At this point in the season, the Colorado Avalanche are just trying to see how far ahead of the pack they can be by the time the league shuts down for the Olympic Games on February 5. They’ve continued to be red hot, most recently coming off a 4-0 shutout of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
On Monday night, the Avalanche donned their spectacular powder blue Quebec Nordiques throwback jerseys as they hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs. Though the game was a fantastic back-and-forth affair, the Avalanche fell short 4-3 in overtime and these are the takeaways.
We’re Seeing a Special Art Ross Race
Nathan MacKinnon was once again incredible, regaining the lead in the scoring race with a three-assist night. It also gives him 45 assists on the season, good for an assist-per-game rate. That would be incredible enough without mentioning the fact that he has an NHL best 36 goals as well.
Despite his 1.80 points per game pace, MacKinnon remains just one point up on Edmonton’s Connor McDavid in the scoring race. The next up after McDavid and his 80 points? Dallas’ Jason Robertson with 55 points. These two are on a pace we don’t see often in the NHL.
The two are either first or second in goals and points, and MacKinnon is just one assist back of San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini for second in the league as well. They are dominating at a ridiculous level, are both psychotic-level competitors, and are chasing legacy achievements. It is entirely possible that one of them may hit 140+ points this season and not win the scoring title.
Brock Nelson Continues to be a Major Difference Maker
Though injuries continue to be a talking point for the Avalanche, they haven’t had a major impact on the team in the standings. Part of that is because Brock Nelson continues to produce at a pace that is bordering on a top-line rate.
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He scored for the third time in four games, his 22nd of the season. He now has 38 points in 45 games while playing as many as 22 minutes per night of 200-foot hockey. The 1-2 punch that he provides playing behind MacKinnon is something that few teams can match.
If the Avalanche are going to make a run to their fourth Stanley Cup, Nelson is going to be a key component. MacKinnon might be on an other-worldly pace now, but things become constricted in the playoffs. Supporting pieces like Nelson become all the more important for getting over the hump.
Sometimes You Run into Hot Teams
The Avalanche didn’t play a perfect game – they lost the giveaway and takeaway battles, not to mention Brent Burns scored an accidental own-goal in the first period – but normally win games like these. But sometimes, you run into a hot team and that is what the Leafs have been.
After languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Leafs are now in sole possession of the first Wild Card spot, running up an impressive 8-0-2 record in their last 10 games. When you’re hot, you find ways to win and that’s precisely what happened.
The Leafs have also been getting big-time contributions from their big-name players. Auston Matthews, who has been hotter than anyone on the Leafs, scored. William Nylander got the overtime winner. If anything, it’s a consolation that the Avalanche still managed to grab one point in the standings.
Onto the Next One
The Avalanche are 33-4-8. Winning every game might feel possible for this Avalanche team, but it can’t happen. They’ll have to settle for a paltry .822 points percentage, a ridiculous .137 better than the next team (Dallas).
By the time the Avalanche head to Toronto on Jan. 25, they could have another winning streak under their belts after a four-game homestand featuring the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers. Either way, the MacKinnon and the Avalanche will be eying revenge.
