Colorado Avalanche: Sven Andrighetto Shows Heart in Calgary

Colorado Avalanche forward Sven Andrighetto was the main man for the team against the Calgary Flames.

The Colorado Avalanche lost against the Calgary Flames the other night. That isn’t unusual — the Avalanche have lost 52 times in regulation and an additional three times on overtime.

However, a bright spot on the team since he joined at the NHL Trade Deadline is Sven Andrighetto. Ghetto, as we like to call him, has played just 12 games for Colorado, but he’s already got five goals and four assists in that time.

Two of those goals came in the game against the Flames — they were the only goals for Colorado in the 4-2 loss. Both came in the third period.

The first goal came three minutes into the third period. Colorado was on the power play because of a tripping penalty against Calgary’s Michael Stone.

The play started with defenseman Erik Johnson quarterbacking the power play. On the point, Johnson unleashed a bomb of a one-timer on a dish from center Nathan MacKinnon:

The puck hit Calgary goal tender Brian Elliot with such velocity that it bounced right off to a waiting Sven Andrighetto. Despite the fact that he was at a tough angle both to the goal and to the ice, Ghetto took the shot.

And what happens when you drive the net and shoot the puck? Good things — in this case, a power play goal. The goal cut the Flames lead in half.

Sven scored again in the waning minutes of the third period. Colorado was down by two again, so Jared Bednar had pulled the goalie. (Earlier than has been his habit.)

This time it was Andrighetto on the point with Avalanche players driving the net. Ghetto just threaded the needle with the puck:

As color analyst Peter McNab observes in the video, Sven is responsible for the last three Colorado Avalanche goals.

More from Mile High Sticking

Here’s a player who’s not only still showing up, he’s playing with real heart. Now, naturally, he’s also playing for a job. He was traded to the Avalanche from the Montreal Canadiens where he wasn’t much needed. It’s up to the young Swiss to show his usefulness to this new team. His contract is up this summer, at which time he’ll be a restricted free agent.

The real heart play came a little later in the play. The officials, as is their wont, decided to inject their presence into the game. With the Colorado Avalanche sans goalie and pushing to tie the game, the officials called Andrighetto on a weak hooking call.

Ghetto didn’t like the call. He argued it the whole way to the penalty box. Then, he completed his reaction thus:

Yes, pulling the camera off so it’s not aimed at you isn’t exactly sportsmanlike. However, what I like about the reaction is that it takes real passion to even bother. And passion has been sorely lacking on this Colorado Avalanche team for a while.

Linemate Mikko Rantanen certainly has good things to say about Ghetto:

"“He’s a great player. He moves well. He sees the ice well, so it’s fun to play with him. We’ve been building some chemistry the last couple games, so we have to do that next game, too.”"

(Since the line has chemistry, let’s hope it doesn’t get broken up.)

In any case, the game against the Calgary Flames was very much an eventful one for Sven Andrighetto. So much so that an Avs fan made a humble recommendation:

Two goals and being victimized by a shit penalty call will heretofore be known as an Andrighetto hat trick.
— Glass-blowin' Cobra Man (@BobInBoulder) March 28, 2017

Agreed. Two goals and a trash call shall heretofore be known as a Ghetto Hat Trick.

Next: Avs Should Keep ghetto for Next Season

Sven Andrighetto is a player in the new Colorado Avalanche mold — small and speedy with obvious skill. I think he’s already made a good case to get protected in the NHL Expansion Draft and to receive a qualifying offer by the team this summer.

What do you think of Ghetto?