COLvsSJS Archives - The Rink https://www.the-rink.com/tag/colvssjs/ Chicago Blackhawks and NHL Salary Cap Information Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:55:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://i0.wp.com/www.the-rink.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cropped-FavIcon_v3.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 COLvsSJS Archives - The Rink https://www.the-rink.com/tag/colvssjs/ 32 32 136660061 Avalanche rookies suffer 6–3 beating in final Rookie Faceoff game https://www.the-rink.com/avalanche-rookies-suffer-6-3-beating-in-final-rookie-faceoff-game/ https://www.the-rink.com/avalanche-rookies-suffer-6-3-beating-in-final-rookie-faceoff-game/#respond Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:55:57 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=31640 Another beating in the last game sealed the tone for The Colorado Avalanche rookie squad as they rolled into the third and final Rookie Faceoff game with two losses. The... Read more »

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]]> Another beating in the last game sealed the tone for The Colorado Avalanche rookie squad as they rolled into the third and final Rookie Faceoff game with two losses. The team fell 4–3 against the Anaheim Ducks, followed by a 5–1 defeat against the Seattle Kraken.

Seeking a win before heading home, there were obvious struggles to overcome.

Their opponent, the San Jose Sharks, was running on a two-win momentum, and it showed. A 6­–3 beating was evidence of work to be done.

The struggle in the last two games was discouraging for players and fans, despite not counting toward the overall season record.

The good

The young guns of the Avalanche team excelled defensively in the first period, with Matthew Stienburg and Benjamin Brunelle scoring a goal each.

Colorado had several good entries into the zone and began consistently putting pucks on the net in the third period.

Keaton Mastrodonato was successful in lighting the lamp in the middle of the third frame, claiming the only Avalanche goal in the final 40 minutes.

The bad

The Sharks headed to the box several times with their aggressive play, leaving Colorado with the advantage. While capitalizing on the first power play, they fell short on four others and gave up a shorthanded goal.

San Jose forward Nolan Burke takes advantage of an unattended net in the second period, opening up scoring. The shorthanded goal and tied it up 2–2. Colorado goalie’s oversight marked the start of a challenging game.

The second period was a mess. Two consecutive penalties left the Avalanche with a 5-on-3 disadvantage. Two unanswered San Jose goals prior to the penalties rattled the rookies. The disconnect on the ice turned into another goal from the Sharks, making it three unanswered goals and putting them ahead 3–2.

The middle 20 became open season for the opposing roster. Another goal made it 4-2 with no signs of stopping.

Colorado also had a problem with spending time in the box. The Sharks quickly gained a two-man advantage as they swiftly followed one penalty with another. They capitalized twice.

A 6–3 final score was evidence of Colorado goalie Adam Scheel’s crumble under pressure. The rest of the team struggled to support him in the defensive zone, often leaving him the only one to protect the net.

Takeaways

Regardless of records during rookie showings, the most important takeaway is the experience and development of the young players as they move through the Avalanche system.

Identifying strengths and weaknesses of each individual player during game situations is invaluable. It became increasingly clear that there is a certain level of scramble once a Colorado opponent gets momentum.

The season is long, allowing ample room for rookie growth. The Avalanche preseason debut is on Sept. 23 against the Dallas Stars.

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]]> https://www.the-rink.com/avalanche-rookies-suffer-6-3-beating-in-final-rookie-faceoff-game/feed/ 0 31640 Girard returns to help in 3–1 win over Sharks https://www.the-rink.com/girard-returns-to-help-in-3-1-win-over-sharks/ https://www.the-rink.com/girard-returns-to-help-in-3-1-win-over-sharks/#respond Mon, 01 Jan 2024 05:37:14 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=28081 I would like to start tonight’s article with a personal touch. I would like to say congratulations to Samuel Girard. For those that do not know, Girard returned from a... Read more »

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]]> I would like to start tonight’s article with a personal touch. I would like to say congratulations to Samuel Girard. For those that do not know, Girard returned from a 20 game absence after entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for depression and alcoholism. It was very brave to step up and for him to follow through with it. It is not a simple thing to do, and it is ok not to be ok.

The Colorado Avalanche were coming off a win in St. Louis that they could barely scrape together. Tonight, they had the chance to get a practice game against the worst team in the league. This should have been an easy win, but Colorado did not make it look that way until late in the game. Here are my takeaways from the 3–1 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Takeaways

— Girard made his highly anticipated return to the Avalanche after not playing since November 18. He did not skip a beat as he did not hesitate to jump up on the plays at all. His 16:18 of ice time was not as much as he played before his departure, but they felt his impact. The first time that he touched the puck in the game, the crowd roared to support him. Tonight, his mobility along the blue line made everyone realize how much they missed him. Late in the third period, Girard even kept the puck in the zone and sent the pass over to Nathan MacKinnon. It would eventually lead to a Valeri Nichushkin goal.

— MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 19 games. He has a point in every single game the Avalanche have played at home this season. In those 19 games, MacKinnon has tallied 15 goals and 25 assists. He also averages two minutes less of ice time than he does on the road. Not only that, MacKinnon has been throwing his body around a lot more. As he attempted to enter the offensive zone, Ty Emberson tried to hit him and MacKinnon laid the reverse hit right back.

— The fourth line was a non-factor in tonight’s game. The line comprised Joel Kiviranta, Kurtis MacDermid, and Fredrik Olofsson. They averaged only 4 minutes and 49 seconds of ice time collectively. MacDermid’s recent performance has fans even wondering why he continues to play over seventh defenseman. In his defense, he has dramatically improved his skating over the summer and is learning a new position on the fly, but the NHL is not the place to learn on the fly like he appears to be doing. If MacDermid clears waivers (and is not claimed), the team would still be obligated to pay him the same amount if they assign him to the Colorado Eagles, given that he is on a one-way contract.

Analysis

The Avalanche fell flat during the second period, as they usually do in most games. Colorado has narrowed their goal differential to minus-1, but it was much higher a couple of weeks ago. They are having a lot of issues playing a full 20 minutes in a period, allowing a goal in the last minute or two. The tied game compelled Colorado to come alive in the third period. Colorado’s road ahead will be a much tougher one with the New York Islanders coming to Denver on Tuesday night. The Islanders are currently fighting to keep their wild card spot. They always prove to be a gritty opponent when they come to town.

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]]> https://www.the-rink.com/girard-returns-to-help-in-3-1-win-over-sharks/feed/ 0 28081 MacKinnon sets records in victory over Sharks https://www.the-rink.com/mackinnon-sets-records-in-victory-over-sharks/ https://www.the-rink.com/mackinnon-sets-records-in-victory-over-sharks/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 05:21:02 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=27963 After a devastating loss last night to the Winnipeg Jets, the Colorado Avalanche were looking for a redemption game. Losing their Norris Trophy defenseman in Cale Makar was obvious last... Read more »

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]]> After a devastating loss last night to the Winnipeg Jets, the Colorado Avalanche were looking for a redemption game. Losing their Norris Trophy defenseman in Cale Makar was obvious last night. It is essential to begin by hitting the ground running. The San Jose Sharks are warming up themselves, being 6–3–1 in their last 10 games. So, if the Avalanche wanted to get things going, they would need to strike first and fast. Nathan MacKinnon would have a record setting night for the Avalanche as he moved up the franchise leaderboard in multiple ways. Here are the takeaways for the 6–2 victory over the Sharks.

Takeaways

— The Avalanche got off on the right foot when they took advantage of a five-minute major against former Colorado defenseman Jacob MacDonald. As Sam Malinski went to the corner to play the puck, he lost his edge and MacDonald boarded him hard against the glass. The referees gave MacDonald a game misconduct and ejected him from the game. In the ensuing power play, Jonathan Drouin connected with Valeri Nichushkin for the goal.

— Colorado’s defense gave Alexandar Georgiev a fighting chance. He put up a .931 save percentage for the night with 27 saves. But the defense blocked an amazing 21 shots toward the net. This kept the overall shot total just under 30 (with 29) and lowered the stress on Georgiev for the night.

— The offense did not give up on any plays even with a big lead on the Sharks. Toward the end of the game, with a score 5–1, the Avalanche never gave up. They showed a hunger for the net that just was not there in Winnipeg.

— MacKinnon had four points for the night with two goals and two assists. He extended his season-opening home point streak to 16 games. In that timeframe, he has accrued 43 points with 12 goals. With the four points, MacKinnon is now up to 806 career points and passes former captain Milan Hejduk on the franchise points leaderboard to fourth place.

Conclusion

The Avalanche definitely had to prove themselves tonight. Even if the opponent was the nine-win Sharks. They functioned as a single entity with a specific aim in mind. Compared to the previous game against San Jose, they were being forced to shoot from the edges of the offensive zone. Tonight, the Avalanche were crashing the net and pushing the play forward. Malinski has made a significant difference in how the defense has been pushing the play forward as well. Next up, the Avalanche travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks on Tuesday.

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]]> https://www.the-rink.com/mackinnon-sets-records-in-victory-over-sharks/feed/ 0 27963 What went right and wrong in Avalanche victory? https://www.the-rink.com/what-went-right-and-wrong-in-avalanche-victory/ https://www.the-rink.com/what-went-right-and-wrong-in-avalanche-victory/#respond Sun, 15 Oct 2023 14:13:59 +0000 https://www.the-rink.com/?p=26927 The Colorado Avalanche went into game two against the San Jose Sharks probably thinking they were going to have a peaceful night. With the Sharks in total rebuild mode, you... Read more »

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]]> The Colorado Avalanche went into game two against the San Jose Sharks probably thinking they were going to have a peaceful night. With the Sharks in total rebuild mode, you really cannot blame Colorado for that. It was a tougher night, despite the 2–1 victory, for the Avalanche than most would have expected. I will go into what went right and wrong to make it a tough game for the Avalanche.

Goaltending

Colorado had only seen goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood once in his career before Saturday night. He had played all his previous five years in the league with the New Jersey Devils and was their backup. The last time he played them? It was way back in January 2019 and he allowed four goals and lost. Saturday was a different matter. He was seeing the puck on a whole new level than in years past. His skill improved as he took more shots. The Avalanche threw 52 shots at him by the end of the night. He made saves no one expected him to and kept the Sharks in the game. Blackwood’s performance ended with a .981 save percentage.

Passing

Aside from the first 10 minutes of the game, the Avalanche were having a horrible time completing passes. Some of it may have been the ice conditions, but passes were too hard. This was making it difficult for the receiving player to catch the puck without bouncing over their stick. Nathan MacKinnon struggled to lift the puck for a pass and turned it over.

Defense

Both teams displayed tremendous defense on the puck. Colorado had expected goals for of 5.14. The Sharks held the Avalanche to one goal in regulation while frustrating the Colorado offense. Matt Benning was especially helpful in blocking shots, poke checking and taking the man off of the puck. Cale Makar logged 27:46 of ice time, being on the ice in every situation for the visiting team. He scored the only goal for the Avalanche in regulation with a top-slot shot and a minute remaining.

Conclusion

The Avalanche were handed a near loss, but Alexandar Georgiev held them in it. He secured his 100th career win and had a .952 save percentage throughout the game, not to mention he stonewalled the Sharks in the shootout. Colorado did not execute their style of play and it showed through the entire game.

The next game will be Tuesday when they take on the Seattle Kraken at 8 p.m. MDT. This is their first meeting since the playoffs last season, so it will be interesting to see if there will be any hostility there.

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