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Colorado Avalanche: Please Beat the Toronto Maple Leafs

By Nadia Archuleta

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 22: Colorado Avalanche Defenceman Erik Johnson (6) passes the puck during the NHL regular season game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 22, 2018, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photograph by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 22: Colorado Avalanche Defenceman Erik Johnson (6) passes the puck during the NHL regular season game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 22, 2018, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photograph by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Colorado Avalanche fans really hope the team beats the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. The road trip looks to be a dismal one otherwise.

The Colorado Avalanche have just one win in 2019, and that’s painful. They’re 2-8-2 in their last 12 games, and that’s painful. They’re getting ready to play the 28-14-2 Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. Painful.

The Avalanche will win again one day, won’t they? Sometimes, watching games recently, it didn’t feel like they would. Especially as the outplayed their last three opponents and still came up short — it really started feeling like no more wins were forthcoming.

However, we can’t allow ourselves to get down. As sports fans, we must be Schrödinger’s cat, with both optimism and pessimism coexisting inside of us.

I don’t expect the Avs to win tonight, but I’m hoping like heck they will.

So, with that rather pragmatic thought out there, let’s look at what Colorado has to do to get some points tonight.

How to Enjoy the Game

Game time: January 14, 5:00 pm MT
TV Networks: ALT, ESPN+, TSN4 (Leafs’ Feed)
Radio: Altitude Radio (FM 92.5)

Score Some Goals

It’s really a very simple formula: Score more goals than the opponent, and you win the game. It’s downright elegant.

The Colorado Avalanche have scored 17 goals since the start of the calendar year, in five games. So, they can score goals. Unfortunately, they only got the formula right once of scoring more than the opponent.

Yes, they need the top line to lead them in that department. And secondary scoring. And top defensemen to score. Honestly, though, I don’t care if the puck goes in off of Alexander Kerfoot’s but or Mikko Rantanen’s, ah, hot dog like it did at times last year. Just score more goals than the Maple Leafs.

Stop Some Goals

As I noted, the Avs have been scoring some goals. The other part of the winning equation is to prevent the opponent from scoring more goals. They haven’t been too good at that lately. They’ve allowed 21 goals in the last five games.

Defense has to be better. And not just defensemen — all players need to make good defensive choices.

That advice especially pertains to goalies. Whether it’s Philipp Grubauer or Semyon Varlamov in net tonight, said goalie needs to have a fantastic night. Goalie vacation time is over.

Play a Full 60

Just… play he full game. Don’t come out strong then die down. Don’t come out flat then make a grab at good hockey in the third. Don’t take shifts off.

Does it sound like I’m exasperated? I am. Aren’t you?

One last exasperated plea that has nothing to do with the heading: For the love of hockey stop mixing up the line combinations like a deranged bartender.

Avs; Best Moments of 2018. dark. Next

This is Colorado’s first time meeting the Maple Leafs this season, and their only time to play in Toronto. Tonight marks the fourth game of their five-game Canadian roadie. After tonight, they’ll head to Ottawa for their Wednesday evening match.

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