Avalanche Turning Point: Powerplay Comes Through (+)

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.

We’ve focused on powerplays that haven’t worked so well in the past, so when the powerplay comes through, it deserves some love. The Avalanche had a few powerplays in the second period that didn’t work. The first one had chances, but the second one didn’t work out so well.

In the third period, with a chance to step on the throats of the Blues, the powerplay came through. And it did so without Cale Makar.

The Drop Pass

It all starts with everyone’s favorite zone entry move: the drop pass.

Teams do it because it works. And when Nathan MacKinnon is the guy you’re dropping the puck too, it works about 95% of the time.

On this one, he does it all by himself, as Rantanen isn’t quite at the blueline when MacKinnon gets up the ice. No worries, though, because MacKinnon gets the zone, curls up, and is able to bank the puck back to Toews to get the possession started.

New Look

When your powerplay isn’t working, it never hurts to try a different look. And the Avalanche change it up a bit here.

Toews hits Nichushkin on the left wall. Not a spot usually occupied by the big man. He sends it down low behind the net to Rantanen. The big Finnish winger is dynamite behind the net, so when he’s back there, teams have to be on notice.

The Blues collapse quickly on Lehkonen in the slot, so Rantanen sends it to the wall to MacKinnon for a reset. At this point, the puck has been around the world once, so the Avalanche have a decent idea of how the Blues will set up.

Sneaking In

MacKinnon sends it to Toews and curls up high to get the puck back. It obviously comes back his way, and MacKinnon lets it rip. Instead of firing for a corner, he shoots low and looks to be aiming for Lehkonen’s stick. I don’t think Lehkonen gets his stick on it, but the low shot leaves a big, fat rebound.

Bortuzzo gets completely turned around, and even though it looks like Lehkonen just whacks at the puck, I’m 99% positive he means to pass that to Nichushkin back door. Nichushkin started crashing towards the net the second the puck went back to MacKinnon, and he’s rewarded for continuing that way. It goes in off his skate, and he does it without kicking, despite what Binnington thinks.

Powerplays can sometimes make or break games. This time, it came through for the Avalanche, and a few minutes later, the second unit got in on the action as well.