Colorado Avalanche: New Season Same Old Patterns

The Colorado Avalanche have begun a new season and yet their pattern of play hasn’t changed. Why? What has them play the same way they did last year.

You should know by now that I am a diehard fan of the Colorado Avalanche and yet tonight I watched the team do what I’ve seen them do time and time again. As a fan, it’s frustrating.

Let me explain what I mean.

The game starts and the whole team is fired up and firing, on the ice. Everything is slick and clicking and they seem to rule the ice. Plays are thrilling and I’m feeling excited and enthusiastic to watch such great play.

More from Mile High Sticking

By this time the Avs have scored, sometimes more than once and we are looking like the team that’s on top.

Then it’s the end of the first and the team goes off the ice.

I take a break, grab some food and rest my voice, ready and excited to see what is going to happen in the second period.

I’m hoping that it will be just the same as the first – exciting, dynamic and awe-inspiring.

But no, that’s not what happens.

The Colorado Avalanche players hit the ice and it’s as if someone has poured the ice on them. They give up the puck, mess up their passes and look like they’ve gone back to being Juniors.

Yes, that’s probably a bit harsh, but sometimes, oh sometimes it is so frustrating watching the play. There are silly mistakes made by not one of the players but a number of them.

I begin to wonder where the players from the first period are. It’s as if they have completely disappeared.

In this period the opposing team takes control and we appear to play catch up hockey for the entire 20 minutes. Mistakes are made. Things just don’t click. What’s gone wrong?

I look forward to the end of the second period. Usually, because we have a tied score or are still ahead, just.

I’m wishing and hoping that the team that was on the ice for the first period will return for the third.

With my fellow Avs fans, we talk and try to work out what went wrong in that last period. None of us can fathom it. It’s like a switch was flicked. Someone PLEASE go and turn the light back on before the Avs players hit the ice for the third period.

A few deep breathes later and we are yelling and cheering the team back on the ice for the start of the period.

Then the usual ritual begins. We play defensive hockey, with tiny sparks of offensive play.

If it wasn’t for Philip Grubauer I’m not sure we would have won these past two games. He pulls out amazing saves to literally ‘save’ the team.

Why? What is it that has these patterns of play continuing game after game. And of course, I am using past examples from last season here, as we are only two games into this new season.

What’s frightening me is that I AM seeing the same patterns of play now, in this new season, with new players on the team. I don’t get it.

We fans hang on our seats, on the edge of them, most of the period, holding our breaths waiting for the Avalanche to give up the game, and by some miracle, they hang on and the two points are ours.

It’s not from a consistent three periods of hockey, that’s for sure.

What will it take I wonder to shake this curse, to begin a new way of playing where there are three consistent periods of hockey?

Anyone with any ideas please forward them to the Head Coach and Team. Something’s got to change or who knows where we’ll be at the end of the season.

Having said this there were some amazing pieces of play during tonight’s game.

I love the Colorado Avalanche win or lose. And I do sit and watch the entire game. There is no way I could spend 60 minutes playing the game they do, so at one level I am in awe of each and every one of the players.

I just think that with the talent we have on our team we could be better. I’ve heard the players and the coaches talk about consistency. So, what will it take to make it happen, I wonder.

Let’s hope they find what it takes to play those three consistent periods of hockey so we can really see their greatness and talent shine for 60 minutes. Oh okay, maybe 50 minutes!