The Colorado Avalanche will be heading back home to face the Dallas Stars in the second leg of their home-and-home series on Wednesday night.
After the Avalanche pulled out a solid 3-2 win over the Stars as part of Tuesday night’s Frozen Frenzy event, the Avalanche will be looking to make it two wins in a row as the teams clash at Ball Arena.
Tuesday night’s effort was good, showing that the Avalanche can win tight games. Sure, the D showed some awful hiccups, but MacKenzie Blackwood managed to deliver the saves Jared Bednar had been clamoring for.
The Avalanche showed much more pushback on Tuesday night in Dallas than they did at home last Saturday night against the Maple Leafs. That was crucial, as the club needed the two points in the standings.
Most importantly, Blackwood stopped 24 of 26 shots, making several important saves, such as a brilliant glove save on Roope Hintz following an atrocious giveaway by Sam Malinski in the second period.
Meanwhile, Martin Necas was on fire, delivering the offensive punch the Avs needed to win the game. Nathan MacKinnon lit a fire under his team, chipping in two assists and letting his firsts do the talking.
While Dallas made things close in the third period, cutting Colorado's lead to one just over three minutes into the frame, the Avs held firm, however, blocking shots and clamping down on the game to secure the victory.
Now, the two teams get another crack at each other Wednesday night in Denver. The Avalanche have a chance to make it two in a row, even if the club will be playing without its top defenseman, Cale Makar, due to a momentous family event.
Scott Wedgewood can help the Avalanche make it two straight
Blackwood deserves plenty of credit for Tuesday's win, but the Avalanche will likely turn to Scott Wedgewood for the second leg of this home-and-home set.
That gives Wedgewood an opportunity to keep the momentum rolling. The veteran backup has seen action in just one game this season, a 7-3 win over the Calgary Flames. With Blackwood turning in a solid performance on Tuesday night, there shouldn’t be any additional pressure on Wedgewood.
There should be no pressure on Wedgewood on Wednesday night. Blackwood’s solid performance on Tuesday night makes Wedgewood’s likely start at home part of the team’s usual goalie rotation. Still, the hope is that the Avalanche’s backup can keep the ball rolling.
Colorado power play finally gets on the board
One of the most encouraging signs on Tuesday night was the Avalanche power play finally getting back on the board. The Avs hadn’t scored with the man advantage since the first game of the season against the LA Kings.
Against Dallas, it was Martin Necas who supplied the scoring. Necas’ power play tally came on a five-on-three opportunity in the second period, giving Colorado a two-goal cushion that ultimately proved decisive.
The Avalanche will hope that the power play will continue to score, even with the impending coaching change. Colorado needs to keep its scoring humming along, with a win earning the Avs a share of first place in the Central Division.
Add us as a preferred source on Google