The Colorado Avalanche has collected the fourth-most points in the NHL since trading Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Avs have the third-most in the past 16 games, which is a 12-2-2 run.
By just about any measure, the Avs remain one of the hottest teams in the NHL and have proven they belong on the shortlist of Stanley Cup contenders.
But this is the time of year when nits can be picked. The margin of error, once teams get to the postseason, shrinks.
And while Colorado has not had a bad game in a long time, the Avalanche did just blow a multi-goal lead in the third period for the third time in eight games when the Calgary Flames rallied to win 3-2 in a shootout Monday night.
“I wouldn’t call it a concern,” Avs goalie Scott Wedgewood said. “You don’t like to see it, but it’s not black and white with that. As you come down the stretch, you do want to be able finish the 60 minutes and put teams away. It’s going to be tight checking the entire playoffs, no matter who you’re playing. And it’s going to be a team that will die before giving up.”
There was a point in the game against Calgary when the Avalanche had doubled up the Flames in shots (24-12) and looked comfortable with a 2-0 lead. But this was also the case against Dallas and at Montreal.
It looked great, or really good. Then, a quick flurry from the other team, and the game was tied.
“These games against teams playing with desperation — St. Louis, this game, Montreal — they’re not just going to roll over and go away,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “It’s really good practice for us because they’re playing must-win games, which is what every playoff game is.
“St Louis, we take the penalties. (Monday night), we get casual with the defending. So I haven’t really loved our team’s response here over these. … It’s not how we’re going to have to handle it in the playoffs. So that’s what’s frustrating to me.”
The Avs have now lost two straight games, both to teams fighting for one of the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference. There were plenty of good moments in both, though the offensive execution wasn’t crisp in either.
Colorado hasn’t lost a game where it scored three goals since a 4-3 defeat on Jan. 16 to Edmonton. Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood have raised the bar on what the team can expect from the goaltending, and the defensive work in front of them can be great for long stretches of games.
But, two goals allowed in 32 seconds, like on Monday night, or two in 20 seconds, like against very likely first-round opponent Dallas on March 16, can flip a playoff game, or the entire series.
“I think it’s like a blessing in disguise to get these little life lessons as you come down the stretch here,” Wedgewood said. “You can’t take those little lapses or mismanage the puck at any time. Then when desperate times call for it, we’ve got to find a way to keep it out of our net.”
It is probably not a coincidence that the losses to St. Louis and Calgary have come right after the Avalanche tore through a 12-1-1 stretch. The Avs added a bunch of new players, everyone got settled into their roles, and the team steamrolled through a schedule that included seven wins against teams in a playoff position.
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So one of the challenges during the final two weeks of the regular season will be motivation and the Avs trying to match the desperation of teams like the Blues and Flames who still have plenty to play for.
“We know kind of where we’re sitting,” Bednar said. “It’s not must-win games for us. The season is dragging on, but the playoffs are still seven games away. Tonight, it looked like we were taking a break already.
“As a coach, I understand it. I just don’t like it.”
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