Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – B-
The fourth line had a terrific start to the game but tailed off a bit after that. I did not really agree with the penalty call on him late in the game, but the bigger concern is the shot block that hit his hand and seemed to cause him some issues. That’ll be something to watch moving forward.
Andre Burakovsky – F
To me, he was the worst forward on the ice, and not sure it was entirely close. He looked sloppy in the exhibition game and again tonight, registering zero shots on goal, despite playing on the top line to provide some offense. Took a spill late in the game but seemed to stay on the bench.
Matt Calvert – B-
Nice to have this guy back, right? A solid chance early in the game on the backhand was thwarted by Binnington, and then continued hard work the rest of the night.
Ian Cole – B+
A really strong start to the “postseason” for Cole, who had the best possession metrics on the team in this one. The third pair honestly didn’t give up a whole lot defensively in their own end. Cole made smart plays at both ends of the ice and was good on the PK.
J.T. Compher – D
A rough night for Compher, who didn’t play the Blues goal very well on the penalty kill, and didn’t play a ton at even strength, perhaps a sign of how Bednar felt about his game. That line is a mix of skills but nothing really stands out, so it’ll be interesting to see how they gel.
Joonas Donskoi – C-
Donskoi at least showed a little bit more than Compher, despite taking a shot off his leg early in the game. He had some good zone entries that led to possession in the offensive zone, but not a lot came from it.
Samuel Girard – C+
A relatively quiet, steady game from Girard. Funnily enough, I felt like he was at his worst when paired with Makar at times, as they tended to get stuck in their own end on the cycle. He had a rough turnover in the second period but other than that, nice to have him back in there.
Ryan Graves – B+
A flubbed pass was the best thing that could have happened to Graves in this one. Instead of overpassing the puck, it forced the Avs to shoot it, and Graves made a really smart decision to join the rush in the third, which led to his tying goal. A smart game overall for him and a good start off the break.
Philipp Grubauer – A-
Looked a little iffy in the first, when maybe the first real shot he faced went in, but he settled in nicely in the second and made some huge saves in the third. A statement game of sorts for him.
Erik Johnson – B-
The EJ slide worked to perfection in the second period, when he broke up an odd-man rush on the penalty kill. He was in the right spot on the Perron goal, but somehow it didn’t hit him. Solid game.
Nazem Kadri – A
Well, they brought him in for these games, and he stepped up. Six shots on goal, and a clutch game-winner at the buzzer after missing a wide-open net 30 seconds prior. That second line was built to play the Blues and did so very well.
Tyson Jost – C+
I loved Jost in the first. He was battling and even creating chances. When the penalties ruined the momentum at even strength, he disappeared a bit, but a good sign for him that the staff is using him on the PK.
Gabriel Landeskog – D
The penalties just have to stop. That’s four since the Avs have arrived in the bubble. Other than his inability to finish, I didn’t think he was bad overall and had some of the Avs’ better chances. Impressive possession numbers with him on the ice.
Nathan MacKinnon – A-
Did everything but score tonight, and perhaps one of the better defensive games he’s played this year. You knew he was on his game early when he chipped the puck past the defender and just blew by him. He’s ready for his moment.
Cale Makar – B
A really strong defensive game from Makar, even if the offense wasn’t entirely there. Maybe his best play of the game was shutting down Tarasenko in the corner in the third period, but a close second would be batting the puck out of mid-air on that final power play to keep the play alive.
Vladislav Namestnikov – C-
Relatively quiet game for him, other than getting robbed by Binnington on a one-timer. Bednar showed that he’s not afraid to throw him into the top six if he needs a change, and I wonder if he gets a shot in Burky’s spot sometime soon.
Valeri Nichushkin – B
Other than a brutal backhand pass that led to a turnover, another strong night for Nuke, including some great defensive work. His backchecking effort is just off the charts and unmatched on this team.
Mikko Rantanen – B-
Mikko looked a little sloppy at times, but he still made fantastic plays in the offensive zone, and the behind the back pass to Graves on the tying goal is something you probably don’t see from anyone else on this squad. Room to improve, but he always finds a way to contribute.
Nikita Zadorov – C
I loved Z’s first period, with smart pinches to see plays alive. His second was okay (thought the call on him was not great), but his third was sloppy and something he will need to clean up. Liked the physical play that he needs to show.
