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Colorado Avalanche: 6 Keys for the Final 6 Games of the Playoff Push

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - APRIL 16: Fans of the Colorado Avalanche cheer prior to the game against the Nashville Predators in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 16, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 16: Fans of the Colorado Avalanche cheer prior to the game against the Nashville Predators in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 16, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche have a chance to make the playoffs, but they’re going to have to play some tight hockey over the next six games.

The Colorado Avalanche are right where they love to be — fighting for a playoff spot as the underdogs. They so relish thumbing their nose at doubters while walking around with a big chip on their shoulders.

Well, they have six regular season games left. We’re all hoping they’re “regular season” and not just six games left and then book that tee time. We want to see the Avalanche playing in the post season.

It’s an uphill climb they have in front of them, that’s for sure. Here are the remaining games:

  • Vegas (home)
  • Arizona (home)
  • St. Louis (away)
  • Edmonton (home)
  • Winnipeg (home)
  • San Jose (away)

Sure, that’s four home games, but the team hasn’t been particularly dominant at home. And that’s four out of six teams who are definitely making the playoffs and one that’s chasing the Avs for the final spot.

Well, let’s look at some keys for this final playoff push.

Limit Mistakes

The Colorado Avalanche are going to make mistakes. Every hockey game — even every shift — is filled with mistakes. However, they can limit making the same dang mistakes that cost them over and over:

  • turning over pucks, especially in the defensive zone
  • dropping defensive assignments
  • passing instead of shooting
  • taking penalties, especially in the offensive zone

If the Avs can clean up that part of their game, they’re a nearly impossible team to beat.

They also need to clean up their reactions to mistakes. Don’t freak out, guys, even if the mistake results in a goal. Just keep a cool head on your shoulders and do better next time.

Fatigue

This one’s on Jared Bednar — enough with the 11 forwards, 7 defensemen, especially when you’re only going to play that seventh defenseman (Ryan Graves) 4:11. It was great seeing him get some ice time, and switching up the lines momentarily bamboozled some of the coaches.

However, the advantages of that kind of roster are far outweighed by the main disadvantage — fatigue. The skaters were absolutely gassed on Sunday in Chicago. Nathan MacKinnon could barely skate by the end. There’s a reason coaches traditionally run four full lines of forwards — it keeps them fresh.

Hot Goalie

Philipp Grubauer is suddenly making a case for himself as the number-one goalie here in Colorado. GM Joe Sakic signed him to be the heir apparent to Semyon Varlamov, whose contract expires this summer, and he’s turning out to be that player.

That said, if Grubauer cools off, it’s okay to put Varlamov in net. He helped get the Avs to playoff contention recently, and he’s been a game-saver for large portions of his career.

In short, the goalies need to stay hot. You can ride a hot goalie into the playoffs.

Secondary (and Primary) Scoring

Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t scored a goal in four games, and that’s okay-ish. He’s our only superstar left right now, and the Colorado Avalanche need him to carry the team at least somewhat. We need some of that MacK Daddy Magic — which is another reason Bednar needs not to skate him into the ground.

Luckily, the Avs have been getting secondary scoring, especially from the defense. All the skaters are going to have to chip in while Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog are injured.

Speaking of…

(Possible) Return of the Captain

Landeskog participated in a full practice yesterday! He was wearing a red no-contact jersey, but he participated in all but the contact drills. He was taking shots and puck handling, which is a good sign since we last saw him with his arm in a sling.

He hasn’t been upgraded to day-to-day yet, but I think that’s just around the corner. The offense, along with the heart, he brings will be a huge boost to the team.

8 Points Minimum

I’m no math wizard, so I’m not going to analyze how many points the Colorado Avalanche have (81) compared to the teams chasing them (79 each for the Coyotes and Wild) and use that to come up with a magic formula.

Instead, I’m going to look at the fact that the team has six games left with a possible 12 points available. I’d die to see them get all 12 and would be delighted with 10. However, I think the Avs are pretty safe at least in the second wild card berth if they earn eight points.

One caveat: They absolutely must beat the Coyotes in regulation on Friday. That’s the four-point game to end all four-point games.

Can the Avs Sustain the Playoff Push?. dark. Next

Well, two-and-a-half weeks ago, I thought the Colorado Avalanche would be playing meaningless hockey by now. Instead, as a great man once said, they’ve gone balls out all the way, and they have a chance of making the playoffs. What a ride!

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