Avs Game 54 Grades: Thanks, Grubi

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – C

When together, the fourth line was pretty bad, but Bellemare gets kudos for his penalty-killing work. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but some big shot blocks to just do what he could to help the team out.

Andre Burakovsky – B+

Easily their best player on the ice that wasn’t in the net, and even he still had some issues, including a brutal turnover in the second and the icing right before Vegas’ goal, but he was the one guy with jump who wanted the puck. Nearly walked through everyone on his first shift, and his shot is so deadly that once he hits the top of the circles, I just expect it to go in.

J.T. Compher – B-

You know, it wasn’t a great game overall, as he didn’t have much of an impact at even strength until the winner, but like Bellemare, he worked to block some big shots on the penalty kill. Couldn’t clear the puck, but blocked some to make up for it. The goal was obviously huge, and considering he hadn’t had one in 11 games, he certainly needed it.

Joonas Donskoi – F

Remember when every other shot was going in? That’s gone. He goes in long slumps every year, and that’s where he is with no goals in 14 games.

Ryan Graves – C-

Didn’t love his game, and his passing was bad again for the most part, minus one near long bomb to Kadri, but a great play late to dive and break up a rush, and was jumping in late to keep pushing. The penalty call on him was absurd.

Philipp Grubauer – A+

Thank god for Grubi. The Avs didn’t have it, but he did. Big saves all night long, and some luck with Tuch missing a wide-open net in the first period but gave the team time to get a goal and then he was locked in for the game.

Tyson Jost – D

Not a very noticeable game from him, and only he and Soderberg were unable to even register a shot attempt. That line needs everyone going to be successful and it certainly wasn’t the case against Vegas.

Nazem Kadri – B

Before the great dish to Burakovsky on the opening goal, he was battling hard down low in the defensive zone to get the puck moving the other way. Had a great rush early in the game that Pietrangelo knocked away at the last second. A solid outing for him.

Gabriel Landeskog – F

Holy giveaways all night long. Makar had to take a penalty (a poor call, mind you) early in the game because of poor puck management from Landy, and that happened most of the night.

Jacob MacDonald – C

The only defenseman to finish on the positive end of the shot share game, which is usually the case with him. Had one rough moment defensively for sure that I remember early in the game, but he’s the only guy beyond the top pair right now that can skate a little bit and that makes him useful.

Nathan MacKinnon – F

I was told Nathan MacKinnon played, but that couldn’t have been him on the ice. The guy out there had no burst, no jump, nothing going for him. A little worried now.

Cale Makar – D

Vegas knows that without Girard, Makar is the guy to pressure, and they did it all night long. Makar made mistakes too. He also got walked pretty badly at one point but got lucky the Vegas player missed the net.

Patrik Nemeth – C-

Passes are still always hitting people in the feet and not in stride, but he was big on the penalty kill, and I think he was out there on the entire 4 on 3 early in the game.

Alex Newhook – B

Kind of lost Pietrangelo on the only goal, but made up for it. He made some nice plays along the wall and obviously, a smart play to just throw it towards the net on the game-winning goal. He barely played, but with Soderberg leaving the game in the third and Saad potentially missing the start of the postseason, the Avs may not have a choice here.

Valeri Nichushkin – C

Liked that Nuke played a little angry. Against a team like Vegas, they need him to do it a little more to counter what Vegas does, and you could see he was trying tonight. Was easily the best player on his line.

Mikko Rantanen – F

Was not a fan of his game. Took the dirty hit from McNabb but he’s retaliating pretty easily this year and needs to stay away from that. The top line, as a whole, was horrendous.

Carl Soderberg – D

Made one good play tonight, back-checking defensively in the third period. That was, coincidentally, his last shift of the game, which makes me think his back flared up again. Something to watch for.

Conor Timmins – C

Really thought he was kind of a mess with the puck defensively, including one play in the first where he just skating into the center of the defensive zone and just lost it, leading to a chance, but he’s at least sticking with it and him jumping in on the game-winner was huge.

Devon Toews – C

Probably their best defenseman, but that isn’t saying much in a game like this. Still had some questionable moments with the puck, and Vegas really focused on that pair.