Joel Kiviranta was the former Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s executioner on Thursday at the SAP Center.
Kiviranta had two third-period goals to lift the Avs past the Sharks. For a minute, it looked like the Sharks could pull off the upset, leading 2-1 after 40 minutes.
But then, the Avalanche turned up the heat, sending the Sharks to their 19th of the season. Mikko Rantanen tied the game at 8:26 of the third with a huge power play goal. Valeri Nichushkin also added a power play tally to open the scoring in the first period.
Meanwhile, MacKenzie Blackwood quietly made 32 saves for the win in his return to his former stomping grounds.
The win pulled the Avs into a third-place tie with the Dallas Stars in the Central Division. However, the Stars have the leg as they’ve played three fewer games, meaning the Stars have fewer regulation losses.
It’s way too early to discuss those details. Still, it’s encouraging to see the Avs easily beating teams they should be beating. Moreover, it was great to see Blackwood doing well with his new team. It bodes well to have stability in the crease.
Most importantly, the Avs are playing with much more confidence. Since Scott Wedgewood came aboard, the Avs look like a weight has been lifted off their collective shoulders. For the first time in a while, the Colorado Avalanche look like they can play knowing that they’ve got a goalie who can back them up.
Georgiev confirms suspicions about Colorado Avalanche
So, watching the game against the Sharks confirms something we’ve suspected all along: It was Georgiev who often let the Avs down.
That became evident in the way the Sharks gave up the one-goal lead they held heading into the third period.
The Sharks played well for 40 minutes but then became unraveled in a most evident manner. The power play by Rantanen, while a rocket from the top of the circle, is one an NHL goaltender could have anticipated.
Sure, the Sharks handled the penalty kill poorly. Nathan MacKinnon got the puck past a maze of legs, and hit Rantanen, while no one picked up the one-timer. Still, Georgiev should have anticipated the move. Instead, Georgiev tried to slide across, but to no avail.
All right, let’s give him a pass on that goal. But the two goals by Kiviranta were goals he should have had. The go-ahead goal happened on a rush as a penalty expired. The Sharks defense played it correctly, taking the pass away and allowing Georgiev to face the shooter.
Kiviranta shot and gave Colorado the lead.
Kiviranta’s second goal started similarly. This time, the drop pass came to Kiviranta who fired a one-timer. Unlike Rantanen’s power play tally, Kiviranta shot from between the circles. That shot should have given Georgiev enough time to anticipate the shot and get in position.
He didn’t and the puck got past him to ice the game.
Those three third-period goals confirm what we’ve suspected all along. Moreover, Blackwood’s performance underscores the Colorado Avalanche is a great team. It’s that the team didn’t have the confidence in their netminder.
Now, they do. And, it’s beginning to show on the scoreboard.