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Top 5 Avalanche Goalie Moments from 2014-15

By Nadia Archuleta |
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Dec 21, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard (31) celebrates after making a save to win the game in a shootout against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. Colorado won 2-1 in an overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Goalies are a special breed, so coming up with Avalanche goalie moments was no trial. For the most part, the top five goalie moments relate to great games Semyon Varlamov, Reto Berra or Calvin Pickard played. However, goalies are a special breed — and sometimes you’ve got to celebrate their behavior as much as their skill. (Don’t believe me? Name your top 5 Patrick Roy moments — I bet at last two have to do with his behavior over his saves.)

The 2014-15 season for each Avalanche goalie was a tough one as he faced about 33 shots per night — sometimes radically more. Varly, Picks and Big Berra better beware — head coach Patrick Roy has essentially stated cutting down on shots isn’t a priority for the Avalanche — they’re going to focus on cutting down scoring chances.

So, basically, at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season, we’ll probably have a whole host more of Avalanche goalie moments to look at. Until then, though, let’s look at the highlights from this last season.

#5. Semyon Varlamov Gets Character Win

Nov 19, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (1) deflects a shot from Chicago Blackhawks left wing Brandon Saad (20) during the first period at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Avalanche players found out right before the April 4, 2015, game against the LA Kings that the team had been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. It wasn’t a big surprise, but it was clearly a big downer as the Avs went on to record only 10 shots on goal in a 3-1 loss.

Colorado still had three more games to play out for the season, all at home. Captain Gabriel Landeskog swore the players would do their best to gain victories. Well, Semyon Varlamov heard that vow and made it happen in the April 8th 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators in front of the home crowd.

It wasn’t an easy win for Varlamov. He faced 42 shots from a team that had dominated the Central Division for most of the season and was heading into the playoffs. However, he recorded an impressive .952 save percentage to secure the win.

This game is best-known for containing Avalanche center Joey Hishon’s first-ever NHL goal. However, here’s a final save by Varlamov followed by the crowd’s reaction to his and the team’s efforts that night:

 #4. Reto Berra Scores a Goal

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If this event had happened in an Avalanche game, it would be in the #1 spot. Maybe it seems like this moment shouldn’t be in an Avs list at all since it happened with the Lake Erie Monsters. However, Reto Berra is an Avalanche goalie first, so let’s celebrate this moment with him.

And what a moment! Berra, whom so many doubt, got sent down to the AHL Lake Erie Monsters for “conditioning,” but everyone was pretty sure it was because coach Roy lost his faith in the backup net minder. Well, Berra turned lemons into historical lemonade by accomplishing one of the rarest occurrences — a goal by a goalie.

The Monsters were up 3-1 over the Chicago Wolves, and the puck came straight to Berra on a dump-in. Berra settled the puck then used his big goalie paddle to shoot the puck down the ice. He aimed, and he hit his mark — the Wolves’ net!

The best part of all this is how Berra celebrates just like any other goal-scorer:

#3. Calvin Pickard Gets the Shootout Win

Dec 11, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard (31) reacts to the shootout win against the Winnipeg Jets at the Pepsi Center. The Avalanche defeated the Jets 4-3 in a shootout period. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of memorable goalie celebrations, Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard had his own. On December 11, 2014, the Avalanche hosted the Winnipeg Jets. It was one of those games in which the Avalanche couldn’t get going ahead. Just a few minutes into the third, they were down 3-1, and it wasn’t rookie goalie Calvin Pickard’s fault.

See, it was also one of those games in which the Avalanche couldn’t seem to get enough shots on net, but they sure could allow them. By the end of 65 minutes of play, Pickard had faced 33 shots, allowing three goals in. By contrast, Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec allowed three on just 26 shots.

The game went to the shootout. Both Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene scored for the Colorado Avalanche. Pickard had already stopped Jets shooter Mathieu Perreault. Now he was facing Winnipeg’s gigantic sniper, Blake Wheeler.

Wheeler skates like a gorilla — he’s a big guy. As he hulked down the ice, Pickard set up. With a suddenly deft move, Wheeler tried to sneak the puck in on the backhand. Pickard dropped into the butterfly and batted the puck away with his paddle. For. The. Win.

First Pickard turned himself into a five-point star. Then he effected a fantastic breakdance wave evident even through all his goalie padding:

#2. Reto Berra Records First NHL Shutout

Apr 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Reto Berra (20) after the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Pepsi Center. Colorado Avalanche won 1-0 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

As part of that feel-good final trio of games, coach Roy put Reto Berra in net in the penultimate game for the Colorado Avalanche. The game was against the Winnipeg Jets.

The game went into overtime tied at 0-0. Through those three periods, Berra had already stopped a ridiculous 37 shots. These were not easy shots — he faced 17 in the last period alone. Through the extra five minutes of overtime, he shut down the Jets four more times for a total of 41 saves.

The game went to the shootout. By this time, both goalies had been perfect. However, Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec’s armor cracked. He let in goals by both Ryan O’Reilly and Matt Duchene. Berra, on the other hand, was the equal to both Winnipeg shooters, the huge Blake Wheeler again, and Andrew Ladd.

After the win Berra said:

“I think the whole team played good. I feel pretty good right now, of course. The whole season was sometimes tough. I went through tough times, but it’s only my second year here, so I still have a lot to learn. Overall, I’m happy I have good form right now.”

Here’s a great save Berra made on Blake Wheeler with just a few seconds left in regulation:

#1. Semyon Varlamov Records 54-Save Shutout

Jan 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (1) celebrates with teammates a win against the Chicago Blackhawks at the end of an NHL game at United Center. The Avalanche won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Well, if we’re going to talk about an Avalanche goalie recording a shutout, we’d better mention that time Semyon Varlamov stoned the up-coming Stanley Cup champs, the Chicago Blackhawks.

Coach Roy once said there’s no such thing as an easy shutout. Well, there’s “all shutouts are hard” and there’s “Varlamov just stopped 54 shots against an elite team.”

The game came in January. The Avalanche were seeing a resurgence of their skills for sure, but in 60 minutes of regulation they still allowed Varlamov to get peppered with 54 shots. And Varlamov turned away each and every one.

Center Nathan MacKinnon, who got a goal and an assist in the Avs’ 2-0 win, was in awe of the goalie:

“[Varlamov] was standing on his head. It’s funny how it works. [He] seems to love playing in this building and playing against Chicago in general. They fire everything at the net. They just put all the pucks in the world on net, and I think that helps [him] get hot.”

Oh, I forgot to mention the game was in United Center in front of the Chicago crowd. What a sweet victory.

Here’s the Bridgestone Performance Moment celebrating Varlamov’s accomplishment:

What was your favorite goalie moment of the 2014-15 season?

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