Ball Arena welcomed back Nazem Kadri for the first time since signing with the Calgary Flames with a tribute video that brought the crowd to their feet in appreciation for the former Av. The camaraderie stopped there. Both teams are fighting for playoff positions where every point matters. The intensity was palpable on the ice, but the Avalanche skated away with a 4-1 victory. We will always love you, Naz, but not when the puck drops. It’s not personal; it’s hockey.
Despite the early onslaught by the Flames, Nathan MacKinnon got the first goal, and for the second game in a row, he got it on the first shot. Newhook brought the Avs up 2-0 halfway through the first, and the Avalanche continued their first-period dominance. In the last 17 games, the Avs have outscored their opponents 24-4 in the first frame. Mikko Rantanen got this 38th goal of the season to make it 3-0, but a late power-play goal by Tyler Toffoli, with an assist by Kadri, would keep the Flames in the game 3-1 at the end of two.
After outshooting the Avs 18-11 in the second period, the Flames fought hard to get back in the game, but the Avs shut them down when Denis Malgin weaved through three Flames players to complete a jaw-dropping play, giving the Avs a commanding 4-1 lead early in the 3rd. As Rycroft said, it was “Malglificant” and is worthy of a spot on SportsCenter Top Ten. Despite the Avs lead, or because of it, the energy between the two teams became more headed, especially when Flame Mikael Backlund hit MacKinnon into the boards. MacKinnon didn’t like the hit and, in a rare show of emotion, dropped his stick and taunted Backlund around the ice, resulting in a roughing penalty for Mac. The Avs quickly killed the sentence, but Bowen Byram didn’t miss the opportunity to run the spoilsport Backlund into the boards, resulting in matching minors for both players.
With Saturday night’s victory, the Avalanche extended their winning streak to five games, and sit in second place in the division, trailing the Dallas Stars for first place by 3 points. Since the crippling January 12th loss against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Avalanche have gone 13-2-2 and are now in control of their destiny with two games in hand on the Stars. In the past six games, the Avs have faced three back-to-backs, all facing divisional opponents, where the points were crucial. But the Avalanche rose to each challenge and defeated their division rivals in regulation. Not to mention that these wins have come while still missing key players due to injury.
Landy is back to skating, but the Avs are out Makar, Johnson, Helm, and MacDermid, who sustained a concussion after a fight against Flame Milan Lucic. The added weight of Lucic’s hunchback must have given him the unfair advantage against MacDermid’s 6’5”, 233 lb frame. Perhaps the most troublesome injury is to netminder Pavel Francouz who is out till at least March 7th with a lower-body injury. Georgiev has been outstanding in net, but with the remaining action-packed schedule, Georgiev will need reinforcement. While Justus Annunen or Jonas Johansson maybe be able to fill in, they can’t replace Frankie. The regular season is long, but a deep run in the playoffs is practically a second season, and the Avalanche must have a solid goaltending core.
The Avs’ recent performances are an encouraging moral boost for fans and players. Winning certainly is more fun. Despite still facing injuries, the Avs are finding ways to win. MacKinnon has 15 points in seven games, and Rantanen could be the first Av since Milan Hejduk in 2003 to record 50 goals. You want your best players to be your best, but long-term success comes from productivity across the lines. In addition to our top guys, players like Compher, Newhook, and Malgin are all making contributions, and the wins reflect the difference.
With the trade deadline looming on March 3rd, the Avalanche have already made a few minor moves. On Saturday, the Avs traded Shane Bowers, who sustained an upper-body injury 1:46 into his NHL debut in November. He has since played with the Eagles in exchange for Boston backup goalie Keith Kincaid. At 33, Kincaid has played in 168 NHL games and has primarily spent this year in the AHL, but he brings goalie depth should Frankie face any setbacks in his injury. Additionally, the Avs re-acquired 36-year-old defenseman Jack Johnson from the Blackhawks in exchange for 27-year-old Andreas Englund. An interesting move considering Johnson has not had a great year in Chicago (but who has there?), and it seemed like Englund had started to perform well for Colorado, but I’m not a GM. Last year at the deadline, the Avs added Artturi Lehkonen, who scored the game-winning goal to clinch the Stanley Cup, so if they do make more moves, we know it will be intentional.
Tonight, the Avalanche will face off against Vegas, who lead the Western Conference, and will continue their homestand vs. New Jersey on Wednesday. They will be on the road for an important match-up against Dallas on Saturday. The Avs have been the NHL’s best team in Saturday competitions, with a 13-3-0 record. Let’s make it 14-3-0.