Mile High Sticking
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Are the Colorado Avalanche back to normalcy?

By Graham Tiedtke

Jan 20, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward William Lockwood (7) battles with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jacob MacDonald (26)in the third period at Rogers Arena. Colorado won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward William Lockwood (7) battles with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jacob MacDonald (26)in the third period at Rogers Arena. Colorado won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports /
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Have the Colorado Avalanche made it over their hurdles of the 2022-23 season? Will we start to see things change from here on out for the better and not for worse?

The team is on a four-game win streak. While we have seen this earlier this season, one thing is certain: It is very nice to have one of the league’s best top lines in all of the NHL.

Let’s run through a few stats/info from Friday night’s game:

  • Nathan MacKinnon finished with ten shots on goal;
  • Mikko Rantanen had yet another goal, plus an assist while shooting at the net four times;
  • Valeri Nichushkin had a goal on his only shot of the game.
  • Alexandar Georgiev faced 29 shots, saving 28 of them.
  • The Avalanche managed to pull off the win without their best player, Cale Makar.
  • Nathan MacKinnon is now third in the NHL in points. Mikko Rantanen is 10th.
  • Colorado has outscored its opponents 21-5 over their last four games. That’s right: four games.

I understand some people reading this will say, “well it was against the Canucks! They’re an awful team.”

Well I hate to remind you that the Avalanche failed to go home with a win against the Chicago Blackhawks, who are the worst team in the league, nine days  ago. While it wasn’t a complete disaster (losing 3-2), the Avalanche should have won that game by something like a score of 5-0 or 5-1.

This team has been very up and down this season. It’s not the team anyone expected after winning it all last year. They have fortunately seemed to pick up the pace as of late, though. If they can remain disciplined and stay/get healthy, the team can make te playoffs this year.

With how things have gone so far, it feels like the health thing is a big “if” but really it could change.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you get into the playoffs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 1st seed, second seed, or wildcard. All that matters is that you make it in and win the series you’re up against. The Avalanche cannot focus on getting the top seed at this point. They have to adjust and figure out a way to get going and quit losing so-called easy games.

Friday was a good indicator that the Colorado Avalanche are past that hump.

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