Despite losing a tight 1-0 game to the Winnipeg Jets, spirits were high for the Colorado Avalanche. Given the challenges they have faced this season, it had to feel good knowing they could go toe-to-toe with the best team in the NHL and come within a hair’s breadth of winning.
In a game that most expected to go against them, the Avalanche found their offense again in a home tilt with the Carolina Hurricanes. What resulted was a 6-4 win that has to have both the team and fan base feeling optimistic going forward. Let’s get into the key takeaways from this big victory.
Formidable Offense Is Only Going to Get Better
What the Avalanche did offensively against the Hurricanes is mighty impressive. The Hurricanes entered the game as a top-five team in goals against per game, yet the Avalanche managed to explode in the second period for five goals. With the holes in the lineup, that’s even more impressive.
Then again, it helps when you have three of the top 11 scorers in the NHL, including those in first (Nathan MacKinnon) and third (Cale Makar), respectively. When those key pieces like Jonathan Drouin and Valeri Nichushkin return, the Avalanche offense is only going to get better.
Related: Return of Lehkonen & Nichushkin Should Ignite Avalanche Attack
The Avalanche are currently 10th in the NHL in goals per game with 3.47 per contest. When the reinforcements arrive to join the top-end talent, the Avalanche are going to be a beast of a team. It will take them time to find their form, but the Avalanche will be a team no one will want to face.
Nathan MacKinnon Is Your Leader in the Clubhouse for MVP
How could it be anyone else at this point? MacKinnon made history earlier in the season and has continued at a torrid pace of 1.93 points per game through the first 15 contests. He added a goal and three assists in the win over the Hurricanes, taking him up to a ridiculous 29 points through the first 15 games.
He leads the league in that category and has the most assists in the league with 22. He is simply hitting another level at this stage of the season. Given that he is coming off his first league MVP, it’s even more impressive that he has not only continued his dominance but somehow grown it.
MacKinnon is hitting his prime right before our eyes. Given what a relentless competitor he is, a drop-off of any kind doesn’t seem likely. He also seems like he’s made it his personal mission to carry this team on his back while key components work their way back into the Avalanche lineup. Nate Dogg is a man-possessed and should be the favorite for MVP.
Avalanche’s Adversity Could Wind Up Being a Positive
As hard as this could have been to fathom a few weeks ago, the adversity facing the Avalanche may have been a good thing. It has seemingly unlocked a new level for both MacKinnon and Makar, both of whom are on pace to have career seasons.
It has also brought out the best in center Casey Mittelstadt, on pace for a career season himself. It has been tough on the Avalanche at times, but they seem to be finding themselves at the right moment. Even the goaltending has been much better recently than it was at the beginning of the season.
The journey to a playoff spot is going to be tough, especially in such a stacked division. But this team has all the talent in the world and the adversity has hardened their resolve. Getting healthy at this stage of the season could set them off on a run that gets them back into dark horse contender status.
Tough Sledding Ahead
The schedule is brutal throughout the rest of November and moving into December. They face the Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals (twice), Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, and the Hurricanes again in their next dozen games.
It would be all too easy to fall into a losing streak over that stretch, but the Avalanche seem to have found a boost. Getting Nichushkin and Drouin back would only make them more formidable. Going on a run here could be the boost needed to send them shooting up the standings before long.
