Brennan Vogt
This was to the best game that Alexandar Georgiev has played with the Colorado Avalanche. Better yet, this was the best I have seen the fourth line play as well so far this season. The Avalanche were clicking tonight in what could be potential Stanley Cup finals matchup. Georgiev beats the Rangers in what became a heart thumper and he had the pleasure of beating his old team in the process.. My player grades are below:
Nathan MacKinnon (C-): A mixed night. His hard work paid off on the power play as he beat the Ranger to corner for the loose puck and got it to Cale Makar on the blue line for a shot and a goal with a tip by Val Nichushkin. MacKinnon had a turnover at the point in the offensive zone causing an odd man rush for the Rangers and a goal to tie the game. He also had a hooking penalty called on him after a long shift in overtime
Artturi Lehkonen (B): He was all over the ice tonight in a good way. Lehkonen was strong on the puck for shots and even saved a goal from being scored in the third that was sitting in the Avalanche crease.
Mikko Rantanen (B): He played a bit of a different game tonight, being strong on the forecheck. It led to a couple of opportunities for him and even drew a hooking penalty when he was on a breakaway. Rantanen was one of the two Avalanche players to get a goal in the shootout.
Val Nichushkin (B+): Did a great job on the power play as the wheelman and screened the goalie. He stole a goal from Cale Makar with a tip and put the Avalanche up by one.
Evan Rodrigues (B+): There were some really good moments as Rodrigues showed he is getting comfortable with the Avalanche. He was carrying the puck a lot more into the zone, just like he did in Pittsburgh. Rodrigues closed it out with the second goal in the shootout.
Alex Newhook (C): He was quiet tonight, managing only one shot on goal. He was getting pushed off of the puck an awful lot as well, which will be an issue if he wants to be the second center. Newhook finished the night minus-1.
Andrew Cogliano (B+): Did what Cogliano does on the penalty kill. He raced up the ice on the forecheck into the corner to get the pass to Logan O’Connor for a shot and a shorthanded goal.
J.T. Compher (C-): He failed on a coverage in the mid slot in the first, giving the Rangers one their best scoring opportunities of the period. Fortunately, the Rangers did not score on the chance. He hooked Vincent Trocheck in the second period but the Ranger did not score.
Logan O’Connor (B+): He had a couple of shots on net that would have been great, just no one was there for the rebounds. O’Connor was doing a great job at setting plays up tonight. He was able to connect in the slot with Cogliano on a shorthanded goal to take the lead. O’Connor was just following in on the hard forecheck and led to a perfect opportunity for a goal.
Mikhail Maltsev (B): He was doing his typical carrying of the puck right to the crease. He can be strong at doing this in the AHL sometimes, but is working at doing it at the NHL level.
Dryden Hunt (B): I am not sure if it is because he is playing his old team or what, but he got a couple of hits in and shots off and looked a little better than he had of late. He was using his body at the point to separate the puck from the man and force the puck out of the defensive zone.
Martin Kaut (B): The last shift of the first he had the best one I have seen from him as of yet. He rushed the offensive zone, beating the Ranger to the puck and passed to the front of the goal. Kaut managed to get his first shot on goal tonight. He was a strong skater tonight and I would love to see more of this.
Devon Toews (A-): He came back after missing two games and looked like he did not miss a beat. Any play that Toews had defensively, he took care of with his usual poke checks and pushing outside the dots.
Cale Makar (A): Received the pass from Nathan MacKinnon and walked the blue line on the power play. He took the shot on the high slot and Nichushkin stole the goal with the tip.
Bo Byram (B+): A quiet night from the young defenseman. That is not a bad thing though. He was plus-1 and had one shot on goal in almost twenty minutes of ice time.
Josh Manson (C-): He was showing some speed about halfway through the first when he helped lead an offensive charge. He has been a lot more aggressive lately. Manson took a late holding penalty in the second period, but Andrew Cogliano and Logan O’Connor made sure there were no issues with it by getting a shorthanded goal.
Sam Girard (D): He took a shot and managed to get back on defense but did the EJ slide to try to block the pass instead of going down to a knee. Girard finished the night a minus-1 and had one hit.
Erik Johnson (B+): Has been shooting the puck and making it difficult, going for a deflection almost every time. Defensively, EJ played a great game, playing hard on the man into the boards and carrying the puck out of the zone.
Alexandar Georgiev (A): He was looking sharp early with his best save of the year on a deflected shot. Georgiev played the best game that he has played with the Avalanche as of yet, taking the game to a shootout and winning it. He had a .957 save percentage and stopped three out of four in the shootout for the Avalanche to beat his former team.