Avalanche notes: What went wrong in New York, no need to worry, moving on

The Colorado Avalanche suffered just their second regulation loss of the season. The 6-3 defeat at the hands of the New York Islanders came at the hands of former coach Patrick Roy. The Isles played a tough, resilient game. They managed to capitalize on the Avalanche’s mistakes to build a considerable lead.

While the Avalanche tried to make a comeback, the Islanders deserve a ton of credit for hanging in there. They survived the third-period onslaught from the Avalanche. Ultimately, it wasn’t a lopsided game, but one the Avalanche would like to have back.

So, let’s take a look at some key points in this edition of the Avalanche notes.

What went wrong in New York?

The Avalanche had an uncharacteristically bad defensive game against the Islanders. The usually sound defensive structure shown by Colorado broke down at times. But that isn’t an indictment of the Avalanche’s inability to defend. It’s more the result of the Islanders’ creating traffic in front of the net.

That approach was evident in the first goal. The mayhem in front of MacKenzie Blackwood allowed Kyle MacLean to pop one into the open net.

But it was the Islanders’ third goal that exemplified this approach. Here’s a look at it, as shown on the Islanders’ official X account:

The sequence starts with a turnover in the Islanders’ zone. The Isles brought the puck back with Matthew Schaefer at the wheel. Blackwood made two saves, but it was the rebound on the third attempt that hit the back of the net. Schaefer threw the puck at the net, trying to create something, which he did. Meanwhile, Bo Horvat stood at the side of the net while the Avalanche tried to figure out what the heck was going on.

Aside from the Adam Pelech goal, the Islanders scored hardworking yeomen’s goals against the Avalanche. The game should be a decent wakeup call for Colorado. Other teams will try to follow the Isles’ blueprint and try to clog up the front of the net.

When the Avalanche took back control of the game, the Islanders were unable to create a ruckus. That’s when the Avs quickly got back into the game. Then, with the score 5-2, Cale Makar showed why he’s the best blueliner in the game, feeding Artturi Lehkonen for his 10th of the season.

Avalanche fans have nothing to worry about

Thursday night’s game is one of those instances in which top teams become discombobulated by an opponent’s shifting tactics. The Isles were blown out of the water in their first meeting this season. The Avs dominated a tight-checking 4-1 decision at Ball Arena.

This time around, the Islanders were ready for a bit of a chaotic game. But it worked. The Avalanche have predicated their success on a highly structured system. That’s something the Islanders worked hard to take away.

Granted, not every team has the same capacity for mayhem. That’s why there’s really nothing to worry about for Avalanche fans. But the Islanders have put the NHL on notice by finding chinks in the Avalanche’s armor.

Moving on to the next game

The Avalanche remain the NHL’s top team. No one is close to them at the moment. So, the Avs can just regroup and move on. The club will face the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers are a veteran team looking to get back into the thick of the playoff race. While there are no easy opponents in today’s NHL, the Rangers should give Colorado a solid chance to get back into the win column.

MacKenzie Blackwood should get the call again between the pipes. With Scott Wedgewood still day-to-day, Trent Miner will likely get the call on Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers.