The Colorado Avalanche are running out of time to right the ship. They’ll be taking on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night at Ball Arena.
Make no mistake about Detroit’s record. The Wings have played much better than their place in the standings suggests. In particular, they’ve been getting great goaltending. And that’s precisely the type of thing that could make this matchup very interesting.
That’s why the Avalanche don’t have any runway for another no-show. It’s getting to a point in the season where losing points in the standings can begin to weigh heavily.
So, the Avalanche will need to come out guns blazing because you can bet the Red Wings will be looking to make the most of their only trip to Denver this season.
Colorado needs a more complete effort on Saturday night
The Avalanche have plenty of offensive firepower to just steamroll over the Red Wings. While Colorado’s attack has been relatively top-heavy, the depth has stepped up in recent games. That’s good, but it’s not good enough. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Cale Makar need to be the guys to score when the game is on the line.
Colorado has scored an NHL-best 53 5v5 goals. That’s fantastic, but the problem is that the Avalanche haven't always matched that offensive production with the defensive commitment needed to close out games.
Tuesday's 7-2 loss to Columbus exposed some concerning trends, and Thursday's overtime defeat against Nashville saw the Avs play better overall, but they just couldn’t pull out the win. Head coach Jared Bednar also experimented with splitting Makar and Devon Toews, looking for more consistency across the defensive pairings.
That adjustment will be worth watching against Detroit. The Avalanche need more than another offensive showcase. They need to show they can control the game without giving opponents unnecessary opportunities.
Red Wings have enough to make this an interesting matchup
Detroit isn't exactly arriving in Denver at full strength. The Red Wings remain without Dylan Larkin, while Marco Kasper, Mason Appleton and Albert Johansson are also dealing with injuries. Still, Todd McLellan's has managed to hold its own against tougher competition.
The Red Wings have been particularly tough to contain late in games, ranking fourth in the NHL with 22 third-period goals. They also have some promising young contributors, with Detroit leading the league in rookie scoring.
Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat remain important offensive pieces, while Viktor Arvidsson leads the team with eight goals. However, DeBrincat has managed just one goal in his past eight games, and Detroit could use more consistent production from its top offensive players. Knowing DeBrincat, he can bust out at any time. And if he does, it could be a tough night for the Avalanche.
Goaltending could also give the visitors a chance. Daniil Tarasov has been excellent, posting a .929 save percentage and a 1.79 goals-against average. If he gets the start, Colorado will need to generate traffic and avoid settling for perimeter opportunities.
What to Watch in Avalanche vs. Red Wings
The biggest matchup is Colorado's offensive pressure against Detroit's goaltending. The Avalanche have the firepower to overwhelm opponents, but Tarasov has demonstrated that he can keep games close.
Colorado also needs to take advantage of home ice. The Avalanche are 6-1-1 at Ball Arena, and facing a Detroit team beginning a five-game road trip. The matchup offers the Avs a chance to string together a couple of solid outings and get out of the funk they’ve been in this season.
Detroit has enough pieces to make this a close game, and that’s why Colorado can’t get away with letting the Red Wings take early control of the game.
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