It is hard to ask for more going into the holiday season than what the Colorado Avalanche have already received. They are the best team in the NHL by a mile, recently running their home winning streak up to a dozen games with wins over the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.
On Sunday, the Avalanche took to the road for their first showdown with the Minnesota Wild since the latter acquired superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes. The Avalanche responded by laying down a beating, toppling the Wild 5-1.
The Scoring Race is Going to be Fun
Nathan MacKinnon has been a man possessed this season as he pursues his first scoring title. For most of the season, he has led the race but Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid has been playing at a video game pace in his last 10 games, finally taking the lead over MacKinnon.
MacKinnon scored twice on Sunday, becoming the first player this season to hit the 30-goal plateau. MacKinnon is not only looking to capture the Art Ross Trophy, but the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goalscorer as well.
Both are insanely talented and as competitive as it gets. Watching them go toe-to-toe for the scoring title this season will likely be one of the most fun storylines we get this season. Strap in and enjoy the ride.
The Avalanche’s Speed is at Another Level
There is one thing that jumps out immediately when you watch the Avalanche and it is their team speed. Several times, the Avalanche used their speed to simply overwhelm the Wild on their way to a dominating performance.
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On the first goal of the game, the Avalanche were cycling with such speed that they managed to garner extra space before Cale Makar made one of those plays that only Cale Makar can make to set up the goal.
There was a goal called back due to offsides, but the Avalanche pressed the action coming into the Wild zone and got the defense back on their heels before putting the puck into the net. Even with a team possessing the kind of defensive core that the Wild has seems to struggle with the collective speed of the Avalanche.
Cale Makar Deserves Real MVP Consideration
Makar was at his very best on Sunday, tallying a power play goal and registering a pair of assists to boot. He is tied for ninth in the NHL in scoring with 43 points through 35 points and holds a three-point advantage over Columbus’ Zach Werenski in the defenseman scoring race.
Makar plays in every situation and eats more ice than just about everyone in the league aside from a handful of big-time defensemen like the aforementioned Hughes. The fact that he’s able to produce offensively at the rate he is while killing penalties and posting an incredible +32 says everything you need to know about his game.
It is going to be tough to crack the top three the way MacKinnon and McDavid are playing. Macklin Celebrini is doing something that few teenagers have managed to do in the history of the NHL. All that said, Makar deserves to be in the conversation at this stage.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
The Avalanche lead the NHL with 59 points, but it can’t be enough. The Dallas Stars are just four points back, though the Avalanche have a pair of games in hand. The Wild are not much further behind with 49 points, and they are the three best teams in the NHL in terms of points.
It almost feels unfair that the Avalanche are 26-2-7 and have just a four-point lead in the division. They still haven’t lost in regulation at home this season and their goal differential is a silly +61 with the Stars being the next closest at +36. The Avs have to keep the pedal to the metal to keep the Stars at bay.
