Coming off a pair of losses to the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers, the Colorado Avalanche came into Tuesday night’s tilt with the Buffalo Sabres looking to get back on track. With three losses in their last four, the Avalanche are losing ground in a tough Central Division.
The game started in the ugliest way possible, underscoring the largest issue facing the Avalanche. That said, a lot can happen in 60 minutes. The Avalanche stormed back, stealing the game and a crucial two points from the Sabres with a come-from-behind 5-4 victory. Let’s get into the takeaways.
The Ultimate Resolve
Before we get into the individual aspects of this game, let’s talk about the resolve of this team. The Sabres, on paper, have a lot of talent. They have a solid goaltender in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. And spotting any team a four-goal lead is never ideal.
Rather than simply rolling over and riding out the clock, the Avalanche picked up the pace. They started playing faster and faster in the second, leading to a display of complete dominance in the third period. Four goals later, the Avalanche left the hometown fans furious with their team.
Good teams find a way. Sometimes, that means finding a way after you have had the worst start possible. It was an ugly start for Alex Georgiev, one of many in what has been his worst season to date. The team bailed him out and got the win anyway.
Trade Paying Early Dividends
The Avalanche recently made a minor move in net, trading Justus Annunen for veteran backup Scott Wedgewood. Little did they know, Wedgewood would become a pivotal factor in the comeback. Georgiev gave up four goals on eight shots in just a little more than 11 minutes of action before being pulled.
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Wedgewood came in and looked fantastic, stopping a couple of high-danger chances to keep any additional goals off the board. In the end, he stopped all 22 shots he faced, including a couple of late pushes from the Sabres to tie the game.
It has to feel good for the team and management to see Wedgewood step right in and make a difference. Team goaltending has been the worst in the NHL this season by a mile. It’s going to be tough to overcome that if someone isn’t there to save things when Georgiev fails.
Nate Dogg Breaks His Drought
After a torrid start to the season, it was rough to see Nathan MacKinnon go goalless over his last 10 games. MacKinnon contributed with a litany of assists but seeing him fail to find the back of the net had to feel troubling for fans and teammates alike.
Nate Dogg found his stroke again at the best time possible. MacKinnon had a big night for the Avalanche, getting them on the board in the second period before ultimately tying the game at four with a nifty deflection 7:39 into the final frame.
He finished with two goals and an assist on the night, a crucial part of the comeback. Though he was one of the team’s three stars for November, it is nice to see him get off to a nice start in December. Hopefully, this has gotten him over the hump and back on an Art Ross Trophy pace.
It’s Not About How You Start
It may sound cliché, but this is why you play 60 minutes. The first 20 were as ugly as humanly possible and everything felt like the night was over. They gained a little momentum in the second before opening the floodgates in the third period.
Ideally, the Avalanche won’t spot the opposition a four-goal lead from here on out. They face a little bit of a reprieve in the schedule soon, facing struggling teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks. Grabbing as many wins as possible will be critical in the stretch leading into Christmas.
