The Colorado Avalanche find themselves in a pretty cushy situation at the moment. Through hard work and determination, the Avs have managed to hold back the LA Kings. Colorado now has a 3-0 lead and sitting in the driver’s seat.
That said, the other series that Avalanche fans should keep an eye on is the Dallas Stars-Minnesota Wild showdown. This series has serious implications for the Avalanche, as Colorado will meet the winner.
The Wild notched a gritty 3-2 win on Saturday night, evening their series at two games apiece. That should be music to Avalanche fans’ ears. The Stars-Wild series is proving to be a war of attrition. Each side is grinding the other down to the point where there may be little left when everything is said and done.
In fact, the Avalanche would love to see this series go to seven. If it does, it could be a case of mutually assured destruction for whoever wins the series.
The Avalanche, for their part, should strive to wrap up the series on Sunday. If they can manage to do that, the club could get about four or five days off before hitting the ice again in the second round.
While some may say that sitting too long during the playoffs isn’t a good idea, the fact is that, given the circumstances, the Avalanche could certainly use the time off, primarily to give Scott Wedgewood some time off.
Moreover, everyone on the team could use a breather. At this point, we don’t know just how banged up most guys are. It’s not a question if they are banged up; it’s a question of how much.
Avalanche must wrap up series to avoid last year’s mess
The “mess” from last year isn’t the Avalanche’s first-round exit. It’s actually what happened to the Stars.
The Stars and Avalanche went to seven last postseason. And we all know how that turned out. Meanwhile, the other series in the Central Division side of the bracket ended up going to seven, as well. The Winnipeg Jets barely made it past the St. Louis Blues.
Both the Stars and Jets were gassed heading into their second-round series. The Stars managed to get past the Jets in six, leaving them even more gassed than they already were.
In the end, the Edmonton Oilers bounced the Stars in five games. That was possible, since the Oilers got past the LA Kings in six, and then the Vegas Golden Knights in five. The Oilers had plenty of time off in between series, especially heading into the Western Conference Final.
That’s what the Avalanche should be aiming for. The war of attrition should leave the winner of the series severely depleted. Colorado should be at full strength, itching to get going. If the Stars and Wild indeed go to seven games, Colorado could have a massive advantage.
As a result, wrapping up their series against the Kings on Sunday should be the biggest priority for the Avalanche. No question about it; the Avalanche can’t afford to let the Kings believe they can get back into this series.
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