By the Numbers Double Feature: Avalanche win at Buffalo, detroit

Hello friends the Avs played back to back so I'm going to lump these two together especially since the one against Buffalo is a pretty simple analysis so here, behold:

Yes, the Avalanche were outpossessed by the historically bad possession team from Buffalo. Let's take a look at the scale first, the game was mostly between +/- 3, and the situation second. Colorado were leading for the VAST majority of this one. Look, the Avalanche are terrible at possession too. This one was won between the pipes as Enroth was only able to save 18 of 22 for his team (5 was an empty netter).

At least it wasn't miserable to watch right? Speaking of

Dammit, look at those flat lines. And then, again, things spiraled out of control in a hurry in the third period. That's the kind of thing that's gonna happen when you play a back to back with travel, but it's becoming a trend. I talked about it a little bit on the podcast this week. When you look at who's dropping the puck possession ball late in this game...

It's your biggest TOI guys. My theory on this remains that overplaying them is wearing them down. Sadly, the alternative is to play Cliche and McLeod more, which I'm going to absolutely yell about in the third period, so the problem is likely one of roster construction at this point. That and Talbot on the top line. Please, Jamie McGinn, please get healthy for next year.

Anyway Colorado were outpossessed and outshot dramatically. Calvin Pickard stole a point in Pittsburgh, and he stole two more here.

Odds and Ends

• Exempting the 4th line from candidacy due to lack of opportunity to do anything, Mr. Irrelevant in detroit goes to Alex Tanguay. 2 hits, 1 blocked shot.
• Of course, he had two goals and an assist in Buffalo, so things kind of even out.
• John Mitchell, ladies and gentlemen. A goal and an assist in Buffalo, lead the team with 7 shot attempts, and lead the team with 5 SOG (and 5 shot attempts too) in detroit.
• Pavel Datsyuk had 10 shot attempts, 7 on goal. No wonder he scored. I don't care what jersey he wears, the dude is a fucking wizard out there.
• Tyson Barrie: 1 shot attempt TOTAL in these two games. He's giving Nate Guenin room to play his best hockey of the season right now, but he's also really tanking a lot of damage himself. That's okay when you just need to stop the bleeding, for the team to succeed long term this isn't going to work.
  
• At 5v5 over this road trip Calvin Pickard stopped a hilarious 84 out of 85 shots. The kid is on a TEAR.