Colorado Avalanche Power Play Epic Fail
The Colorado Avalanche do not have a bad power play. They have a positively atrocious power play. Like, I’d rather they not get a power play because it takes the momentum out of their game.
A good case in point came against the New York Rangers. New York skater JT Miller got called for holding, and just a scant few seconds later New York defenseman Dan Girardi got called for tripping. The Colorado Avalanche had almost two minutes of a 5-on-3 power play.
The Avalanche shooters had so much space for so much time. And they just blew it. At one point center Ryan O’Reilly had his back to the Rangers net while he looked for a pass to make. As if he wasn’t aware you don’t get points for how many passes you make.
During a post-practice presser posted on the Colorado Avalanche website, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog explained the problem:
"“Right now you step on the ice, and guys are doubting themselves, overthinking situations. And then you’re holding on to the puck a little too long, and all of a sudden it’s off your stick and down the ice.”"
Exactly that happened to center MacKinnon in the 5-on-3.
The Avalanche got just one shot off on that power play opportunity. Prior to that, O’Reilly’s line had a stellar shift during which they dominated play in the zone. They got off an energized four shots on goal — and that fourth one went in off of Landeskog’s stick.
Yet after the failed 5-on-3, Ranger forward Mats Zuccarello took momentum — and the puck — down the ice into the Avs zone. And he scored. You don’t score 5-on-3 for two whole minutes, you don’t win the game.
A similar situation occurred several weeks ago when the Avalanche blew about six minutes of continuous power play.
Burgundy Brigade blogger Kevin, who is also a hockey player, made a very informative video about the problem with the Avalanche’s power play.
The gist of his commentary was that the Avalanche don’t cycle the puck, which makes it easy for teams to box them out.
We all know the Colorado Avalanche power play needs more shooting. Interestingly, one of their more effective power play strategies from last season is called the Overload, and it’s renowned for being a low-shooting strategy. It’s the Matt Duchene-Ryan O’Reilly cycling in Kevin’s video. It’s a strategy finesse teams use.
The Avalanche have always employed what I call the Tea Party approach. Nothing to do with politics — I mean, they pass the puck around like it’s a tray of cookies at a tea party. If they’re employing the Overload, cycling the puck to keep the other team from boxing them out, that’s one thing. However, in the Joe Sacco years, all they did was pass the puck around.
That’s what they’re doing this year. After the loss to the New York Rangers, the Colorado Avalanche have gone 0 for 30 on the power play. That’s not bad — that’s an epic fail.
I just wonder what they’re afraid is going to happen if they shoot the puck during the power play. It’s not going in when they just pass it. Are they afraid the other team is going to take it away and score a short-handed goal? What difference does it make? The Colorado Avalanche have gone 10 games without scoring on the power play. During that time, they’ve gone 3-5-2. They’ve lost seven of their last 10 games. What difference would it make if they shot the puck, the other team gained possession and scored a short-handed goal?
They’re losing anyway.
Now is probably the time to start talking about who the Avalanche can trade O’Reilly for. Most people want to see them pick up a defenseman.
However, I just can’t get the image of O’Reilly ignoring the net like it was a salesman with bad breath while he looked for a pass to make.
I say the Avalanche seek out the biggest shooters in the NHL, and go after one of those players.