Avs secure two important points in 4-3 shootout win over Arizona Coyotes

After successfully clearing concussion protocol, Evan Rodrigues returned to the lineup six days after a collision in the Chicago game. With Artturi Lehkonen still on the mend, it was a welcome boost to the Avs forward group.

Alex Galchenyuk played six games in this recent call-up and Jared Bednar saying, “I liked him a lot on this return.” Galchenyuk was reassigned to the Colorado Eagles in anticipation of Rodrigues’ return.

Bednar confirmed that goaltenders Jonas Johansson and Alexandar Georgiev would split starts in the upcoming back-to-back starting with Arizona this afternoon and then Anaheim tomorrow night.

Today, Alexandar Georgiev kicked things off in the starter’s net.

First Period

To start, the lines were shifted just a bit. Evan Rodrigues went on the second line alongside J.T. Compher and Alex Newhook. The third line formerly made up of Andrew Cogliano, Lars Eller, and Logan O’Connor would be split up. 

Denis Malgin, who has moonlighted in the top-six lately, would boost the third line alongside Matt Nieto and Eller.

Now on the fourth line, Cogliano and O’Connor would be reunited with Darren Helm after demonstrating an aptitude for playing together on the fourth line last year in the playoffs.

The first period started out fine. Both teams held the other without a shot on net in the opening five minutes.

As it went on, both teams only managed to get five shots through despite chances on the powerplay.

Arizona had the first two powerplays of the game. On their first kill, with Devon Toews in the box for tripping, Colorado executed an effective defense and didn’t allow a single shot on net. Val Nichushkin even generated one of his own near its end.

On the second kill, the Avs were without Cale Makar who went off for elbowing. This time, the Coyotes managed two shots on net.

Eventually, the Avs had a chance of their own at 16:49. Nathan Smith was sent to the box for tripping Nathan MacKinnon. In their man advantage, Colorado only got one shot on net and allowed Arizona to get their second high-danger chance of the frame.

It was a low event period. Colorado did a nice job of keeping Arizona to the perimeter, but you hoped a team with so many offensive weapons would start to look more dangerous.

Second Period

At 7:28, Colorado had another crack at the powerplay. The Avs had three shots on net, and Nathan MacKinnon tried his best to keep cool after a missed high-stick went uncalled.

Almost as if karmic justice as the powerplay came to an end, Cale Makar dumped the puck deep into Arizona’s end, and Connor Ingram went to play it from behind the net. He thought he cleared it around the boards, but Mikko Rantanen intercepted it. Rantanen wrapped around the front and dumped it in the side of the net – Ingram just couldn’t make it in time to seal up that post.

About a minute later, the momentum of the first goal was building. Colorado had already pulled ahead in the shots battle early in the second, but you could see the difference following the goal.

Thanks to a clean exit from Andrew Cogliano’s hard work in his own end, Byram skated the puck up ice and into Arizona’s zone. He dropped it back for Logan O’Connor at the right circle. O’Connor fired it on net, and Byram skated to the side of the crease to tap in the rebound which had taken a weird bounce off Jack McBain.

At 11:59, the Avs had to keep things going in a different way. Lars Eller went to the box for hooking, and they got to work on the kill. They continued to do good work. Val Nichushkin created another shot attempt and the unit allowed just two shots to get through.

Colorado did a nice job of lapping ahead of the Coyotes in shots now split 23-14 in total.

Third Period

In the first ten minutes, the Avs let back on their heels. They were hemmed in their own end, and Arizona started to close in on the shot differential with six high-danger chances. In ten minutes, that was more than they’d created through the first two periods.

Predictably at 10:37 given the first half of this period, Alexandar Georgiev’s perfect afternoon was curtailed. Matias Maccelli ripped a shot from the left circle that was blocked. He collected his own rebound and fired it backdoor from along the goal line.

Fifty-nine seconds later, Colorado was caught flat-footed coming in on the change. Michael Kesselring reset and entered the Avs end past Mikko Rantanen. He made the pass through and around Devon Toews and Jack Johnson to Christian Fischer, and Fischer wristed it in.

Colorado earned a powerplay after Liam O’Brien went off for tripping at 11:49. Devon Toews worked it up high and passed to Rantanen at the bottom of the right circle. Rantanen passed to Val Nichushkin planted at the netfront, and he tapped it in at the left post.

Moments later at 15:28, Nick Schmaltz skated in. Juuso Valimaki’s shot attempt was blocked, but he collected it again and passed to Clayton Keller in the right circle. Keller picked up the pass and spun around to fire a shot off the post and in.

The game was tied yet again. Arizona outshot the Avs 15-6 in the final period of regulation. This one would have to be settled in extra time.

Overtime and Shootout

Colorado controlled possession the most in overtime. The Avs had three chances to Arizona’s one, but it was tight enough defensively from either side to require a shootout.

It ended up being a seven-round shootout. Alexandar Georgiev was perfect. Colorado’s order went: Evan Rodrigues, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, J.T. Compher, Denis Malgin, and finally Val Nichushkin.

NICHUSHKIN OH MY GOODNESS 🔥#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/822MgjSeeq

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 26, 2023

He came blazing down the slot and made Ingram commit to him on the right side – a patient deke allowed him to backhand the puck to the far left and forehand it in.

Colorado won 4-3 in the shootout. Because Dallas lost in regulation yesterday to Vancouver yesterday, the Avs were able to tie them in points. It’s two important points, and the standings don’t ask how.

They’re just one point behind the Minnesota Wild (after their win over the Blackhawks yesterday). With both teams, Colorado has a game in hand, so these next ten games will become neck-and-neck.

The Avs will face Minnesota and Dallas this week following tomorrow’s game in Anaheim.

Observations

The Val Factor: Val Nichushkin’s contributions especially last year earned him murmurs in Selke conversations even as a winger. His defensive impact makes him incredibly difficult to play against.

What he’s found in Colorado offensively has made him such a threat, it’s no surprise to Avs fans when he moves throughout their top-six.

After the first Arizona game on Friday, Jared Bednar explained why he put Val Nichushkin on the top line.

“I also wanted to kind of jump-start Val a little bit,” he said. “Since Lehkonen’s gone out, we just haven’t been quite as dangerous as we were before. It’s a big piece of our team and he plays an important role. So I felt like Mikko and MacKinnon could use a little bit of what Val provides and I felt like Val could benefit from Mikko and MacKinnon.”

To see Nichushkin’s individual production since returning from his own injury in early February, though slow to trickle in at first, he has taken off. In the month of March, he’s in a four-way tie in the league’s top twenty points producers.

Bednar clarified what he meant by jump-starting Nichushkin the next day.

“I trust his work ethic, his competitiveness. He’s a puck hound, and that doesn’t change a lot for me,” Bednar said of Nichushkin’s unwavering commitment to work. “I just felt like we’ve seen a better offensive Val at times in the past and even this year at times. I want him to get some confidence and find his rhythm so he’s contributing as much as he possibly can at the most important time of the year.”

He’s had nine points in the last seven games. Bednar’s comments about getting him confident at the most important time of the year ring true. Without the spark of Val Nichushkin this afternoon, the Avs likely leave points on the table. In their chase to secure a division title, they simply can’t afford to.

His move in the shootout also made a strong case for his promotion in the shootout rotation moving forward, though with just ten games, hopefully there won’t be many chances to see it.

If Nichushkin wants to whip that out in gameplay at any time – he has my blessing.