Mile High Hockey - All PostsColorado Avalanche and all hockey coverage in the Mile High statehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50889/mhh-fav.png2024-03-18T08:00:00-06:00http://www.milehighhockey.com/rss/current/2024-03-18T08:00:00-06:002024-03-18T08:00:00-06:00Opinion: 3 RFA changes needed in next CBA
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<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Do it for the children!</p> <p id="psq0yp">Thankfully the next NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t expire until 2026 but work should begin now on ideas how to revamp the contract rules regarding Restricted Free Agents. There’s always some discourse about how the RFA system should be abolished or elimination of the draft to make every player entering the league unrestricted free agents but nothing that radical needs to happen to give young players who are becoming more and more important in today’s NHL some bargaining power. Here are three rule tweaks which should be considered to benefit the contract system. </p>
<h3 id="NhG5a3">No Contract Slides in the AHL</h3>
<p id="kYL5kP">Abolishing contract slides in the minor leagues should be the most critical change players and their agents push for. These Entry Level Contract slides, which means to roll the signed NHL contract over for one or two years while teenagers play outside of the NHL, were intended for players who could be under NHL control and contract to receive their signing bonuses as they continue to play hockey back in major-junior or some cases Europe. Now NHL teams have exploited that loophole by either getting teenage Europeans or previous NCAA track players to sign NHL contracts early in order to squeeze a few free years of American Hockey League play in their development system with the possibility of a few brief NHL recalls if they are held to under 10 games total per year. The result is these players are essentially agreeing to a five-year ELC with no potential for renegotiation and often up to five years of play in the AHL as a result. If a player is spending time in a pro system with the ability to receive recalls to the NHL his contract should count as active, period. </p>
<p id="IeNDmO">A byproduct of this rule change should end most of the CHL-NHL agreement debate about how teenagers and those without four years of CHL major-junior experience are bound to their junior contracts and can’t join the AHL early. With the freebie off the table NHL clubs would think long and hard about burning a year of a slidable ELC just to put their prospect in the AHL. This would leave it up to truly the best cases who would likely spend at least part of the year in the NHL anyway and thus are the ones a little AHL time would actually benefit. </p>
<h3 id="wow8x3">Non-qualified RFAs remain UFA</h3>
<p id="Q2H5Jb">As the NHL’s middle class continues to shrink a new trend has emerged where NHL teams decline to give their Restricted Free Agents qualifying offers in hopes of re-signing them at a cheaper rate and often avoiding the threat of the player filing arbitration in the process. The target of this strategy is usually the player set to make around $2-3 million and that figure often exceeds the budget for role players. While it’s fair that the market dictates a player’s going rate, the exchange for this monetary advantage to the teams should be that the player sent to unrestricted free agency remains at that status whenever his next contract expires as a NHL club chose to willingly give up rights to the player. Restricted free agent rights should not extend to subsequent teams nor to the original team should they re-sign the player at a discount, as it does now. </p>
<h3 id="auYhrc">Reform Arbitration Rights </h3>
<p id="QMCfPf">In the <a href="https://cdn.nhlpa.com/img/assets/file/NHL_NHLPA_2013_CBA.pdf">Collective Bargaining Agreement</a> age mostly sets the timeline for when a player can file for arbitration following their team extending a qualifying offer. Those who establish as full-time NHL players at a young age are not even given any rights regardless of performance. On the flip side, someone 24-years of age and older can spend one season in the AHL with any number of games played and have more rights than those who are making an impact in the NHL.</p>
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<p id="DT0FT1">Arbitration rights should follow games played rather than age. For those who started in the NHL as teenagers it should be 100 NHL games played, which would point to significant impact by the time their ELC has concluded. For all other players it should be a minimum of 100 professional games played, which is at least two seasons of full-time professional league play. </p>
<p id="vfYxGz">The question will be why does this matter as those with little NHL experience won’t have much of an arbitration case anyway. But the leverage does get NHL teams to give bigger contracts including more term and guaranteed salary to avoid having to show up in Toronto for a hearing. Meanwhile young stars in the NHL have to resort to ugly holdouts that impact their play and the team’s because regardless of how they’ve performed these players have no arbitration rights until they hit 21-years of age. </p>
<p id="7a1Yh8"><strong>Which rules would you like to see changed in the next CBA?</strong></p>
https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/18/24000434/opinion-3-rfa-changes-needed-in-next-nhl-cbaJackie Kay2024-03-16T23:30:00-06:002024-03-16T23:30:00-06:00Recap: Avalanche top Oilers in the last second of overtime
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<figcaption>Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A big two points secured. </p> <p id="XdcJk8">After a successful start to the four-game road trip the <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com">Colorado Avalanche</a> faced another tough test against the Edmonton Oilers. It was a tighter low scoring affair early on but in the late stages of the game the offense woke up capped with a buzzer beater goal in overtime in this 3-2 Avalanche victory. </p>
<h3 id="BdUAR2">The Game </h3>
<p id="8aYGor">It was a scoreless first period with Edmonton grabbing a slight advantage in shots 10-7. As both teams traded power plays into the second frame the score still held at zeroes. Then five minutes into the second period Jonathan Drouin was awarded a penalty shot but Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner made the save. </p>
<p id="HCQSKz">Finally at 10:38 Sean Walker broke through to put the Avalanche on the board off of a great feed in the neutral zone from Artturi Lehkonen. Josh Manson and Vincent Desharnais has a fight at the end of the period but Alexandar Georgiev stopped all nine Oilers shots that frame to preserve the 1-0 lead. </p>
<p id="tm4yG3">Early in the third period it seemed Leon Draisaitl scored to tie the game but it was determined that he kicked the puck past Georgiev, thus no goal. The Oilers, however, did convert the game’s next score as at 5:46 Warren Foegele got the puck through a screen on Georgiev to put the score at 1-1.</p>
<p id="3WI2xd"> Edmonton took the lead at 11:48 from Sam Carrick who got position in the front of the net. Then just three minutes later Casey Mittelstadt found Walker cutting to the net to tie the game against 2-2. Each team tried to end the game in regulation but it was destined for overtime. </p>
<p id="125rS3">In the extra frame both teams had their looks but it was a more cautious approach in general. A shootout was on the horizon but Nathan MacKinnon found Lehkonen at the net front a with a good stick he scored with one second left on the clock for a 3-2 overtime Avalanche victory. </p>
<div id="DlDBYh"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UHO62dcskHo?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<h3 id="QwrfBX">Takeaways </h3>
<p id="2XqJSg">It wasn’t the explosive night in the Art Ross race the networks were hoping for with Connor McDavid held off the scoresheet entirely. It was a quiet night for MacKinnon too but he did get the primary assist on the game winning goal to put his total points at 116, still two ahead of Nikita Kucherov. </p>
<p id="TvzQBw">It was the first night with a healthy lineup, although some players are still battling a flu bug, but it was a full team effort. Still, the Avalanche stars showed up and bested those of the Oilers in this first game of the upcoming mini-series of three. </p>
<h3 id="UqvzDT">Upcoming</h3>
<p id="PRGVTH">One final game on the road at the St. Louis Blues at 6 p.m. MT on Tuesday, March 19th. </p>
https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/16/24101205/recap-colorado-avalanche-top-edmonton-oilers-in-the-last-second-of-overtimeJackie Kay2024-03-16T19:00:00-06:002024-03-16T19:00:00-06:00Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Edmonton Oilers (8:00 p.m.)
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<figcaption>Photo by Lawrence Scott/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It’s a Colorado Avalanche game day!</p> <div class="c-float-right"><div id="LVLz5w"><div data-anthem-component="aside:12281165"></div></div></div>
<p id="mf5uqk">It’s time to add another chapter to Nathan MacKinnon vs. Connor McDavid.</p>
<p id="qSyyED">It comes with the <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/"><strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong></a> facing off against the Edmonton Oilers for the first time this season. It took 68 games and took five months, but we finally got a rematch of the 2022 Western Conference Final.</p>
<p id="3AS2HM">With these two teams in the heat of the playoff race, this game is a big one. It’s the first of three matchups between these two in the final 15 games.</p>
<p id="Gw2p53"><a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com"><em><strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong></em></a><em><strong> Projected Lines</strong></em></p>
<p id="SlsTfY">Jonathan Drouin (27) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)<br>Artturi Lehkonen (62) - Casey Mittelstadt (37) - Valeri Nichushkin (13)<br>Miles Wood (28) - Ross Colton (20) - Zach Parise (9)<br>Brandon Duhaime (12) Andrew Cogliano (11) - Yakov Trenin (73)</p>
<p id="4sgZbS">Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)<br>Sam Girard (49) - Josh Manson (42)<br>Jack Johnson (3) - Sean Walker (26)</p>
<p id="bGtZVj">Alexandar Georgiev (40)</p>
<p id="7DmLj5"><em><strong>Projected Lines</strong></em></p>
<p id="YH2P79">Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) - Connor McDavid (97) - Zach Hyman (18)<br>Ryan McLeod (71) - Leon Draisaitl (29) - Warren Foegele (37)<br>Evander Kane (91) - Adam Henrique (37) - Connor Brown (28)<br>Mattias Janmark (13) - Sam Carrick (39) - Corey Perry (90)</p>
<p id="hxqQGw">Brett Kuliak (27) - Evan Bouchard (2)<br>Darnell Nurse (25) - Vincent Desharnais (73)<br>Troy Stecher (51) - Cody Ceci (5)</p>
<p id="VBIXRL">Stuart Skinner (74)</p>
<p id="hQaZhq"><strong>Follow along with the Tweets and in the comments below!</strong></p>
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https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/16/24103348/game-open-thread-colorado-avalanche-vs-edmonton-oilers-8-00-p-mEvan Liu2024-03-16T14:19:42-06:002024-03-16T14:19:42-06:00Preview: Reinforcements arriving versus Oilers
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<figcaption>Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The first matchup of the season against Connor McDavid comes in game 68.</p> <div class="c-float-right"><div id="Ehn4Re"><div data-anthem-component="aside:12281165"></div></div></div>
<p id="mf5uqk">It’s time to add another chapter to Nathan MacKinnon vs. Connor McDavid. </p>
<p id="qSyyED">It comes with the <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com">Colorado Avalanche</a> facing off against the Edmonton Oilers for the first time this season. It took 68 games and took five months, but we finally got a rematch of the 2022 Western Conference Final.</p>
<p id="3AS2HM">With these two teams in the heat of the playoff race, this game is a big one. It’s the first of three matchups between these two in the final 15 games.</p>
<p id="a9IZwt"><strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong></p>
<p id="TCa4HC">The Avs come into Edmonton off the back of an incredible 4-3 comeback win against the <a href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com">Vancouver Canucks</a>. Four unanswered goals in the second half of a back-to-back led the way in some late-night drama.</p>
<p id="tWCszJ">It also gave Colorado its fifth straight win, and they are far from full strength. We will see something as close to full-strength since the beginning of the season with the returns of Artturi Lehkonen, Zach Parise, and Jonathan Drouin.</p>
<p id="9gVCa4">There are some question marks around Cale Makar and Miles Wood, however. Both are under the weather but expected to play. Will their illness affect the play of the team as they eye a sixth straight win?</p>
<p id="mVVhuL"><em><strong>Projected Lines</strong></em></p>
<p id="SlsTfY">Jonathan Drouin (27) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)<br>Artturi Lehkonen (62) - Casey Mittelstadt (37) - Valeri Nichushkin (13)<br>Miles Wood (28) - Ross Colton (20) - Zach Parise (9)<br>Brandon Duhaime (12) Andrew Cogliano (11) - Yakov Trenin (73) </p>
<p id="WQsdzW">Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)<br>Sam Girard (49) - Josh Manson (42)<br>Jack Johnson (3) - Sean Walker (26)</p>
<p id="kZlBal"><strong>Edmonton Oilers</strong></p>
<p id="HRUtQT">Edmonton’s last game was also on Wednesday night, where they dominated the Washington Capitals in a 7-2 final. Connor Brown scored his first goal of the season in an emotional moment, touching for him and everyone in the building.</p>
<p id="Rvfw7y">The team is on a two-win streak themselves, and looking to end another. Of course, none other than McDavid leads the way as he is trying to catch MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov in the scoring race.</p>
<p id="F61idN">The Oilers are still trying to catch the Canucks ahead of them as well. With games in hand, a win against a hot Avs side would really help their case.</p>
<p id="7DmLj5"><em><strong>Projected Lines</strong></em></p>
<p id="YH2P79">Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) - Connor McDavid (97) - Zach Hyman (18)<br>Ryan McLeod (71) - Leon Draisaitl (29) - Warren Foegele (37)<br>Evander Kane (91) - Adam Henrique (37) - Connor Brown (28)<br>Mattias Janmark (13) - Sam Carrick (39) - Corey Perry (90)</p>
<p id="hxqQGw">Brett Kuliak (27) - Evan Bouchard (2)<br>Darnell Nurse (25) - Vincent Desharnais (73)<br>Troy Stecher (51) - Cody Ceci (5)</p>
<p id="ShKg5v"><strong>Goaltenders</strong></p>
<p id="StPlJ3">We will see both teams' respective number ones, Stuart Skinner and Alexandar Georgiev. </p>
https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/16/24103329/colorado-avalanche-game-preview-reinforcements-arriving-versus-edmonton-oilersEvan Liu2024-03-15T13:46:59-06:002024-03-15T13:46:59-06:00Weekly Grades: Canadian Vacation Edition
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<img alt="NHL: MAR 12 Avalanche at Flames" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZoUoTqUCGhd442bSBEFJck-aT_A=/0x0:5948x3965/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73210409/2074367154.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Colorado kicked off a road trip through Western Canada with two wins this week - but were they any good? </p> <p id="DLMUxf">We’re back with the <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com">Colorado Avalanche</a> weekly report card! This week Colorado headed north into Canada to take on the Calgary Flames and <a href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com">Vancouver Canucks</a>, and for the most part, dominated play in both games on the way to two wins. But were they any good? </p>
<p id="d7cbY1"><strong>THE GAMES</strong></p>
<p id="zD2MiH"><a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/12/24099165/recap-an-avalanche-of-goals-in-the-second-leads-colorado-over-calgary">Tuesday @ Calgary: 6-2 W</a><br> <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/13/24100310/game-recap-colorado-avalanche-completes-compelling-comeback-cooling-vancouver-canucks">Wednesday @ Vancouver: 4-3 OTW</a></p>
<p id="mtwBBS"><strong>PLAYER OF THE WEEK</strong></p>
<p id="Sx5J5l"><strong>Mikko Rantanen: </strong>3 Goals, 3 Assists</p>
<p id="CD2V9d">This week’s Mikko was the real thing, the dominant physical force with elite puck skill and vision carving up defenses like some Frankensteinian combination of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce all in one body. Nothing can stop the Moose when he brings his entire array of talents to the same game at once. He kicked off the comeback in Vancouver with a vintage hard-nosed net drive paired with an incredibly skilled redirect:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">You’ll take them any way you can get them from Mikko Rantanen! The Avs have a shot <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/wP3NOsNiVS">pic.twitter.com/wP3NOsNiVS</a></p>— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighHockey/status/1768128370464694744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="JxktlU">And that came just a day after he and Val rediscovered their chemistry on the powerplay:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mikko Rantanen tucks Nichushkin's extra pass into the open cage for a power play goal!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/iHMrfYELyx">pic.twitter.com/iHMrfYELyx</a></p>— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeyDaily365/status/1767722345630744702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p id="M7gKDG">But honestly, the goal highlights don’t do Mikko’s week justice – he was a force in all three zones and the subtle little passes he made at both blue lines to spring breakouts and zone entries were a beauty to watch. He’s ratcheting up his level of play for the playoffs and if he can stay this dialed in things are about to get loco. <strong>A+</strong></p>
<p id="pJt6ww"><strong>STAR WATCH</strong></p>
<p id="xyAayP"><strong>Nathan MacKinnon</strong>: 2 Goals, 2 Assists</p>
<p id="qyl1FS">The engine of this team kept chugging along at an MVP pace, posting a goal and an assist in each game. Somehow, two points per game feels like a slow week for Nate – that’s completely unfair to him but it does feel true, doesn’t it? Both his goals were straight-up snipes though: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">113 points for Nathan MacKinnon so far this season <br><br>A single-season career high and there’s still 15 regular season games to be played. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/v795LYzsfn">pic.twitter.com/v795LYzsfn</a></p>— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) <a href="https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1767963317111271874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Power play goal for Colorado!<br><br>Scored by Nathan MacKinnon with 16:41 remaining in the 3rd period.<br><br>Assisted by Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen.<br><br>Vancouver: 3<br>Colorado: 2<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COLvsVAN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COLvsVAN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/oqrOwc3Y7O">pic.twitter.com/oqrOwc3Y7O</a></p>— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) <a href="https://twitter.com/nhl_goal_bot/status/1768134379266564315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="5UKiF6">And a third shot from that same spot doinked in off Big Val’s face for the OT winner. If he keeps shooting like that, he’ll keep racking the goals up. He’s gonna hit 50 for the first time in his career this season, and he’s making it look easy. <strong>A</strong></p>
<p id="jDeOlu"><strong>Cale Makar: </strong>3 Assists</p>
<p id="0V2PE4">The defensive zone continues to be a bit of a struggle for Cale and Devon Toews this year, which they need to sort out, but lately, and especially this week Cale is offsetting mistakes on one end with points at the other. He’s been dangerous even as he still seems to be fighting the puck and the hockey gods most nights. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mikko Rantanen fires Makar's rebound into the net from a tough angle, extending Colorado's lead to 4!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/oYYzJRqO5U">pic.twitter.com/oYYzJRqO5U</a></p>— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeyDaily365/status/1767746285375799467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p id="SUg0Gy">That’s an assist that should have been a goal, and you love to see Makar “activating and shooting.” There was a stretch earlier this year where it looked like he wasn’t healthy enough to do that, but he seems to be fully back from whatever that ailment was. B<strong>+</strong></p>
<p id="0Lh5JS"><strong>Valeri Nichushkin: </strong>2 Goals, 2 Assists</p>
<p id="XLo4fa">Bow down folks, our demigod (Nate, Cale, and Mikko are full gods) has returned to save us all with net-front power play goals in all three games since his return to the lineup. And yeah, two of those are overtime game-winners, with one coming off his face in Vancouver:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">OFF NICHUSHKIN'S HEAD AND IN <br><br>THE AVS COMPLETE THE FOUR UNANSWERED COMEBACK <a href="https://t.co/BaEWbYPSde">pic.twitter.com/BaEWbYPSde</a></p>— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) <a href="https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1768142585787224562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="eA5aqk">A visor goal was a new one, but the rest of Val’s game was vintage Nuke – dominant defensive and possession metrics plus offensive zone bursts of power and skill that resulted in points. He’s awesome. <strong>A+</strong></p>
<p id="TZHWI2"><strong>MINDING THE NET</strong></p>
<p id="8XlBR2"><strong>Justus Annunen: </strong></p>
<p id="lbS3W2">Started out a little shaky, giving up two goals on Calgary’s first three shots. One was a fantastic deflection you can’t really ask him to stop, and one was a bit of a letdown as he could have had it. But after that, he blanked the Flames and got the W when goal support poured in throughout the second period. <strong>A</strong></p>
<p id="Jqa7KR"><strong>Alexandar Georgiev: </strong></p>
<p id="MYj9c2">Started a little shaky too, giving up two goals on Vancouver’s first two shots. One was a fantastic deflection you can’t really ask him to stop, and one was a bit of a letdown as he could have had it. He then let in a real softy in the second period, leaving the Avs down 3-0.</p>
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<p lang="in" dir="ltr">Nikita Zadorov makes it three! <a href="https://t.co/5gIZTve5iG">pic.twitter.com/5gIZTve5iG</a></p>— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1768119278778118355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="fGFDD6">The second half of the game was perfect – he wasn’t asked to do that much but came up big when called upon. He just can’t be setting the team back early in games like that. <strong>C+</strong></p>
<p id="RGqEEv"><strong>ROLE PLAYER HONOR ROLL </strong></p>
<p id="HC2sdm"><strong>Casey Middlestadt: </strong>1 Goal, 1 Assist</p>
<p id="3YDEJ3">Just a point in each game as Middlestadt is clearly still looking to find chemistry with his new teammates – he looked downright lost subbing in for Jonathan Drouin on the powerplay against the Canucks. But in that same game, he turned a second line with Brandon Duhaime and Yakov Trenin on the wings into a dominant force that destroyed its matchup with superstar Elias Petterson. </p>
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<p id="D7Fte4">That is insane! Just look at the high-danger chances column at the end there, HDCF% — against the Canucks two best players in Petterson and Quinn Hughes, Middlestadt generated almost all of the dangerous chances and completely stifled Petterson in six minutes head-to-head. </p>
<p id="2CznCa">Oh, and he assisted on the goal that sparked the comeback, the night after putting a bow on a dominant win over Calgary with his first goal as an Av:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">For all of the rightful Byram shine<br><br>It should be remembered that Casey Middlestadt is going to be absolutely awesome with all the team speed of the Avs at his disposal <a href="https://t.co/8hwRkfgHVz">pic.twitter.com/8hwRkfgHVz</a></p>— Derek (@SuitableAlias) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuitableAlias/status/1767743319025553880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p id="4mpESH">He was brought in to drive offense, and so far so very very good. <strong>A</strong></p>
<p id="zUoQQw"><strong>DUNCE CAP IN MY DOGHOUSE DUNGEON</strong></p>
<p id="frQn5T"><strong>Josh Manson:</strong></p>
<p id="grzhlU">Ok, let me first say he played very well. Manson against the Canucks looked like a man amongst boys, leading all Avalanche skaters - not just the defense - in every major underlying statistic. He also scored the game-tying goal in Calgary:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Josh Manson knots up the score at 2 to start off the 2nd period!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/bWxwWAuOnZ">pic.twitter.com/bWxwWAuOnZ</a></p>— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeyDaily365/status/1767737900848865618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p id="uUlPVT">He rocked and does not belong in the dungeon for his actual play. But he also made what should have been a costly mistake on a reckless hit:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The only reason this wasn't called a major was because Miller didn't embellish it. If he lays on the ice Manson is gone. That should NOT be the determining factor for a major penalty when the infraction is this clear. Brutal officiating.<a href="https://t.co/ljocG2flhF">pic.twitter.com/ljocG2flhF</a></p>— JABO Vancouver (@jabo_vancouver) <a href="https://twitter.com/jabo_vancouver/status/1768151044331024880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="6vod8f">That tweet is correct on all counts – if Miller tried to sell it, Manson would be suspended right now and he would deserve it. </p>
<p id="W29Zd8">You can read into his intent all you want – I think it’s pretty clear Manson was not targeting the head and didn’t throw his full force into the hit – but he did catch the head and drive a player into the boards like that when you clearly see his back through your entire approach is unacceptable. </p>
<p id="Sy3Io3">Manson’s fantastic play this week only makes this hit more frustrating in my eyes, as he’s not just some plug who the Avs could replace if he got the suspension he deserved – he’s a fantastic player and a huge part of this defense corps, so he has to make better choices and stay in the lineup. </p>
<p id="JLj9TB">This play gets an <strong>F</strong> from me, but overall Manson’s week is worth at least a <strong>B+</strong></p>
<p id="04N36G"><strong>THE REST</strong></p>
<p id="PO8kFV"><strong>Andrew Cogliano: </strong>Picked up an assist on the Manson goal, and with injuries higher in the lineup has been tasked with playing fourth-line center. He’s done an OK job in a role he’s not really suited for. <strong>C+ </strong></p>
<p id="nNh5m6"><strong>Ross Colton: </strong>Fantastic effort on the game-tying goal in Vancouver: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Colton's 14th of the season!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/h9SMJSRJ5K">pic.twitter.com/h9SMJSRJ5K</a></p>— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) <a href="https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1768136571503464834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="Un45vR">He’s looking confident and comfortable as the third-line center, a role he’s better suited for than matchups higher up the lineup. <strong>B+</strong></p>
<p id="n4WIfu"><strong>Jonathan Drouin: </strong>Was great before picking up a lower-body injury against the Flames that forced him to miss the Canucks game. It should be short-term, he might even play tomorrow in Edmonton. <strong>B</strong></p>
<p id="NsZPye"><strong>Brandon Duhaime: </strong>Impressed me skating on the second line with Middlestadt and Drouin/Trenin. His little touch pass assist to spring Middlestadt’s goal was a skill play I did not know he had. Looks like maybe Minnesota’s system was stifling his offense not the other way around, though it has only been three games so we’ll see.<strong> A</strong></p>
<p id="ZR4zy7"><strong>Sam Girard: </strong>Dominant metrics against the Canucks after a decent game in Calgary. <strong>B+</strong></p>
<p id="NxunuL"><strong>Jack Johnson: </strong>Solid JJ week, nothing stood out to the good or the bad. <strong>C+</strong></p>
<p id="D08SUK"><strong>Caleb Jones: </strong>Played five rough minutes at forward against Vancouver. <strong>N/A</strong></p>
<p id="0ciSnz"><strong>Joel Kiviranta: </strong>Looked really good skating with Colton and Miles Wood. His elusive zone entry set up the Colton goal.<strong> B+</strong></p>
<p id="IAkNEF"><strong>Fredrik Olofsson: </strong>He’s back! And not seizing the moment, unfortunately. Freddy’s metrics stunk and Caleb Jones got more ice time than him - and Jones is not a real forward.<strong> D </strong></p>
<p id="zMlV6Y"><strong>Devon Toews: </strong>I touched on it in the Makar section - the D zone work was not good enough, but three assists definitely offset that. <strong>B</strong></p>
<p id="8ltMk4"><strong>Yakov Trenin: </strong>Immediately made the penalty way better and his impact at 5-on-5 has been fantastic – either on Colton or Middlestadt’s wing, he was effective in all three zones and was a huge part of everything I touched on in the Middlestadt section. </p>
<div id="j6oJWU">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Katie with Yakov Trenin during the first period intermission <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/JV4pAANxeD">pic.twitter.com/JV4pAANxeD</a></p>— AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/AltitudeTV/status/1767734441881805014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2024</a>
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<p id="PsNZpn">Love the mindset, love the fit. <strong>A</strong></p>
<p id="UznFt3"><strong>Sean Walker: </strong>The points aren’t flowing but the play is working – he’s holding up defensively while looking dangerous in transition, and the PK looks better with him aggressively challenging passers. <strong>B</strong></p>
<p id="dk8uRQ"><strong>Miles Wood: </strong>I liked his effort in both games and the Vancouver metrics stand up – possession was skewed sharply in Colorado’s favor with Wood on the ice. <strong>B+</strong></p>
<p id="C7sXOl"><strong>TEAM GRADE </strong></p>
<p id="wOB7LF">That was a comeback for the ages, a dominant effort against a very good Canucks team that was trying hard to keep the Avs down and simply could not. Nate called it the best win of the year, and I have to agree with him – it truly showcased why we should have faith in this team’s Cup chances. The top-end talent is so good, the whole roster is resilient and responsible, and after the trade deadline, they’re deep enough at forward to control play with all four lines when (if?) healthy. </p>
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<p id="iYRcG9">That third period in particular is outright domination, and you can chalk some of it up to score effects if you really want to nitpick but the eye test was clear – Vancouver was not trying to turtle, Colorado simply forced them into their shell and just kept firing pucks at it ‘til it broke. The overtime wasn’t even slightly competitive since Colorado was on the powerplay and made short work of it. </p>
<p id="RDPg3J">That all came after another dominant effort in Calgary, where the Avs shrugged off an unlucky start and dominated the Flames for two periods before coasting to a win in the third period. </p>
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<p id="GVJ7A8">How can this week be anything other than an S grade? Well, Georgiev – he has to find a way to be locked in at the start of games because while the comeback wins keep piling up, clawing back from early deficits is not a recipe for playoff success. <strong>A+</strong> </p>
https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/15/24102175/colorado-avalanche-weekly-grades-canadian-vacation-editionEzra Parter2024-03-15T08:00:00-06:002024-03-15T08:00:00-06:00MHH Roundtable: Trade Deadline Aftermath
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<p>It’s been a week since Chris MacFarland shook up the roster. </p> <p id="inU5lt">The <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com">Colorado Avalanche</a> made some big changes to the roster making six trades in total over the last week leading up to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl-trade-rumors">NHL trade deadline</a>. The impact of those moves won’t be truly known until the postseason and beyond but our initial reactions are below. </p>
<p id="oWXXKm"><strong>Which trade did you like the most?</strong></p>
<p id="20Xols"><strong>Evan: </strong>I absolutely love the Ryan Johansen for Sean Walker move. I was hesitant at first after seeing it was only for a first-round pick to start, but the fact the Avs got someone to take on the Johansen contract, plus didn’t retain any salary on it, and got a good defenseman in return was solid business to reclaim what they could from a failed project.</p>
<p id="3irXmo"><strong>Jackie</strong>: Getting anything in return for Kurtis MacDermid and Ben Meyers was a win in my book. Neither were in the future plans and although their returns weren’t significant, it’s always a good idea to get some semblance of assets in return when so many are going out the door. </p>
<p id="cglWNy"><strong>Ezra: </strong>Gotta be Middlestadt! If you listen to the podcast, you know he’s been my target 2C all along - the future is bright for him, and the immediate upgrade to the top six is major. He has offensive instincts and skills that no one else on the market could come close to, his defensive impacts have improved every year of his career, and he’s a major contributor to possession and transition metrics. He’s gonna fit in and reach new heights on the Avs. Pour one out for Bo, but you gotta give to get. </p>
<p id="FAcm99"><strong>Casey:</strong> The Casey Mittelstadt for Bowen Byram deal is going to prove to be a killer deal for both sides. We’ve already seen both players get off to tremendous starts with their new clubs, with Mittelstadt showing excellent results through his first 3 games, while Byram has seemingly galvanized the Buffalo Sabres back into serious playoff contention. What Mittelstadt’s next contract ends up looking like could only sweeten the deal for me. </p>
<p id="Nypvde"><strong>Which trade did you like the least? </strong></p>
<p id="wFWTvP"><strong>Evan: </strong>I don’t love the trade away from Jeremy Hanzel for Yakov Trenin. Hanzel had just signed his ELC hours before being moved - likely what made the move happen in the first place. Regardless, Hanzel had been progressing well with the Seattle Thunderbirds and likely had a higher ceiling than another defender in the system such as Sean Behrens at DU. The Avs need to be aware of their farm system, or the lack thereof and need to continue building for the future as well.</p>
<p id="scWNAn"><strong>Jackie</strong>: It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of the move to deem Bowen Byram expendable. The organization had the next three years to find the best return, see where the salary cap went, see the development of potential internal replacements, and to at the very least monitor what impact of removing Byram’s handcuff to Ryan Johansen had for his game. It had a significant impact this season as they were each other’s most frequent teammate at 274 minutes of 5v5 time on ice together. You can see below what a drag that was. Selling low on a special talent is never a good idea. </p>
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<p id="BMCMU0">Byram also held a large role on the team playing the top five in total minutes overall and was only at 22 seconds less per game than Devon Toews at 5v5, giving the defensive core a dynamic competitive advantage over other teams with his special skill set and ability to soak up minutes at 5v5. The Avalanche are the only Western Conference contender that removed a key part of their roster in preparation for the playoffs. </p>
<p id="vU5OG0">The Ryan Johansen disaster no doubt was what created the impetus to do something drastic, which didn’t put the Avalanche in an ideal position. The return of Casey Mittelstadt is fine but a bit underwhelming. He’s certainly an upgrade on Ryan Johansen and at 25-years-old is someone who can contribute for the foreseeable future. But Mittlestadt is due a sizable long-term extension this summer with arbitration rights and now has a commanding amount of leverage. He’s also not a set-and-forget second-line center still growing into his game and with no playoff experience. Jared Bednar might be tempted to still lean on Ross Colton, especially in defensive situations. It’s a big gamble and the Avalanche better be right because their window of contention depends on it. </p>
<p id="wigV6E"> <strong>Ezra: </strong>Initially I really disliked the Brandon Duhaime deal - it seemed like too high a price for a guy who doesn’t bring any offense and looked likely to be the 13th forward most nights. The LOC injury changes that considerably, as he’s now definitely going to play and Duhaime’s high-end penalty killing became a big need. Still feels like a guy you can get for a fourth or fifth-rounder, though. </p>
<p id="ZE6h0L"><strong>Casey: </strong>Based on early returns, I can’t say any of the deals have irked me in any way. If I had to pick one, it would obviously be the Brandon Duhaime deal. It reminded me a lot of the Andrew Cogliano acquisition back in 2022, where I didn’t understand the move initially, but it’s hard to be disgruntled by the move after hearing about the Logan O’Connor news. This feels like it’s meant to be a one-for-one replacement for LOC heading into these playoffs, and perhaps even longer if he continues to show like he has through his first three games. </p>
<p id="EbTI9F"><strong>Surprisingly the Avalanche did not trade for a goaltender, what are your thoughts on the decision? </strong></p>
<p id="oDMh6H"><strong>Evan: </strong>I think it is okay. The goaltender market wasn’t very viable for the Avs, and we’ve seen improvement from both Justus Annunen and Ivan Prosvetov. Now, hopefully, they do not get used in the postseason because they’re certainly unproven in the playoffs. There may be issues which come up then, but hopefully, they do not need to worry about it. </p>
<p id="F3Qyu2"><strong>Jackie</strong>: I am surprised the organization finally felt comfortable enough with Annunen as the backup to not force a move but he probably won’t be used much except for a few regular season starts. The salary cap has a big impact on what the Avalanche can do in net as well and they’ll have a lot of decisions to make this summer, preserving flexibility might have been the best move to make at this time. </p>
<p id="aRT8h9"><strong>Ezra: </strong>I’m excited for Justus! And I think ultimately there just wasn’t a veteran goalie available who felt like a real upgrade. They didn’t want to pay for two years of Jake Allen, and beyond him, the best goalie moved was Kaapo Kahkonen - a guy who is probably better than Allen, but doesn’t have playoff experience to lean on as a guru figure for Georgiev. That was ultimately the need since Annunen’s play in a vacuum is higher end than anyone they could have brought in, and once Fleury was off the table there wasn’t an obvious fit out there. </p>
<p id="MQG5Lj"><strong>Casey:</strong> I’m iffy on the decision. I’m not against rolling the dice on Annunen as the backup, he has been excellent since the All-Star break, and it’s time to figure out what he’s all about. I really wish they could’ve found another option though. Depth is everything in the playoffs, we saw it with Vegas going out and adding Jonathan Quick to add depth to their goalie room of Adin Hill, Logan Thompson, and Laurent Brossoit. Ivan Prosvetov is only one injury away from dressing in the playoffs, and that’s a scary proposition.</p>
<h3 id="cM8W0X"><strong>Which team in the Western Conference presents the biggest challenge now?</strong></h3>
<p id="4BYLSG"><strong>Evan: </strong>The obvious answer here is the Vegas Golden Knights, who just always seem to add and make insane move after insane move and somehow make it all work. The trade for Noah Hanifin is big for their blue line, and the last-gasp move for Tomas Hertl from their rival San Jose Sharks. How they do it, whether or not you like it by utilizing the LTIR, is frustrating for Avalanche fans and fans across the league as a whole. But, it would be fun to take them on and try to get revenge from 2021 in a Western Conference Final showdown.</p>
<p id="Oc0p1C"><strong>Jackie</strong>: To my eye, the Winnipeg Jets only got better. Their addition of Sean Monahan has worked out thus far as he’s scored eight goals for Winnipeg already. Getting Tyler Toffoli and Collin Miller on trade deadline day also helped fortify their already great depth and goaltending. My only pause would be the lack of playoff experience to propel the Jets all the way but as a possible early opponent for the Avalanche, they are who I’d be concerned about. </p>
<p id="XchLew"><strong>Ezra: </strong>Right before the Colin Miller deal came through I was saying on the podcast that Winnipeg’s defense looked like a major weakness. He doesn’t move the needle THAT far, but with the back end shored up a bit the Jets look a lot better. How quickly Hertl and Hanifin mesh with the Golden Knights will dictate a lot for this year, because both those moved were made for the future as much as the present - Vegas fully healthy is an absolute wagon on paper, but without Mark Stone and Alec Martinez they still don’t have a ton of depth upfront or downback. </p>
<p id="I3QxyR">Dallas is still the biggest challenge, in my opinion, as they’ve got established offensive weapons going strong and young players demanding ice time with excellent play. Chris Tanev was exactly the upgrade they needed on defense behind their elite top pair in Heiskanen and Harley, and Jake Oettinger can still be elite in the playoffs even if he hasn’t been so far this year - if that guy dials up his play, they’re gonna be an extremely tough out. </p>
<p id="wlIvWO"><strong>Casey: </strong>I’m in a weird position on this one. I’m going to say the Dallas Stars. They have the dynamic mix of talent, grit, and goaltending that posed issues for the Avalanche against the Seattle Kraken last year. I know, Philipp Grubauer hasn’t been good for Seattle, but remember in that series he posted a .926 SV% en route of the series upset. Jake Oettinger can do that exact thing for the Dallas Stars, they can roll four lines, their defense is massively improved with the breakout of Thomas Harley and the acquisition of Chris Tanev at the deadline, and the Avs have not been able to solve Pete DeBoer’s system in a playoff series to date. </p>
<p id="tP7CZO">What puts a wrinkle into this thought however are the Edmonton Oilers. The Avs play Edmonton for the first time this season on Saturday and have two more matchups in April. We still have no clue how Colorado and Edmonton stack up against each other under new Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch. Saturday should be a must-watch for the Avs fans who have access. </p>
https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/15/24094984/mhh-roundtable-colorado-avalanche-trade-deadline-aftermathJackie KayEvan LiuEzra ParterCasey Cheatum2024-03-13T23:28:43-06:002024-03-13T23:28:43-06:00Recap: Colorado completes compelling comeback, cooling Canucks
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<p>A four-unanswered goal comeback sets the tone for fifth straight win.</p> <p id="0pO7DT">How about them apples?!</p>
<p id="63vVtQ">The <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com">Colorado Avalanche</a> came to face the <a href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com">Vancouver Canucks</a> and answered the call on the second leg of a back-to-back and won 4-3 in overtime. It was not an easy road to get there, with the Avs falling behind 3-0 and digging themselves out of a hole late to finish the job.</p>
<p id="yzZDxD">It is the fifth straight win for the Avalanche dating back to their 5-0 shutout win against the Chicago Blackhawks last Monday. It also snapped the Canucks four-game winning streak coming into this matchup. Perhaps this win shows the Avs have also put their road woes behind them. Let’s go over this incredible game, shall we?</p>
<p id="r0Qg8c"><strong>First Period</strong></p>
<p id="PwZ9LV">Colorado would bite the dust early in quick succession to start this game. J.T. Miller deflected Ian Cole’s shot off the post and in behind Alexandar Georgiev just 24 seconds into the game.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">MILESTONE MILLER❗️<br>NEW CAREER HIGH - 33RD OF THE SEASON!❗️ <a href="https://t.co/gTsAROCgSW">pic.twitter.com/gTsAROCgSW</a></p>— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1768105270226698566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="WgD3u5">Just 2:20 later, Vancouver struck again. Ilya Mikheyev lost his man in front of the net and was able to deflect a pass into the twine to double the lead just three minutes into the game.</p>
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<p lang="no" dir="ltr">MILLER ➡️ MIKHEYEV <a href="https://t.co/cb47PgryA9">pic.twitter.com/cb47PgryA9</a></p>— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1768106280424772077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="jKf7YO">While Brock Boeser just missed the chance to make it 3-0 in front, Colorado did its best to just hang on and find their legs. They would shut down the Canucks offensively but didn’t create much going the other way.</p>
<p id="IjbAUR">Caleb Jones had perhaps the best chance of the frame, but his chance between the circles was deflected away. The same could be said about a scrum in front of Casey DeSmith, where they got bodies in front of the puck and the Avs just couldn’t find a clean look at the net.</p>
<p id="HECMUd">Josh Manson would find himself in trouble when he hit Miller’s head into the boards in the far corner, drawing a crowd. His two-minute penalty would carry over to the start of the second, with his team looking to kill it off and try to swing momentum back in their favor. </p>
<div id="4WVpkj">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Josh Manson hits J.T. Miller into the boards and he is slow to get up. Looks like he'll be alright. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <br> : Sportsnet | NHL <a href="https://t.co/yarO3sBn9Q">pic.twitter.com/yarO3sBn9Q</a></p>— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1768111810719457539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="k1SIAI"><strong>Second Period</strong></p>
<p id="lreCHV">Georgiev was called upon early, making a few key saves to keep it at 2-0. But he couldn't stop them all, as former Av Nikita Zadorov blasted one past the netminder to make it 3-0.</p>
<div id="SuoKJi">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big shot from the big man. <a href="https://t.co/ikwUCzUDxU">pic.twitter.com/ikwUCzUDxU</a></p>— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1768119194686746874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="ODyImi">Zadorov would get into a fight moments later with Manson, who had to respond for his hit on Miller at the end of the first period. Not many punches were thrown, but with Big Z going down first, was looking to give Colorado a chance with some momentum in their favor.</p>
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<p id="rn5dbQ">After a pair of penalties from both sides, the Avs offense started to wake up a little bit. They were controlling the puck better and trying to get it to the net, but Vancouver did extremely well to block everything. </p>
<p id="c8pqlv">At the other end, Georgiev had a few shaky moments with a loose rebound going just wide, and a failed open ice poke check which luckily didn’t go in. It worked out for Colorado, as Mikko Rantanen’s 11th straight game with a point gave the Avs life with 20 minutes to go.</p>
<div id="IvggK9">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">You’ll take them any way you can get them from Mikko Rantanen! The Avs have a shot <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/wP3NOsNiVS">pic.twitter.com/wP3NOsNiVS</a></p>— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighHockey/status/1768128370464694744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="3p47U0"><strong>Third Period</strong></p>
<p id="80InBu">A pair of early penalties on Vancouver gave the Avs even more life. Yakov Trenin drew the initial call, while Nathan MacKinnon earned a hooking penalty on Ian Cole. The latter of the two would convert on a 5-on-3 to get the Avs within one.</p>
<div id="fnzX9w">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nathan MacKinnon being Nathan MacKinnon. That is all <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3pAkMvO2t">pic.twitter.com/v3pAkMvO2t</a></p>— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighHockey/status/1768133761709818089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="64idjD">This only helped Colorado’s momentum, as they were skating everywhere and pinned Vancouver in their zone. A third-line shift in particular sent Canucks flying, and somehow Ross Colton on his stomach managed to get enough of the puck past a diving DeSmith and just got it over the line. After initially being called no goal and after a review, the comeback was complete with the game tied at three.</p>
<div id="UgRG5f">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a shift, what a finish, and what a comeback! Game on baby! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bpy9x7ltmh">pic.twitter.com/Bpy9x7ltmh</a></p>— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighHockey/status/1768136648439611687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="DWgkFf">After killing off a Joel Kiviranta call, both teams played a steady third period to hang on and not concede in their respective ends. They got looks, but not enough to beat their respective netminders. </p>
<p id="hg1C4R">But, Carson Soucy made a critical error throwing the puck over the glass on his own with under 10 seconds left in regulation. But, the Avs couldn’t convert. Hence, this game needed up to an additional five minutes to decide the result with Colorado on the man advantage.</p>
<p id="MtXF9t"><strong>Overtime</strong></p>
<p id="et1lFW">The Avs didn’t wait long to throw the final punch. On the power play, MacKinnon’s shot from his usual spot deflected off of Cole, then off the visor of Valeri Nichushkin and in. The double-doinker completed the comeback in an incredible 4-3 win.</p>
<div id="GQvEWP">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DOUBLE-DOINK OT WINNER BABY! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/RrKlN4ACG6">pic.twitter.com/RrKlN4ACG6</a></p>— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighHockey/status/1768142596461748473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="2GUmMd"><strong>Takeaways</strong></p>
<p id="ryheRm">What an unreal comeback. This team looked down and out midway through the second period. But the turnaround was phenomenal by a hungry Avalanche team. The late second-period goal set the tone for the third, which Colorado dominated and blew Vancouver away. On the second leg of a back-to-back, it makes this win extra special - the fifth one in a row. </p>
<p id="X0060l">That being said, there are certainly some questions to arise from the first half of the game. Granted it was a back-to-back, but the Avs did not show up and put themselves behind early. If they come out and play like they did in the third period, they are going to be extremely hard to beat. But, part of the reason they fell behind was a lack of bodies. Jonathan Drouin was ruled out right before the game started with a lower-body injury dating back to his hit and awkward fall he took in Calgary. Already without Logan O’Connor, Zach Parise, and Artturi Lehkonen, it was always going to be tough but they persevered in a big way playing 11/7 in this game.</p>
<p id="UmReBQ">This win sweeps the season series between the Avs and Canucks. Against the best team in the West, it is a wonderful result. Not only is it good for the record books, but it is phenomenal for the Avalanche and their run towards the top of the Central Divison in a race between them, the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets. I’ll let this tweet do the talking.</p>
<div id="os85Ey">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is how big tonight’s result is <br><br>Good night Avs faithful. Recap coming shortly <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/YDZE8HuHIG">pic.twitter.com/YDZE8HuHIG</a></p>— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighHockey/status/1768143801128775685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a>
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<p id="Wrbdps"><strong>Upcoming</strong></p>
<p id="ybH17T">The road trip goes on and doesn’t get any easier, facing the Edmonton Oilers for the first time this season. Puck drop on Saturday night is at 8:00 p.m. MT.</p>
https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/13/24100310/game-recap-colorado-avalanche-completes-compelling-comeback-cooling-vancouver-canucksEvan Liu2024-03-13T19:30:00-06:002024-03-13T19:30:00-06:00Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Vancouver Canucks (8:30 p.m.)
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<img alt="Colorado Avalanche v Vancouver Canucks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/i-SiLiCnsFESZLoUi2Z-ZoBADqA=/3x0:3212x2139/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73205691/1459177850.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It’s a Colorado Avalanche game day!</p> <div class="c-float-right"><div id="7FyCct"><div data-anthem-component="aside:12278227"></div></div></div>
<p id="U8FKtE">The <a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com/"><strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong></a> are back in action after playing less than 24 hours ago. Tonight, they face off against the best in the West, in the <a href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/"><strong>Vancouver Canucks</strong></a>.</p>
<p id="kglYcv">These two are some of the best in the league and have put on shows when they’ve played this season. The last result between these two was in favor of Colorado, who won 3-1 on February 20 at home. Can they go for the season sweep tonight?</p>
<p id="v2NjKT"><a href="https://www.milehighhockey.com"><em><strong>Colorado Avalanche</strong></em></a><em><strong> Projected Lines</strong></em></p>
<p id="hjSX1P">Jonathan Drouin (27) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)<br>Brandon Duhaime (12) - Casey Mittelstadt (37) - Valeri Nichushkin (13)<br>Miles Wood (28) - Ross Colton (20) - Yakov Trenin (73)</p>
<p id="EM8IjZ">Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)<br>Sam Girard (49) - Josh Manson (42)<br>Jack Johnson (3) - Sean Walker (26)</p>
<p id="rPkl6N">Alexandar Georgiev (40)</p>
<p id="eMtoLQ"><a href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com"><em><strong>Vancouver Canucks</strong></em></a><em><strong> Projected Lines</strong></em></p>
<p id="j2kFrX">Nils Hoglander (21) - Elias Pettersson (40) - Pius Suter (24)<br>Ilya Mikheyev (65) - J.T. Miller (9) - Brock Boeser (6)<br>Vasily Podkolzin (92) - Elias Lindholm (23) - Conor Garland (8)<br>Phil De Giuseppe (34) - Teddy Blueger (53) - Sam Lafferty (18)</p>
<p id="sJMynJ">Quinn Hughes (43) - Filip Hronek (17)<br>Ian Cole (82) - Carson Soucy (7)<br>Nikita Zadorov (91) - Noah Juulsen (47)</p>
<p id="ex7MTC">Casey DeSmith (29)</p>
<p id="cbBYk6"><strong>Follow along with the Tweets and in the comments below!</strong></p>
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https://www.milehighhockey.com/2024/3/13/24099892/game-open-thread-colorado-avalanche-vs-vancouver-canucks-8-30-p-mEvan Liu