The Colorado Avalanche continue to have a rollercoaster season. After a shocking 5-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres, which included erasing a four-goal first-period deficit, the Avalanche couldn’t find a way to overcome a much better Carolina Hurricanes team. They fought back but ultimately fell short, losing 5-3 in the process.
On Saturday (Dec. 7), the Avalanche had the opportunity to make the most of a lighter schedule, beginning with the Detroit Red Wings. Things were perhaps a bit more tense than some felt they should have been, but the Avalanche walked away with the 2-1 win. Let’s get into the takeaways.
All Hail Cale
In a season that has seen a litany of trade rumors, some of them that are completely non-sensical, there have been a few constants. One of them has largely been Cale Makar, still on track to have one of the best seasons of his already impressive career.
Though he came into the game on an eight-game goalless streak, Makar had been producing. On Saturday, he stepped up when the Avalanche needed him the most. Having lost three of their last four, the Avalanche needed this game badly and Makar provided the eventual game-winner, a goal on the power play at the beginning of the second period.
Makar has cooled off from his otherworldly pace, but he is still a vital piece for the Avalanche. Seeing him get back in the goal column has to be a nice boost for both the team and Makar himself. They’ll need more timely goals out of him in order to continue winning games.
Nichushkin Continues to Roll
He’s been a regular staple of these takeaway pieces but it’s hard not to bring attention to what Valeri Nichushkin is doing. He started the season slowly since returning from suspension on Nov. 15, going pointless in his first three games.
In the eight games since, Nichushkin has been everything the Avalanche hoped for and more. He scored again on Saturday night, kicking off scoring against the Red Wings with a beautiful wrist shot from the top of the slot. He tried to get a shot off only to have it blocked but followed his own rebound and got it the second time. This is the fifth time in the last eight games that Nichushkin has scored a goal and the sixth time in that span that he registered at least one point.
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It has been said to death, but Nichushkin is going to be leaned upon given how many important bodies are not in the lineup. The fact that he has been producing at a high level over this last stretch bodes well for not only himself but for the rest of the Avalanche’s season.
A Good Start From Georgiev
Like it or not, Alex Georgiev’s name is probably going to be brought up on a regular basis throughout the rest of the season. Even after his abysmal start, the Avalanche doubled down by trading promising youngster Justus Annunen, bringing in a decent veteran backup in Scott Wedgewood instead.
Georgiev feels like he is what he is at this point: a highly inconsistent goaltender who can completely shut anyone down or give up four goals and get pulled. We’ve seen plenty of both this season and we haven’t even hit the Christmas break yet.
Georgiev was excellent on Saturday, stopping 29 of 30 in the win over the Red Wings. Given the fact that his last start saw him give up four goals on eight shots to the Sabres, it was the kind of rebound both he and the team really needed.
An Important Win
This Avalanche season is already at a juncture where every point matters. Now, the Avalanche get something of a reprieve from the gauntlet of quality teams. After they face the New Jersey Devils, they get the Pittsburgh Penguins, Utah Hockey Club, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Chicago Blackhawks all before Jan. 8.
This is going to be the stretch in which to rack up points. There are a couple of toughies in there – they play the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 16 and host the Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers right at the beginning of the new year – but most of it is manageable. The Avalanche have to be advantageous with this stretch of the schedule.
