The Colorado Avalanche showed up on Saturday night, notching a big 4-1 win over their hated division rivals, the Dallas Stars, at Ball Arena.
The game was a slog for much of it until the Avalanche picked up the pace in the third period. The tilt was scoreless after 20 minutes. But then, prospect Gavin Brindley opened the scoring midway through the second period.
Brindley’s goal was a welcome sight as the former Columbus Blue Jackets’ draft pick will be looking to establish himself as the Avalanche’s best prospect.
After the Stars tied the game late in the second, the Avs added two goals. The club got a big goal from Artturi Lehkonen to take the lead. Then, Zakhar Bardakov (a name fans will need to get used to this season), made it 3-1.
Tristen Nielsen added an empty-netter to seal the deal with a little over a minute in the game.
With that in mind, here’s a look at three key points from the Colorado Avalanche’s win over the Stars on Saturday night.
Key points from Colorado Avalanche win over Dallas Stars
Power play dreadful
The power play, in short, was dreadful. The Avalanche failed to score once in seven opportunities. While the Avs did not have their top power play guys on the ice, the play with the man advantage looked disorganized at times.
Fans got their first look at Brent Burns running the power play. He did well enough, but the Stars' penalty killers did a decent job of keeping the puck out of harm’s way.
One of the things that stood out was setting up Victor Olofsson for the one-timer. Olofsson failed to do any sort of damage, but it was an interesting look. If Olofsson can get his one-timer going, it will be another solid weapon for the Avs.
Slow pace through 40 minutes
The game was mostly a slogfest through the first 40 minutes. The pace looked slow and uninspired. But then, the Avalanche turned up the heat in the third, pulling away for good. Part of the grinding pace has to do with the Stars’ overall system.
But then again, the game yielded some interesting insights. It could be that the Avalanche may end up playing plenty of grinding games this season, saving their best for the third period. The key will be to outlast opponents, capitalizing on their opportunities to score.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Avalanche played a solid defensive game. They didn’t give the Stars much to work with. Colorado avoided the penalty box for much of the night, killing off the two Dallas power play chances.
Goaltending solid
One of the concerns heading into the season is goaltending. MacKenzie Blackwood’s injury early in camp was hardly encouraging. As such, seeing Scott Wedgewood play a solid game was encouraging.
Similarly, Trent Miner came into the game in the third period and looked sharp. He stopped all six shots he faced. Miner wasn’t forced to make huge saves, but played well and kept the Avalanche in the game.
It’s worth noting that the Stars managed just 13 shots in the game. While the Colorado defense deserves credit for a tight game, it’s incumbent on goalies to keep the puck out of the net on a low-shot night.
Overall, the Avalanche looked good with their lineup featuring some regulars and a few hopefuls. There’s plenty to be optimistic about as the Avs head into the next phase of training camp.