No. 4 CC 4, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (final)

Whoever uses the “Richard Bachman is a freshman” argument to deny him of post-season accolades would be a fool. Among his many accomplishments this season, Bachman became the first CC goaltender to shutout a series on the road Saturday, when he saved 29 shots in the Tigers’ 4-0 win over Duluth. Bachman ranks first in the nation in both goals against average (1.71) and save percentage (.935).

But as Bachman himself pointed out after the game, he had some help.

“I thought tonight the team played very well,” Bachman said. “I didn’t think they had too many grade-A shots. Even compared to last night, I thought our ‘d’ stepped up bigger, so that really helped a lot. …They did their job, which enabled me to do mine.”

Several of Tigers’ defensemen also played their best series of the season.
–Senior Jack Hillen, who had three assists Saturday, was mentioned several times among press-box members as the following: “best player on the ice,” “first-team All-America” and “best defenseman in the league.”
Duluth coach Scott Sandelin agreed after the game. “I like the way Jack Hillen plays,” Sandelin said. “He’s arguably one of the top defensemen in the league. Some people might not like the way he plays, but I do. He’s involved a lot in the play. I like his skating ability and he sees the ice.” Hillen, who leads WCHA defensemen in scoring and is tied for second nationally in that category, now has 28 points (3 goals, 25 assists), making him one of the top-scoring defensemen in recent CC history. (He needs 12 points to draw even with Brian Salcido, who had 40 points in the 2005-06 season.)
–Coach Scott Owens mentioned the series as Kris Fredheim‘s best in 2008.
–I can’t begin to list the number of key blocked shots by the defensemen or the odd-man rushes they thwarted, but Nate Prosser, Brian Connelly, Ryan Lowery and Jake Gannon all did an excellent job of keeping the play to the perimeter and chipping the puck up, off the glass, and out of the zone.
–Team defense was also at a premium. The ability of the Tigers’ forwards to keep the puck in the offensive zone could only be topped by that of the Clarkson series, but CC had more depth to work with that weekend.

**I didn’t get a chance to speak with him in the hustle and bustle that occurs after a game, but I spotted left wing Addison DeBoer (shoulder) with his left arm in a sling. I’ll catch up with him this week.

No. 4 CC 3, No. 13 Minnesota-Duluth 0 (end of 2nd period)

The second period was much more defensive. CC struggled to maintain pressure in the zone, both on even strength and on the power play. But with the clock winding down on the Tigers’ second power play of the period, defenseman Brian Connelly sent a pass across the top to defenseman Jack Hillen, who again set up a one-timer for center Chad Rau.
Goaltender Richard Bachman’s shutout streak over the Bulldogs extended to 177 minutes, 46 seconds, but could have seen its end when the puck took a strange bounce off the back wall at 12:20 of the second. Just as Bachman went to retrieve the puck, it bounced back into the slot, but defenseman Ryan Lowery managed to get there in time.

Gameday: No. 3 CC 3, St. Cloud State 1 (final)

Final thoughts:

1. If you didn’t catch Friday’s article on CC’s penalty kill, it might be worth a read (“Treads realign CC’s play”). The Tigers’ penalty kill was phenomenal tonight, holding St. Cloud State to just one goal on 10 shots in eight power plays. The Huskies entered the game clicking at 22.8 percent (21 of 92), but that dropped to 22 percent (22 of 100) after Friday.Of course, goaltender Richard Bachman deserves a lot of credit, but the forwards — especially Scott Thauwald, Chad Rau and Scott McCulloch — did a stand-out job possessing the puck when they took it away from the Huskies’ power play. All of the defensemen kept St. Cloud State off of Bachman’s pads and combined for several takeaways in the slot. Impressive.

2. Speaking of McCulloch, it was good to see him score for the first time since Nov. 3 against North Dakota. The senior left wing and alternate captain has been doing so many positive things while playing on the third line, but scoring hasn’t been one of them. Coach Scott Owens has repeatedly praised McCulloch’s defensive efforts and leadership this season. In three of the Tigers’ four losses — all of which came on the road — that third goal proved elusive. It was a big goal.

“I’ve been focusing on getting chances,” McCulloch said. “When the chances stop coming, that’s when you have to start worrying. I think just focusing on that and helping the team win in other ways is what has kept me going and just kept me in a positive mind-frame. I don’t think being negative around the guys would help me any or help us win.”

3. As I said below after the first period, the defensemen really established themselves early. St. Cloud State only scored once and did not score on even strength for a reason.

“They have a few high-end skill guys that we had in mind,” defenseman Ryan Lowery said. “Our goal was to knock them around and knock them in. Collectively, as a D-corps, I think we did that pretty well. I would say it was a goal coming into the weekend.”

When asked if the defensemen contributing two of the Tigers’ three goals was a result of aggression or luck, Lowery grinned as he threw out some fighting words: “Actually, this week in practice, the D-corps was winning all of the small games, so it carried over into tonight.”

Lowery is referring to competitions throughout practice that pit the defensemen against the forwards. And, yes, the defensemen were cleaning up this week.

After a period:
1. Defensemen making the difference. Nate Prosser and Ryan Lowery each had first-period goals. In their defensive zone, the Tigers are forcing St. Cloud State to take outside shots and the defensemen established a physical presence early.
2. So much for least penalized team. St. Cloud State took three first-period penalties. Perhaps coach Bob Motzko thought the Huskies weren’t playing aggressive enough during their five-game losing streak.
3. Strong start. Any worries of rust after the bye week looked misplaced during the first-period effort from CC. The Tigers outshot St. Cloud State 13-6, converted on one of their three power plays and generated plenty of short-handed offense out of their penalty kill.

Three thoughts:
1. Crash the net. Last season, the Huskies had proven goaltender Bobby Goepfert in net. Tonight, St. Cloud State has freshman B.J. O’Brien, who has played in just one game this season. Because St. Cloud State is the least penalized team in the nation, averaging just 9.4 penalty minutes per game, the Tigers can’t expect to get many power-play opportunities and will need to do their damage in even-strength situations.
2. Stop the Viennese twins. One is from Vienna, Austria, the other is from Vienna, Va., but sophomore Andreas Nodl and freshman Garrett Roe both have the offensive skill to change a game. Look for the Vlassopoulos line to be given the task of neutralizing Roe’s line.
3. Rusty? CC players and coaches alike felt good about their preparation for tonight’s game during the past two weeks. Will the Tigers pick up where they left off after Alaska-Anchorage? Or will they take a period or more to get back into the rhythm of WCHA play?

Ice chips:
**CC alum and former radio color commentator Jim Paradise will be joining Ken Landau on the call tonight on 103.9 FM.
**Scouts from Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils are in attendance.

Lines:
Colorado College
10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–5 DeBoer
26 McCulloch–22 Walsky–25 Testwuide
2 Lampl–17 Johnson–28 Schultz

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
11 Connelly–24 Lowery

30 Bachman
31 O’Connell

Healthy scratches: Brett Wysopal and Brian McMillin
Did not travel: Derek Patrosso (ankle), Dan Quilico, Matt Overman, Tyler O’Brien

St. Cloud State
27 Mosey–13 Dey–19 Lasch
12 Nodl–9 Roe–10 Hartman
21 Brocklehurst–17 Marvin–18 Volpei
22 Borgen–8 Olson–15 Oslund

26 Swanson–24 Stephenson
28 Carlisle–7 Raboin
6 Barta–2 Ammerman

30 O’Brien
33 Weslosky
41 Dunn

Referees: Derek Shepherd and Marco Hunt
Linesmen: Jonathon Morrison, Tony Czech

Game day: No. 4 CC 4, Alaska-Anchorage 1 (final)

Three thoughts:
1. The Tigers must be more determined about getting shots on net. Last night’s total of 16 simply isn’t enough. CC was outshot 46-36 overall with the breakdown like this:
–Shots blocked by defense: CC 10, UAA 12
–Shots off target: CC 9, UAA 6
–Pipes: CC 1, UAA 0
–Shots on target: CC 16, UAA 28
How CC fared Saturday: The Tigers were outshot 25-23. Early in the game, Anchorage was doing a great job of blocking shots, especially from CC’s defensemen. But the game opened up once the Seawolves scored and the defensemen started to change the shooting angle. CC ended up taking 52 shots total to Anchorage’s 42.
The breakdown:
–Shots blocked by defense: CC 17, UAA 10
–Shots off target: CC 10, UAA, 7
–Pipes: CC 2, UAA 0
–Shots on target: CC 23, UAA 25

2. Anchorage came off of a bye week. CC is heading into one. Who wants it more?
How CC fared: The Tigers got great goaltending from Drew O’Connell Friday and Richard Bachman Saturday. The pair combined to hold Anchorage by saving 52 of 53 shots. CC allowed its first power-play goal since Nov. 2, but has killed 34 of the last 35 penalties. The power play, thanks to opportunistic play from the Kilpatrick-Rau-McCulloch-Connelly-Lampl group, regained its somewhat shaky footing with two goals Saturday. All in all, CC gained some confidence heading into its next road series at St. Cloud State, but could stand to up the ante on offense after scoring just four power-play goals in the last three games.

3. Can the Tigers earn a road sweep? North Dakota beat Denver 3-1, meaning CC could pull six points ahead of the Pioneers, who have two games in hand, in Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings.
How CC fared: The Tigers proved they could get gritty on the road and rose to the occasion over the last 30 minutes of Saturday’s game. With Denver’s loss, the two points proved to be quite important. As right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick pointed out after the game, Anchorage hadn’t been swept by any team home or away this season. Even though the Seawolves are in last place in the WCHA, they are much more disciplined than in years past and if they can get a few more goals, could be a dangerous team. Could be interesting in mid-January when the teams meet again.

Briefly:
–There was a brief moment with two minutes left — after left wing Cody Lampl was checked from behind by Anchorage’s Chris Tarkir and defenseman Kris Fredheim went for retaliation — where it looked as if the series might end with a brawl as it did last December at World Arena.
“I must say I had a little flashback,” coach Scott Owens said. “But (coach) Dave (Shyiak) did a good job of getting everyone settled down.”

–Best fashion statement: Defenseman Ryan Lowery, inspired by classmate Brett Wysopal, was sporting some moccasins he bought Saturday in Anchorage with his CC windsuit.

Colorado College
10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–25 Testwuide
26 McCulloch–17 Johnson–22 Walsky
2 Lampl–9 McMillin-18 Overman

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
11 Connelly–27 Wysopal

30 Bachman
31 O’Connell

Alaska-Anchorage
21 Lunden–20 Crowder–9 Clark
24 Tassone–37 Cartwright–18 Tarkir
8 Selby–17 Parkinson–7 DayChief
28 Haddad–34 McCabe–16 Grant

4 LaFranchise–33 Robinson
13 Backstrom–23 Vidmar
10 Lovdahl–22 Tuton

30 Olthuis
39 Gordon
21 Mayo

US NTDP defenseman Joe Marciano commits to CC

Joe Marciano, a 17-year-old defenseman from Alta Loma, Calif., committed to join CC for the 2008-09 season last week, he said Saturday.

A 6-foot-1, 194-pound defenseman playing for the U.S. national under-18 team in residence in Ann Arbor, Mich., Marciano will fill out next season’s defensive corps, which only loses current senior Jack Hillen to graduation. Marciano’s decision came down to CC and Harvard, but he also visited Wisconsin within the last year.

The first CC recruit from the U.S. National Team Development program since sophomore Bill Sweatt, Marciano had a goal in CC’s exhibition with the U.S. under-18 team earlier this season, his only goal in 18 games. Marciano played for Shattuck-St. Mary’s, an elite hockey prep school located in Faribault, Minn., in 2006-07, totaling 8 goals and 15 assists in 45 games. Marciano also played for Shattuck’s under-16 team in 2005-06.

Staying with freshman Stephen Schultz on his official visit, Marciano was in attendance for Saturday’s game against No. 9 Wisconsin and watched with freshman defenseman Ryan Lowery.

Marciano joins four forwards in the 2008-09 recruiting class. Coach Scott Owens said he has received four of five letters of intent from the group. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from discussing recruits until they have received a letter of intent.

A quick Q&A with Marciano:

On choosing CC:
“Being from California, it’s a good fit for me and Colorado is close to home. That had a big influence on it. It’s a good school and the WCHA is a good league to play in.”

The California connection:
“I don’t know them (CC’s Californians Andreas Vlassopoulos and Dan Quilico) personally yet, but I know of them. It’s a great program, great hockey.”

How the commitment came about:
“We’ve been communicating back and forth for a while. For the past month or so, me and coach Owens have been talking on the phone a lot and he told me that they were ready to give me an offer. I was actually looking at Harvard at the time and was waiting on my ACT score. But in my heart, I knew I was going to come here anyway, I fit in here well and it was close to home. Anyway, last week I called coach Owens and told him I was ready to commit. He said, ‘It’s good to have you,’ and stuff like that.”

How Marciano describes himself:
“I’d say I’m like an all-around defenseman. I’m pretty good defensively. I can move the puck well and get that first pass up to the guys.”

With just one defenseman graduating, where Marciano see himself fitting in:
“Coming in as a freshman, you’ve got to work to get your ice. I think I have a good chance, but I’ve got to work for it.”

Why, in light of the early commitments among U.S. NTDP players, Marciano hasn’t committed earlier:
“I just recently started getting offers. Last year, I always talked to colleges, but this year, I’ve just been starting to get offers. I wasn’t really in a hurry anyways. Being from California, I’m new to the college process and everything.”

Game day: No. 7 Colorado College vs. No. 9 Wisconsin

Note:
–Wisconsin forwards Aaron Bendickson (leg) and Matthew Ford (apparent shoulder) left the game in the first period and second period, respectively. Neither will play Saturday.

First period:
Colorado College 1, Wisconsin 0: Jimmy Kilpatrick 3 (Chad Rau 5, Jake Gannon 2), 12:53.
Boy, was right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick hungry for a goal. Kilpatrick had tipped a shot from Ryan Lowery past goaltender Shane Connelly about three minutes earlier, but the puck hit the left post. Then, 14 seconds before Kilpatrick scored, he missed a sneaky cross from Chad Rau. The line regained the puck and Rau found Kilpatrick in the left circle. Kilpatrick took a couple of touches and wristed a shot through traffic, beating Connelly (screened by Kyle Klubertanz) five-hole.

Second period:
Colorado College 2, Wisconsin 0: Chad Rau 4 (Jimmy Kilpatrick 3), 1:43.
Rau sliced into the slot from the left circle and put a hard wrist shot on net, about chest-height on Connelly, who was in his butterfly stance. Connelly couldn’t handle the puck and it flipped over his right shoulder into the goal.

Colorado College 2, Wisconsin 1: Michael Davies (Ben Grotting, Kyle Turris), 3:26.
On a face-off in CC’s offensive zone, Kyle Turris got enough of the puck to win the draw against Brian McMillin and right wing Ben Grotting took off with it down the ice. Grotting found Michael Davies, who beat Richard Bachman to the left post for the score.

Colorado College 2, Wisconsin 2: John Mitchell (Ryan McDonagh, Jamie McBain), 19:02.
John Mitchell got his own rebound off of the shin pads of defenseman Jack Hillen, who had blocked Mitchell’s first shot. Mitchell put the puck on net and caught Bachman scrambling.

Third period:
Colorado College 2, Wisconsin 3: Blake Geoffrion (Josh Engel), 0:24.
On the first shift of the period, Josh Engel ripped a shot from the slot, which Bachman kicked away with his right leg pad–right onto the stick of Blake Geoffrion, who was crashing the net.

Colorado College 3, Wisconsin 3: Chad Rau 5 (Nate Prosser 2), 3:21, sh.
On CC’s third penalty kill of the game, defenseman Nate Prosser caused a turnover along the boards and skated a couple of steps before he saw Rau sliding behind two Wisconsin defensemen. Rau’s low shot from the slot beat Connelly five-hole. It was the Tigers’ third short-handed goal of the season and third in four games. Rau joins Scott Thauwald and Brian McMillin in the short-handed goal-scorers club.

Colorado College 4, Wisconsin 3: Jimmy Kilpatrick 4 (Nate Prosser 3), 12:11.
Prosser finds Kilpatrick at the outer part of the left circle. Kilpatrick’s wrist shot beat Connelly over his left shoulder, hitting the far top corner of the net for the senior’s second game-winning goal of the season.

Inside the stats:

• CC won the face-off battle against Wisconsin, securing 62 percent of the face-offs. It was by far the Tigers’ best mark of the season and only the second time in nine games they have won more than 50 percent of the face-offs.
• The numbers (won/total): Vlassopoulos 11/19, Rau 7/14, McMillin 6/7, Johnson 5/1, Patrosso 4/1, Walsky 3/5, Thauwald 1/2, Kilpatrick 0/1, Fredheim 0/1.
• Here are the game-by-game stats for percent of face-offs won: Minnesota Game 1: 45 percent; Minnesota Game 2; 38 percent; New Hampshire Game 1: 36 percent; New Hampshire Game 2: 42 percent; North Dakota Game 1: 45 percent; North Dakota Game 2, 52 percent; Minnesota-Duluth Game 1, 45 percent; Minnesota-Duluth Game 2, 48 percent.

Lines:

Colorado College
10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–16 Patrosso
26 McCulloch–17 Johnson–22 Walsky
28 Schultz–9 McMillin–2 Lampl

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
11 Connelly–24 Lowery

30 Bachman
31 O’Connell
1 O’Brien

Wisconsin
22 Street–19 Turris–18 Ford
6 Engel–5 Geoffrion–10 Johnson
24 Mitchell–16 Dolan–8 Turnbull
9 Davies–13 Bendickson–14 Grotting

7 Smith–20 Klubertanz
4 Drewiske–27 Goloubef
17 McDonagh–2 McBain

35 Connelly
1 Gudmandson

Game day: CC 3, North Dakota 1 (end of 2nd period)

Goals:
2. Colorado College 1, North Dakota 1: Matt Watkins (Joe Finley), 5:52.
Joe Finley slung a pass from the Sioux’s left corner all the way to Matt Watkins, who caught it at the blue line. Watkins had CC defenseman Ryan Lowery beat when he got the pass and took goaltender Richard Bachman one-on-one, beating him inside the right post.

3. Colorado College 2, North Dakota 1: Scott McCulloch (Brian Connelly, Cody Lampl), 9:54, pp.
Eight seconds into the Tigers’ second power play of the night, Brian Connelly‘s knee-height slap shot from the blue line was tipped past goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux by Scott McCulloch. It could be McCulloch’s second game-winning power-play goal at Ralph Engelstad Arena in as many seasons (his redirect gave CC a 4-3 win in the last minute on Nov. 24, 2006).

4. Colorado College 3, North Dakota 1: Eric Walsky (Tyler Johnson, Bill Sweatt), 10:43.
For once, CC answered its own goal within a minute. Bill Sweatt made a centering pass out of the right corner, which Tyler Johnson redirected across the crease. Eric Walsky was there and ready to knock it inside the left post, past defenseman Taylor Chorney and Lamoureux.

• Bachman has 23 saves on 24 shots.
• CC outshot North Dakota 10-6 in the second period.
• Checking on the three keys:
• 1. Limit North Dakota to two goals or less. Through two periods, mission accomplished.
• 2. Score two even-strength goals. Halfway there.
• 3. Score first. Done and done.

I would add that the Tigers need to be wary of the precarious two-goal cushion, which has given them a false sense of comfort in the past (New Hampshire). CC needs to show it can put a game away and play a strong third period (New Hampshire, both games). I’m adding a fourth key, which would be score first in the third period.

Game day: CC at New Hampshire

Notes:
1. Colorado College RW Jimmy Kilpatrick is in the lineup again tonight.
2. G Richard Bachman will start as the Tigers try to salvage the sweep.
–Entering Saturday’s game, Bachman is third in the nation for his 0.98 goals against average and .968 save percentage.
3. D Ryan Lowery, RW Mike Testwuide and F Matt Overman are healthy scratches.
4. I forgot to mention in today’s game story or in yesterday’s blog notes that New Hampshire’s power-play goal (PPG) with less than three minutes to go was the first PPG CC has given up this season. The Tigers have killed 13 of 14 power plays this season.

Lines:

Colorado College
10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–16 Patrosso
26 McCulloch–17 Johnson–22 Walsky
5 DeBoer–9 McMillin–2 Lampl

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
27 Wysopal–11 Connelly

30 Bachman
31 O’Connell
1 O’Brien

New Hampshire
21 vanRiemsdyk–22 Radja–39 Fornataro
11 Pollastrone–9 LeBlanc–12 Butler
8 Collins–17 Fortney–14 Sislo
15 Dries–23 DeSimone–20 Thompson

4 Switzer–19 Flaishans
2 Fritsch–7 Charlebois
18 Krates–5 Kapstad

29 Foster
32 Regan

***
Tiger Tracks:
Goaltender Matt Zaba was promoted to the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolf Pack.

Gameday: CC at New Hampshire

Notes:
1. G Drew O’Connell gets his first start of the season.
2. RW Jimmy Kilpatrick returns to action after an August hip surgery, a full week before scheduled.
3. D Ryan Lowery makes his CC debut.
4. W Addison DeBoer and W Matt Overman are healthy scratches.
5. Sell-out home-opener crowd at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H.

Lines:

Colorado College

10 Thauwald–14 Rau–23 Kilpatrick
21 Sweatt–19 Vlassopoulos–16 Patrosso
26 McCulloch–17 Johnson–22 Walsky
2 Lampl–9 McMillin–25 Testwuide

8 Hillen–15 Prosser
7 Fredheim–4 Gannon
11 Connelly–24 Lowery

31 O’Connell
30 Bachman
1 O’Brien

New Hampshire
21 vanRiemsdyk–22 Radja–39 Fornatero
11 Pollastrone–9 LeBlanc–12 Butler
8 Collins–17 Forney–14 Sislo
15 Dries–23 DeSimone–20 Thompson

4 Switzer–19 Flaishans
2 Fritsch–7 Charlebois
18 Krates–5 Kapstad

32 Regan
29 Foster

Non-stop

When practice wrapped at 10:30 Tuesday night, Colorado College junior Cody Lampl had some words for the players stretching around him.

“That was awesome,” he said, exhaling and prompting nods from the rest of the team.

Coach Scott Owens had 16 skaters and three goaltenders dripping with sweat after the high-intensity workout.

For the first time, the Tigers were organized into lines, which I’ll put below. But I wouldn’t place too much significance on them, considering that forwards Andreas Vlassopoulos, Chad Rau, and Tyler Johnson were not at practice. Defensemen Jake Gannon and Ryan Lowery also did not show.

Until October 6, the date of CC’s season-opening exhibition against Calgary and the first official day of practice, players are not required to attend the thrice-weekly workouts. Usually, the only reasons the players will miss practice is for an academic purpose or for medically mandated rest.

Those who did attend participated in offensively minded drills, including the “three-goal” drill, in which one goal is placed at center ice and two are placed in the corners. The team is divided into two and the drill promotes offensive creativity and vision. If one net is clogged, players who go to the open space are often rewarded with breakaway and 2-on-1 situations. Some of the highlights of the three-goal drill were freshman goaltender Richard Bachman, who continues to impress with his saves, and sophomore wing Mike Testwuide, who said his left knee (partial tear of the medial collateral ligament) is healed, looked quicker to the puck than last year.

Testwuide said he focused on increasing his leg strength and speed in the off-season. When I asked Testwuide if he was planning on being involved more in cycling the puck than just sitting in front of the net, he assured me, “No, no, I’ll be there.”

[in no particular order]
Red McCulloch–Thauwald–Testwuide
White Sweatt–Walsky (not enough players to complete line)
Gold Overman–McMillin–Lampl
Blue DeBoer–Schultz–Patrosso

Defensemen: Wysopal, Fredheim, Hillen, Connelly, Prosser
Goalies: O’Connell, O’Brien, Bachman
***
Assigned to Manchester (AHL) Tuesday night, former Tiger Richard Petiot will not return to the Centennial State when the the Kings play the Avalanche in a 7 p.m. preseason tilt.