The Colorado Avalanche dropped the first game of the back-to-back East Coast set on Monday night. The Avs were on the wrong end of a disappointing 3-2 loss, one that saw a third-period rally fall short against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Colorado rallied twice from two-goal deficits, but just couldn’t close the gap. A pair of Matvei Michkov goals made it 2-0, and then a third-period tally by Noel Acciari restored the Flyers' cushion.
Martin Necas and TJ Hughes scored for the Avalanche.
So, let’s a look at couple of things about Monday night’s game in Philadelphia.
Avalanche lost to a better team than its record shows
Make no mistake. The Philadelphia Flyers are much better than their record indicates. Yes, the Flyers had a horrible start to their season. They lost their first nine games, but were coming off their first victory of the season. That win likely helped the team build some confidence heading into their showdown with the Avalanche.
It’s also worth remembering that this is a playoff team that made it to the second round last spring. They knocked off Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
As such, the Avs ran into a talented team that wanted to get back to respectability this season.
Colorado power play remains in a coma
Perhaps the one thing that could have made a difference on Monday night was the Avalanche’s power play. Unfortunately, the unit went 0-for-2 on the night. That situation makes you think that, if Colorado had at least connected once, the game would have been different.
Indeed, that’s just the thing about special teams. A botched penalty kill or a missed opportunity with the man advantage can drastically change the complexion of a game.
The Flyers, for their part, went 1-for-2 on the power play. And when you look at the way the game turned out, the Flyers made the most of the opportunity that the Avalanche should have converted.
Time to turn the page and focus on New Jersey
Overall, Monday night’s game was hardly a stinker. It wasn’t good, either, but it’s time to turn the page. The only thing left for the Avalanche to think about is Tuesday night’s game in New Jersey. The Devils aren’t exactly the NHL’s hottest team. They’re 4-4-0 and are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals.
So, there’s a chance for the Avalanche to have a good rebound game. Scott Wedgewood will have a chance to follow up on a good showing by MacKenzie Blackwood. It will just be a matter of the offense picking up the slack and getting on track early.
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