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Colorado Avalanche: Can they Sustain the Playoff Push

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - APRIL 22: Fans of the Colorado Avalanche cheer prior to the game against the Nashville Predators in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 22, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 22: Fans of the Colorado Avalanche cheer prior to the game against the Nashville Predators in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 22, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche are in the middle of a playoff push. Can they actually succeed at their endeavor?

Two-and-a-half weeks ago, I wrote that the Colorado Avalanche’s playoff push had died in Dallas. Half a week ago, I wrote that the team’s playoff push was resurrected in Dallas.

And that’s the rollercoaster this team has kept fans on all season. They started out red-hot and were gaining national attention. I always felt uncomfortable with how much buzz the team was getting because it seems they relish the underdog role more.

Well, they went and put themselves in that underdog role with a two-month slump that no one can easily explain. Was it a goalie let-down? Was it a series of coaching snafus? Was it a lack of secondary scoring? Was it a confidence issue? Yes, yes — all yes.

For a minute it looked like the team was heading for Tankville, population the winner of Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko. Then they made a surge, then they stumbled, then they surged again… And now here we are. The Colorado Avalanche are in proud possession of the last wildcard spot with just one point separating them from the first spot and just two points separating them from being outside looking in.

Yep, we’re underdogs again.

The Avs have gone 6-3-1 in the last 10 games. That certainly looks like a playoff push, of sorts. They only have six more games. Is that enough for them to cement that last playoff spot?

We certainly hope so. And we hope they can do so by the final home game of the season, April 4 against the Winnipeg Jets. Because it they’re trying to gain a playoff spot in the final regular season game of the year, that’s going to hurt. It’s in San Jose, and the Avs suck in San Jose (not to put too fine a point on it.)

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The two teams chasing Colorado, Minnesota and Arizona, also have six games apiece. Looking at the remaining games for all three teams, Arizona has it a little easier:

  • Chicago
  • Colorado
  • Minnesota
  • LA
  • Vegas
  • Winnipeg

That’s not easy, but it’s easier than Minnesota’s:

  • Nashville
  • Vegas
  • Arizona
  • Winnipeg
  • Boston
  • Dallas

Ours is about par for Minny’s:

  • Vegas
  • Arizona
  • St. Louis
  • Edmonton
  • Winnipeg
  • San Jose

The Avs can’t control how the other two teams do within their schedule, but let’s hope they control their own play.

The Colorado Avalanche aren’t practicing today, and that’s a very good thing considering how gassed they looked last night in Chicago. Turns out playing 11 forwards and 6 defensemen (Ryan Graves played 4:11, which helped no one) isn’t a good recipe for keeping legs fresh. They will practice tomorrow.

Next. Bednar Needs to Wake Up. dark

A couple more notes. The team recalled A.J. Greer before yesterday’s game. I assume they’ll just send him back to Loveland after his lovely vacay in Chicago. (I don’t know why the team assumes he wants a tour of the Midwest since they did the same thing to him in Minnesota.) On a lighter note, Philipp Grubauer, the hero of the weekend, earned third star of the week honors from the NHL.

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