“Styles make fights, and our style against theirs was superior.”
– Chauncey Billups
One of the most famous and successful athletes in Colorado sports history ought to know what he is talking about. In this case, Mr. Big Shot was referring to the NBA Finals that his Detroit Piston captured the title from a stacked-to-the-max L.A. Lakers squad that featured four first-ballot Hall of Famers in Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone.
Billups squad wasn’t exactly filled with scrubs, but even he admits that, “on paper, they should have swept us.” But as in most professional sports, the fit and cohesion of a team goes a very long way to the long-term success of their season. While L.A. was bursting with talent on paper, the Pistons had a lethal squad with a suffocating defense in which everyone knew and accepted their roles. Bryant, O’Neal, Payton, and Malone? All had spent time as the Alpha of their own squads, or in Bryant and O’Neal’s case, fighting for exactly the same. Instead of the sweep many national pundits predicted for L.A., the Pistons made quick work of a talented but ill-fit Lakers squad, taking the series four games to one. All told, Detroit was playing a style of ball that L.A. simply couldn’t keep up with.
On paper, the Colorado Avalanche are about as evenly matched with the Las Vegas Golden Knights as they could be. While Colorado’s top line may be more talented than Las Vegas’, the breadth of talent is so evenly matched across the board and boards that the teams split their season series, and tied at season’s end for the points lead. The matchup is the shining jewel of the NHL’s playoff slate, with both teams being heavy favorites to take the Stanley Cup this season. So what about the Avs style has them up two games to zero in a contest that ought to be a push?
Game One saw the Golden Knights come into the Colorado altitude with dead legs, having been pushed to the brink in their previous round’s matchup. The Avalanche, on the other hand, had a good week’s rest before they got back to playoff play. The difference showed, as the game was played at two different speeds. With Vegas also starting their backup goalie in the first game, it was no wonder Colorado steamrolled them 7-1 out of the gates.
Game Two would surely see a more focused and energetic Las Vegas squad take the ice, and the Golden Knights lived up to expectations, outshooting the Avalanche by a wide margin, and frustrating the Avs with their exceptional defensive play. Colorado was lucky to have two goals find the back of the net in a game in which they were roundly being outplayed. With Vezina Trophy finalist Phillipp Grubauer minding the nets, Colorado found itself in the very fortunate position of a tie after three periods of play, and able to secure the win on a power play goal in overtime. The Golden Knights left the ice with their heads down, knowing they’d missed a golden opportunity to take home ice advantage from Colorado. Should the Avs be able to sweep or even split the two upcoming games in Vegas, they’d put themselves in the driver’s seat at a clear shot at Lord Stanley’s silver chalice.
Stylistically, this Avalanche squad can play with any team in the league. While they have more speed than most anyone they’ll face up against, they can play a grind-it-out game, a finesse game, can initiate from the offensive and defensive sides of the puck, and have guys who can excel at two-way play from every position on the ice. They’re able to keep the pressure on when way out ahead, not lose focus when playing come-from-behind, and can even eke out a win or two when being soundly outplayed for the better part of a contest.
That ability to change their style to not only match, but outmatch their opponent has one of their strongest foes rocked back on their heels, and the entire league taking notice. Colorado hasn’t lost a game in nearly a month. The Avs are not only taking the air out of every team across the ice from them, they are doing so in style.
