CC 1, UAA 1 (10:00, 2nd period)

After getting outhit and outworked for much of the first period, the Tigers came out with a furious effort in the second. CC couldn’t score on a four-on-three opportunity, despite quality scoring opportunities by on shots by center Chad Rau, defenseman Jack Hillen and center Andreas Vlassopoulos. At 4:22, just as all of the players were released from the penalty box, left wing Bill Sweatt knocked in right wing Mike Testwuide‘s backhanded centering pass.

Anchorage took the lead just 6:05 into the first when defenseman Kane LaFranchise rocketed a shot from the top of the left circle through traffic and past goaltender Richard Bachman.

No. 4 CC 5, No. 10 Minnesota State-Mankato 2 (final)

At the start, Colorado College just wasn’t clicking against Minnesota State-Mankato.
Heck, 90 seconds into the game, already trailing 1-0, center Andreas Vlassopoulos found right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick at the top of the crease with goaltender Mike Zacharias down and out of position, but Kilpatrick’s shot on the open net was inexplicably wide right.
Then, something happened not too long after Mankato took a 2-0 lead at 13:42.
Defenseman Jack Hillen began breaking the puck out of CC’s zone with aplomb, taking it deep into Mankato’s zone to start the cycle and open up space. The Tigers began to finish checks and connect passes.
And then came the comeback:
–CC drew within a goal before the period was out when it clicked on its go-to power-play set with Hillen sending a pass from the high slot to center Chad Rau in the left circle. Against Minnesota-Duluth, Rau had one-time slap shots. Friday, Rau collected the puck and rocketed a wrist shot past Zacharias. It was the third power-play goal in a row to be scored in that fashion.
–Just 25 seconds into the second period, Hillen’s slap shot from the top of the right circle tied the score.
–A series of saves by goaltender Richard Bachman while the Tigers killed a 5-on-3 situation–including a windmill denial of right wing Kael Mouillierat destined for a gazillion hits if it ever makes YouTube — would preserve the tie long enough. Bachman won the praise of the crowd through the 20-save period about 90 seconds later when he spent about 10 seconds trying to figure out where in his pads the puck was hiding.
–A minute or so later, defenseman Kris Fredheim put the puck into a Mankato player’s feet as CC’s Bill Sweatt emerged from the box. Fredheim recollected the puck and fed left wing Scott Thauwald for a breakaway during which he was hooked by Mankato’s Mick Berge.
CC again went on the power play after 43 seconds of 4-on-4. Hillen slid a pass across the top to defenseman Brian Connelly whose wrist shot was tipped by left wing Scott McCulloch past Zacharias to put CC ahead 3-2.
Hillen scored with less than seven minutes left in the third when he crashed the net and the puck passed by Eric Walsky slid down the shaft of his stick, over Zacharias’ left shoulder and into the goal.

By the numbers:
–20: Shots in the second period for Mankato. Surprisingly, that exorbitant number has been topped by another CC opponent this season. Minnesota launched 21 shots on goal in the third period of CC’s 2-1 overtime win on Oct. 20.
–33: Faceoffs were dead even at 33 apiece. Rau won 14 of 23. Vlassopoulos won 8 of 15.
–If you’re counting: Bachman gets better as the game goes on. And as the Tigers allow more shots.
In 28 games this season:
195 first-period saves–17 goals allowed = .919 save percentage
260 second-period saves–18 goals allowed = .935 save percentage
234 third-period saves–13 goals allowed = .947 save percentage
5 overtime saves–0 goals allowed = 1.000 save percentage

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

Colorado College centers Andreas Vlassopoulos and Chad Rau scored two goals within 25 seconds to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
CC managed to kill three penalties in the final 10 minutes of the period, thanks to nine saves by goaltender Richard Bachman, who had 15 saves in the frame. Bachman’s best sequence came when he made three consecutive saves on shots by Duluth’s Michael Gergen and two from Drew Akins.
After left wing Scott McCulloch missed his third breakaway of the game, Bachman preserved the 0-0 tie with a chest save on right wing Justin Fontaine.
A minute later, CC’s Jimmy Kilpatrick dug the puck out of the right corner and passed to Vlassopoulos in the right circle. Vlassopoulos’ shot beat goaltender Alex Stalock five-hole to give CC the 1-0 lead.
Just 25 seconds later, right wing Mike Testwuide caused Duluth’s Josh Meyers to turn over the puck at the blue line. Testwuide skated hard into the offensive zone and made a cross-slot pass to Rau, who finished gloveside on Stalock.

**Addison DeBoer has not returned to the bench after leaving the ice midway through the first period with an unknown injury.

No. 3 CC 2, Michigan Tech 2 (OT, final)

Huskies’ captain Jimmy Kerr scored at 4:01 of the third period, but CC tied it up with less than eight minutes to go in regulation when right wing Mike Testwuide knocked in a pass from the right half-wall by Andreas Vlassopoulos.

Three thoughts:
1. CC showed great urgency to get back into the game, but once the Tigers tied the score, it was all Huskies. You can hear that sentiment in audio clips from CC’s Mike Testwuide and Michigan Tech’s Jimmy Kerr on Tiger Den Saturday.
2. Again, goaltender Richard Bachman showed remarkable poise in net for CC. The freshman, who is now 15-3-1 in 19 games played, has allowed two or fewer goals in 15 of those outings. That’s simply amazing. He said after the game that the second period, in which he had 16 saves, really helped him get in his rhythm. Coach Scott Owens said he thought he saw more and more confidence in Bachman as the game went on.
3. Right wing Stephen Schultz has scored in each of the past two games while CC’s top line has been held scoreless.

Stats breakdown:
Shots: CC 30, MTU 33
Shot leaders: CC Jimmy Kilpatrick, 6; MTU Jimmy Kerr, 7
Power plays: CC 1-4 (8 shots), MTU 0-3 (7)
Faceoffs won: CC 38, MTU 30
CC faceoffs: Chad Rau 12/21; Andreas Vlassopoulos 8/16; Eric Walsky 5/8; Bill Sweatt 2/3; Brian McMillin 1/4; Scott Thauwald 0/1; Tyler Johnson 0/5
MTU faceoffs: Ryan Angelow13/24; Peter Rouleau 9/19; Alex Gagne 4/9; Bennett Royer 3/5; Jimmy Kerr 1/1.

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. 9 CC 5, No. 15 Minnesota-Duluth 3 (final)

Second period

Goals:
3. Colorado College 2, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Steve Schultz 1 (Jack Hillen 6, Andreas Vlassopoulos 4), 5:28, pp.
After turning over the puck and allowing some shorthanded shots, the Tigers regained possession in their offensive zone. Center Andreas Vlassopoulos passed to Jack Hillen, who was in the high slot, not more than five feet in front of the blue line. In his first stint on the power play this season, freshman Steve Schultz tipped Hillen’s wrist shot past goaltender Alex Stalock for his first career goal. Hillen went to retrieve the puck for Schultz after the play, which was reviewed for a possible high-sticking call on Schultz. The goal was upheld (clearly).

4. Colorado College 3, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Derek Patrosso 1 (Andreas Vlassopoulos 5, Bill Sweatt 5), 8:52.
Vlassopoulos took a pass from Bill Sweatt off the back wall and fed Derek Patrosso, who was trailing in the slot. The trio nearly scored a minute later, but Sweatt’s pass was just behind Patrosso.

5. Colorado College 3, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Jordan Fulton (unassisted), 9:57.
Fulton got an isolated moment with goaltender Richard Bachman who was protecting the left post. Fulton stuffed the puck five-hole just as the announcer listed off CC’s scorers.

6. Colorado College 4, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Chad Rau 3 (Jack Hillen 6, Richard Bachman 2), 10:19.
After Bachman made a save, Hillen retrieved the rebound and sent a long pass up the middle of the ice to Chad Rau, who had snuck behind Duluth’s defense and was idling at center ice. Rau converted the one-on-Stalock by first pulling the puck to his left foot — prompting Stalock to shift — and then with one flick of the stick, finishing inside the right post.

7. Colorado College 5, Minnesota-Duluth 2: Brian McMillin 1 (unassisted), 19:06, sh.
Another great play by center Brian McMillin on the penalty kill… McMillin, who had an assist on Scott Thauwald‘s shorthanded goal against North Dakota last Saturday, created yet another penalty-kill turnover. McMillin’s shot sailed wide of the left post and banged off the boards. Not deterred, McMillin hammered his own rebound past Stalock for the score.

• CC’s highest one-period output of the season
• Responded promptly to a quick goal by Duluth
• Second line has seven points (two goals and five assists) and both goals are even-strength
• Two shorthanded goals in two games…the penalty kill is back

Third period

Goals:
8. Colorado College 5, Minnesota-Duluth 3: Justin Fontaine (Jordan Fulton, Matt McKnight), 2:14.

• Patrosso took a checking from behind/game misconduct five-minute major penalty at 3:35, but the Tigers got quality penalty killing with saves from Bachman and blocked shots by Scott McCulloch. Thanks to a high-sticking penalty by Trent Palm, CC went back to even strength (4v4) with 1:12 to go in the five-minute major.
• With 1:02 left in Palm’s penalty, Duluth’s Josh Meyers picked up a checking from behind/game misconduct five-minute major at 8:21 for checking McCulloch into the boards. But CC had just two quality scoring chances despite the 5-on-3 (1:02) and 5-on-4 (3:58).
• CC killed all four of Duluth’s power plays.

Quick Quips:

Coach Scott Owens on the time-out before the five-minute power play:
We were trying to set up what we were going to do on the 5-on-3 and hopefully, (the play) was going to go into the 5-on-4. But we never really got it set up. That was probably one of the things that disappointed me the most tonight was the fact that it was a little bit scrambled in the beginning and we never really settled down and had composure. We were turning the puck over and making behind-the-back blind passes and it was a situation where we could have put the game away and we didn’t. …We’re still waiting on that a little bit.

Asked if the back-and-forth, wide-open game might cause him to juggle lines tomorrow, Owens said:
Part of it was our defensive mindset. It wasn’t just all of the forwards. I would guess that Prosser will play tomorrow and maybe that will help a little bit getting an older guy in there. We tightened it up a little in the third. We didn’t run and gun so much. We’re in a pretty good rhythm with our forward lines, so I think we’ll just make some minimal changes.

Center Andreas Vlassopoulos on his line’s momentum:
We’ve just got to concentrate on keeping it simple and working hard and things will fall for us.

Vlassopoulos on the power play:
We have it, we’re going to create chances, it just seemed like — whether somebody fell or the puck went off somebody’s heel — I think we just need to bear down a little bit more and things will happen for us.

Right wing Derek Patrosso on his line:
I think our line talks pretty well on the ice and that helps us out a lot. We were just having fun. That’s the main thing.

Patrosso on keeping things relaxed, even when the line wasn’t scoring goals (the trio combined for one goal against Minnesota on Oct. 19):
I think when you’re getting those chances, it’s when you shouldn’t be gripping your stick. When you don’t get those chances, that’s when you start gripping your stick a little tight. We’ve been happy with the way we’ve been playing as a whole. I think the last three teams we’ve played have prepared us pretty well and we’re developing chemistry as we go along.

Left wing Bill Sweatt on the line:
We’ve been sticking with our line for almost a month now. I think like Dre said, we’re just feeding off of each other and we have a lot of chemistry going right now. Say if Dre chips the puck, Derek and I know that we’ve got to bust a seam and go get the puck and one of us is going to the net. We just sort of feel each other out there.

Sweatt on developing consistent five-on-five scoring:
It was good that our power play was clicking so we could survive in (the first six) games, but maybe tonight will take momentum into the rest of the season for getting five-on-five goals. We can’t just be a one-sided team, where we just score on the power play. We’ve got to be very diverse and score on the power-play and five-on-five. Hopefully, we took a good step toward that tonight.

Game day: CC 1, Minnesota-Duluth 1 (end of 1st)

Goals:

1. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 0: Andreas Vlassopoulos 1 (Derek Patrosso 1, Bill Sweatt 4), 14:07.
Bill Sweatt took the puck full-speed toward the wall and made a spinning pass to Derek Patrosso. Patrosso passed the puck behind Duluth goaltender Alex Stalock and Andreas Vlassopoulos knocked it into the upper left corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

2. Colorado College 1, Minnesota-Duluth 1: Matt McKnight 1 (Nick Kemp 3), 17:28, sh.
On the only power play of the period for either team, CC right wing Jimmy Kilpatrick turned the puck over at the left circle, sending Nick Kemp off to the races. In a 2-on-1 against defenseman Brian Connelly, Kemp made a cross-slot pass onto the stick of Matt McKnight, who finished inside the right post for the shorthanded score.

• Bachman has 10 saves, while Stalock has 11
• CC outshot UMD 12-11 for the period, but the Bulldogs had several second-chance shots. Stalock is not giving up rebounds.

Game day: New Hampshire 4, CC 2 (final)

Third-period goals:
Colorado College 1, New Hampshire 2: Brad Flaishans (Craig Switzer, Matt Fornataro), 4:33, pp.
Just 35 seconds into a 101-second five-on-three scenario, Switzer’s pass from the point was one-timed by Flaishans from the top of the left circle. The slap shot beat Bachman inside the left post.
“There was a power-play blast and there was a lot of traffic,” coach Scott Owens said of the goal.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 2: Scott McCulloch (Jack Hillen, Andreas Vlassopoulos), 9:52, pp.
Hillen ripped a shot from the point and McCulloch and Bill Sweatt crashed the net, punching the rebound past goaltender Brian Foster.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 3: Paul Thompson (Danny Dries, Joe Charlebois), 10:08.
Sixteen seconds after CC’s game-tying score, Charlebois’ slap shot from the outside edge of the right circle was tipped by Dries on the near post and batted in by Thompson backdoor.

Colorado College 2, New Hampshire 4: Peter LeBlanc (Jerry Pollastrone), 19:53, en.
After a neutral zone turnover created a 2-on-1 rush, defenseman Brian Connelly overcommitted to LeBlanc, who drove past him and finished in the empty net.

Post-game quotes:
Coach Scott Owens
–On the two-referee, two-linesman system
“The two-man system is something that’s being experimented with this year, I thought it went reasonably well. I would give it a thumbs-up based on this weekend.”
–On goaltender Richard Bachman
“You know what? Three goals against in a road game, his first road game, five goals in three games against teams rated top-six in the country, you know, that’s a good start for the young man.”
–Concerned about CC’s penalty kill, which gave up three goals on 10 power plays?
“I’m not concerned. I just hate putting so much pressure on our special teams by not generating a goal or a goal and a half a game on five-on-five and that’s an area we’ve really got to get better at here.”

Defenseman Jack Hillen
–On what the Tigers learned this weekend
“What it takes to win on the road. Obviously we’re not good enough right now. You can’t just come into a barn, especially a team that’s as good as UNH, and not put a full road game together. We made too many mistakes. We did a lot of good things right, you can certainly take those away. But as a senior and a veteran on this team, I’m looking at goals after we just get one. …It’s a whole different atmosphere coming into a place like this than playing at home and w e’ve got to learn and we’ve got to learn pretty quick or it’s going to get away.”
–On playing from behind on the road
“It’s hard. It’s harder to come back on the road because you don’t get that momentum from the crowd. You feel like you’re on your own and you don’t get the breaks from the refs. I’m not saying that’s what caused the game, I’m just saying you’re not going to get anything going your way, you’ve got to make your own momentum and it’s that much harder on the road. If you’re playing catch up, it’s not a good recipe for road wins.”

Left wing Scott McCulloch
–On what CC’s 5-on-5 offense needs
“I think that’s just not playing in the tough areas. We’ve got a lot of skilled forwards but it’s getting the puck to the paint and being there and getting traffic in front of the goalie. I think that’s an area we need to improve on, especially being an older team, it’s something that we should already be doing. I think we need to improve big-time on that. Usually we do a good job down low, but it’s taking the puck to the net with authority and having bodies there and that’s where it’s tough to play, it’s in front of the net. That triangle in front, that’s where the goals are scored and I think we need to do a better job of getting there.”
–On why the Tigers’ forecheck struggled to contain New Hampshire
I think we had a few turnovers, just not taking care of the puck and maybe missing a few lanes. But they’re a great team, they move the puck really well through the neutral zone, that’s their strength. You’re not always going to be able to stop that team, but I think in all areas, bearing down would help out.

Inside the stats:
–New Hampshire had the faceoff edge, 39-32. For CC, Chad Rau won 12/20 faceoffs and Vlassopoulos earned 11/22 wins.
–CC scored on two of seven power plays, as did the Wildcats, but had 16 shots to New Hampshire’s seven on the man-advantage.
–In the first and second period, Bachman faced just seven shots from the slot. By contrast, in the third period, eight of UNH’s 12 shots came from the slot.

***
Tiger Tracks:
Tonight’s American Hockey League showdown between the Lake Erie Monsters and the Iowa Stars was a CC-studded affair. Defenseman Brandon Straub helped the Monsters to a 3-2 win, in which Stars captain Toby Petersen had a goal and Stars alternate captain Marty Sertich was held to a single shot.

Gameday Final: CC 3, Minnesota 1

Looking back at the Three Keys:
1. Limit neutral-zone turnovers: The Tigers spent all week in practice preparing for the odd-man rushes that Minnesota generates out of the neutral zone. Even though the Gophers had more odd-man rushes than assistant coach Joe Bonnett would have liked, and scored on one, the Tigers’ defensemen and backchecking forwards did a good job of funneling the puck to one side so that goaltender Richard Bachman could have a clear shot.

2. Defensive effort/physical play: See above. Also, as he did often last year, right wing Cody Lampl made several back-cracking checks to set the tone for the Tigers. Left wing Billy Sweatt, defenseman Jake Gannon and defenseman Nate Prosser also showed some tenacity.

3. Limit excessive penalties: CC took one fewer penalty than the Gophers (six total, including two roughing penalties). Bachman and the penalty killers were exemplary, holding Minnesota to just five shots on four power plays. Scott McCulloch’s near-shorthanded goal in the second period, which hit the left post, was a pure hustle play.

Goals:
First Period
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 0: Bill Sweatt (Andreas Vlassopoulos, Jack Hillen), 12:28, pp. Vlassopoulos collected the puck off the back wall and sent a pass to Sweatt, who one-timed it past Frazee and inside the right post for the Tigers’ first goal of the year.
“For me, it was an amazing feeling, especially coming in a big game like this and against a team like the Gophers,” Sweatt said.
Colorado College 1, Minnesota 1: Cade Fairchild (Blake Wheeler, Ben Gordon), 13:07. Just 39 seconds after CC scored, Minnesota’s classic odd-man rush came out of the neutral zone and did a nice tic (Gordon) -tac (Wheeler) -toe (Fairchild) around defenseman Jake Gannon and inside the right post.

Second Period
Colorado College 2, Minnesota 1: Eric Walsky (Scott Thauwald), 0:25. Defenseman Nate Prosser created a turnover in the Tigers’ defensive corner. Thauwald scooped up the loose puck and fed Walsky who sliced through the Minnesota defense and beat Frazee.
Here’s how he described it: “I was really looking for the pass the whole time and then I saw that the goalie was cheating. I kind of shot mid-stride and wasn’t planning on it, so…I got a lot of crap from the guys.”

Third Period
Colorado College 3, Minnesota 1: Derek Patrosso (Vlassopoulos, Sweatt), 11:04. Sweatt sent a pass along the back wall to Vlassopoulos, who fed Patrosso on the right side of the crease. Frazee covered low so Patrosso went high.
“When you’re young, you’re taught that when you’re in close like that to try to go upstairs,” Patrosso said. “It was a natural instinct to wait it out and wait for him to go down and then go upstairs.”

Extra Stats:
–CC’s penalty kill: 4 for 4
–CC’s power play: 1 for 5
–Faceoffs: Minnesota 27, CC 25
CC’s top faceoff man: Chad Rau 13/25
Minnesota’s top faceoff man: Blake Wheeler 10/15

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.