Avalanche Too Much for Canucks as MacKinnon Puts on a Clinic in Denver
If you’re from Helsinki like Kevin Lankinen, snowfall warnings aren’t anything new. But in the NHL, there’s a different kind of avalanche that can bury you fast - and the Vancouver Canucks found out firsthand just how dangerous it can be.
The Colorado Avalanche, the league’s highest-scoring team, rolled into Tuesday night’s matchup with a blistering 18-1-6 record, including an unbeaten 10-0-2 mark at home. And once again, they looked every bit the juggernaut they’ve been all season, skating to a 3-1 win over the Canucks in Denver.
Vancouver came in looking to close out a four-game road trip on a high note. The game plan was clear: clog the neutral zone, stay out of the penalty box, and hope Lankinen could stand tall in net.
But against a team that thrives on quick-strike offense and relentless puck movement, the margin for error is razor-thin. And Colorado doesn’t need much of a window to slam the door shut.
The Avalanche came out flying, pinning the Canucks in their own zone for a 1:15 stretch in the first period - a sequence that had Vancouver defenders spinning and Lankinen under siege. At one point, the shot clock read 12-3 in Colorado’s favor. The pressure was unrelenting, and it felt like only a matter of time.
To his credit, Lankinen did everything he could to keep the Canucks in it. He turned away a flurry of chances, including back-to-back one-timers on the power play, and sprawled to deny what looked like a sure goal during a four-shot sequence. His efforts helped preserve a 1-0 lead after Linus Karlsson opened the scoring for Vancouver.
But then Nathan MacKinnon did what Nathan MacKinnon does.
Left alone late in the first period, the NHL’s leading scorer ripped home his 21st goal and 45th point of the season, tying things up and swinging momentum squarely in Colorado’s favor. He wasn’t done.
In the second, MacKinnon found space in the slot and buried his 22nd of the year with a lightning-quick release that gave the Avs a two-goal cushion. He finished the night with six shots and nine attempts, once again proving why he’s one of the most complete players in the game today.
“We played great and I hate that we lost to a great team,” Canucks head coach Adam Foote said postgame. “First goal, rebound right to MacKinnon.
We know he’s there and we’re a little bit off him. And we lost coverage on another one.
You give them a 2-on-1, they’re going to put those in.”
Foote wasn’t wrong - Vancouver actually generated more Grade A chances than Colorado, but the difference was execution. The Avalanche capitalized when the Canucks didn’t.
That’s the edge a veteran, high-powered group like Colorado brings to the table. A few missed assignments, a couple of squandered chances, and suddenly you’re chasing the game.
Vancouver was outshot 12-4 in the second and 31-23 overall. The loss dropped them to 1-2-1 on the road trip and pushed their record to 10-14-3, a dip that has them sliding further in the wild-card race.
Canucks captain Quinn Hughes summed it up plainly: “We played pretty good, but it’s hard right now, a lot of hockey. Wins are the most important thing.
But if you lose 3-1 instead of 5-1, it’s still losing. Can we build from it?
Sure, but we’ve got to be ready.”
The Canucks showed flashes of what they’re capable of, but against a team like Colorado, flashes don’t cut it. You need 60 full minutes, airtight defense, and a little bit of luck. On Tuesday night, they had some - just not enough.
MacKinnon and the Avalanche, meanwhile, continue to look like a team with their eyes set on something much bigger. And if they keep playing like this, the rest of the league better keep an eye on the forecast - because Avalanche warnings are very, very real.