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Avs don't get much rest for Sharks after knocking off Kings

Felix Potvin congratulates Patrick Roy after Roy's Game 7 shutout. AP

DENVER (AP) -- The Colorado Avalanche have had little time to prepare for their second-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.

It might actually work in their favor.

Colorado ended a physical seven-game series against the Los Angeles Kings with a 4-0 victory on Monday night, but the Avalanche have just one day to get ready for Game 1 against San Jose because a concert at the Pepsi Center on Thursday pushed the start of the series ahead one day.

The Avalanche should want the time to rest after a grueling series, but they're actually anxious to get back on the ice after routing the Kings 4-0 in Game 7.

"I thought last night was by far our best game of round number one, and I like the fact that we're going to play right away because I feel that we can carry last night's momentum into Game 1 against San Jose," Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. "We're very healthy and I feel very positive about that Game 1."

In Game 7 against Los Angeles, Colorado finally got its offense going after scoring just three goals in four games. Patrick Roy had his 21st career playoff shutout after allowing three or more goals four times in the series.

And even though the Avalanche failed to score on their last 22 power plays of the series, their passing was crisper and they created more scoring chances in Game 7.

"We had a good first period and that's where it all started," Colorado captain Joe Sakic said. "We came out flying and got some chances that didn't go in, but it paid off in the second period."

The Avalanche may have some momentum, but the Sharks are rested.

While Colorado was pushed to seven games after leading the series 3-1, the Sharks closed out their first-round series with Phoenix on Friday. Colorado had a full roster for the first time all season in Game 7, but its players are still banged up.

Colorado's short turnaround and relief from getting past the first round has the Sharks confident headed into the series.

"I was thinking that if we got past the first round, we could relax a little bit and just play our game instead of worrying about losing all the time," San Jose forward Teemu Selanne said. "I have a good feeling about this team now that we're out of the first round."

Colorado and San Jose finished the regular season tied with 99 points, but the Avalanche earned the second seed in the Western Conference because they had one more victory.

But home ice might not be that big of an advantage.

Colorado and San Jose faced each other four times during the regular season, but neither won at home. Colorado won two games at San Jose by a combined score of 6-3, while San Jose won the two games in Denver by a score of 4-0.

And Colorado's home ice seems to be where San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov seems to feel most comfortable. His first NHL shutout, a scoreless tie on Jan. 19, 2000, was at the Pepsi Center, and he hasn't allowed a goal there in 76 shots this season.

"We had a great rivalry during the regular season, and that's going to carry over," San Jose center Mike Ricci said. 'We had a lot of success in their building, but I don't think you can read a whole lot into that. "Wherever you play is a challenge, but they're tough just because they've got banners hanging up in their rink."

The last time the teams faced each other in the playoffs was the 1999 Western Conference quarterfinals. The Avalanche won the series 4-2, but they don't have fond memories.

Just before the series was to start, 15 people were killed and 23 injured in the Columbine school shootings in suburban Denver. The series was postponed for two days and the first two games shifted from Denver to San Jose out of respect for the victims and the community.

"It's impossible to analyze how tough it was because it was a situation that nobody had lived through before and hopefully will never have to live through again," said Hartley, who was coaching in his first playoff series at the time. "The focus was real tough to get. When you're a parent, and kids are involved in such a tragedy, it's difficult to focus on your job.

"You find out that hockey is just a game and there are things far more important than hockey."

 

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