After their 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on January 26, the Avs entered a nine-day reprieve for the All-Star break with only three losses in January, spirits felt high. Players jetted off to tropical destinations for a well-deserved break, and MacKinnon, Makar, and Georgiev went to Toronto for the All-Star Game. Post-break, the Avs began their longest road trip of the season with six contests. Out of those six, the Avs won one. Does AAA offer assistance to hockey clubs because the Avs have broken down on the road?
Thankfully, all bad things come to an end, and the Avs returned home on February 18th; despite a haphazard game, they came away with the win against the Coyotes. However, on Tuesday night, the Avs took on the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. Now, the Canucks were coming in on a back-to-back, where the night before, they blew a 5-2 lead in utter collapse with a final losing score of 10-7. I think an ambulance might have been better served for that blowout than AAA. The point being both teams needed a win.
It turns out the Avs out-fought the Canucks, and won in a 3-1 victory. After the slump of a nasty road trip, it was the most disciplined game we have seen from the Avs in a while. Out of their last seven contests, the Avs allowed 28 goals, which speaks more to frequent defensive breakdowns than goaltending skill. Georgiev is not a wall; he is human, and like all humans, they do better with help. In Tuesday’s match-up, it finally felt like the Avs rallied to their goaltender, with Girard and Lehkonen making skilled plays and stopping goals as much as Georgiev. It felt refreshing to witness desperation out of the team, and it paid off.
Johansen named the game’s #1 star in win over Vancouver
Ryan Johansen's two goals were equally as impressive from the win. The Avs acquired Johansen in the offseason to bring in a veteran second-line center in hopes of filling the void that has been missing since Nazem Kadri signed with Calgary. However, he has not met his or the team’s expectations. Granted, he is known for the late season and playoff performances, but he needs to prove himself as a key contributor before then. And now is the time. Before Tuesday, his last goal was on December 29th, 21 games ago. Johansen said, “It’s all about wanting to be happy with where my game’s at for the playoffs. We still have a good amount of time here, but I’ve got to raise my level here and do more for the group.” Scoring two full-strength goals is an excellent way to start.
Thanks to Johansen’s two goals, the Avs were up 2-1, with Artturi Lehkonen scoring an empty net. Lehkonen’s goal came from Nathan MacKinnon, who continues his home game scoring streak of 27 games. He has a point in every home game this season, and has surpassed the great Bobby Orr’s record. He now trails Wayne Gretzky. Of course, Gretzkey’s record is 40 games; there are 41 home games in a season. Regardless, MacKinnon reigns at home, helping to make the Avs 21-5-0 in the Mile High City.
In contrast, the Avs are only 13-13-4 on the road. In October, the Avs set a new NHL record for 15 consecutive road wins during the regular season, and since then have lost 17 games on the road, four coming in overtime. Did they get a new travel coordinator who messed up their routine? Are the hotel breakfasts not up to standard? Do they even eat hotel breakfasts? This actually makes me question: how do athletes eat on the road? Do they get a per diem? We know MacKinnon is meticulous about his diet, so I know he’s not grabbing a quick bite at Starbucks. Ok, this could spiral into a separate blog post. The point is the Avs suck on the road, and now I’m hungry. Whether it is a question of routine, mattress quality, or confidence, the Avs need to figure this out because tonight, the Avs will face off against the always-villainous Red Wings in Detroit. Will the Avs maintain the momentum from their big win against Vancouver, or will they be roadkill again? The only thing I know is that AAA isn’t going to show up for us in the Motor City, so the team is going to have to step up and remember there is no finer saying to an Av than, “Red Wings Suck!”