We did it, the Colorado Avalanche have advanced to the Western Conference finals for the second time since 2002! As we wait for the first game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, May 20th to begin that pivotal next round, let’s put a bow on the five-game second round defeat of the Minnesota Wild.
What is the best part of making the western conference finals?
Jess: The Game 5 experience on the whole was just absolutely incredible. My dad and I were in the building for it, and for a good bit,
I was debating whether or not that showing in the first period was worse than the 7-3 loss to Nashville that my youngest sister and I had seen in person during the regular season. Then, you saw the Avs push back against Minnesota from the second period onward, as they gave the Wild really nothing at all on the offensive side of the puck, with Minnesota generating a measly seven shots on goal combined in the second and third periods. Obviously, the rest is history, and what was looking like one of the worst games I’d seen in person turned into the best game I’ve ever seen in person. The game was insane, the atmosphere was electric, my voice was absolutely toast afterwards, and it was absolutely worth it.
Matthew: The best part is that the Avs weren’t just handed a trip to the Conference Final: they earned it. From training camp on, the goals were spelled out: win home ice, win the Central Division, finish first in the West, and clinch the Presidents Trophy. They earned all of that to get their sweep of Los Angeles and a five game finish over a Minnesota team that, even injured, proved to be a formidable foe. In an alternate reality, the Avs are forced to go through both Minnesota and another slugfest with Dallas (the third in three years), so not doing any of that and playing for a chance to make a second Stanley Cup Final appearance in four years—a feat that even the Avalanche greats of the past couldn’t accomplish—is my favorite part of getting to the Western Conference Final.
Jackie: It’s a big milestone to get past the second round, which has tripped up the Avalanche often in the Jared Bednar era. It goes a long way to show that this year’s squad wasn’t just a regular season wonder. There will be more hurdles to come but it’s always an accomplishment to get through a previous difficult area.
Who is your round two series MVP?
Jess: I feel like I could pick anyone from the bottom six and be pretty justified in doing so, but I’ll take Parker Kelly specifically. He was incredibly clutch for the Avs in Game 4, scoring the go-ahead goal late in the third, and he was the first one to get Colorado on the board in Game 5. Furthermore, he’s always a guy to bring energy to a game when things aren’t going well, and I said it to my dad last night, Kelly’s line felt like they were the best line all night for the most part, and I didn’t think it was particularly close.
Matthew: For me, it’s the fourth line as a whole. The Avs are not in this position without them. When the big guns were quiet, they stepped up. While Joel Kiviranta didn’t factor into the offense, he was huge on the forecheck and disrupting Minnesota’s forwards whenever he was on the ice. Parker Kelly and Jack Drury got momentum-shifting goals to put them in a game-tying or game-winning situation in Game Four and Game Five. With the Avs trailing Minnesota late in both games, that duo combined for three huge goals across both, with Kelly’s outlet pass to set up the Brett Kulak game-winner serving as the series’ exclamation point. If they don’t have the impact in either contest, we’re facing an uncomfortable reality where a banged up Minnesota squad could have a series lead and we’re all getting very nervous about the prospect of playing in another Game Seven for the fourth straight postseason.
Jackie: Somehow he’s flying under the radar here because I agree the Wild series wasn’t a time when the big guns took over but my vote is going to Nathan MacKinnon. He led the team with five goals, one scored in each game including the only goal in Game 3 and the last minute game tying goal in Game 5. Amazingly none came at 5-on-5 with two empty netters, two on the power play and one with the extra attacker but at the end of the day MacKinnon had the overall greatest impact and is the current Avalanche leader for the Conn Smythe.
Is the net still a tandem or is it really now Scott Wedgewood’s?
Jess: You rock with Scott Wedgewood unless you’re given a reason to do so otherwise, undoubtedly. He’s been so good throughout these playoffs so far and has shown up big time for this team when they’ve needed him to do so, like in Game 5 when he went in for Blackwood. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and right now, his play doesn’t look to be broken in any sense whatsoever.
Matthew: It’s definitely Wedgewood’s net now, but I wouldn’t also put anything past Jared Bednar to make a change should he feel it’s warranted. I don’t expect that to change for the remainder of the Avs’ playoff run. That’s no knock on Blackwood, since he did provide stability after the Avs lackluster outing in Game Three to provide a big win in Game Four and set up elimination for Game Five. Some important context to consider is how well the team is playing in front of either goalie: a lackluster effort in front of both Wedgewood and Blackwood has lead to goalie swaps, so as important as the play in the crease is, the play in front of the crease is equally crucial to minimize the probability of forcing Bednar’s hand as the stakes in the playoffs continue to rise.
Jackie: We’ll really see when the coaching staff has to show their cards if Colorado is ever down in a series or facing elimination but after Wedgewood saved Game 5 and didn’t let a puck by him in relief of Blackwood to secure the series win, I don’t see how it’s not his net. The performance reminded me a lot when he entered to steal the cone back victory against Dallas in March, which basically earned him the net from that point on, with higher stakes now I think the message is clear.
What do the Avs need to work on before round three?
Jess: Is saying getting healthy a cop-out answer? I’m going to go with that, anyway, focus on resting up and get Lehkonen and Malinski back into your lineup as soon as you can. Also, clean up some of that defensive play that we saw in the first period of Game 5. You can’t expect to go all the way playing like that; letting guys go free to the front of the net and leaving guys open on the back door does not seem like a winning formula. Though I suspect those issues will work themselves out, at least a little bit, when you get Malinski back into the lineup.
Matthew: The Minnesota series featured long breaks leading into Game One (where the Avs outscored their long layover) and Game Three (where they didn’t). After Game One, Bednar said that details that had been staples of their defensive game were missing, and after Game Three, he cautioned his roster about losing focus after allowing Minnesota their first victory in the series. Over the next few days, the Avs should hone in on those details so they’re ready to go right out of the game regardless of who the opponent is. While track meet hockey is entertaining (as long as your team wins), it can spiral out of control in a hurry, and with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line, those little details and “playing the right way” could be the difference between playing for hockey’s ultimate prize, or a handshake line to the off-season.
Jackie: I’m keying in on defense as well. While the overall analytics looked good for most Avs players once the Minnesota series ended, there were some big defensive miscues which led to a lull in play and a few holes to dig out of. It was never prolonged enough to get Minnesota up in the series but it’s an issue to resolve moving forward in the most critical situations.
