The Colorado Avalanche came into Thursday night with a primetime matchup that everyone wanted to see. The Edmonton Oilers have all the star power in the world and are seeking to win their first Stanley Cup in the Connor McDavid era. The offensive firepower in this game is unparalleled.
The Avalanche started hot but wound up getting a bit of their own medicine. After a 3-0 start, they wound up losing to the Oilers 4-3 after a late goal by Evan Bouchard. Let’s get into the three main takeaways from this disappointing loss to the Oilers.
Nathan MacKinnon Is the Best Player in the World
Let’s get one thing out of the way quickly: Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the world right now. It’s not the biggest gap between him and McDavid, but if pressed you would have to take MacKinnon right now. Given his performance early in the game, it’s hard to argue.
MacKinnon leads the NHL in points with 72, a five-point gap between him and Leon Draisaitl. Though the Avalanche have question marks surrounding major free agents, including super scoring winger Mikko Rantanen, MacKinnon has been the constant that keeps this team moving forward.
MacKinnon’s first goal was a perfect illustration of his talent, a quick shot that caught Stuart Skinner by surprise. The second goal was a perfect illustration of why he’s the best player in the world. He used his speed to quickly close the gap on Bouchard, put the puck through Bouchard’s skates, and finished five-hole. Just an unreal play from start to finish.
Team Defense Wasn’t Great
Mackenzie Blackwood wasn’t great by any means; he stopped 23 of 27 shots on the night. Having said that, he didn’t get beat egregiously at any point. The Oilers simply got him moving laterally and made the most of their opportunities, especially in the second period.
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If anything, team defense was a bit lacking which is surprising given how well the team has done in that regard over the last little bit. The goal by Viktor Arvidsson was a bit fluky as it hit Josh Manson’s stick and knuckled a bit before going in.
Blackwood never saw the shot from Brett Kulak midway through the second period because no one was doing a thing about Corey Perry standing in front of the net. And on the McDavid goal that tied the game, things broke down and McDavid did as McDavid does. Against a team like the Oilers, those defensive lapses will cost you and it did with the Avalanche on Thursday night.
A Taste of Their Own Medicine
The Avalanche are among the league leaders in comeback wins, tied for third in the league with the Carolina Hurricanes with 14. They did it in their last outing, coming from behind to beat the struggling New York Rangers 3-2. They were bound to get caught by someone in a similar fashion.
The Avalanche hold two of the three biggest comeback wins on the season, ironically both against the Buffalo Sabres. The Oilers are now the 11th team on the season to come back from a three-goal deficit to win. It’s a bit of karma but hopefully the kind that can be pushed aside and moved on from.
Moving On
The worst thing the Avalanche could do right now is linger on this collapse. There are enough other things surrounding the franchise (including Gabriel Landeskog’s possible eventual return) and the race in the Central Division is going to be a tight one. Dust yourself off and move forward.
With three consecutive division games coming up, this is a critical stretch for the Avalanche. Never mind catching the Winnipeg Jets for the top spot; the Avalanche are just three points back of the Minnesota Wild for second in the division. That should be the goal for the time being. But that can’t happen if they drop two or more of the next three.