Getty Images Colorado Avalanche fans won’t have to wait long to see newly re-signed forward Ryan O’Reilly in action.
After practicing with the team yesterday, coach Joe Sacco says O’Reilly will play this afternoon against Columbus and will play on the third line with John Mitchell and Milan Hejduk. Adrian Dater of The Denver Post gets the coach’s explanation as to why.
“I like the way the other two lines played the other night; they really had some good production. So we’ll put him with Mitchell, who’s got some offensive potential; and we all know Milan’s history. So, it should be a good fit,” Sacco said.
Just for the record, that makes O’Reilly a third line center making $5 million a year against the cap. Obviously he wasn’t going to be thrown right into top-six forward work with how well Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny have played so far this season, but making the team stronger up the middle is a good thing.
As of now, the Avalanche sit four points back of eighth place Nashville in the West. Now would be a good time to earn the new paycheck.
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Boston leads New York 1-0 in the series.
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‘It’s up in the air right now’: Kings’ Clifford skating, but a trip to San Jose?
May 18, 2013, 12:45 AM EDT
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Oh, the mystery.
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Ottawa has yet to play with the lead in this series.
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Ottawa in a hole.
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Video: Penguins’ Morrow scores game winner against Senators
May 17, 2013, 11:35 PM EDT
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Pittsburgh now two wins away from advancing to conference final.
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Senators’ coach MacLean: Karlsson ‘wasn’t one of the best players’
May 17, 2013, 11:08 PM EDT
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Drastic reduction in ice time in Game 2 compared to Game 1.
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Continue the debate.
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Sid the Kid nets three.
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Video: Penguins’ Vokoun denies Senators’ Greening on the breakaway
May 17, 2013, 9:49 PM EDT
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Ottawa hanging around in the third period.
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Rangers’ Staal skates Friday, but no word on possible return
May 17, 2013, 9:26 PM EDT
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Played once in these playoffs.
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Video: Crosby scores hat trick, hits playoff milestone against Senators
May 17, 2013, 9:01 PM EDT
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Pittsburgh up in Game 2, up in the series.
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After 12-game absence, Miller could return to Wings lineup on Saturday
May 17, 2013, 8:07 PM EDT
AP
He’s been out with a broken thumb.
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Torres won’t appeal suspension, Sharks call punishment ‘grossly unfair’
May 17, 2013, 8:02 PM EDT
According to Sharks GM Doug Wilson.
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Havlat ‘getting closer and closer,’ could return for Sharks in Game 3
May 17, 2013, 7:12 PM EDT
Oh, and Adam Burish has a broken hand.
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AP
Shots haven’t been a problem
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Seth Jones, Nathan McKinnon and Jonathan Drouin all on hand.
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Avery: Playing for Tortorella ‘one of the best things that ever happened to me’
May 17, 2013, 5:04 PM EDT
Well, that was certainly unexpected.
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Both are tall defensemen, but only one is getting kudos for his conditioning.
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“He’s trying to do things the right way.”
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Marc-Edouard Vlasic would be cool with that probably.
