The Colorado Avalanche, who had a 5-0-1 record after easily handling the Boston Bruins, not only had to deal with a young and exciting Utah Mammoth, but also had to deal with a few lineup challenges due to injuries although it could only be a few more weeks before Logan O’Connor returns.
The Avalanche seemed to have a significant advantage early on, but the Mammoth eventually pushed them to the limit. It took overtime, but the Avalanche fell in a close division game. lost 4-3 to Mammoth.
The offside call was ridiculous
Early in the second period, Gabriel Landeskog appeared to put the Avalanche up 2-0, which would have been a big advantage in what had been a close game up to that point. Utha challenged for the goal but it was eventually overturned for offside.
But when you watch the replay, the call becomes much more questionable. As the Avalanche changed lines, Nathan MacKinnon stuck in Utah’s zone. Dylan Guenther fumbled the puck just outside the zone, and Valeri Nichushkin took control of the puck, leading to Landeskog’s goal a few seconds later.
For starters, it didn’t look like Nichushkin was hitting the puck in the zone; a better angle appears to show Guenther simply fumbling the puck in his own zone. The call also raises the question of the positioning of the benches and how this affects offside calls. Any way you look at it, the Avalanche went from leading by two to tying back in a tight game.
The mammoth is going to cause problems
While these takeaways are largely intended to be about the Avalanche and how things unfolded for them, you can’t help but notice the Mammoth. This feels like a different team than the one in Phoenix, a young, exciting team on a clear upward trajectory.
Related: Utah Mammoth thrives defensively after Blue Line transformation
Nick Schmaltz is playing his best hockey. Clayton Keller is one of the most underrated wingers in the league. Guenther feels like he’s on the brink of superstardom. The Mammoth played fast, physical and tenacious hockey Tuesday night.
This is a team that feels like it’s about to let the league know that time has come. While they feel like they’re just a few steps away from being real contenders, they seem to be finally living up to the potential we’ve been hearing about for so long.
This felt like a playoff game
Perhaps the biggest takeaway of all is that this game didn’t feel like game #7 of the regular season. The atmosphere was hot and Mammoth fueled the crowd’s energy, playing at a fast pace. More importantly, they finished their checks in a way that felt like a playoff game.
One-on-one combat was intense and physical throughout the game. While the scores – 28-20 in favor of the Mammoth – don’t stand out, there was an intensity in each of these battles that made it feel like more than an average regular season game.
Given their proximity to each other, it would be cool if the Avalanche and Mammoth emerged as new rivals. Think of it as the Rocky Mountain Rivalry. Young Mammoth also has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and wants to show the older, more experienced and (arguably) more talented Avalanche that they should be taken seriously.
Still undefeated in regulation
This is probably the first game all season where the Avalanche didn’t look like the better team. The Mammoth had them running around and kept them on their heels in the second period. With just over two minutes to go, Martin Necas found the back of the net after a shot from a bad angle, forcing extra time.
The best teams find a way to earn points even when it seems like they might not “deserve” them. The Avalanche did that here, picking up a point to extend their points streak to seven games. The Avalanche take on the Carolina Hurricanes at home before a weekend away with the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils.
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