After a convincing 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals earlier in the week, it looked like the Colorado Avalanche had found their footing again. But Friday night’s 7-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Ball Arena sent a different message - one that suggests this team is still searching for consistency as the calendar inches closer to the stretch run.
Let’s break down what went wrong, what’s been going wrong, and why this moment in the season could be a turning point - one way or the other - for a team that started the year looking like a juggernaut.
Mackenzie Blackwood Hits a Rough Patch
Having two capable goalies is a luxury - until it starts to feel like a juggling act. That’s where the Avalanche find themselves right now with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood. While Wedgewood continues to put together the best season of his career, Blackwood has hit a wall.
After battling through injuries for much of the season, Blackwood had managed to stay sharp. But over his last two starts, he’s surrendered 11 goals on just 47 shots.
That’s not just a dip - it’s a full-on slump. Against the Flyers, several pucks found the back of the net that Blackwood typically stops.
Whether it’s rust, rhythm, or confidence, something is off.
This isn’t just about one bad night. The Avalanche play an aggressive brand of hockey - they pinch, they push, and they live on the edge.
That style leans heavily on goaltending to clean up the chaos. When the goalie isn’t bailing you out, the whole thing can unravel quickly.
That’s what happened against Philly.
Turnovers Tell the Real Story
On paper, the Flyers actually lost the giveaway battle - by more than 2:1. But the box score doesn’t always tell the full story. The Avalanche had several costly turnovers in dangerous areas, and the Flyers made them pay.
Three of those turnovers - including a pair at the offensive blue line - directly led to goals. That’s the kind of stuff that can’t happen, especially when you’re trying to claw your way back into a game. Yes, Blackwood could have been better, but when you’re handing the puck over in transition, you’re asking your goalie to pull off miracles.
Some of this is baked into the Avalanche’s DNA. Cale Makar, for all his brilliance, plays a high-risk, high-reward game.
He’ll try things most defensemen wouldn’t even consider, and most of the time, it works. But when it doesn’t?
It can lead to a mess going the other way.
That’s the trade-off. You get elite offense from the back end, but once in a while, it burns you.
Depth is Being Stretched Thin
Let’s not pretend this is the same Avalanche team that stormed through the first half of the season. Injuries are starting to pile up, and the cracks are beginning to show.
Gabriel Landeskog and Devon Toews are both out for extended periods, and there’s still no timetable for Logan O’Connor’s return. That’s a lot of key minutes - and leadership - missing from the lineup. And while Colorado’s top-end talent can still hang with anyone, the margin for error has shrunk considerably.
A month ago, the idea of needing to make a move might have seemed premature. Now?
It feels like a necessity. Whether it’s swinging big for a top-six winger or shoring up the third-line center spot, the Avalanche could use reinforcements.
The question isn’t if they’ll be active at the deadline - it’s how aggressive they’ll be.
A Forgettable January (So Far)
No way around it - January has been rough. It started on a high note with a 5-3 win over the Hurricanes, but since then, it’s been a mixed bag. The Avs are 4-4-2 this month, with losses to the Predators, Flyers, and Ducks - teams that are, at best, fighting for wild card spots.
That’s not what you expect from a club with Stanley Cup aspirations.
And it doesn’t get easier from here. The Avalanche are about to head out on a Canadian road trip, facing the Maple Leafs, Senators, and Canadiens before wrapping up the month in Detroit. Three of those four teams are playing solid hockey right now, so Colorado’s going to have to tighten things up - quickly.
The Big Picture
This stretch doesn’t erase what the Avalanche accomplished in the first half of the season, but it does serve as a reminder: the NHL is a grind. Even the best teams hit turbulence.
Injuries, slumps, and tough breaks are part of the deal. What matters is how you respond.
Right now, the Avalanche are being tested - in net, on the blue line, and throughout their depth chart. If they can weather this storm and come out stronger, it’ll only reinforce their status as a legitimate contender. But if the cracks keep widening, the front office may have to step in and shift the equation.
Either way, the next few weeks are going to tell us a lot about this team.