November 8th 2024.
The Colorado Avalanche took on the formidable Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Center, putting up a fantastic game for 58 minutes. However, despite their impressive performance, the Avs were unable to secure a win against the best team in the NHL. Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who has two Vezina Trophies under his belt, proved to be a formidable opponent, making it difficult for the Avs to score.
The game started off on a rough note for the Avs, with Gabriel Vilardi scoring only 66 seconds into the game. This was the first shot of the game, with Mark Scheifele assisting Vilardi on a 2-on-1 play. It was a bit of a mess for the Avs, with Josh Manson struggling to keep the puck in the offensive zone and Samuel Girard not providing the best defense. Hellebuyck made a spectacular save, with Vilardi calmly flipping the puck past him. In hindsight, it seemed like Hellebuyck might have had time to slide across and make a save, but it was a quick and impressive play by Vilardi.
The Avs' luck didn't seem to improve, as they gave up a breakaway on the next shift. It looked like it was going to be a tough night for them in Winnipeg. However, things started to turn around for the Avs, with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev having his best game of the season. He made 27 saves and had a few scrambling moments, but overall, he looked solid and made routine saves look easy. The Avs also played well in front of him, providing solid defense.
Georgiev had been struggling at the start of the season, but this game showed real progress. He made a spectacular side-to-side save on Nikolaj Ehlers in the third period, which was the cherry on top of his impressive performance.
The Jets had the best power play in the NHL, but the Avs' penalty kill held up against them. Given that the Avs were ranked 29th in the league in penalty kill percentage, this was a great result for them.
Cale Makar, who had been dealing with a lower-body injury, played over 25 minutes and didn't seem to have any issues. He had only played 29 seconds in the final 30 minutes of their previous game against the Seattle Kraken and had not skated in practice the day before, so there were concerns about his availability. However, he played a significant role in the game and helped the Avs tilt the ice in their favor, even killing a 2-on-1 play for the Jets in the third period.
The Avs didn't earn a power play until the last 70 seconds of the game, but they made the most of their chances. Mikko Rantanen was frustrated with the lack of calls in his favor, and there were a few instances where the Avs could have potentially earned a power play but didn't. Despite this, the Avs still put up a great fight and will likely be disappointed with the outcome.
Overall, the Avs played a strong game, creating 16 scoring chances when their top line was on the ice and having every player on the roster with a positive scoring chance ratio. With Georgiev's impressive performance and the team's solid effort, the Avs will take this performance any day of the week.
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