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Deen's Notebook

Good & Bad: Mikko Rantanen Was Everywhere In The Avalanche’s 5-3 Loss To Boston

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DENVER — It took the Avalanche far too long to find their game on Wednesday. Their attempt to erase a three-goal deficit fell short in the third period of yet another loss, this time 5-3 to the Boston Bruins at Ball Arena. Colorado is 0-4 for just the second time in team history and the first time since 1998-99.



Is it time to panic? Sure. By the end of Thursday’s Edmonton vs. Nashville game, Colorado could be the only team without a point in the standings through four games. But is the season lost? Not necessarily. The Avs showed signs of life against the Bruins and gave the team something they can build on. At least that’s the way they’re going to have to see it right now. Colorado hosts the Anaheim Ducks on Friday and looks to avoid starting 0-5 overall and 0-4 during a four-game homestand.

“There was desperation there. I wanted to see, I think we all wanted to see some desperation out of the team,” Josh Manson said.

This one was perhaps the most physical game the Avalanche have been a part of so far. Rookie Matt Stienburg, in his NHL debut, dropped the gloves with a much larger Nikita Zadorov. He drew a penalty on the same play which led to an Avs goal. Despite the positive impact Stienburg had, another forward stuck out more noticeably.

At times, his actions were hurting the team. But by the end, he had nearly helped the Avs tie it up.

The Good: Mikko Rantanen

I am, of course, talking about Mikko Rantanen. I thought an angry Rantanen would ignite a new level of hockey — the type of fire that would help dig the Avalanche out of this brutal winless start to the season.

It seemed to have the opposite effect at first, but then Rantanen came through in a huge way. He overcame some questionable calls against him and remained a lethal weapon on the man advantage.

It all started in the second period. Rantanen was called for interference after colliding with Brad Marchand in the Avs zone. Rantanen was called for interference and instantly wasn’t pleased with the call. It looked, to me, like an interference, and head coach Jared Bednar agreed that the call was correct. But it also looked like an embellishment on Boston’s captain that went uncalled. Rantanen, while complaining to the official, eventually found himself in the middle of a scrum after he and Trent Frederic got tied up along the boards.

Boston scored on that power play to take a 3-1 lead. And on the very next shift, head coach Jared Bednar sent Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikolai Kovalenko onto the ice. Was angry Mikko going to be unleashed? Nope. Boston scored again just 13 seconds later off a well-executed screen in front of Alexandar Georgiev by John Beecher. 4-1.

Rantanen became the most intriguing player to watch. Colorado eventually went back on the power play thanks to Stienburg and Rantanen set up Cale Makar for a blast from the point to make it 4-2. In the third period, Rantanen was called for another penalty, this time for a hook on David Pastrnak. Bednar was unhappy with the penalty, calling it a harmless neutral zone play.

The Avs weathered the storm and killed the penalty. But Rantanen, out of the box, was steaming. He nearly was called for another penalty while battling aggressively in the D-zone before getting cross-checked by Riley Tufte behind the Avs goal. There was no penalty on the play initially, but after Rantanen turned and jawed at the official, the arm went up, and the Avs were back on the PP.

All it took was 23 seconds. And of course, it was Rantanen who came through. He wired one home on the man advantage, pulling the Avs within a goal early in the third period.

That was the last goal Colorado could muster. Rantanen with a goal and two assists — all on the power play — and four shots on goal in 21:45.

The Bad: Oliver Kylington

The fit just isn’t there. And I wonder if John Ludvig is back in the lineup on Friday in favor of Kylington. The Avs’ new defenseman stuck out in a bad way in seemingly every possible way.

For starters, he doesn’t look like a fit to play with Makar. But beyond that, his decision-making has also been questionable. I don’t think Calvin de Haan has fared much better either. But if two of the three new guys have to play with Devon Toews still out, then it needs to be Ludvig and de Haan. At least for now until Kylington develops a more consistent game.

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