Colorado Avalanche Stumble into Playoffs, Set to Face the San Jose Sharks

After a disastrous final 12 games in which they only won three times, the Colorado Avalanche accomplished their goal of making the playoffs, finishing eighth in the Western Conference with 95 points.

Colorado will not play until Wednesday or Thursday and their first round opponent was determined to be the San Jose Sharks, after a Chicago overtime loss to Detroit secured the Sharks position atop the Western Conference.

The four-game season series was split, with both teams winning twice.

Keys to the series for both teams with be goaltending. Yes, that seems to be the key to every series, but in this case holds especially true.

The Avalanche are a young, unproven team who are over matched both offensively and defensively by the Sharks. To have any slim chance of beating the Sharks (and believe me, it's slim), it'll be because Craig Anderson stonewalled the Sharks.

He's been the biggest reason the Avalanche are where they are and judging by the fact that he was the only goaltender to have over 2,000 saves this year, I don't think Foote and company are going to be able to shut down the Marleau—Thornton—Heatley line, one of the best in the NHL.

At the other end, Nabokov has to be better than he has been in previous years. Two years ago he was spotty in a longer-than-needed seven game first round series against the seventh seeded Flames and last year he was flat out awful when the Sharks got stunned by the eighth seeded Ducks (mostly because Jonas Hiller stopped 95 pecent of the pucks the Sharks threw at him).

Nabokov is on the heels of another 40+ win season and his contract expires this summer. If the Sharks lose this series, his days are likely numbered in the capital of Silicon Valley.

Nevertheless, this will be an interesting series.

The young guns trying to make a name for themselves versus the seasoned veterans trying to prove they won't need the Heimlich maneuver this April.

Lake Erie Monsters Miss the Playoffs

For the third season in a row (and in their existence), the Colorado Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, missed the playoffs.

The Monsters had their best season to date, finishing with 77 points, but still finished next to last in their division. 

The Monsters added several NCAA players to their roster in their final games, but the effort was too little too late, as goaltending injuries and losing key players to NHL call-ups put the Monsters in a tough position.

The key contributors for the Monsters this season were T.J. Hensick (70 points), Darren Haydar (64 points),and Tyler Weiman (21 wins).

Kevin Shattenkirk, considered by many to be the Avalanche top prospect, notched two assists and score two shoot-out goals in his three game stint with the club.