[Big T]

January 3rd, 1983


Montreal Canadiens (25-20-2) at Colorado Avalanche (18-26-3)

Montreal is playing on back to back nights. We travel to the Pepsi Center for our 2nd meeting of the season, we won the last time in Montreal 3-0. Montreal will bring up G Richard Day to face the Avalanche while G Mike Blackshear is the back-up. RD Matej Ouhrabka is now on a 10 game pointless streak.

Colorado is in 11th place in the Western Conference with 39 points, they are 12 points out of the last playoff spot. The Avalanche are pretty much near the bottom in all stat categories including 29th for G per game at 2.11 and 29th for GA per game at 3.32.

RW Ronald Rabion leads the team with 13 goals. He also has 24 points in 39 games. The 31 year old goal scorer is excellent at getting open. He has 73 goals and 146 points with 66 PIMs and a -4 rating in 196 career NHL games.

LW Nicolas Walker leads the Avs with 19 assists and leads with 28 points. He also has 9 goals in 47 games. The 21 year old offensive forward has excellent stamina and can log long minutes. In his 2nd season with the Avalanche, the former Edmonton Oil King (WHL) has 15 goals and 48 points with 46 PIMs and a -12 rating in 120 career NHL games. Walker was the Avs 160th overall pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

LD Riley Bilukidi is 2nd on the Avs with 27 points. He also has 9 goals in 47 games this season. The 20 year old defensive defenceman is a great stickchecker. After finishing the 80-81 season with the Quebec Ramparts of the QMJHL, he has played in 115 career NHL games with the Avs. He has 15 goals and 61 points with 38 PIMs and a -22 rating. Bilukidi was the 2nd round, 40th overall pick of the Avs in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

Montreal starts G Richard Day, he has 2 wins in 4 starts with a .930 save %. Colorado starts G Jon Arentz. He has 12 wins in 37 starts with a .898 save %.

Montreal does not waste much time getting on the board, they take a 1-0 lead at 2:13 when C Chris Hughes gets his 19th of the year. That's the only scoring in the 1st. Montreal out shot Colorado 12 to 6.

Montreal scores early in the 2nd as well. C Jiri Reichel gets his 1st career NHL goal to make it 2-0 at 2:32 of the period. Colorado gets on the board at 10:01 to make it 2-1 when C Nicolas-Charles Duchesneau gets his 3rd of the year. That is the way the period ends, Montreal out shot the Avs 14 to 10 in the 2nd.

There was no scoring in the 3rd at Montreal out shot Colorado 13 to 5 in the period. Montreal was 0 for 6 on the PP while the Avalanche was 0 for 2.

Montreal's C Chris Hughes was the 1st star. He had a goal with 3 shots and 23:06 of icetime. The 32 year old Hughes now has 19 goals and 48 points in 48 games. The 2-time Frank J Selke Trophy winner has now played in 212 career NHL games, all with Montreal and has 78 goals and 216 points with 104 PIMs and a +53 rating.

Montreal 2 Colorado 1

PER	TEAM	GOAL	#	ASSIST	ASSIST
1st	MTL	Chris Hughes	19	Yegor Berestnev	Al Ladd
2nd	MTL	Jiri Reichel	1	Ronnie Marvin	Clint Arrington
2nd	COL	Nicolas-Charles Duchesneau	3	Pat McCann	Lane Ford
3rd		No Scoring

MAJOR PENALTY's
PER	TEAM	PLAYER	MIN	PENALTY
1st	COL	Nicolas-Charles Duchesneau	5	Fighting
1st	MTL	Dave Wright	5	Fighting

TEAM	GOALIE	SA	GA
MTL	Richard Day	21	1
COL	Jon Arentz	39	2

Around the league..............


Minnesota Wild C Vincent Pfister had 2 goals and 2 assists in a 5-4 win over the Rangers. The 21 year old now has 10 goals and 47 points in 47 games. In his 2nd season in the NHL, the former Owen Sound Attack (OHL) was the Wild's 2nd round, 35th overall pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. In 129 career NHL games, he has 24 goals and 93 points with 76 PIMs and a +0 rating.

The NHL has announced it's All-Star teams for the 1982-83 season. Montreal players named were C Chris Hughes, G Mike Blackshear and RW Al Ladd.

Chicago Blackhawks C Andrew MacWhirr will miss up to 2 months with a sports hernia. The 28 year old 1982 Art Ross Trophy Winner and 2-time All-Star has 16 goals and 40 points in 44 games this year. In his 3rd year with the Hawks, he has 98 goals and 212 points with 168 PIMs and a +63 rating in 204 career NHL games.

Carolina Hurricanes RW Patrick Connor had 3 goals in a 5-2 win over the Flyers. The 28 year old 1981 All-Star now has 27 goals and 49 points in 37 games. For his career, he has 102 goals and 201 points with 364 PIMs and a +55 rating in 192 NHL games. Connor is the 1st NHL player to reach 100 goals in his career.

Boston Bruins RD Gerald Rowe had 2 goals and an assist in a 3-0 win over the Jets. The 32 year old 1982 Norris Trophy Winner, 1982 Conn Smythe Winner and 3-time All-Star now has 14 goals and 39 points in 46 games. For his career he has 40 goals and 149 points with 215 PIMs and a +73 rating in 210 NHL games.

Tampa Bay Lightning RD Ben Stewart had 2 assists in a 2-1 win over the Maple Leafs. The 30 year old 2-time All-Star now has 12 goals and 35 points in 48 games. In his 3rd year with Tampa, he has 35 goals and 107 points with 278 PIMs and a -15 rating in 212 career NHL games.

Anaheim Ducks G Coy Crane stopped 29 shots in a 2-0 win over the Blackhawks. The 29 year old Crane now has 20 wins with a 2.34 GAA and .927 save % with 4 SO's in 37 games. After being traded by the Penguins in 1980-81 after just 4 games, Crane has played in 156 career NHL games and has a 68-65-21 record with a 2.75 GAA and a .913 save % with 12 SO's.