Avalanche News
Good & Bad: Full Team Effort in Avalanche Win
Several bouncing pucks and deflections ended up in the back of the net for both teams in the Avalanche’s 7-4 win over the Florida Panthers.
Jonathan Drouin scored his first two goals of the season. His first was a bounce off his shoulder pad from Cale Makar’s shot into the net, and his second was a backhand from a Makar pass.
Sam Girard and Logan O’Connor scored their second goals of the season, and Oliver Kylington and Valeri Nichushkin each netted their first.
Girard’s goal โ the fourth of the game โ was a lucky deflection off Dmitry Kulikov’s skate in front of the net. The 27-year-old defenseman also made a perfect pass to Mikko Rantanen in front of the net for the fifth goal. It was Rantanen’s only goal but he had three assists for a four-point game.
“Really good game, three really good games in this road trip. Florida โ defending champions, and really good team so when we play like this, results are going to come on their own,” Rantanen said after the win. “And defending was good. Offense, we had a night tonight for sure. We were able to score on some chances that we might have not been able to score in the previous games.”
Kylington lined up a cross-ice pass on O’Connor’s goal for his first assist of the season. His goal was a wrist shot just under the crossbar over Sergei Bobrovsky’s shoulder off a perfectly placed pass from Nichushkin.
The 27-year-old Sweden native played the last three games after being in and out of the lineup since the start of the season.
“I just try to be consistent with my play and give the coaches what I’m good at,” Kylington said.
Good: Full team effort
Seven players earned multiple points in the win: Rantanen (4), Nichushkin (3), Drouin (2), Makar (2). Devon Toews (2), Girard (2) and Kylington (2). Artturi Lehkonen, Nathan MacKinnon, Ivan Ivan and O’Connor all had one point each.
See my breakdown above for more details on the full team effort.
Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves on 31 shots and played another solid game despite giving up a goal less than a minute into the first period. The netminder got beat on three of the four goals, but Aleksander Barkov’s was a wonky one with a bat of the puck into the net that bounced off Georgiev when he made the initial stop.
Bad: Turnovers, Penalties
The Avs stayed mostly on top of the puck but had another high number of giveaways with 21. The Panthers were unable to convert on many of them due to the Avs’ recovery plays.
“We fixed some things that hurt us in Washington โ number one, getting back above pucks early to shut down the rush attack. It’s important against Florida as well, that you get back above them because they can be a really dangerous team …,” head coach Jared Bednar said after the game. “I thought that we did a nice job of that, real good defending commitment tonight, and it led to good offense. It was smart puck play … If we didn’t, we laid it back in behind them and got our forecheck rolling a little bit. So I felt like we were a hard team to handle tonight in a lot of different areas.”
The Avalanche were assessed five penalties while the Panthers only got two.
The Cats were called for delay of game after challenging a goaltender interference call on a goal that was waived off. Miles Wood got into it with Matthew Tkachuk and both were sent to the box.
Florida capitalized on a power play at the end of the second from Joel Kiviranta’s interference minor.
More Avalanche News
Deen’s Daily: Colton Joins Avalanche Road Trip; Habs Forward Nears Return; Cossa Called Up
Ross Colton May Be Back in Avalanche Lineup Soon
Notebook: Was It Time for the Avalanche to Trade Justus Annunen?
Deenโs Daily: Avalanche Still Looking for Goaltending?; Red Wings Goaltending Takes a Hit
What Makes Nikolai Kovalenko a ‘Dangerous’ Player
Good & Bad: Full Team Effort in Avalanche Win
Good & Bad: Poor Goaltending, Execution in Avs Loss to Lightning
Avalanche’s Miles Wood Placed Back on IR; Chris Wagner Recalled
Avalanche Acquire Goaltender Scott Wedgewood From the Nashville Predators
Flynn’s Daily: How Avs Need to Move on from Loss; Montgomery Debuts as Blues New Head Coach
It’s amazing how well this team can play when they emphasize their defensive structure and work hard on the forecheck. More amazing is the turnaround in Georgie’s netminding. His defense still frequently leaves him out to dry but he has been looking brilliant. To all you “fourgiev” naysayers, pfft! The Av’s can certainly still be a Cup contender. PS it was great to see Woods not take any crap from Tkachuk. They didn’t show grandma wondering why everybody always picks on poor Keith. When is Bedsie going to go back to his normal haircut? It looks so much better on… Read more »
Georgiev has definitely been playing better than he did to start the season, but he still let in the first shot, yet again, and he still allowed four goals. He allows at least one goal in the first ten shots regularly. This forces the team to chase the game from the get go. He has allowed four or more goals in five games and this doesn’t count when he got pulled after three goals. His inability to start on time trickles to the entire team and they end up with terrible starts. He’s been better, but let’s not get ahead… Read more »
The question is when will amnesia set in and reverting back to lazy selved?
I mean, Fourgiev did give up another four. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Best game for Rants all season, not because of the points. He worked much harder than he has all year. Maybe he feels the pressure to perform when separated from Mack. Speaking of 29, did he even suit up today? Oh well, maybe I just overlooked him. Team was great in period 2 and I love the fact we are getting at least 6 points on this trip. However, we absolutely must stop with the stupid, weak passes up the middle, especially with a lead. AG was really solid after that first weak goal. Kylington still doesn’t look very good… Read more »
Even the AltitudeTV cheerleaders were calling out 29. Had it not been for the ENG assit, it woud have been three of four last games pointless. Flop after Hart, cannot score goals anymore just a ton of assists from ENG, PP. Once goal 5-5 not getting it done after 21.
I hope Manson is a learner!
I think Kylington has gotten better each of the last three games he’s played, culminating in getting on the score sheet twice tonight. He has looked much more comfortable and confident, two things he’s lacked so far this season. His ceiling is certainly higher than de Haan’s, and his offensive upside is greater than Ludvig’s, so I like that Bednar has been giving him a legit chance on this road trip. I also think the 3rd and 4th lines have both been playing well, to the point they’re both at the level of a 3rd line (and I’m not even… Read more »
Yes, Manson and Girard had a really rough first period, with the direct result of two Florida goals. I thought especially Girard redeemed himself in periods 2 and 3 though. Breaking up the 3-on-1, scoring a goal (lucky) and that beautiful pass to Moose.
Top pairing was great (Makar looks better than ever this season – now, that should scare any opponent) and I thought Malinski and Kylington did really good too. Kylingtonโs best game by a mile.
Avs quandry. Small D men get pounded constanly except Manson. Girard took a big hit to the boards it hurt him but he bounced back. Meanwhile, avs forwards never do this. Teams love playing soft forechecking for sure.
So weird, shillington vs killington! LOL
I know, so weird that other languages pronounce some letters or letter combinations differently than those same letter or letter combinations are pronounced in English. Just bizarre. Next thing you’ll tell me is that not everyone uses the same 26 letter alphabet as the English language.
Never heard of a ‘k’ being a ‘sh.’ Landeskossssshhhhhh
Oliver Kylington (pronounced โshillingtonโ, born 19 May 1997) is a Swedish-Eritrean professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche
Right I mean if you’ve never heard of it before, then that’s a different story. Do you know how Hungarians pronounce Budapest? We all pronounce Joe Sakic’s name differently than his family did in their native language. (Sak-itch) Different letters can be pronounced differently based on where they appear in a word. But if you’ve never heard of that, I guess it’s an impossibility. Why not find Kylington and tell him he’s pronouncing his name incorrectly? I’m sure he’ll be receptive to your input.
Bottom six need an upgrade. Ivan and kiviranta have been ghost. Wood needs traded. Avs trade for frost Evans and Robertson. Avs lack a 3rd line center with colton out and a 4th line center.
Robertson frost LOC
Kovalenko Evans kelly.
Once colton comes back it will kick Robertson out
I don’t understand your trade ideas. If you are going to fantasy land to pick up players, why not Crosby, Kaprisov and Marchand? We don’t have any assets to trade for your proposals, so as long as it’s impossible, go bigger!
29capstrung!
I disagree across the board. Wood had the game winner against Washington, and has been the hardest working player on the ice every night. Ivan picked up an assist tonight, has been getting better each game on face offs, and his defensive game has also improved. Kivi has the most goals of our bottom six, and he’s a trusted penalty killer. Kelly has become our best face off man, leads the team in blocked shots, and is probably our most important defensive forward. I think the bottom six is actually in a pretty good place right now, and their play… Read more »
Idk if you actually watch the games or not but Kelly seems literally win every defensive zone faceoff he gets. Kiviranta is a solid bottom six guy he works hard both ways. Top to bottom our team is good they just need to build the chemistry on the lines while staying healthy. Ivan is a rookie but hes been solid and hes also done some things you wouod expect from a guy whose only played >20 games in his career.
Trades can be good but rofl what do we even give up in those scenarios you propose…….
Good to see LOC move on he has been bad since he got paid. Not the same player of 2022 by a mile!
Dude you win the plus/minus contest today! Nice work!
It was a total team effort especially when $13MM added an assist on Val’s ENG. Blanked for 59 minutes and change. Bravo!
One goal in last nine not getting it done! $1/7 of 22 other players — not what we are expecting.
You know, if you need something productive to do, I hear Afghanistan has minefields that need clearing. Because you sure as shit aren’t offering anything productive around here or probably to anyone else out in the real world.
I would love to go drain the swamp. Call JB and let him know I am volunteering!
Assuming he is coherent.
Also, your mine field comment proves you are a hateful little man. I am sure you would lose!
“Drain the swamp” was a phrase used by the Third Reich, which I am sure you knew so that tracks.
You must be a “glass half empty” kind of guy, Mark.
Rica is $13MM bank account half full?
Damn, Mark. I didn’t know you were so well heeled! When are you going to reserve a box for all the CHN fans to watch an Avs game in person? And, I assume that it will be fully catered including an open bar?
I take your comments to heart I really, really do~
Well, not a Rembrandt, but a convincing win over the current Stanley Cup Champions on the road. I’ll take that any day. You can see what a healthy Drouin means to this team. And hats off to Kylington who made a real nice, top shelf goal with little open net to shoot at. If you can remember our last Stanley Cup, Kuemper was an above average goaltender in net. Loved the offense in this game last night. The best second period I’ve seen by the Avs in a long time. All good!
Colleen, Very nice synopsis of the game. Best I’ve seen here in a while.