Avalanche
In one of the most exciting finishes you’ll see in a regulation NHL game the Avs beat the Blues 2-1 on Sunday as Nazem Kadri scored with 0.01 seconds to play in the teams’ first game of robin-round play of the NHL restart in Edmonton.
Obviously, winning is paramount for the Avs, and every team, but even more important is the fact that it happened in regulation. By winning in regulation Colorado earned two points, while St. Louis got zero. Had the game gone to overtime, both teams would have been assured of a point.
After Kadri scored it took officials almost seven minutes to declare it was officially a goal. Replays showed a blurry puck being mostly across the line, but the next frame the clock went to 0.00 when it was clearly across the goal line.
The Avs are now in first place in the Western Conference round-robin, their next game is Wednesday (4:30 p.m.) against the Vegas Golden Knights.
- Unfortunately for many Avs fans in Colorado they weren’t able to watch the game as Comcast and Dish Network still don’t have an agreement with Altitude. While the game was televised on NBCSN, it was blacked out so Altitude could have exclusive coverage in the region. The same will be the case for at least the next two Avalanche games.
- Before Sunday’s game TheAthletic.com’s Ryan Clark wrote about Kadri, and how the Avs’ forward is at the center of a push for change.
Rockies
It’s hard to believe the Rockies’ season is just over a week old, but with a 6-2 record through eight games Colorado is in first place in the NL West. The Rockies won their third straight series on Sunday by beating the Padres 9-6 behind Antonio Senzatela’s pitching and the bats of Daniel Murphy and Matt Kemp.
Senzatela (2-0) went six innings, struck out six and allowed just one run on four hits and one walk. Murphy went 4-for-4 with a home and two RBI, while Kemp added his second homer of the season and drove in two as well.
Colorado is percentage points ahead of the Dodgers (7-3) in the West standings and one game ahead of the third place Padres.
Colorado welcomes in the San Francisco Giants to Coors Field tonight (6:40 p.m., AT&T SportsNet, 850 KOA) with righty Chi Chi González scheduled to make his first start of the season.
- Bad news for the Rockies came this weekend as it was revealed that reliever Scott Oberg likely will miss the remainder of the season with blood clots in his right arm.
It is the third time Oberg has dealt with a blood clot issue. Closer Wade Davis also was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right shoulder strain. Right-handed reliever Joe Harvey was activated to take his place. - The Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders wrote about five takeaways from the Rockies’ first week of the season.
- Before being placed on the IL TheAthletic.com’s Nick Groke wrote about Davis and how the Rockies have a problem with him as their closer.
Nuggets
After dropping their first game of the NBA restart 125-105 to the Miami Heat on Saturday the Nuggets are back at it again today as they face the Oklahoma City Thunder at 2 p.m. (Altitude, 92.5 FM).
Denver was without starters Will Barton (knee), Gary Harris (hip) and Jamal Murray (hamstring) in its first game back and both Barton and Harris have already been ruled out of today’s game, while Murray is questionable.
My thoughts: It still is very early, counting today the Nuggets have seven seeding games remaining, but I’m starting to feel more and more like the Nuggets could be one-and-done when it comes playoff time this season.
Every team has had a lot to deal with during the NBA restart, from players opting out to getting guys into and out of the NBA quarantine. It just feels like the Nuggets can’t get any traction built up. And while many people have referred to these seeding games a like the preseason, Denver coach Michael Malone made the great point that the playoffs don’t follow the preseason.
If Denver can’t get everyone on the court in the next few games I fear there simply is not going to be enough time to get in sync before the playoffs start. And with the Western Conference being as deep as it is that’s almost a sure ticket to a first-round exit.
- TheAthletic.com’s Kendra Andrews wrote about how the Nuggets sloppy third quarter against the Heat highlighted the struggles the team is facing as a whole.
Broncos
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio talked about the possibility the team will have live practice periods this month, something hardly ever seen anymore, but without any preseason games it might be a necessity this year.
“Obviously with no preseason games, we’ll lose those evaluation times. It will be a challenge for young players to learn and adapt to the game. … Maybe in practices, we’ll have to have some live action in there on occasion. I’ve never been many places where that’s been done in practice. We just relied on the preseason games for that.”
Vic Fangio told The Denver Post
- Linebacker Bradley Chubb said he fully expected to be ready for the team’s opener against Tennessee on Sept. 14.
- TheAthletic.com’s Nick Kosmider wrote about why Denver quarterback Drew Lock won’t be afraid to rattle some cages as he enters his second year in the league.
- In case you missed it, on Friday the Broncos released veteran tight end Jeff Heuerman.
CU Buffs
Over the weekend it was announced that CU star McKinley Wright will return to Boulder for his senior season with men’s basketball team. Previously Wright had submitted his name for the NBA Draft.
Nationally
Forbes released its annual list of the 50 most valuable sports teams over the weekend. The Top 5 were:
1. Dallas Cowboys ($5.5 billion)
2. New York Yankees ($5 billion)
3. New York Knicks ($4.6 billion)
4. Los Angeles Lakers ($4.4 billion)
5. Golden State Warriors ($4.3 billion)
The Denver Broncos checked in at No. 25 with a valuation of $3 billion. No other Colorado teams made the list, while no NHL teams at were in the Top 50.
