Good review of 1st gig brings Rocco II to rink
The Avalanche recalled Rocco Grimaldi from San Antonio of the American Hockey League after practice Monday and the 5-foot-6 forward played right wing with center Colin Wilson and left winger Sven Andrighetto in Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. It’s the second stint of the season for Grimaldi, who played five games with Colorado last month — including the two-game trip against Ottawa in Sweden.
“He was tenacious on pucks,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Grimaldi, 24, in his previous stint. “He works hard, he skates hard. He went down there (to San Antonio) and did the same thing and found a way to be productive, and we need a spark. We need to create a little bit more offensively. Got to put more pressure on the opposing team’s D, and I think he can help us do that.”
The Avs entered Tuesday 1-3 on their five-game homestand. They had scored just seven goals in regulation during that stretch.
With the addition of Grimaldi, the Avs scratched Gabriel Bourque.
Colorado also made a change on its blue line, replacing Mark Barberio with Duncan Siemens, a 2011 first-round draft pick who has yet find his way in the NHL. Siemens, 24, was recalled Nov. 28 from San Antonio but has only been practicing with the Avs during the last week. He made his season debut Tuesday, playing his fifth NHL game overall.
“We like the jam that he plays with,” Bednar said of Siemens. “He has a little sandpaper to his game. He’s hungry to prove that he belongs here. … We’re willing to give guys opportunities. We’re trying to get better and make sure that we have the best team on the ice, and he’s part of that right now.”
Non-Factor.
Former Avalanche forward Ryan “Factor” O’Reilly is shouldering much of the blame for the 6-17-4 record the Sabres brought to Denver. He was Buffalo’s second-leading scorer with 16 points (seven goals) but was minus-19, tied for the worst rating in the league.
“We’ve had a terrible start to the year, and I don’t think I’ve contributed the way I need to,” O’Reilly told Rick Sadowski of NHL.com after the morning skate at the Pepsi Center. “It’s probably the worst start I’ve had in my career. I’m not impacting the game the way I want to. I’m one of the guys that has a lot of responsibility on me. I have to be better.”
O’Reilly, 26, is an alternate captain with Buffalo. He played his first six NHL seasons with Colorado and led the team with 28 goals in 2013-14, after which he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.