Continuing the theme of slow starts and come back efforts.
After a mixed road trip, the Colorado Avalanche started their last homestand of the regular season. A big test in theory as the Vegas Golden Knights entered Ball Arena but both teams were missing several regular players and had their backup in net. Still, it was a close game which needed a shootout to settle the score and Colorado was victorious in a 3-2 win.
The Game
Both teams had a tepid start to the game with a couple penalties but Vegas found the scoreboard first on a shorthanded goal from William Karlsson at 11:10. It was the seventh shorty given up by the Avalanche this season.
The only other excitement in the first period was Chris Wagner, who was called up at the last second for an absent Ross Colton, had to answer the bell for a clean hit and got in a sort of fight with Keegan Kolesar.
Vegas took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission as both teams looked to get out of preseason mode.
It took Brayden McNabb only 40 seconds to extend the Vegas lead in the second period when a point shot snuck past Scott Wedgewood through a screen. There was more lackluster play back and forth but finally on Colorado’s third power play they broke through.
It necessitated a lengthy video review to get the score to count, however. At 9:45 Val Nichushkin chipped the puck at the net front and Vegas goaltender Amira Schmid almost did enough to keep the puck out of the net but as he dove back the puck entered his glove and the officials determined the puck did cross the line.
Now back into the game the Avalanche turned the energy on and near the end of the second period a scramble around the net and a bouncing puck found it’s way to Jimmy Vesey who scored his first goal as an Avalanche at 17:08. Despite Colorado firing 19 shots on goal in the period, the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie.
The third period was back to the more cautious approach from earlier in the game with only six shots on goal from each team. The Avalanche had a two-power-play-to-one advantage in the period as well but no goals. So, of course overtime was needed to settle this contest.
In the extra frame the action was fairly even, again. Both teams had three shots on goal and Vegas received a late abbreviated power play which sent Devon Toews to the penalty box. No score was achieved even with the man advantage so the teams headed to the shootout.
In the ensuing shootout Charlie Coyle was the hero as he was the only one for either team to convert. Brock Nelson missed his shot and Nathan MacKinnon hit the post. Wedgewood saved all the shots he faced to seal the 3-2 Colorado victory.
Takeaways
Difficulty finding motivation early in games has been a theme lately and on one hand is understandable with little to nothing to play for while missing a few key players. But the trust and foundation to fall back on with an entirely remade team is something that isn’t guaranteed in the playoffs with zero margin for error.
It’s funny that the Avalanche don’t engage in many shootouts but needed them to settle the score in three of their last five games. It must be a function of late regular season hockey as the games are close but there isn’t a lot of urgency to score, especially in overtime. At least the Avalanche won two of those three shootouts, so maybe getting to them isn’t a bad outcome.
Upcoming
The final regular season home game against the Vancouver Canucks at 7:00 p.m. MT on Thursday, April 10th.