Colorado Avalanche’s Alexander Kerfoot Stepping in for Rantanen

Colorado Avalanche forward Alexander Kerfoot has stepped up to try and fill the void left by Mikko Rantanen.

When Colorado Avalanche All Star Mikko Rantanen went down with his torso injury against the Dallas Stars a few games ago, we despaired. We also wondered who would step up in his absence.

When you were casting about for Rantanen’s “replacement,” did you find yourself settling on our diminutive Harvard grad, Alexander Kerfoot? I didn’t. I’ve spent most of the season kind of forgetting about Kerfoot. Yet he’s low-key had a good season.

After tonight’s two-goal game, Kerfoot has 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists), which is one point shy of last year’s total. He’s already exceeded his assists total from his rookie year.

Oh, did I forget to mention Kerfoot scored not one but two goals against the Edmonton Oilers tonight? The first goal, which was his first-ever game-winning goal, came midway through the second period with the score tied at 2 apiece:

That was some beautiful work also by our captain of the blueline, Erik Johnson. But all the props to Kerfoot for chipping in the rebound.

Kerfoot’s second goal of the game — tonight was his fifth multi-goal game of his career — was more of a Kerfy special. You might remember his first NHL goal deflected off his, well, butt. He’s since scored a few more weird goals like that.

Tonight’s goal wasn’t a deflection but rather a hard-working goal as Kerfoot chipped away at the puck while Edmonton’s Mikko Koskinen scrambled for it. What’s weird about the play is that initially the on-ice officials called it a no-goal. The review went to Toronto, and those officials confirmed it was a no-goal for goalie interference.

And then Jared Bednar, to give him credit, did something weird — he challenged the no-goal for goalie interference. I didn’t know you can do that, but he did it. And this time it was the on-ice officials who looked at the play and overturned the original call and Toronto’s call. I have no idea how/why they’d go against Toronto, but they did.

That goal put the Avalanche up 5-2, and that seemed to take the steam out of Edmonton.

Kerfoot was the first star of the game, which is understandable:

What I also like is that the announcers told Alexander that their win had elininated the (hated) Minnesota Wild, and his smile was brilliant:

The reaction in Minnesota was a little different:

Aw, Minny, we’re all playing tiny violins just for you.

Anyway, Rantanen has now missed six games, and I wouldn’t say Kerfoot has distinguished himself as a stand-in for the big Finn based on tonight’s performance alone. Rather, since Mikko got injured, Kerf has recorded eight points (4 goals, 4 assists), at least one point in each game.

It doesn’t hurt that Kerfoot has been skating on superstar Nathan MacKinnon’s wing, but it’s a testimony to Alexander’s speed and hockey IQ that he can hang with a literal big dog.

As Altitude color analyst Peter McNabb pointed out throughout the game, Kerfoot has bounced around throughout the lineup but has capitalized on his chances. He’s shown himself capable of being a clutch player.

Hopefully this means the Colorado Avalanche will reward him in the off-season with a tidy qualifying offer. Kerfoot has earned a spot in the lineup.

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