The Colorado Avalanche are starting to look like their dominant selves again.
After shutting out the Detroit Red Wings 4-0, they followed it up with a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. More importantly, the win in Toronto showed just how dangerous this team can be when things don't go according to plan.
The Maple Leafs gave Colorado a pretty good scare, erasing a 3-1 deficit to tie the game early in the third period. However, the Avalanche responded almost immediately, with Gabriel Landeskog restoring the lead just 51 seconds later. From there, Colorado eventually pulled away.
That was an encouraging sign for a team that has the firepower to beat opponents in different ways and, perhaps most importantly, the goaltending to survive when games get tight. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 28 of 31 shots, including an important save on Auston Matthews that helped keep Colorado in control.
Well, it also helps that the Avalanche aren't relying on one or two players to do all the heavy lifting. Landeskog scored twice, while Brock Nelson, Devon Toews and Artturi Lehkonen also found the back of the net. Martin Necas added an empty-netter, and 13 different Colorado players recorded at least one point.
Nathan MacKinnon and Necas are certainly capable of taking over games themselves. But the Avalanche become a much more dangerous team when they don't have to. That's exactly the kind of depth scoring they'll need to sustain if they're going to make another serious run at the Stanley Cup.
That’s the attitude the Avs will be looking to carry over into Thursday night’s matchup in Ottawa. While the Senators have been playing well, the Avalanche have an opportunity to prove why they’re one of the NHL’s true powerhouses.
Avalanche need to keep up with the Joneses in the Central Division
There is another reason Colorado can't afford to take its foot off the gas. The Central Division isn't getting any easier, and the Nashville Predators are quickly becoming a team the Avalanche need to keep an eye on.
Nashville has won six consecutive games, including a 3-0 shutout of the Los Angeles Kings and a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. That run has pushed the Predators to 25 points, one ahead of Colorado's 24, and into second place in the division behind the Minnesota Wild.
Make no mistake, the Avalanche still have plenty of reasons to feel confident about their chances. They have one of the league's most dangerous offenses, and the recent performances from Blackwood suggest they have the goaltending to complement it.
However, establishing themselves as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders means keeping pace with the competition. Two consecutive wins are a good start, but Colorado needs to keep building on that momentum.
A strong performance against Ottawa would be another step in the right direction. The club will be looking to make it three straight, and assert their position in the Western Conference.
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