10 Observations: Full Team Effort in Avs’ Dominating Win

Every Avalanche player contributed to the victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. With three strikes against them — a weather delay kept them in Chicago overnight, playing a second game in less than 24 hours and missing key players — the Avs persevered in the 7-3 win at Nationwide Arena.

“In order to win games, we got to have depth, and that depth is contributing right now. So we got to continue for the third period here and make sure we play a solid game,” Cale Makar said during the second intermission.

Sam Girard did not play against the Hawks. Jonathan Drouin was injured in the game and did not play after the first period. Martin Necas sustained an upper-body injury but finished the game. All three players were out against the Blue Jackets. But Colorado still earned two points with them out of the lineup and secured a playoff spot with the win.

READ FULL GAME RECAP: Good & Bad: Avs Clinch Playoff Spot with Quick Turnaround Win

10 Observations

1 – It was a very different-looking team than the night before against the Blackhawks. They were flat and did not shift gears until the end of the matchup with Chicago, as opposed to firing on all cylinders throughout the dominating win over Columbus.

2 – The Avs showed a little discombobulation out of the gate with the line changes, but they dialed it in pretty quickly. I was off on my projected lines but what head coach Jared Bednar put together worked well. He knows how to adjust his lineup with injured players out — he’s had to do it most of the season.

3 – It was a physically challenging game and some guys got banged up. Logan O’Connor and Parker Kelly were checked out by the training staff after physical plays. Neither left the game. But a day off will help heal bruises and sore bodies.

4 – There was production from all four lines. Charlie Coyle scored his first as an Av and Brock Nelson scored his fourth with the team. Kelly netted goal No. 8 for the season and Nathan MacKinnon scored No. 31.

5 – MacKinnon’s goal was a determination goal as he stuck with the puck through three Blue Jackets players to whip it past Elvis Merzlikins. Not his prettiest, but one of his sneakiest.

6 – The full team effort came on the full-strength play. The Avs capitalized on one of their two power plays but shined in the 5-on-5.

7 – Ryan Lindgren was a minus-1 and didn’t get on the scoresheet but led the team in shots on goal. His effort did not go unnoticed.

8 – Colorado played like the game mattered. It did not look as fully engaged in its last two outings. It needed that momentum going up against the red hot St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

9 – Mackenzie Blackwood made big saves in his first start since the 2-1 loss to the Blues at Ball Arena last Saturday. Some rest likely helped him regroup mentally and physically.

10 – The Avs are fifth in the league for missed shots with 1,170 but they finally got the hockey gods on their side with Devon Toews’ goal hitting the post and actually going in the net instead of away from it.