Colorado Avalanche Report Card: Pacific Division

The Colorado Avalanche held their own against the Pacific Division, though you can always hope for better. Find out the grades the team earned in each series.

The Colorado Avalanche faced Pacific Division teams 24 times during the 2017-18 season. As always, they did better against some than others.

Luckily, there was only one team — the LA Kings — the Avs were completely unable to beat, though they got an overtime point. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single team they beat each time.

We looked at each Central Division team individually:

Overall in the Central Division, the Colorado Avalanche went 15-14-3. They had 97 goals for and 95 goals against.

Colorado Avalanche vs Central Division Team Grade: C-

The Central Division is notoriously tough. Nonetheless, you’ve got to do better in your own division if you want to be successful.

In any case, on to the Pacific Division.

Anaheim Ducks

2-0-1, 9 goals for, 6 goals against

Oct. 13, 2017, at Colorado: Colorado 3, Anaheim 1
Jan. 15, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 3, Anaheim 1
Apr. 1, 2018, at Anaheim: Anaheim 4, Colorado 3 (OT)

Overall, this was a solid effort by the Colorado Avalanche against a big, mean team. That April 1, game felt like the beginning of the playoffs for Colorado.

Here’s one of Alexander Kerfoot‘s funny goals, when he scored on a ricochet right off the faceoff:

I’d say it was the weirdest, but there were a lot to choose from.

Tyson Jost also recorded his first multi-goal game in that April 1 match:

Colorado Avalanche vs Anaheim Ducks Team Grade: B+

Arizona Coyotes

2-1-0, 12 goals for, 7 goals against

Dec. 23, 2017, at Arizona: Colorado 6, Anaheim 2
Dec. 27, 2017, at Colorado: Arizona 3, Colorado 1
Mar. 10, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 5, Arizona 2

The Arizona Coyotes is an example of a team that the Avalanche play down to. With as rough a start as Arizona had, Colorado should have dominated them those first two games. Instead, they, themselves were dominated in the first. As the ‘Yotes improved, so, too, did Colorado.

Here’s another funny deflection goal, this one by Carl Soderberg. It also happened to be the game winner in the March game:

Colorado Avalanche vs Arizona Coyotes Team Grade: B-

Calgary Flames

1-2-0, 8 goals for, 10 goals against

Nov. 25, 2017, at Colorado: Calgary 3, Colorado 2
Feb. 24, 2018, at Calgary: Calgary 5, Colorado 1
Feb. 28, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 5, Calgary 2

The Calgary Flames are who the Colorado Avalanche want to be personnel-wise but not story-wise. The Flames made the playoffs last year then freefell out this year toward the end of the season. They’re build for speed and skill, and that showed in the three games they played against the Avs. Colorado finally learned their mettle and managed to prevail.

Duncan Siemens scored his first NHL gaol in the Feb. 28 game. It was an empty-netter, but he’ll take it:

Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames Team Grade: C

Edmonton Oilers

1-1-1, 8 goals for, 10 goals against

Feb. 1, 2018, at Edmonton : Colorado 4, Edmonton 3 (OT)
Feb. 18, 2018, at Colorado: Edmonton 4, Colorado 2
Feb. 22, 2018, at Edmonton: Edmonton 3, Colorado 2 (OT)

Here’s another example of a team the Avalanche should have dominated but did not. In fact, their only victory came as an overtime win. Granted, they snuck away with three points, but Colorado should have done better. (The Oilers are also the team story-wise the Avs don’t want to become.

Here’s the overtime winner, a J.T. Compher special:

Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Team Grade: C-

LA Kings

0-2-1, 3 goals for, 12 goals against

Dec. 21, 2017, at Los Angeles: LA 2, Colorado 1(OT)
Mar. 22, 2018, at Colorado: LA 7, Colorado 1
Apr. 2, 2018, at Los Angeles: LA 3, Colorado 1

Ugh. The LA Kings are another heavy-hitting team. Unlike with the Ducks, though, the Avs were unable to prevail even once. The best they got out of this series was an overtime loss, so a loser point. Three goals for and 12 against — that’s not going to win you any series.

Here’s the goal from the overtime loss game, scored by captain Gabriel Landeskog:

Colorado Avalanche vs LA Kings Team Grade: D

San Jose Sharks

2-1, 10 goals for, 8 goals against

Jan. 18, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 5, San Jose 3
Feb. 6, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 3, San Jose 1
Feb. 22, 2018, at San Jose: San Jose 4, Colorado 2

The San Jose Sharks put out a good team this year. They had an especially strong start, yet Colorado beat them in their first two outings. Unfortunately, they were unable to win the Feb. 22 game and complete the sweep. Nonetheless, the Avs outscored the Sharks 10-8 in the series.

Here’s the fifth goal of the Jan. 18 game, scored by California native Matthew Nieto:

Colorado Avalanche vs San Jose Sharks Team Grade: B+

Vancouver Canucks

2-0-1, 11 goals for, 9 goals against

Jan. 30, 2018, at Vancouver: Vancouver 4, Colorado 3 (OT)
Feb. 20, 2018, at Vancouver: Colorado 5, Vancouver 4 (OT)
Feb. 26, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 3, Vancouver 1

Here’s another example of a team the Avalanche should have dominated but didn’t. Two of the games went to overtime, and Vancouver took the first of them. That said, Colorado did win the series 2-1.

Here’s the game-tying goal for Colorado in the Feb. 20 game, scored by Tyson Barrie, who had a hand in all five of Colorado’s goals:

Colorado Avalanche vs Vancouver Canuckss Team Grade: B-

Vegas Golden Knights

1-2, 3 goals for, 12 goals against

Oct. 27, 2017, at Vegas: Vegas 7, Colorado 0
Mar. 24, 2018, at Colorado: Colorado 2, Vegas 1 (SO)
Mar. 26, 2018, at Vegas: Vegas 4, Colorado 1

Oh, that first game against the upstart Vegas Golden Knights sucked. Touchdown, Vegas, Avs shut out. I know the Knights were already on an historic run that would take them all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. However, I wish the Avs could have done a little better than three goals for (one of them in the shootout) and 12 goals against. Their only win came in the shootout.

Here’s the lone goal scored in the Avalanche’s lone win, scored by Carl Soderberg:

Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights Team Grade: D+

Next: Avalanche Team Player Grades: Playoffs

Overall, the Avalanche’s record against the Pacific Division was 11-9-4 with 64 goals scored for the Avs and 74 goals scored against. They squeaked out 26 out of a possible 48 points.

Colorado Avalanche vs Pacific Division Team Grade: B-

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