Avalanche Locker Room: Game Feels ‘Slow’ For Red-Hot MacKinnon

After his first four point game of the season, Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon admitted that everything feels different when you’re on a roll.

MacKinnon spoke after the game, although he didn’t want to give too much information away about what he’s doing off the ice that is helping him so much. We also spoke to Jonathan Drouin, who picked up two assists on the night and played on the right wing on the second line.

In addition, read some of Jared Bednar’s thoughts on the game after his Avalanche beat the San Jose Sharks 6-2.

Nathan MacKinnon on how he feels when he’s on a roll:

“I feel very clear. The game feels like it’s slow, which is always a good thing. Obviously doing a lot of work away from the rink that no one sees, and it’s paying off right now.”

Jonathan Drouin

Bednar on the start for the Avalanche:

“I thought we accomplished everything we wanted to in the first period. Got back for pucks in a hurry, tried to simplify our game on our exits, and then we wanted to have a linear, fast attack. I thought we did that in the first period…we were disciplined with the puck and our decisions, especially coming through the neutral zone. We get the benefit of the 5-minute major early, we earn another powerplay.”

Bednar on the powerplay:

“I think it’s hard when you just come right out of the gate and you’re not even really engaged in the game yet, and all of the sudden, you get a powerplay. The first few minutes of that powerplay just did not look good. But I thought as the five minute major went on, we kind of got back to what we were doing yesterday…second one was excellent.”

Bednar on Cale Makar:

“He’s day-to-day. Doing good, but he’s got a nagging injury. Lower-body. We don’t want to make it get worse. It’s the same thing that kept him out last week for a game, and then he played, so we’re just kind of trying to be safe with that. It’s nothing serious, but we also don’t want it to become serious. He’ll be on the flight tomorrow.”

Bednar on the confidence the Avalanche get from MacKinnon:

“He was outstanding tonight. I thought those guys had a rougher night last night. Tonight, I think our team came out with the right intent, and those guys led the way. I thought they were dominant the whole night.”

Bednar on Alexandar Georgiev:

“I thought he was fantastic. Yeah, I thought he was great. Even the first penalty kill goal…it’s a perfect shot, the guy just deflects it. If you’re going to give up a powerplay goal, that’s the type of goal that you’d want to give up. Didn’t love the second one, not from Georgie’s standpoint, but from our team’s standpoint.”

Bednar on changing up the lines again:

“The second line mix, Johansen line, just has not been where I want it to be. I just felt like putting a couple of workers with him, that maybe we could get more out of that. I thought Jo played his best game in a while. There’s portions to Drouin’s game that can maybe help Colton and Wood, and vice-versa. It actually benefited both lines tonight.”