Avs blitzed 6-3 by Hawks and Refs

In the latest meaningless loss for the Colorado Avalanche in a season long forgotten lies one of the most frustrating and indescribable sequences of hockey one will find. The scene begins with a quick goal in the first period by none other than Patrick Kane for the Chicago Blackhawks at 4:33. The Avs actually kept at it and responded with a couple beautiful goals by Mikhail Grigorenko at 8:14 and 15:36. Chicago looked like they were doing their typical nap job at home as Sven Andrighetto added to the lead with a supreme tip goal at 16:24 in the second period. The Avs looked like they had the game under control through the first two frames.

In the third period the Hawks predictably came out with some fire and the push started to affect the Avs. It was no shock that Johnathan Toews finally scored at 10:17 but it was a blown offside call that was challenged by Jared Bednar and somehow NOT overturned despite clear visual evidence that was deemed inconclusive which lead to the turning point in the game. Then the collapse was on as the Avs let in two more goals at 10:34 to Richard Panik and 10:51 to Artemi Panarin before they even knew what hit them and the win was out of their hands. Toews added another at 13:19 for good measure and Marcus Kruger found the empty net at 19:58 because why not.

Three Questions

At this point winning and losing is entirely irrelevant as the Avs have all but wrapped up last place and the highest draft lottery odds. One game and what happens within it will surely be forgotten once this disaster of a season mercifully ends. However, the lasting effects of how the season unfolded have to be a real concern going forward for anyone who remains in the organization. Is there a limit to how many times a team can get embarrassed and ripped of their dignity and hope to build anything in the future?

The fragility of this group is obvious and should be expected on one of the worst teams ever assembled in the history of hockey. It's no wonder that their confidence is easily shaken and they tend to panic when things go bad when success is so fleeting for this group. But has that fragility been more of a cause than an effect leading to this deplorable season? Giving up goals in bunches shouldn't be acceptable no matter the situation but yet it keeps happening.

Good luck to the league that has set the precedent for clear visual evidence to still be deemed inconclusive and open interpretation of a rule written in black and white. Nobody cares that the Avs got jobbed on a call in a game as irrelevant as they are but if real playoff implications are affected by the outcome or God forbid in a playoff game then they need to have some answers.