Avalanche’s Sloppy Stretch Continues with 7-3 Loss to Canadiens
The Colorado Avalanche are limping into the Olympic break, and after back-to-back rough outings, it’s clear the wheels are wobbling a bit. Less than 24 hours after falling flat against the Ottawa Senators, the Avs followed it up with another lopsided loss-this time a 7-3 defeat at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens.
That marks the third time this month Colorado has given up seven goals in a game. Not exactly the kind of trend a contending team wants heading into a critical stretch of the season.
Let’s break down what went wrong in Montreal-and there was plenty.
First Period: Avalanche Out of Sync Early
The Canadiens wasted no time setting the tone. Not even a full minute in, a defensive miscue off a faceoff left Noah Dobson all alone, and he didn’t miss, beating Scott Wedgewood from a sharp angle to give Montreal the early 1-0 lead.
Colorado did manage to respond quickly thanks to Brock Nelson, who carved his way into the offensive zone with a slick move and fired one past Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes. It was a much-needed answer, and for a brief moment, it felt like the Avs might settle in.
But that moment didn’t last long.
Nick Suzuki restored Montreal’s lead on the power play, finding space in front of the net and knocking home a rebound. Then came the gut punch-Suzuki again, this time shorthanded.
He slipped behind Colorado’s power play unit, went in alone, and buried it. That’s now nine shorthanded goals allowed by the Avalanche this season, the most in the league.
It’s a glaring issue and a clear sign that Colorado’s power play isn’t just struggling-it’s actively hurting them.
Second Period: Mistakes Compound
The second frame didn’t offer much relief. It stayed quiet until Jake Evans capitalized on a costly mistake behind the net. Wedgewood misplayed the puck, and Evans had a gift-wrapped goal to make it 4-1.
Then came a tough bounce that summed up Colorado’s night. Kirby Dach attempted a wraparound, and the puck deflected off Josh Manson’s skate and into the net.
It wasn’t pretty, but it counted. At 5-1, the hole was deep-and getting deeper.
Joel Kiviranta gave the Avs a flicker of hope, scoring to cut the deficit to 5-2. But at this point, it was less about a comeback and more about stopping the bleeding.
Third Period: Brief Hope, Then the Door Slams Shut
Early in the third, Ross Colton gave Colorado a reason to believe. Valeri Nichushkin found him in front, and Colton snapped home his first goal since November. It was a nice moment for him, and at 5-3, the Avs had a pulse.
But just like the night before, any momentum was short-lived.
Montreal answered almost immediately. Alexandre Carrier finished off a 2-on-1 rush, and just like that, the Canadiens had deflated any comeback hopes. Then came the final blow-Juraj Slafkovsky left alone in front, untouched, and he made it 7-3.
Takeaways: Avalanche Look Gassed, and the Break Can’t Come Soon Enough
There’s no sugarcoating it-this wasn’t a good showing. For the second night in a row, the Avalanche looked out of sync, sluggish, and disconnected.
The defensive breakdowns were frequent and costly. The special teams unit, especially the power play, continues to be a liability.
And even when they managed to claw their way back into the game, they couldn’t hold momentum for more than a shift or two.
This is a team that looks like it’s running on fumes. Whether it’s the grind of the schedule, the looming Olympic break, or just a midseason slump, something’s off.
The good news? There’s still time to reset.
With games against Detroit and San Jose coming up, Colorado has a chance to right the ship before the league pauses for the Olympics. But if they’re going to do that, they’ll need to clean up the defensive lapses, tighten up their special teams, and rediscover the urgency that’s been missing the last two nights.
Because right now, this isn’t the Avalanche team we know. And if they want to make a serious push down the stretch, that version of the Avs needs to show up-and soon.