The Avalanche don’t have much margin left for another flat night, and Saturday’s matchup with the Red Wings at Ball Arena has all the ingredients to test that.
Detroit’s record doesn’t tell the whole story. The Wings have been playing better than the standings show, and the biggest reason is simple: they’ve been getting strong goaltending. That alone can turn this into a tricky game for Colorado if the Avalanche don’t bring a sharp start and a full 60-minute effort.
Colorado has the firepower to overwhelm teams, but it hasn’t always backed that up with the kind of defensive buy-in needed to finish games cleanly. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Cale Makar still have to be the difference-makers when the pressure rises, even as the depth has started to chip in more lately. The Avalanche lead the NHL with 53 5v5 goals, but that production has not always come with the control required to protect a lead or shut the door.
That was on display in Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to Columbus, and then again in Thursday’s overtime loss to Nashville, where Colorado was better overall but still couldn’t get the result. Jared Bednar also tried splitting Makar and Devon Toews, looking for more stability in the defensive pairings.
That tweak is something to keep an eye on against Detroit, because the Avalanche need more than a highlight reel on offense. They need a game they can manage.
The Red Wings are dealing with their own injury issues, with Dylan Larkin out and Marco Kasper, Mason Appleton and Albert Johansson also sidelined. Even so, Todd McLellan’s team has held its own against stronger opponents. Detroit has been especially dangerous late, ranking fourth in the NHL with 22 third-period goals, and the club also leads the league in rookie scoring.
Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat remain key pieces up front, while Viktor Arvidsson leads the team with eight goals. DeBrincat has only one goal in his last eight games, but he’s the kind of scorer who can break loose in a hurry. If he does, Colorado could be in for a long night.
Goaltending may be the biggest swing factor. Daniil Tarasov has been excellent with a .929 save percentage and a 1.79 goals-against average, and if he gets the start, the Avalanche will need to create traffic and stop settling for shots from the outside.
The home-ice edge matters here too. Colorado is 6-1-1 at Ball Arena, and Detroit is just starting a five-game road trip. That gives the Avalanche a chance to put together back-to-back solid performances and shake off some of the inconsistency that has dogged them.
But the warning signs are clear: if Colorado lets Detroit grab the early control, this one can get uncomfortable fast.
In Other News...
Avalanche May Have A Tough Lehkonen Decision Coming
Artturi Lehkonen is doing his part to make the Avalanches next contract conversation a complicated one. In the final year of his five-year deal, he has been productive again this season, and by all accounts he would like to remain in Colorado. For a team that has to keep one eye on the salary cap while sorting through a growing list of future decisions, that kind of player usually becomes both valuable and expensive.
Chris Johnston recently pointed out the bind the Avalanche could be facing: Lehkonens market value may be tough to match if Colorado wants to keep its books flexible. The result is an increasingly familiar NHL dilemma, where a useful, trusted forward can wind up caught between loyalty and economics. If the Avalanche cannot bridge that gap, the conversation could shift from an extension to whether Lehkonen is headed elsewhere or forced to consider a pay cut to stay put. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Eagles Finally Got The Offensive Outburst Fans Needed
The Colorado Eagles finally got the kind of offensive night that can settle a crowd and ease some pressure, beating the Calgary Wranglers 6-4 in a game that featured plenty of scoring chances at both ends. Gavin Brindley and Tristen Nielsen each finished with three points, while Adam Beckman chipped in two goals to give Colorado the finishing touch it had been looking for.
Trent Miner did his part to steady things in net, turning aside 27 of 31 shots to earn the win as the Eagles kept pace in a game that never really let Calgary go quietly. For a team that has been waiting for its attack to break through, this was the sort of response that can matter beyond one night, especially with the schedule offering little time to dwell on it. [Read more 🡒]
Blackwood Gave The Avs Exactly What They Desperately Needed
Mackenzie Blackwood gave the Avalanche the kind of night they have been chasing, turning aside 27 shots for his first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Colorado got plenty of help in front of him, scoring four times and cashing in three power-play goals, with Martin Necas driving the offense with two goals and two assists.
The bigger takeaway for Colorado was the balance it found in a game that had the right pieces working together. The special teams looked sharper, the scoring came in waves, and Blackwood settled things early with the kind of first-period work that can change the feel of a game before it ever gets away from a team. [Read more 🡒]