Colorado Avalanche
It’s Official: The Avalanche Will Not Have Home-Ice Advantage Against Winnipeg
Any hope the Colorado Avalanche had of starting the playoffs at Ball Arena is now gone. They’re going to have to do this the hard way.
On Tuesday night, the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Seattle Kraken at home by a score of 4-3 to clinch home-ice advantage in round one against the Avalanche. All they needed was one point to get that job done, but they got two to seal the deal.
Three or four weeks ago, this seemed impossible. The Avalanche had gone on a nine game winning streak to create some separation between themselves and the Jets. Heck, at that point, they still had a shot at the Central Division. However, Colorado has gone 3-5-2 over their last 10 games, while the Jets have gone 7-2-1 to pass the Avalanche for the right to start the series at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
Last year, this would not have been a big deal. Colorado was a much better road team than they were home team, leading the Western Conference in road wins. That ended up coming into play in round one, as two of the three games that they won against the Kraken came in Seattle. Their struggles were at home, as they lost three of four at Ball Arena.
This season, the script has been flipped. Colorado has been dominant at home, leading the NHL in home wins with 30. On the road, it hasn’t been as fun. They started the season by winning their first four road games, breaking the NHL record for consecutive regular season road wins with 15. Since that point, they’ve gone just 15-16-6 away from Ball Arena.
So yes, this could very well play a role in how things play out in round one.
It’s not just the team that performs better at Ball Arena, but the individuals. At home, Nathan MacKinnon has been absurdly dominant, putting up 87 points in 40 games. That’s a ridiculous 2.175 points-per-game. It’s not like he’s been bad on the road, as he still managed to put up 51 points in 41 games, but that’s a massive difference in production. At home, you get to pick and choose the matchups you want.
The playoffs are an entirely new beast, so it’s always possible none of this matters at all. I’ve seen teams sweep a season series in the regular season, only to get blown out in the playoffs by that same squad. You just never know what’s going to happen until the puck drops. The core of this Avalanche team has won before, and you can’t say the same about the Jets.
We’ll have a lot more to say about this series in the coming days, but it’s now official – the series will start in Winnipeg. The rumored start date is Monday, April 22, but nothing is set in stone yet. Colorado Hockey Now will keep everyone updated when everything is confirmed.
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Evan’s NHL Daily: Back To Winnipeg, Ritchie Keeps Rolling
Avalanche Game 4 Plus/Minus: Bednar’s Guts, Dominant Second Line
Avalanche Room: Bednar Raves About ‘Warrior’ Lehkonen, Kovalenko ‘Not Scared Of The Moment’
RAPID REACTION: Lehkonen And Nichushkin A Coach’s Dream, Jets Nightmare
Avalanche Skate: Back To Georgiev, Coach Gabriel Landeskog
Avalanche Notebook: Annunen Still Sick, Goalie Swap, The Message To Georgiev
Avalanche Room: Bench ‘Calm’ During Hectic Second, Praise For Their Goaltender
RAPID REACTION: The One Reason Why The Avalanche Lost
Here’s my attempt to find a bright spot in not having home ice despite the Avs sub .500 road record (counting OTLs as losses) and their dominance at home. After the 2022 season, MacK attributed the fact that the Avs never clinched any of the four series wins at home to the pressure they often felt at home. That they were looser on the road. Starting this series on the road gives the Avs a chance to get back to their five man unit style and team defense philosophy, which is what leads to their breakout offense and goals on… Read more »
Agree 100%. We just need one win in WIN to get the monkey off our back from our three regular season beat downs. It’s a new season and I expect the boys to bring their A game.
I truly believe that all those stats are tossed out when the playoffs start. That being said, I am extremely skeptical that the Avs can change their current form quick enough to be any threat in this series. Home or away, I see a sweep with us scoring 4 goals total. I would just love to be wrong!
I still won’t be concerned until they have the same types of issues in the playoffs. I think this team has been focused on the playoffs since day 1 of the regular season, and they just checked out early to gear up for the playoffs. They knew their opponent, and they don’t care as much about home-ice advantage. Game 1, they’ll be amped up, and I expect a hell of a series with the Jets. I’m calling Avs in 6.
The Avs have been a real mystery box this year. But I am not expecting too much myself!
Wish I could be as rosy as you. The problem is if they have the “same types of issues” in this series it will be too late to do anything about it. We’ll be trying to drag ourselves out of a deep hole with nothing but fingernails…
My call is Avs lose in a heartbreaking 7 games.
I envy your optimism. Does being checked out extend to the goaltending?
Everybody is going break down how these teams matchup. But if they get the caliber of goaltending they’ve gotten for the majority of the season, it won’t matter.
They’re going up against a sound defensive team with the best goaltender in the world. The outscore your problems, fall behind multiple goals & lean on MacKinnon & the high end skill to overcome their deficiencies strategy they’ve used all year. Won’t fly in this series, or the postseason in general.
Hat tip to WIN on getting hot late to take the #2 Central spot. WIN’s schedule over the last three weeks was one of the toughest in the league but they weathered it well. A few games they played poorly but right on queue Hellebuyck stole the game. Overall they have stayed very healthy this year and will be a tough out.
Evan:
Re your comment the other day of ” … I may look into a tip jar for travel in the playoffs, but I don’t know how I feel about that yet.”
I understand your concerns about asking but I’ll suggest you post a link for one as I’ll add to it ~ I can’t do much but if we all do a small amount it helps a lot I’m certain. I encourage you to do so and I’m in.
Thanks for all of your reportage here & best wishes during the playoffs for smooth plans and good health!
The Avs have done a masterful job of lulling the Jets into a false sense of security. The disastrous away record. The laughable head to head record. The cringeworthy goaltending down the stretch.
Winnipeg has no idea what they are getting themselves into. Brilliant.
Avs in 3.
😂😂😂
As the playoff cliche goes: As the road team, you aren’t in trouble until you lose at home. The Jets pumped us at home. They can do it again if confidence is any factor. I don’t see us getting through this series.
2 weeks ago, Bednar told the media (and the team) that they were not going to “empty the tank” in the days leading up to the playoffs – a nod to 2023 when the Avs busted their @ss down the stretch to get home ice . . . and had nothing left against Seattle. When you tell a hockey team that’s OK to not go “all out” to win . . . . you gets the Avs over the last few days. Too much SCP experience for me to fall into a doomsday bunker.
“The playoffs are an entirely new beast, so it’s always possible none of this matters at all.”
I couldn’t agree more. What I’ve noticed with the NHL’s “second season,” is that the top players from the regular season typically dominate in the Playoffs and usually team-vs-team records don’t usually matter too much.
The Playoffs are a different beast. While I’m truly concerned with the Avs play in the last 10 games, this is a good club. Hopefully they can be physical enough & outscore their “issues” in net.
To those of you saying the playoffs is a different beast, I don’t entirely disagree. But I’m not ready to hop off the doomsday train yet. This past month the avs had 3-4 games that mattered for home ice. Lost those. Had a couple easy games. Lost those too. The team is sloppy. The lead up to the playoffs should have the team playing the system at their best and developing good habits. Maybe give guys some nights off. But this is the nhl. You don’t take games off. If your dressed, you play your best. They are currently a… Read more »
Bingo.
The most important thing right now is to monitor Nuke 24/7. We cant afford another fiasco this time around. Shadow him 24/7.