The Colorado Avalanche have tried to get things back in order after a handy loss to the New York Islanders, only their second regular season loss of the season. They bounced back with an overtime win over the New York Rangers and looked to continue the road trip with a win on Sunday afternoon.
Although they fell behind early, the Avalanche responded well and took a lead in the first period that they would never relinquish. While it wasn’t the prettiest win in the world, the Avalanche picked up another two points with one 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Stay at Taps with Mackenzie Blackwood
Although Scott Wedgewood’s return could be imminentthey have the comfort of knowing they are covered with net. Mackenzie Blackwood was solid in the win over Rangers, but had perhaps one of his best performances of the season on Sunday.
Blackwood has been on a nice run of late, winning four of his last five starts. The only time he gave up more than two goals was in the loss to the Islanders and he was bombed with 41 shots in that goal.
Losing a goalkeeper who has performed as well as Wedgewood is tough, but Blackwood has softened his absence. While it’s ideal to have Wedgewood back in the lineup, the Avalanche have barely missed a beat and continue to take out teams along the way.
Brent Burns still has it
Part of what makes the Avalanche so great is that they get contributions from just about everywhere in the lineup. The old saying goes, “They don’t ask how, they ask how much” and the Avalanche have personified that with one of the deepest groups in the league.
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A revelation within that group has been 40-year-old defender Brent Burns. Signed on the cheap, the Avalanche had hoped for solid defensive play from veterans for 15-18 minutes per night. They got more than that out of Burns, who appears to be well ahead of his scoring totals from a season ago.
This isn’t the 70-80 point Burns of his San Jose days, but he has been as solid a No. 3 defenseman as they come. It has given the Avalanche flexibility in how they deploy their combinations, and it gives them a veteran presence that can play in just about any situation.
Not the best attempt
The Avalanche always seem to get better as the game goes on. During this period they almost seemed to take their foot off the gas pedal, especially in the third period. They got away with it as Blackwood knocked down all thirteen Flyers shots to seal the victory.
This was one of those games that characterize good teams. They don’t try their hardest, but they still manage to find a way to win. The Flyers aren’t a good team, but it’s promising for the Avalanche to deliver a B effort and still walk away with the win.
It’s been talked about before, but the margin for error is somehow still razor thin, even with the best record in the NHL. Getting wins on a bad night is imperative because the Dallas Stars are breathing down their necks at all times.
The life of a complete team
Compared to teams on the other end of the spectrum, the Avalanche are having fun even on their off nights. They have the kind of lineup that can bring in contributions from anywhere, and the three-man pillar that can carry them 90% of the time.
The best teams know they can beat anyone on any given night. The Avalanche are the kind of team that can beat you in a million different ways and they have mostly succeeded so far this season. It’s great to see if you’re a fan of the Avalanche.
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