Colorado Avalanche: 3 Keys vs Los Angeles Kings
The Colorado Avalanche host the Los Angeles Kings. Colorado needs to win this game to stay in the playoff race.
Well, that Colorado Avalanche game vs the Calgary Flames was a real stinker. Or, in the words of Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson, the Avs laid a real goose egg.
Let’s examine for a moment what went so wrong against the Flames. After all, the two teams look well-matched.
First of all, the players started out focusing on getting Jarome Iginla his 600th career goal against his old team. Indeed, winger Alex Tanguay eschewed a sure goal for an attempt to find Iginla’s stick. Once the Avs had realized that tactic wasn’t going to work to actually win the game, they started noticing their goalie, Semyon Varlamov was being inconsistent. They decided to join him, and the majority of the players played a disjointed game, even after Calvin Pickard started playing his shut-down game.
So, head coach Patrick Roy always preaches to stay even keel — and to forget the last game after it’s passed. Nonetheless, let’s see what the past has taught us the Colorado Avalanche need to do to win vs their opponent, in this case the LA Kings.
Forget Iginla
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That first one is obvious. The players cannot focus on getting Jarome Iginla his 600th goal. You do not get to 599 NHL goals if you’re a slouch in the scoring department, so the Avs shouldn’t worry about getting him the puck.
That gaffe by Alex Tanguay shouldn’t have happened. It’s one thing if young’un Nathan MacKinnon is trying such a move. However, Tanguay is very much veteran enough to know better. I’m willing to bet Iginla had a few words for his longtime linemate after that missed goal.
As with anything in hockey, you can’t force Jarome Iginla’s 600th goal. It’ll come when it comes. As the man himself observed, they all feel good. Let him savor this one in the midst of some Avalanche wins.
Start Pickard
At the time of writing, there had been no news of which goalie would start tonight. I reckon coach Roy might want to give Semyon Varlamov a chance to rebound from a terrible performance against Calgary. (.789 save percentage, 4 goals in 18 shots.)
However, I’d like to see Calvin Pickard get the start. He stopped all 15 shots he faced after replacing Semyon Varlamov, and they weren’t all easy. If the Colorado Avalanche is a meritocracy, then Pickard has earned his start against the Kings.
Rush the Net
The Colorado Avalanche are not a possession team. Like it or not, it’s just not their M.O. You know who is a puck possession team? The LA Kings.
The Colorado Avalanche have two choices before them. They can try to play the possession game against a team that has mastered it, or they can blow the ice wide open.
As coach Roy once pointed out, Colorado tends to do poorly when their Corsi-for and their puck possession numbers are good. Like I said, that’s just not their style of hockey.
Colorado is fast and offensively talented. There are some big bodies and aggressive players who can open the ice up to let the speedsters take over. The team needs to rush the net as soon as they get the puck and start shooting. Never mind setting up — just keep the puck moving. When the Kings gain possession again, they can set up the 1-3-1 trap that worked so well against the Minnesota Wild until they get the puck again and can rush again.
Next: Avs Should Trade for Drouin
What do you think, Avs Nation? How can the Colorado Avalanche beat the LA Kings?