Red Wings Edge Avs in Defensive Standoff on Pride Night at Ball Arena
Pride Night at Ball Arena had the building glowing in full color, but the Colorado Avalanche offense couldn’t find its own spark under the lights. Hosting the Detroit Red Wings just days after blanking them 5-0 in their own building, the Avs couldn’t replicate the magic, falling 2-0 in a game that was more grind than glamor.
Blackwood Back Between the Pipes
Mackenzie Blackwood earned the start again after posting a shutout in Detroit over the weekend - his third of the season - and he was solid once more. But even a strong showing in net couldn’t overcome the lack of finish at the other end of the ice.
Devon Toews returned to the lineup for the first time since January 3rd, and while his presence was a welcome sight, it came with a costly moment early. Just 33 seconds into the game, Toews pinched high in the offensive zone, and Detroit made him pay.
Lucas Raymond led the charge on a 2-on-1, feeding Marco Kasper, who beat Blackwood despite a diving effort from Cale Makar to break up the play. That was all the Red Wings needed.
Necas Still Out, Offense Still Searching
Martin Necas was scratched again with a lower-body injury, listed day-to-day. Head coach Jared Bednar said there’s a chance he returns on Wednesday, but his absence was felt in a game where the Avs needed every ounce of offensive creativity they could get.
Through two periods, the Avalanche had just 12 shots on goal. That’s not a typo.
Eight in the first. Four in the second.
It wasn’t until the third that the urgency kicked in - they fired off 10 shots in the final frame, eight of them coming in the first 10 minutes. But by then, the clock was already working against them.
Too Little, Too Late
The Avs kept pushing late, but Detroit held firm. With the goalie pulled in the final minute, Raymond iced the game with an empty-netter, giving himself a two-point night (goal and assist) and Dylan Larkin his second assist of the evening.
It was a frustrating one for Colorado - not just because of the result, but because of how it unfolded. This wasn’t a case of running into a hot goalie or getting outclassed.
It was a game of missed opportunities and shots that simply didn’t find the net. Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin - all had looks, all had moments, but the finishing touch just wasn’t there.
Too many chances went wide, and too few made it to the net with real danger.
Quality vs. Quantity - or Neither?
This wasn’t just a volume issue. It was a quality issue, too.
The Avs weren’t just struggling to generate shots - they were struggling to generate meaningful ones. And when they finally did, it was in a frantic third-period push that came up empty.
It’s fair to wonder if the looming Olympic break is playing a role here. With just one game left before the league pauses, the Avalanche looked like a team already halfway into rest mode. That’s not to say the effort wasn’t there - but the execution certainly wasn’t.
What’s Next
The Avs have one more chance to reset before the break. And they’ll need to make it count. Because while there’s no reason to panic, games like this - especially against teams you just dominated - can linger longer than they should.
Pride Night brought the color. The crowd brought the energy. But on the ice, the Avalanche couldn’t bring the finish.