Avalanche Turning Point: Miss at One End Leads to Mess At The Other (+)

In the Turning Point, we’ll take a look at one moment in the previous Colorado Avalanche game that changed the momentum in the game, whether in a good way or bad way.

The Avalanche were not necessarily playing well, but after a Devon Toews goal halfway through the second period, they had clawed their way back to within one of the Maple Leafs.

A chaotic thirty seconds went from giving the Avalanche hope, to killing any momentum they had created.

Makar Cleans Up

A slow line change between Andreas Englund and Devon Toews led to a quick two on one for the Toronto Maple Leafs after Denis Malgin turned it over at the offensive blueline.

No need to worry, however, because Cale Makar was able to get back. He does just enough to disrupt William Nylander and his toe drag, leading to a turnover and a rush the other way.

For the moment, at least, the Avalanche have avoided disaster, and even look to be creating a chance at the other end.

Malgin Misses

The transition the other way sees Devon Toews enter the zone cleanly, and the gaps of the Toronto defenders are a little off, so he’s allowed to get in and make a clean drop to Denis Malgin.

Malgin gets the puck, and recognizes Morgan Rielly is taking a poor angle, so he cuts to the middle and finds himself in a great spot. Unfortunately…he misses.

This has been the story of Malgin’s career. He’s a skilled player who can weave his way through traffic and maintain possession, but the finishing just isn’t there.

Malgin’s Shot is Blocked

Despite the miss of the net, the play isn’t dead for the Avalanche. They muck it up along the boards and the puck pops out again to Denis Malgin, who carries the puck along the blue line.

At this point, you’ll notice that Devon Toews is down low at the top of the circle along the wall. With Malgin up high, they’re fine. However, Erik Johnson doesn’t recognize that Toews is already low and starts pinching in himself. It’s still early enough in the game to where they don’t need to be taking unnecessary risks like this.

I’ve watched the play a handful of times, and it’s not exactly clear if Malgin is trying to shoot the puck or hit Johnson for a pass down low pinching in. Either way, the one thing that can’t happen does happen: it’s blocked.

And it’s blocked by the wrong guy.

Matthews Attacks, and Scores

One of the things I like about Malgin is his confidence with the puck. He’s not afraid to hold onto it in traffic.

Right here, it bites him.

He’s in a tough spot. The three closest skaters to him are all on the Maple Leafs, and the closest is Auston Matthews. To Matthews credit, he sees Malgin is in a tough spot, and just attacks.

Malgin begins retreating to his own zone, but about half way down the wall, decides to just fire it up the boards. He doesn’t get nearly enough on it, and Nylander intercepts it, creating the goal.

You almost wonder if it would have been better if Malgin kept retreating further, or just took the puck into the corner and ate it. He didn’t have enough help, and the clear was too soft to get out.

Either way, the Leafs score, and soon after, scored again to more or less end the game.

Hockey is a game of inches. If Malgin scores, it’s a tie game, and who knows what happens. He misses, and it ends up in his net. This was the turning point.

The Avalanche fell to the Maple Leafs 6-2.