Colorado Avalanche Must Build Momentum with Win in Ottawa
The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a thrilling win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, they need to keep up the momentum with a win tonight.
The Colorado Avalanche beat the heavyweight Toronto Maple Leafs on the strength of a Carl Soderberg hat trick Monday night, and we’re all happy about that. The win stopped a three-game losing streak that was fast on the heels of a six-game losing streak.
But we’re not out of the woods yet. The Avs are still 3-8-2 in their last 13 games, and most of the issues that led to that record are still in effect.
The Ottawa Senators are not heavyweights, unless you mean the weight of their issues make them sink to the bottom of the NHL standings. They have usurped the LA Kings for 31st place in the league.
Which, of course, makes them all the more dangerous to Colorado. The Avs so love to play down to their opponents. The lower they have to drop, the more relaxed they get on the ice.
Tonight marks the second and final meeting for the two teams. The next time they see each other will be at the 2019 NHL Draft when the Avalanche rightfully go up to the podium in Ottawa’s stead for their first-round draft pick.
How to Enjoy the Game
Game time: January 16, 5:00 pm MT
TV Networks: ALT, SN, TVAS (Sens’ Feed)
Radio: Altitude Radio (FM 92.5)
Goal Tending Rotation
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At the time of writing, the Colorado Avalanche hadn’t announced who would be in net. However, Semyon Varlamov has started three of the four road games in the last week. So, that makes me think coach Jared Bednar will start Philipp Grubauer.
Grubauer needs some redemption in Avs fans’ eyes. He’s been… below league-average at best with his 3.29 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. His last start, the game in Winnipeg, was so bad — he allowed six goals in 20 shots.
We want to see a little more from Varlamov’s supposed heir-apparent. A lot of us have started thinking about moving on from Grubauer as the next Avs starter and are casting around for other available goalies.
Defensive Breakdowns
The Colorado Avalanche have had a lot of problems recently, as I alluded to. However, a glaring area of concern has been defense. Defenders — and I don’t mean just defensemen, but also forwards playing defense — have been leaving wide-open lanes, missing assignments, being lazy on the backcheck, and turning over pucks.
So, so many turnovers. Christmas is over, fellas. We’re don’t need minced meat, berry, or Avs turnovers.
Defense has always been an area of weakness for Colorado. The emphasis on fast-paced skill hockey has done little to alleviate that weakness. However, the Avs will need to sew up that part of that game to keep winning moving forward.
Bednar Should be on the Hot Seat. dark. Next
Tonight’s game concludes the longest road trip if the Colorado Avalanche season — five games in 10 days. After tonight, the Avs have three games at home before the bye-week and All Star break.
Side note: Once again, congratulations to former Avalanche Matt Duchene on the birth of his first child.