It has been an uncharacteristically tough go of things for the Colorado Avalanche of late. Over their 10 prior games, the Avalanche sported a very un-Avalanche-like 4-4-2 record, getting blown out multiple times over that stretch.
After beating the Detroit Red Wings 5-0 on Saturday in Detroit, the teams returned to the ice in Denver on Monday night. Though a shutout occurred yet again, it was the Avalanche on the wrong side of ledger, falling 2-0. Here are the takeaways.
The Offense Has Looked Sluggish
Including this latest loss to the Red Wings, the Avalanche are averaging just 2.9 goals per game. Comparatively, they are giving up 3.7 goals per game in that same stretch. For a team that leads the league in both goals for and goals against per game, it has been a stark shift.
To an outsider, the Avalanche have looked worn down. Injuries have taken their toll to the point that the Avalanche find themselves mixed in with rumors for more than a few players. They don’t play with the collective jump that they had for much of the season, settling for space along the walls and lacking that explosive transition game.
It should also be noted that Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon have been quiet (for them). MacKinnon has been held without a point in three of his last four outings. Makar is now scoreless in four in a row and five of his last seven. Both have had tremendous seasons, but it looks like they are running out of steam. As they go, so goes the offense and it hasn’t been going with the same oomph of late.
An Encouraging Performance from Blackwood
What is worth talking about most from this game was the performance of goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. He was very good in the 5-0 blanking of the Red Wings back on Saturday and carried that momentum over into Monday night’s game.
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Blackwood turned aside 23 of 24 shots on the night, making a few absolutely acrobatic saves late to keep the Avalanche in the game. After a stretch in which he struggled terribly, it feels like maybe Blackwood has finally turned the corner.
Of everyone on the roster, the Olympic break may be the best for him. He’s been battling injuries off and on this season, so extended rest may give him the boost that he needs to come back playing his best hockey on a more consistent basis.
The Olympic Dilemma
As mentioned, the Olympic break is coming, and it will provide a bit of respite for most players. The Avalanche, meanwhile, are sending a whopping eight players to Italy at the end of the week.
If the Avalanche really are feeling the grind, having to travel and play overseas for two weeks isn’t going to help the core of this team. There is a chance that Gabriel Landeskog may not play, which would be a blessing for the Avalanche, but fatigue is a real question.
There isn’t anything to be done about it, but coach Jared Bednar might want to consider scaling back the minutes of his biggest names a bit when they all return. Relaxed minutes may help them find a bit of their jump again rather than burning out further.
Pressure is Mounting
The Avalanche were once the runaway leaders of the Central Division. That is no longer the case. Though they have games in hand on both, the Avalanche lead the Minnesota Wild by five points and the Dallas Stars by six. The once-double-digit lead continues to wither away.
The Wild have been hot, but the Stars are playing okay of late and yet the Avalanche continue to give up ground. Hopefully, the Avalanche come out of the Olympic break with that jump to their game again because the Central Division is scary and losing the top spot would be a major blow.
