 Dallas win in Denver to a national audience on ESPN… albeit at 10 p.m. Eastern.