DENVER - Winnipeg looked in control early, but Colorado flipped the script in a hurry late in the second period, riding T.J. Hughes’ two goals in the final 1:32 to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
The Jets had opened the scoring in the first period on Nino Niederreiter’s power-play goal, and for a long stretch that was enough to keep the Avalanche chasing. But Hughes turned a 2-1 deficit into a lead with a burst that changed the shape of the game in an instant.
Winnipeg struck first after Nazem Kadri went to the box for hooking just 4:24 into the night. The Jets needed only a little over a minute on the man advantage to cash in, with Niederreiter burying a rebound at 6:15 after Mackenzie Blackwood turned away a shot from Neal Pionk.
Blackwood was busy from there. He denied Gabriel Vilardi on a dangerous rebound chance later in the period, and he also stopped a Dylan Samberg slap shot from the point with under four minutes left. Colorado’s own power play came and went without much traction after Niederreiter was called for interference on Noah Juulsen near the midpoint of the period, with the Avalanche managing just one shot on net during that advantage.
The first period also featured more penalty trouble for Colorado. Gavin Brindley was called for interference after officials ruled he ran into Isak Rosen, though replay appeared to show Rosen lose an edge before going down. Winnipeg’s brief power play disappeared almost immediately when Niederreiter was sent off for roughing.
After 20 minutes, the Jets led 1-0 and held a 9-7 edge in shots.
Colorado finally got on the board at 6:09 of the second when Jaden Schwartz redirected a T.J. Hughes shot past Stuart Skinner, with Fedor Svechkov collecting the other assist.
But the tie lasted barely a minute. Nathan MacKinnon tried to force a clear, Winnipeg intercepted, and Vladislav Namestnikov made the Avalanche pay by beating Blackwood to restore the Jets’ lead at 2-1.
The Avalanche still weren’t sharp in their own end, and a too-many-men penalty only added to the pressure. Winnipeg couldn’t extend the margin, but Colorado continued to struggle with defensive breakdowns and with getting enough help around Blackwood.
Then Hughes took over.
At 1:32 of the period, he took a pass from Kadri in the low slot and snapped a wrist shot through Skinner to make it 2-2. Eleven seconds before the horn, Hughes struck again. Brett Kulak fed him, he carried the puck down the left wing, cut toward the net, and banked a backhand off Skinner’s stick and in.
Suddenly, Colorado had the lead, and the Avalanche head to the third period up 3-2 with 20 minutes left to protect it.
In Other News...
T.J. Hughes Just Made Colorados Final Roster Call Much Harder
T.J. Hughes gave the Avalanche one more thing to think about in their preseason win over the Winnipeg Jets, piling up a hat trick and an assist in a performance that was hard to ignore. Jared Bednar even spent part of the game testing Hughes at center before moving him back to the wing, a small lineup wrinkle that said plenty about how Colorado is still sorting out the edges of its roster ahead of opening night.
For a team trying to settle on the right mix, Hughes night only made the competition tighter. Hes in the group battling for a spot, and a showing like this does not make the decision any easier for the coaching staff as the Avalanche weigh who fits best when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Trade Buzz Around Dylan Larkin Just Got More Real
Trade chatter around Dylan Larkin has taken on a little more weight around the Avalanche, with Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Red Wings center has expanded his list of preferred destinations to include Colorado. It is the kind of development that instantly gets attention in this market, where the Avs are always weighing whether there is another high-end piece out there who can fit their pace, their core and their championship timeline.
Colorado is also still sorting through its own early roster picture after its third preseason game, when T.J. Hughes made a loud case for himself with a hat trick and four points while battling for a spot. The Avalanche are in that familiar position of trying to balance present-day ambition with roster decisions at the margin, and any serious talk about a player of Larkins caliber only adds another layer to what could become one of the more closely watched storylines in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Are Betting On Zachary L'Heureux's Edge For The Playoffs
The Avalanche did not bring in Zachary L'Heureux for subtlety. They saw a forward who can hit, hunt pucks and make life miserable on the forecheck, the kind of edge that can matter when the games tighten up in the playoffs and the stars need a little more room to work.
The bet, of course, is that his aggression can be harnessed rather than repeated history getting in the way. Colorado is looking for him to grow into a steady NHL role, one that brings reliable effort at both ends and gives the lineup some useful muscle, but the challenge is turning that physical style into an asset the Avalanche can count on when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]