Avs Game 45 Grades: Hard-Fought Loss

Pierre Edouard Bellemare – D

Bellemare had just come off the bench on the Malkin goal and got a little too aggressive, which left Malkin open for a split second. That’s all a guy like that needs. Smaller mistakes like that are things Bellemare typically avoids.

Andre Burakovsky – C

Like we said last game, Burakovsky just isn’t scoring goals now, but he’s finding ways to contribute overall with assists, including on the game-tying goal by Makar. It’s incredibly frustrating to look at the scoresheet, however, and see him finish a game with one shot attempt. They just need him to unleash the puck more. That odd-man rush in overtime was horrifying.

Matt Calvert – B+

At this point, why don’t you have this guy on the power play over someone like Jost? You can’t deny the production that is there. Another goal, this one with him just standing off to the side and tipping it in behind Murray, which gave the Avs a point.

Ian Cole – D

Cole was fine the first half of the game, but then took a penalty, and on a power play later in the period, decided to block a shot with his chest, which isn’t a bad thing. He compounded that, however, by chasing the puck out the point, leaving his side of the ice wide open down low, where the Penguins scored. In the third period he was a disaster with the puck as well.

J.T. Compher – B-

Compher battled hard down low to outmuscle two Penguins defenders for the opening goal of the game. He didn’t pick up an assist, but that stuff gets noticed by the staff. He seems to be more engaged lately. Not a single shot attempt is a little sad, though.

Pavel Francouz – D

WHY ARE PUCKS JUST GOING THROUGH THESE AVS GOALIES? Does this need to happen every January? Francouz is getting chances to take the starting job, but giving up not one, but two goals right through his legs, including the overtime winner, is not going to cut it.

Samuel Girard – A

Sure, the second assist looks a lot better on the stat sheet than it did in real life, but you take assists any way you can get them, and Girard is on a roll right now. His play on the MacKinnon goal should not go unnoticed, as he sold the shot hard, and Murray bit, which is why MacK had so much room short side.

Ryan Graves – C

I would not have matched a guy like Graves up against Malkin, but the staff wasn’t afraid of doing it tonight. Graves is getting his chances offensively, as he shoots from pretty much everywhere, but his gap was pretty poor on the Rust goal, which allowed Malkin to walk in deep. It’s not his fault, however, that the other four players on the ice for the Avs were standing around watching.

Erik Johnson – C

I felt like EJ’s speed got exposed a few times defensively, as Penguins skaters were not afraid to attack him with speed. He got some good luck in the first, as he got beat wide and Rust just decided to sit on Francouz, so the goal that went in was nullified. Bednar said he wanted the Avs players to have better gaps, and included the OT goal in that, as EJ’s guy got some time in the slot and ended the game. Although he had some rough moments individually inside the game, I didn’t hate his night overall.

Nazem Kadri – C-

I liked Kadri’s feistiness tonight, as he was physical and threw some big hits on Penguins defenders. I don’t like how he’s waiting too long to make plays with the puck, whether it’s distributing the puck or letting it loose himself. He managed to draw yet another penalty in this one.

Vladislav Kamenev – D

Kam didn’t have a very eventful night, but I do love how he’s playing physical this year. At one point in the second period, he took a massive hit along the boards, and the Avs players on the bench even assumed he was hurt, but he got back up and threw a decent hit on Malkin. He was rewarded with some ice time late, which is nice to see, but not a great game from him.

Tyson Jost – D

At some point, the production just has to start coming, especially when he’s getting power play time. We’re looking at one goal in 35 games now. He’s doing some things right, but his lack of breakaway speed is hurting him as well.

Gabriel Landeskog – B

I have absolutely no idea why Landeskog was sliding on his butt, to the point where he took Makar out of the play completely, on the Rust goal, but he was. Landy helped Compher out on the MacKinnon goal, and then picked up the flukiest goal he’ll ever score at the end of the second. He’s generating shots, as he attempted six more at even strength tonight.

Nathan MacKinnon – A-

MacKinnon was a wizard tonight, especially in the first, to the point where the Penguins scratches, which included Crosby, were in awe in the press box next to me. His defensive game leaves a little to be desired at this point, as he was just standing around on the Rust goal doing absolutely nothing.

Cale Makar – C+

It’s not coming easy for Makar anymore, as I feel like that pair in general has really stalled out in all areas. He had some chances tonight and did well just to get his shot through on the tying goal late, but he’s no longer on the top power play unit and as his own worst critic, probably knows he can be better.

Valeri Nichushkin – F

Nuke has been a strong pickup for the Avs…but tonight he may have been the worst forward on the ice. He looked out of place on the second line and just could not keep a handle on the puck in general. That may be more on the staff than on Nuke.

Matt Nieto – C

I liked a lot of what Nieto did along the boards in this one, even if he wasn’t showing up on the scoresheet. That line battles, and Nieto’s scoring rate has certainly normalized, but he did well for most of this one.

Mikko Rantanen – F

Where has this guy gone? Just one shot attempt at even strength, and in general looks uninterested. It’s honestly scary to watch him on the ice in overtime because he has just never looked comfortable out there. The Avs just need WAY more from him as he’s lagging behind his linemates.

Nikita Zadorov – B+

You can tell the staff wants to use him more, and they did tonight because he was playing very physical and his passing was crisp. The first period might have been his best passing period of the season. He had some good moments against Malkin when he was up against him, including a nice play in the third shutting him down. He and Hornqvist battled all night long.