Colorado dug itself into a 3-0 hole and still walked away with two points Friday night.
The Eagles stormed back with three unanswered goals, survived overtime, and got the decisive finish from Adam Beckman in the shootout to beat the Abbotsford Canucks 4-3 in Loveland, CO. Ilya Nabokov was a big part of the turnaround, turning aside 29 of 32 shots in regulation and then stopping all three Abbotsford attempts in the shootout for his second straight win in net.
Abbotsford came out sharp and struck early on the power play. Ty Mueller opened the scoring just 1:44 into the game, hammering a one-timer from the left-wing circle to put the Canucks ahead 1-0. The visitors kept pressing with three more power-play chances in the first period, but Colorado’s penalty kill held firm and sent the Eagles into the first intermission still down by one.
The second period got away from Colorado in a hurry. Jimmy Schuldt ripped a shot from the left point to make it 2-0 at 5:02, and only 23 seconds later Vilmer Alriksson buried a loose puck to stretch the lead to 3-0.
That’s when Colorado started to claw back.
Beckman got the Eagles on the board at 7:56 of the middle frame, collecting a rebound at the bottom of the left-wing circle and slipping it past the goalie to cut the deficit to 3-1. Later, after Colorado killed off a four-minute double minor, Taylor Makar pounced on a loose puck near the crease and knocked it home with 2:39 left in the second to pull the Eagles within one.
Colorado carried that momentum into the third and found the equalizer on the rush. Gavin Brindley redirected a centering pass from the low slot and tied the game 3-3 with 7:19 remaining.
Neither side could break through in overtime, even after Colorado was forced to kill an early Abbotsford power play in the extra session. Once the game reached the shootout, Beckman delivered the only goal, and Nabokov slammed the door on all three Canucks shooters to seal the comeback.
Colorado finished with a 37-32 edge in shots and went 1-for-6 on the power play, while the penalty kill went 7-for-8.
In Other News...
Avalanche Suddenly Have More Riding On Trent Miner Than Expected
The Avalanches handling of Trent Miner this week spoke to how thin the margins can be when a team is juggling goaltending depth. Colorado activated Miner off injured reserve and put him on waivers with the intent of sending him back to the Eagles, a routine enough transaction on paper, but one that happened as teams around the league were watching the crease market closely.
For Colorado, Miner is suddenly carrying more long-term significance than a standard roster shuffle would suggest. He has been part of the organizations goaltending conversation before, and with the Avalanche dealing with current struggles and contract questions in net, his future role is drawing more attention than it might have a month ago. Even a move designed to clear a path for reassignment now feels tied to bigger decisions ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Former Avs Assistant Leaves Colorado With One Big Question For Bednar
Dave Hakstols stint on the Avalanche staff appears to be ending after one season, with the former Colorado assistant expected to take over as the new head coach at Arizona State. His departure comes as ASU continues to navigate a messy and unsettling situation surrounding the program, with head coach Greg Powers on administrative leave while investigations continue into the collapse of player Matthew Mayich during off-season workouts.
For the Avalanche, the timing at least brings a clean break from a coach who had been running the power play, but it also leaves one obvious question for Jared Bednar and his staff: what comes next on that side of the bench? Colorado had allowed Hakstol to explore the ASU opening, and with the Sun Devils searching for stability amid ongoing inquiries by university police and legal actions from Mayichs family, his next step could come quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Lose A Key Coach As Power Play Questions Keep Growing
Dave Hakstols brief stay on the Avalanche bench is ending after one season, with the veteran coach set to move on from Colorados staff. Hakstol, who came to the Avalanche after previously serving as head coach of the Seattle Kraken, brought a rsum built on experience behind the bench and a presence the organization had counted on as it tried to keep its coaching structure stable.
For Colorado, the timing adds another layer to a power play that has already been under scrutiny lately. The club has not announced a replacement, leaving an important piece of the staff picture unsettled as the Avalanche sort through what Hakstols exit means for a unit that needed help before this news broke. [Read more 🡒]