Avs stay sluggish in preseason, fall to 1-4 overall

Well, the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche went 5-0 in the preseason, then had a franchise-worst 48-point season. So, the records mean nothing. Except, well, you don’t like to lose much more than you win, no matter what. It just doesn’t feel good. And, so, the Avs aren’t feeling too great tonight probably, after losing another won in the preseason, 3-1 to the Dallas Stars.

It’s not quite that the Avs are losing, but that they aren’t playing with much zest out there. It seems like everyone is just a little…flat…so far. The Avs are now 1-4 on the preseason, which finishes Saturday night at Ball Arena against the Stars.

The Avs were outshot 29-27, including 14-3 in the second period, as Darcy Kuemper went the distance in net. The Avs just haven’t shown a lot offensively so far in the season, and that was certainly the case again in Dallas.

Only a late J.T. Compher goal prevented a shutout for Dallas goalie Anton Khudobin. The Avs were coached on the bench by assistants Ray Bennett and Nolan Pratt, as head coach Jared Bednar is sidelined after testing positive for Covid-19.

In a brief session with the media after, Bennett said that he and Pratt will be able to handle the responsibility.

“Nolan and I have our assignments. In the end, it’s just coaching hockey,” Bennett said.

Not much else to say about this game. Youngsters such as Shane Bowers, Alex Newhook and Martin Kaut had quiet nights, as did most others. Kuemper allowed two goals on 28 shots, and played pretty well overall.

Bennett said of the final game coming up Saturday: “There are certainly opportunities in our lineup and we’re trying to evaluate that.”