"I think there is a much bigger calm on the team right now. We can play comfortable in every situation," said Avalanche defenseman Anton Lindholm. "We talked about it earlier in the year, we need to be a team that can play every game, even if it is a three-goal game or one-goal game. We need to find a way to keep playing the way we should, no matter what the circumstances."
The Avs are on their longest winning stretch since they won eight straight contests from Dec. 31, 2005 to Jan. 17, 2006. The franchise record is 12 games during the 1998-99 campaign.
Lindholm says the team has tried to learn from what they've done right in each of the last few outings and build on it for the next one.
"We're trying to focus on what has made us successful in the last seven games," Lindholm said. "I think there is a really good chemistry on the team right now. I think all the boys enjoy coming to the rink every morning, and we're just looking to continue doing what we're doing."
Winning has not only helped build chemistry for the club, but it has also delivered confidence. Getting more of both comes at a good time as the Avalanche is set to play the second of a three game homestand tonight before beginning a stretch of 13-of-16 contests on the road.
"When everybody is playing well and everybody is having fun on the ice, it's easier every night. You go out there and have fun and try to win every game," said forward Gabriel Bourque. "We've been playing smart hockey, hard and intense, and it's been working for us. We'll keep doing the same way."
The Avs have played plenty of tough opponents during their streak, all of them presently in the playoff picture or just a few points out, and they'll face an another strong club tonight in the Sharks.
San Jose is rolling, winners of three straight and is 5-1-1 in its last seven games. The Sharks have a balanced attack, with defenseman Brent Burns leading the team in scoring with 34 points (seven goals and 27 assists) and forwards Logan Couture (17 goals and 15 assists) and Joe Thornton (11 goals and 21 assists) close behind with 32 each.
"Solid offensive team, really solid. A lot of mobile defensemen that join the rush. It is pretty much five threats offensively on the ice all the time," Lindholm said. "We need to play a really good defensive game and just buy into that we need to follow our structure defensively."
San Jose's group-of-five may possess the talent to score, but Colorado can match them man-for-man on defense, according to Lindholm.
"We've been playing good defensively, and I think it is because we're also five guys in the D-zone that know what we're doing and covering for each other," Lindholm said. "If someone gets beat, we always have four guys that are ready to do a little extra work to cover for that guy, and that needs to carry on in tonight's game."
Helping the Avalanche's cause is that its defensive play is also having its best stretch of the season.
The club has only given up 10 goals during the win streak and has never trailed. Of the 428 minutes and 15 seconds that the Avs have played over the last seven games, they have led for 268:08 and have been tied for only 160:07.
