The Colorado Avalanche opened the season with a win, but nobody inside that room was mistaking it for a polished night from start to finish. There was enough sloppiness to clean up, enough moments that could have gone sideways, and still enough execution in the key spots to walk away with two points.
Brock Nelson put it plainly after the game: “Nice to get the win; I think there’s areas you can clean up. By no means was it a perfect game, and some defensive areas and some neutral zone and transition plays that you’d like to clean up and eliminate,” Nelson said.
“And I thought Blacky (Mackenzie Blackwood) played extremely well, saved a couple really, really good grade A’s to keep us ahead. Special teams, obviously, a big night, and that’s going to be crucial.”
That special teams work came from a power play that got more out of its second unit than its first. Nelson scored once, Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, and the depth on that side of the game gave Colorado an early boost.
Head coach Jared Bednar liked what that brought to the table. “Having that second unit do what they did last night helps.
Gives the first unit some time to sort of find it. The first unit did some good things as well,” Bednar said.
“We want to have options at every position there. You got to play guys to their strengths and in the positions where they’re the strongest.
A lot of factors go into those decisions. But it’s really important if you’re going to have a really good power play that you have guys that can fill in and get the job done.
So I like our depth in that situation right now.”
Colorado also had to work through the night without two forwards, Logan O’Connor and Zachary L’Heureux, and did it in the 11/7 format. That meant constant adjustment and plenty of attention to matchups.
“Just got to be aware of different matchups and guys going on at different times …,” Jaden Schwartz said. “Just got to pay attention.
We’ll see as the year goes. It might happen again.
So good to get used to it right away. But hopefully, we get some other guys back here too.”
Schwartz made his regular-season Avalanche debut count. He finished with two points, assisting on Nelson’s power-play goal and Nicolas Roy’s even-strength goal. Even in his 15th NHL season, the opening-night nerves were still there.
“It was fun. Obviously, it’s exciting.
A little nervous to start - new team and new season and new teammates and stuff,” Schwartz said. “But yeah, it was a lot of fun.
The atmosphere was pretty good, loud in there.”
The veteran winger was slotted on the third line with Fedor Svechkov at center and T.J. Hughes on the right, though the 11/7 setup led to shifting roles throughout the night. Bednar said Schwartz handled it the way a seasoned player should.
“He was good in the structure of the game, and he’s really strong and possesses the puck well along the boards, around the net. The strength of his game in one-on-ones, being able to challenge guys on the offensive side of it, get to the right areas and playing hard in the dirty areas like that …,” Bednar said. “Some of those things that he’s always been good at, they showed up last night.”
In Other News...
Artturi Lehkonen Is Giving The Avalanche A Tough Decision Fast
Artturi Lehkonen has wasted no time making his presence felt for Colorado, opening the NHL season with three goals in two games for the best two-game start of his career. It is the kind of early surge that fits his reputation, because coaches and teammates have long pointed to his work ethic, competitiveness and reliable style as the reasons he keeps showing up in key moments for the Avalanche.
The timing, though, adds another layer for Colorado to sort through. Lehkonen is in the final year of his current contract and still does not have a new deal in place, which means the Avalanche are already getting a reminder of how valuable he can be while facing an increasingly tough decision about what comes next. When a player who has built his value on consistency starts scoring this quickly, the conversation tends to move beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Bring Early Firepower Into First Showdown With The Blues
The Avalanche wasted no time showing what their offense can look like this season, putting up eight goals in their opener against the Kings and setting a franchise mark for scoring in a season opener. Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen each scored twice, and that kind of balance is exactly what Colorado wants to carry into a long season where the Central Division offers little room for slow starts.
St. Louis arrives in Denver with a different kind of opening statement after blanking the Stars 4-0 behind Joel Hofers 25-save shutout. The Blues and Avalanche are set to meet four times this season, beginning at Ball Arena, and the contrast in their first games adds a little extra bite to a series both sides will be watching closely from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Stars Turned This Into A Statement Against St. Louis Early
Cale Makar and Martin Necas wasted little time setting the tone against St. Louis, striking early to give Colorado a two-goal lead in the first period. It was the kind of start the Avalanche were looking for, with the pace and pressure quickly putting the Blues on their heels and giving Colorado a chance to dictate the game from the jump.
Josh Manson and Nicolas Roy kept the momentum rolling in the second period, extending the cushion and turning an already strong opening into a comfortable advantage. Colorado controlled much of the night and made the most of its scoring chances, a performance that looked less like a routine win and more like a statement delivered early and reinforced all game long. [Read more 🡒]