Recap: Avalanche complete thrilling comeback over Penguins

What more can you say about this special, special team?

The hottest team in the league showed their worth in this win.

The Colorado Avalanche came back from a 4-0 deficit toward the end of the second period and won 5-4 in overtime over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was far from a great game for the Avalanche, but they got the important two points in the end.

It was the ninth straight win for the Avalanche, who are on their longest winning streak of the season going back to the beginning of the month. With new players joining at the trade deadline and chipping in, the team as a whole looks so much better than they did a month ago. This game solidifies just that. Let’s go over it all, shall we?

First Period

With the Pens on the gas early, they were looking for the lead after leading 7-1 in shots just four minutes in. They would have to kill off a Jesse Puljujarvi holding penalty first, which they did brilliantly.

After not letting the Avs get set up in the zone, they went down the other end and scored. It would be Puljujarvi out of the box taking advantage in front to make it 1-0.

Colorado didn’t fight back, struggled to move the puck, and kept turning it over. Losing puck battles led to a couple of chances for Bryan Rust. After being denied the first time by Alexandar Georgiev, he got a second look just seconds later to double the lead.

He almost made it 3-0 moments later along with Sidney Crosby, but they couldn’t find the net despite Georgiev being out of position. Colorado had a lot to do behind early and struggling to find their feet.

Second Period

The Avalanche looked a little more alive to open up the frame. Zach Parise hit the post after Miles Wood rushed into the zone. Jonathan Drouin also had a shot sneak through Nedeljkovic and stopped on the line, double-checked by a quick review.

Chances kept coming from Mikko Rantanen, Andrew Cogliano, and the second line but Nedeljkovic stood on his. He even did so shorthandedly after Devon Toews threw the puck over the glass, denying Valeri Nichushkin after Brandon Duhaime hit the post seconds before.

Despite all the chances, the Pens would be the ones to take advantage. Sidney Crosby recorded his third point of the game on an excellent deflection down low to make it 3-0. Moments later, Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored from the point through traffic to make it a 4-0 game.

But, the Avs suddenly found their scoring touch. Just 25 seconds after the Pens’ fourth goal, Sean Walker would get one through traffic and get Colorado on the board.

Nathan MacKinnon had a great look on a rolling puck denied, but Colorado would capitalize in the final minute. Yakov Trenin deflected Duhaime’s shot after Walker hit the post, and made it 4-2.

MacKinnon had one more rush in him in the final five seconds, fighting off a hook as well which went uncalled. But yet again, Nedeljkovic managed to stop it and hold onto it, with MacKinnon angry and frustrated. He and the entire team would be looking to use this anger and hunger to find a way to complete the comeback in the final 20 minutes.

Third Period

Colorado kept up their momentum from the second period. There would be a Halifax Mooseheads connection with MacKinnon finding Jonathan Drouin for a one-timer to get the game within one.

The Avs continued to push, with Casey Mittelstadt having a rush into the zone denied by Nedeljkovic, but the ensuing collision hurt him. Hence, he was pulled by the concussion spotter for Tristian Jarry.

He would stop a 3-on-1 which was passed around too much by Colorado, and one they should’ve scored. They got away with it though after killing off a Duhaime tripping penalty as well.

The Avs couldn’t capitalize on a man advantage of their own when MacKinnon was tripped up, only recording one shot on net. But, they wouldn’t need the man advantage. They just needed another connection between Drouin to MacKinnon, to tie the game at four.

This would be the end of the day for Jarry in his quick stint in relief, as Nedeljkovic was cleared to come back. He would hold off the charging Avalanche and both teams would force overtime.

Overtime

The Avs kept possession the entire time and found the winner. Drouin rushed into the zone, beat everybody – even bodying off an incoming slashing penalty – and got Nedeljkovic down and won it 5-4.

Takeaways

This team man. It is unreal what they’re doing right now. Even on off-days like today, the Avalanche showed what they’re made of after going down 4-0. New players chipped in amongst the depth of the team to get the scoring started, while the stars took over and made it a game and took it to the Penguins in overtime for the win. It’s a team effort, and while it wasn’t the best for the first 35 minutes of this game, they showed they can turn it around on a dime.

That being said, the first 35 minutes were not pretty going down 4-0 to the Pens. Crosby had his way with the top two lines on defense and finished with four points in the game. Colorado couldn’t control much of the play, struggled to move the puck, and created turnovers leading to a couple of goals leaving Georgiev out to dry. The third goal in particular with Cale Makar’s turnover was far from ideal. Regardless, the Avs managed to escape their problems but will certainly want to clean up the play moving forward.

Nine straight wins belong to the Avalanche now. It is the longest winning streak of the season in the most important stretch of the season. The Winnipeg Jets were shut out by the Washington Capitals earlier today in the nation’s capital, only helping the Avs’ case further to win the Central Division. All three of the Jets, Avs, and Dallas Stars have played 71 games. With no games in hand for anyone, the Avalanche have sole possession of the top of the division with 97 points, two points above the Stars, and four points above the Jets. With games still to come against both teams, Colorado will want to take advantage of those and this homestand to extend their lead atop the Central.

Upcoming

The homestand rolls on, with the Montreal Canadiens coming to town on Tuesday night. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. MT.