Avs steal another win in Vegas on tired legs

It’s like I’ve been saying this whole time, the Avs only win this game if Andre Burakovsky and  J.T. Compher score.

I didn’t say that, but it’s beginning to feel like a part of their second-half of the season identity: however it may look, find ways to win.

Despite coming in on the second leg of a back-to-back, there was perhaps a different expectation coming into Saturday’s matchup against a depleted Vegas team. The Golden Knights went without Max Pacioretty, Mattias Janmark, Robin Lehner (and Mark Stone, Nolan Patrick, and Alec Martinez), so there was hope that this Avalanche team would be able to match whatever energy they needed to.

To start, there were little details as a team that lacked polish. Understandably, the stakes for a Vegas team, third in their division with a string of unfortunate injuries, are higher. I say that cautiously, but with 80 points heading into Saturday, the Avalanche are in a comfortable position to win games however suits them.

This proved to be the case.

The tone was set early, not unlike the scoring chances the Jets capitalized on in Friday’s game. A quick transition the other way led by Jack Eichel goes uncontested as Erik Johnson is unable to make it back in time and Chandler Stephenson gets his 14th goal of the season.

Just as their powerplay opportunity expires, Burakovsky finds Alex Newhook’s pass and sends a wrister short side three minutes after Stephenson’s goal. Tie game. Top line Burakovsky now has 4 points in 3 games.

The Avs defensive corps struggled in the first period. It does not fall solely on the shoulders of one player and mistakes were made. A turnover in the neutral zone leads to a Jonathan Marchessault goal-against and Vegas begins the second period with a 2-1 lead.

Not to spoil the ending, but what amounted to a scoreless second period is reflective of a durable Vegas team when you know that this game finishes with Vegas outshooting the Avs 36-21. With that in mind, the Avalanche would enter the third period down by a goal after an uneventful second period.

At 5:40 of the third, Compher scored the game-tying goal, matching last season’s point totals (18) in 7 fewer games. Steady zone pressure and an unflashy Jack Johnson shot from the blueline gave Compher the chance to deflect the puck in.

Less surprisingly,  a Cale Makar pass on the rush finds Nathan MacKinnon who knows exactly how to score goals all in the span of 26 seconds.

Just like that, a 2-1 deficit had turned into a 3-2 Avalanche lead.

The pace certainly changed for the Avalanche in the third period. There wasn’t really a moment of panic despite trailing behind. On just three shots total in the third period, the Avs secured a win and could call it a night.

Andre Burakovsky’s only shot of the night resulted in a goal. The shooting percentage for the Avalanche as a whole revealed an impressive accuracy reflective of their high skill.

After back-to-back games, a likely tired Avalanche team entered this game and applied just enough pressure to win. I’d call it conservative hockey. We’ve seen this before and I imagine we will continue to see this type of win down the stretch with the playoffs in mind.

Observations:

• Tyson Jost was a healthy scratch.  It doesn’t come as a surprise after limited use (6:57 TOI) in Friday’s 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. With 9 shifts in total and two bad defensive reads on back-to-back goals just 6 minutes apart, the message was clear. Seeing Aube-Kubel scratched Friday, this marks a turning point in the season where the bottom six are being put on notice. With the deadline looming, there is a lot of incentive for everyone to dig a little deeper.
• Looking at the defensive errors tonight, and I maintain there was blame to be shared among the entire Avs d-corps, there are mounting questions surrounding personnel changes with uncertainty around Bowen Byram’s health. Knowing the Avs heavily scouted the New York Islanders and looking at the upcoming home game against NYI, will Scott Mayfield be a part of that conversation? His size and grit, at 6’4” 205 lbs., could be an addition to the Avs blueline. I say this partly tongue in cheek. He’s a DU product, so I’m excited to insert him into the conversation especially if the cost has to be a different DU defensive prospect. I don’t think this specifically comes to fruition, but we’re just days away from March and this team is looking like one that can go the distance. I think a deadline move involves a defenseman.
• Alex Newhook has 4 points in the last 5 games. I look back at a young player who logged 10:30 in ice time in the Avs’ season opener before being sent to the Colorado Eagles for 10 games where his response was to absolutely stunt on us with 11 points before coming back up and solidifying a place in the bottom six. His pace and level of compete have remained consistent. His confidence has impressed me, and in a game where the energy was not effervescent for everyone, he was visible every shift.