The Colorado Avalanche wrapped up their two-game roadtrip out east with a matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Ultimatley, it would be the Avs who took control to win the game by a final
score of 4-1. Let’s take a look at all the action from tonight!
First Period
The first period really was really these two teams just feeling each other out, for the most part. Both teams had some quality opportunities and looks throughout this period, but both goalies stood strong and the score remained 0-0 heading into the second period.
Second Period
Ivan Provorov would be the one to get the scoring going for the Blue Jackets tonight off of a feed from Kirill Marchenko. Marchenko would circle behind the Colorado net on this play, and pass the puck off to Provorov, who found a soft spot on the ice and roofed the puck over Scott Wedgewood for what would be Columbus’s only goal of the night.
After that goal, the rest of this period was all Avalanche despite Columbus getting a goal waived off for the puck bouncing off of a player’s hand. First, Cale Makar would get the scoring going for Colorado in his 400th game, as he would just let a puck rip from the point, and find a lane to beat Elvis Merzlikins.
After that, Brock Nelson would finally get his first goal on the season, as he would tip home a Brent Burns shot from the slot to give the Avs the go-ahead goal.
And finally, with just secons left in the second period, Valeri Nichushkin would add to Colorado’s lead to put them up by two goals heading into the third period.
Third Period
Val Nichushkin would add on his second goal of the night with an empty-net goal for your final score of 4-1 in Colorado’s favor. Columbus did look like they had pulled within one before the empty-net goal, but for a second time this evening it was ultimately ruled a no-goal, due to a hand pass.
Takeaways
Once the Avs got passed that first period where they were really just feeling Columbus out, they found their groove, put their foot on the glass, and never let up. If you can keep up that intensity night after night, you are going to win a lot of hockey games. You don’t have to be a high-flying offense 24/7 to win games, and in fact I’d argue that the goals they scored tonight were just smart, hardworking goals, and it was their intensity and effort that allowed them to create those opportunities and ultimately capitalize.
The second line really stood out to me tonight, as it felt like they finally got rewarded for everything they’ve been doing right, not only in this game tonight, but in all the other games this season so far. It felt inevitable that that line would get on the board at some point or another with how they’d been playing, and they were finally rewarded tonight. If they can regularly contribute to the scoresheet night in and night out, that’ll be a huge boost for this Avalanche team.
Upcoming
Colorado heads back home to take on the Boston Bruins on Saturday, October 18th. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. MT.
