Colorado Avalanche: Frustrations After Capitals Loss

The Colorado Avalanche lost to the Washington Capitals in a game they absolutely could have won.

The Colorado Avalanche dropped their home game against the Washington Capitals, 3-2. It’s been a while since I’ve walked out of Pepsi Center so mad I had to blast metal music in my ears, but tonight was one of those nights.

Damn there were a lot of Capitals fans in Pepsi Center. A lot of bandwagon fans, I might say, since the Caps won the Cup a couple years ago. I often go to Avs-Caps games, and there didn’t use to be this many Washington fans.

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I don’t know if the players realize how badly it affects fans in the arena when they screw the pooch. Yes, they have to hear the opponent fan cheers, too. However, they, at least, have some control. They can use the opponent fan cheers as fuel to play better.

When you’re a fan in the stands, it just sucks.

Ultimately, tonight the Caps wanted it more. They were a team coming off two embarrassing losses while their star is chasing a milestone.

Anyway, let’s look at how this game played out.

Bad Refereeing

Ok, every team thinks the referees are out to get them. However the Colorado Avalanche got more penalties than a Caps team that employs Tom Wilson and Garnet Hathaway. They did get four, but one of them was a puck over the glass delay of game that has no subjectivity whatsoever.

It’s like the referees had been instructed to give Alexander Ovechkin every opportunity to score his momentous goals.

5-on-3 Power Play

Now, as bad as the referreeing was, the Avalanche did have a full minute of 5-on-3 power play followed by another full minute of a regular power play. And they completely failed to capitalize on it.

When a team can’t score on a 5-on-3, it’s a problem. They did get a power play goal earlier, but a goal on that two-man advantage would have put Colorado up by two goals again.

The power play really needs an overhaul. How do you have as much fire power as the Avs have and be so bad at the PP?

Blown 3rd Period Lead

Despite their blown 5-on-3 power play, the Colorado Avalanche still went into the third period up 2-1. But then they reverted to the kind of passive play that cost them from mid-December to mid-January.

According to Avs insider Adrian Dater, it’s a safe style of hockey that Jared Bednar favors. Passive is another word. The Avs were playing not to lose rather than playing to win.

They just let the foot off the gas about halfway through the second period, and they were never able to catch up. NHL hockey just doesn’t work that way.

Ovi Didn’t Score

The only real silver lining to this game as that Alexander Ovechkin didn’t even get goal #699, much less 700. The goal scorers were Nicklas Backstron, Tom Wilson, and, of course, T.J. Oshie. He loves scoring on the Colorado Avalanche.

So, we won’t be memorialized that way at least.

The Colorado Avalanche will hold a practice at Falcon Field at Air Force Academy tomorrow followed by the Stadium Series game itself. Normal games will resume on Monday when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning.