Despite recent struggles, the Colorado Avalanche have a chance at a historic run. They were untouchable for the first few months of the season but have looked utterly beatable, particularly since returning from the Olympic break.
In a monumental matchup, the Avalanche got the lead against the rival Dallas Stars but ultimately couldn’t seal the deal. They instead wound up losing in a shootout, dropping a critical point to the Stars. These are the most important takeaways from the Avalanche’s 2-1 loss to the Stars.
The Offense is Struggling
Despite being the number one team in the NHL in goals per game and having their top player in an epic scoring race, the Avalanche offense has been sputtering of late. It is one thing to only score one against a team the caliber of the Stars, but three cumulative goals against the Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins is unacceptable.
There is just something in the air about this Avalanche team right now. You can feel the struggle, feel them pushing and pressing, and it is showing up on the score sheet. The vaunted depth that has propelled them to these heights has suddenly vanished as well, making them human.
There is too much talent on this roster to remain stagnant. They also have games against the Penguins, Jets (twice), Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Washington Capitals between now and April 1 to get back on track. They need a “get right” game offensively in the worst way.
The Fire is Still There
While there are clear criticisms to be made about the offense, the Avalanche definitely have not taken their foot off the gas pedal. The Avalanche controlled much of this game, thoroughly outshooting the Stars 34-18 while winning nearly 60% of the faceoffs.
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It would be one thing if the effort was lacking and the Avalanche were not giving it 100%. But you can see the urgency in the way they skate, the way they pursue, and in some of the offensive flurries that just haven’t found the back of the net.
That level of effort combined with the talent they have on this team means that the puck will find its way to the back of the net eventually. It is just unfortunate that the Avalanche can’t have a bad stretch without the Stars breathing down their necks.
The Pressure is Showing
The pressure is clear when it comes to the Avalanche. We see it in comments from Nathan MacKinnon. We see it in the way Cale Makar pushes the pace frantically up and down the ice. You see it in the first power play, which ultimately ended in Makar’s 20th goal of the season.
There is an air about the Avalanche right now. You can see the pressure manifesting and know that they are gripping their sticks just a little harder. Teams go through this but the Avalanche are feeling it after setting impossible expectations while having to hold off a team like Dallas.
That kind of pressure can go one of two ways. It can either continue to manifest and lead to further struggles or the Avalanche can continue to push through and eventually find their way again. They need to figure out which way they are going to go and do it fast.
The Stars Have Caught Up
A month ago, it felt impossible to think that the Avalanche could be caught in the Central Division. Yet here we are, the Stars with 14 games remaining and the Avalanche with 15 games remaining, and the Avalanche hold a two-point lead in the division.
The Avalanche have lost four of five while the Stars have won five of six. Pressure is mounting as we hit the stretch run and the Avalanche suddenly find themselves playing playoff-caliber hockey far sooner than they could have anticipated.
