The Colorado Avalanche have had an interesting run so far. On one hand, they have 14 points, good for second-most in the Western Conference. On the other hand, they have lost their last four, including one to their Tuesday night opponent, the New Jersey Devils.
They got good news beforehand with the return of Mackenzie Blackwood, though he wound up taking backup duties for Scott Wedgewood. The Avalanche left little doubt in this one, absolutely dominating the Devils en route to an 8-4 victory.
Arguably the Best Scoring Depth in the NHL
We rightfully talk about the high-end firepower that the Avalanche have. That said, they are capable of pouring it on because they have the depth to get contributions from throughout the lineup. Victor Olofsson’s first career NHL hattrick is evidence of that.
Yes, they got three goals from Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, but they also got goals from Olofsson, Zakhar Bardakov, and Parker Kelly as well. They have facilitators throughout the lineup who create chances that might not exist in other systems.
The quick-strike ability is something that 99% of other teams would kill for. The Avalanche can score in bunches and did so multiple times against the Devils on Tuesday night. They also lead the NHL in shots with 380, understanding that you can’t score if you aren’t putting the puck on net.
Brent Burns is an Underrated Pickup
Can we talk about how valuable a pickup Brent Burns has been so far? For a bottom-pair, 40-year-old defenseman, he has brought a calming presence while adding a nice little bit of offense to the back end.
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Burns is averaging more than 20 minutes per night and has five assists through 11 games. He isn’t the dynamic offensive force that he was during his prime, but the Avalanche knew that coming in. He has the versatility to play on any pairing and not look lost, plus can slide in on the power play when needed.
This is the kind of addition that a defense featuring young guns like Sam Malinski and Jack Ahcan needs. He has been there and done that, and the Avalanche are benefitting from his reliability, riding him to the tune of the third-most minutes among Avalanche defensemen.
The Power Play is Alive!
Other than the win, the other biggest takeaway is that the power play was excellent for the first time all season. They scored on four of their six opportunities, moving the puck well, and exploiting a sweet spot at the top of the circle to the right of Jakob Markstrom.
Both MacKinnon and Necas teed off from essentially the same spot on three of the four power play goals. On the fourth, Olofsson took a pass to Markstrom’s left and ripped an absolute snipe to the far side.
Their movement was far better, getting the Devils scrambling in order to open up one-time opportunities. MacKinnon and Necas have the hard, heavy shot you need to make the most of those chances and they made the Devils pay repeatedly.
Back on the Right Track
The good thing about being a great team is that you can lose four in a row but still make valuable contributions to the standings. The Avalanche got back on track in an emphatic way, shutting down the talk of a slump in the best way possible.
With the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and the upstart Utah Mammoth to battle, the margin for error is slim for the Avalanche. They have all the tools to win a Stanley Cup, and will only get better as names like Blackwood, Samuel Girard, Joel Kiviranta, and Logan O’Connor return to the lineup, making them even more dangerous than before.
