Dater column: Avalanche have filet of Coyote in Game 4

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – In three of the games so far that I’ve covered here in big, lonely Rogers Place, St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Jim Thomas – one of only two U.S. hockey writers here in Edmonton, along with yours truly – has come into the building to take his seat near down the row from me and the Avalanche have scored goals right after. He has been one of the Avs’ good-luck charms here so far.

My first words to Jim as he just came in just now, prior to his Blues playing the Canucks soon: “Avs didn’t need you today, buddy.”

The Avalanche punished the Arizona Coyotes 7-1 here in Game 4 of their first-round series, taking a 3-1 series lead. The Avs can advance to the second round with a win on Wednesday. This was a 60-minute highlight reel for the Avs, who just dominated Arizona from the first drop of the puck. Also, Nathan MacKinnon apparently is your new Avs enforcer.

MacKinnon took offense to a boarding violation against teammate Cale Makar in the third period and rag-dolled Arizona’s Christian Fischer in a one-sided fight that probably will make the rounds on social media plenty in the next 24 hours.

Here’s some proof of that: