If you're like me and watched the first period of the Colorado Avalanche vs Tampa Bay Lightning, there's surely several four letter words you can use to describe that abomination.
The Avalanche gave up 13 shots over the first stanza, and five of those shots went in the net, leaving them down 5-1 after one to a Lightning team that doesn't seem even close to slowing down.
Justus Annunen started the game and was unprepared, allowing three goals after facing only six shots. He was again pulled by Coach Jared Bednar, this time after only ten minutes. He played only 21 against Washington two games ago as well. Annunen needs to find his confidence once again.
Bednar went to Georgiev at the 10:03 mark of the first, but Georgiev wasn't much better. He's allowed two goals while facing only seven shots. Georgiev did not have much chance against the first goal, but the second one could have been stopped, although it was a Lightning 2-on-1.
Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, arguably the best offensive playmaker in the league at the moment, has scored once and assisted on two goals through the first period. His last two even strength points have come while Avalanche second defensive pair Sam Girard and Josh Manson are on the ice.
They're clearly a step behind Kucherov and the Lightning, and the Avalanche have suffered for it. It's unclear why top defensive defenseman Devon Toews is not out there against Kucherov, but Bednar needs to fix this if the Avalanche want any chance to come back in this game, however fleeting that chance may be.
Ivan Ivan has been a bright spot for Colorado in the first period. He was moved up from the fourth line to the second line tonight, playing with Nichushkin and Mittelstadt, and he scored the Avs' lone goal tonight. He's also drawn a penalty, although the Avs gave up a shorthanded goal during that power play.
At the end of the period Miles Wood tried to stir up some energy and emotion, seemingly challenging Austin Cernak to a fight, which Cernak did not accept. Wood then walked off the ice and looked to have smashed a stick against the barrier, nearly striking Jared Bednar in the process.
Hopefully some of Wood's energy rubs off on the rest of the team. After all, there's 40 minutes remaining, and they can't play any worse than they did in the first period.
The team can use this intermission to reset and make a push forward for some respectability tonight. One shift at a time, one goal at a time, and the team can crawl back into this. They've dug themselves quite the hole, but the only way is up at this point.