The Colorado Avalanche continue making waves this season. The Avs made their 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets look easy on Saturday afternoon. The visiting Blue Jackets came in reeling, riding a three-game losing streak. That losing streak is now up to four thanks to Colorado.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, extended their home winning streak to 17 games. They’ll be looking to tie the club record with a win on Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the meantime, here’s a look at this edition of the Avalanche news.
Big home win
As mentioned earlier, the Avalanche got a big home win on Saturday afternoon. Brent Burns scored twice, with Ilya Solovyov and Victor Olofsson getting the other tallies.
The game was particularly impressive for the Avs’ depth players. Olofsson ended the match with a goal and an assist, Gavin Brindley had two helpers, plus Parker Kelly also chipped in with two assists of his own.
That performance bodes well as depth scoring is always a crucial matter for contending teams. Granted, the Blue Jackets are the worst team in the Eastern Conference. But the fact that Colorado could cruise past them without their top scorers lighting up the scoreboard is certainly an encouraging sign.
A game of firsts
Saturday afternoon’s tilt was a game of firsts for two Colorado Avalanche players. The biggest story was Trent Miner. Miner made just his third NHL start, facing the Blue Jackets, picking up his first win.
But beyond Miner’s first win, it was also his first NHL shutout. That was a huge accomplishment for the 24-year-old seventh-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft.
Miner’s feat was the first time an Avalanche goalie got a shoutout in his first NHL win. The last time the event occurred in Avalanche/Nordiques history was back in 1984. Then-Quebec Nordiques goalie Mario Gosselin got a shutout in his first NHL win.
But Miner wasn’t the only Avalanche to register a first. Defenseman Ilya Solovyov got his first NHL goal, scoring in the second period to make the game 3-0. Solovyov has played all of 28 NHL games, 13 of which have come with the Avs.
The clean sheet made the Avalanche one of two teams this season to have three goalies with a shutout (the Penguins is the other club).
The 25-year-old Russian blueliner has now tied his career-high in points, registering points in his last three games.
Solovyov joined the Avalanche as a waiver pickup at the end of training camp. He’s been a fantastic fit as the team’s seventh defenseman. Most importantly, he’s fit in seamlessly during Devon Toews’ absence.
Avalanche deadline primer
The NHL trade deadline is about eight weeks away, and the rumblings have already kicked into high gear. The Avs aren’t really at the forefront of any major rumors, though pundits and insiders have posited that Colorado could be a big player on the market.
The biggest issue afflicting the Avalanche is their lack of cap space. Still, fans should expect to see the Avalanche add around the fringes, mainly depth pieces.
One such rumor posits the Avalanche looking to add another center. Given the top-two centers for the Avalanche, adding a versatile forward could make sense moving forward.
The Avalanche will get a day off before facing off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night at Ball Arena.