10 Takeaways: Avalanche Still Searching for Execution From MacKinnon, Others
· Yahoo Sports
Nathan MacKinnon repeated the word execution several times after the Avalanche lost Game 1. That was the thing that hurt them on Wednesday night, and it was what needed to change for Game 2. They needed to execute. They needed to generate offense, make plays, and score goals.
None of that happened nearly enough on Friday.
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The Avalanche’s highest-paid player and most dependent superstar followed it up with just one shot on goal in Game 2. The Avs lost 3-1 by giving up a 1-0 lead they held until midway in the third period off a goal that, once again, came from their third line.
With the series shifting to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and Colorado trailing 2-0, it’s up to MacKinnon to find his game. It’s up to him to lead the way, get his line going, and make things difficult for Knights goalie Carter Hart. If the Game 1 loss wasn’t enough of an awakening for MacKinnon, then perhaps this one will be.
When Cale Makar plays, the Avs need MacKinnon to be close to his best to win games. Without Makar, he needs to be at his best.
We have not seen anything close to that in two games. It’s a big part of why Colorado is in the position its in after two games at home.
10 Takeaways
1. Jared Bednar spoke a lot about the fine margins in the postseason and how little things determine games. He specifically noted the 4-on-4 play and how the Avs were snapping it around for nearly two minutes. In that time, they had multiple good looks and missed the net not once, not twice, but three times. That just can’t happen.
They had every opportunity to put the Knights away and couldn’t do it. Their power play was a mess, and their top six left much to be desired at 5-on-5.
Vegas was able to add to its lead in Game 1 to keep Colorado from making it a game. Even when the Avalanche had their two-goal spurt in the third, it didn’t matter. Vegas put three in before that and held the line.
2. I followed up by asking Bednar if it was too simplistic to say that their top guys have outplayed his top guys. He agreed on the production part, but he doesn’t necessarily agree about the general statement.
I personally just can’t wrap my head around the fact that neither of the top two lines has generated anything at 5-on-5. Both goals have come from the Ross Colton, Nazem Kadri, and Valeri Nichushkin line.
Here’s what Bednar said: “So far in the series, they’re out-producing our top guys. I don’t know for sure that they’re out playing them, but that’s part of it. And some of that is some of the things that I’ve already talked about. I think it’s too simplistic to say that.”
3. Which brings me to my next point: The lines need a shake-up. Badly. If that means moving Kadri to the wing full-time to join the top six, then so be it. I personally would like to see Valeri Nichushkin play with MacKinnon. We’ll see if Bednar agrees.
4. I asked Josh Manson in the morning about the importance of scoring the first goal. Vegas is a lot like Minnesota, where they’ll find a way to park the bus and lay the body on you if you’re chasing the game. The Avs chased a lot in Game 1.
They got the first goal late in the first period, and you can see the difference it made in how they came out in the second. The Golden Knights had to chase, they were the ones cheating for offense, and it opened up a lot of space for the Avs in transition.
John Tortorella did note how badly they were outplayed in the second period. But he said they felt good knowing that they had escaped without giving up another goal — that the lead was still only one.
5. Credit to Scott Wedgewood for allowing the Avs to be in that position. Before the Colton goal, he made a few big saves, none more notable than a breakaway on Mitch Marner. The rebound that went back to Marner was perhaps even more dangerous.
After the goal, Kadri had a terrible giveaway that landed on the stick of Pavel Dorofeyev in the slot. Dorofeyev entered the night on a five-game goal-scoring streak and leads the NHL with 10. He had a chance to build on both of those, but Wedgewood robbed him.
The two goals Vegas scored both went off the post and in. Wedgewood was deep in his crease on the second one. You want a save there.
But the difference between what Wedgewood is seeing and what Hart is dealing with at the other end is that the Knights aren’t straying from their defensive game. They’re protecting Hart far more than the Avs are protecting Wedgewood.
6. Colorado was 41-0-0 in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs when leading after two periods. They found the worst possible time to let that perfect record whither away.
7. In the conference finals, the road team that goes up 2-0 in a series is 20-1. There’s a lot of history working against Colorado right now. But when all is said and done, they have to go into Vegas and win Game 3. That is and should be their only focus. You can worry about winning a second one or not falling behind by two games again after that.
8. I’ve been asked a lot about the Bednar quote postgame, where he basically said that Cale Makar will determine when he’s ready to play. I’ve been asked if that was a pressure tactic by the coach, putting the onus on Makar to step up and play hurt.
I don’t believe that to be true. The coaching staff knows Makar is a competitor and will do anything to play. In the end, Makar is the one who has to manage the pain and limitations of playing through this injury. If Makar is communicating to them that he feels like he will be more of a hindrance to the team than a help, then they’re not going to play him.
I think that’s pretty much what is happening right now.
9. Still, if I were a betting man, I’d predict Makar plays in Game 3.
10. Even in a loss, I still want to tip my hat to Jack Drury. Two incredible blocks on the late second-period power play for the Vegas Golden Knights. Those are gritty, fourth-line plays by a gritty, fourth-line center.
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