Good & Bad: Avalanche Fall To 0-3 After Glaring Mistakes From Top Star

DENVER — It’s been a brutal week of hockey to begin the season for the Avalanche. And you might argue that Monday’s 6-2 loss to the New York Islanders is the worst effort of the bunch.

Colorado scored the primary objective however that was about the one constructive spotlight of the night. The Avs are 0-3-0 for the primary time in 16 years.

Unhealthy: Cale Makar

There have been a number of choices to select from. However with out Devon Toews within the lineup, Cale Makar was a shell of the celebrity defenseman we see on most nights. And I’m not giving him a copout by mentioning Toews’ absence. Considered one of Makar’s extra manifestly dangerous shifts I’ve seen in years occurred on the PP.

Already trailing 2-1 within the second interval, Makar made two errors on two completely different performs which each ended up at the back of his web. He even misplaced Anthony Duclair within the third interval, which immediately led to a different Islanders objective.

However again to the second interval: On the third New York objective, Makar had a chance to get the puck out of the zone and failed to take action. New York as an alternative saved biking the puck, and the Avs’ five-man unit was gassed by the point Brock Nelson broke in on Alexandar Georgiev on their lonesome. He dangled Colorado’s goalie to attain his first of two targets. Makar, on the finish of an prolonged shift, was nowhere to be present in entrance of the objective when Nelson scored.

On the next objective, Colorado had concerning the worst energy play sequence they’ve had in years. It began when Chris Wagner and the fourth line drew an interference name.

Like he at all times does, head coach Jared Bednar despatched his first unit onto the ice to begin the sport’s first energy play with the faceoff deep within the Islanders zone. Inside 12 seconds, the puck went from a faceoff almost 200 ft away from Colorado’s web to a scoring alternative for the Isles on the different finish after a misplay from Mikko Rantanen.

In a uncommon transfer, Bednar pulled his high unit off the ice and despatched the second unit out after these 12 dangerous seconds. Bednar later turned again to his stars with 59 seconds remaining on the PP. Colorado managed the puck deep within the zone. When a go was made to the purpose, Makar fumbled the puck, and the Avs PP wanted to re-group. Moments later, Makar, in his finish, made a go that was picked off by Nelson, who fired it previous Georgiev for a shorthanded objective.

It was a sequence to neglect for the highest stars and a interval to neglect for Makar. Colorado was lacking a number of firepower when the season started. And the accidents to Jonathan Drouin and Toews within the first two video games made issues worse. However prior to now, Colorado relied on its superstars to maintain them afloat throughout powerful instances however that simply isn’t taking place by the primary three video games.

Nathan MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Makar are producing factors. However their all-around recreation isn’t almost the place it ought to be.

Good: Calum Ritchie

Calum Ritchie has proven flashes of the kind of participant he’s going to be within the NHL. In his early-to-mid 20s, he’s going to interrupt out as a star for this crew. However proper now, the 19-year-old continues to be getting his ft beneath him with the large membership.

His first two shifts on Monday had been far and away the 2 greatest we’ve seen from him on this quick time. On the opening shift, Ritchie scored his first profession NHL objective — accumulating a good looking feed from Josh Manson from the other wall and tapping it in previous goalie Ilya Sorokin. Moments later, Ritchie got here out for his second shift and almost arrange one other objective.

That is the kind of confidence Bednar was referring to when he spoke concerning the younger forwards’ recreation over the weekend. Ritchie got here into camp with a number of confidence but it surely hasn’t at all times been there because the video games began mattering. Getting a glance within the high six on a Cup-contending crew lacking a number of offensive items comes with a number of strain.

Ritchie nonetheless hasn’t had a whole 60-minute breakout recreation. But when these first two electrical shifts he had Monday had been an indication of issues to come back, then he’s going to be much more comfy prior to I initially thought.