Avs-Golden Knights player grades: Hanging tough

Andrew Agozzino (B) – I loved Agozzino tonight. Not a ton happened with him out there but he was feisty and stepped to Colin Miller twice when Miller tried to give him some business. He wasn’t having it and even laid a fool out for good measure. Colorado’s fourth line was humming tonight.

Sven Andrighetto (B) – Andrighetto, too. He transformed into a different guy late in the year last year and in the postseason. He might have been the guy Nashville fans remember the most from his agitation. He picked that up again a handful of games back and Vegas certainly noticed tonight. He got Marchessault to end an offensive possession to sort of drop the gloves. He was also all over the ice and helped generate looks when the Avs were lacking.

Tyson Barrie (A+) – Got a little beat up in possession? Cool, he had three points. This is why the Avs pay him. Nights like tonight. His passing of Sandis Ozolinsh for goals by a defenseman in an Avs sweater means he now has re-written the entirety of the defensive scoring record books. He stands alone as the best offensive defenseman in Avalanche history. Pick at his game all you want but Barrie is now the guy all present and future Avs’ D are chasing. Good luck.

Gabriel Bourque (A+) – I don’t care that the goal was a muffin. Gabe Bourque got the game-winning goal and Subban failed to stop the puck. Facts. Good for Bourque. No hate in this space tonight. Full marks.

Derick Brassard (F) – Can’t say the same for Brassard, who was once again defensively inept. He was called for a very iffy penalty but getting a stick in on the hands of a puck carrier is a great way to get tossed into the sin bin. He had a chance to put the game away with a mini-breakaway early in the third period but was stuffed. The Avs absolutely need more from him.

Matt Calvert (C-) – He went snipetown and set a new career high in points with the goal but everything after that went downhill and fast. Vegas absolutely feasted on him tonight.

Ian Cole (C+) –  This was a classic rugged playoff-caliber performance from a guy like Cole. He was nasty and mixed it up when he had to and wasn’t going to let Vegas get away with whatever they wanted physically. Cole was part of putting a stop to Vegas actin a fool when they got down 3-0. He wasn’t great on the metrics tonight but I thought he was disruptive and sound defensively.

J.T. Compher (D+) – I just didn’t notice him much tonight. I would like for him to win faceoffs with a little more consistency. He profiles as a guy that should be good in that area but he continues to struggle.

Samuel Girard (F) – Not sure I’ve given Girard a failing grade this year but I thought he was awful tonight. The puck movement was lacking confidence and the defense wasn’t close to the level we’re accustomed to seeing from him. He got caved in and it didn’t all happen in the third period when the Avs were protecting the lead. He just wasn’t good enough.

Philipp Grubauer (B) – Grubauer was mortal tonight and all three of the goals given up came right around the goalmouth. That’s an area I still think he isn’t very comfortable but his puck tracking was once again top-notch tonight. He was still very good and there wasn’t a lot he could do on the goals against. Sometimes you need a little help.

Erik Johnson (F) – One of the questions about EJ has always been how he would age, especially given the injury history of leg injuries. If tonight is going to eventually turn into a more normal version, the answer is not positive for Colorado. He looked stuck in neutral and was not even in the same state as “hard on pucks.” He just didn’t have it tonight.

Tyson Jost (D+) – Like his linemates, he got absolutely brutalized tonight. He had a great assist to Calvert on the game’s first goal and that keeps him from a failing grade here. Not a great night but found his way to his 23rd point of the season, a new career high.

Alexander Kerfoot (C-) – He registered yet another point and has been producing in the absence of Rantanen and Landeskog. That’s great! He was also absolutely brutal defensively and battled the puck all night. That’s less great. 

Nathan MacKinnon (C+) – Two points are usually grounds for a pretty high grade and it certainly isn’t like I’m drilling MacKinnon here but there were some real issues with his game tonight. He had two turnovers on the power play that were absolutely brutal and need to be a topic of discussion in the video breakdown of this game tomorrow morning. The second of those turnovers led to a Vegas breakaway in the third period but the shot was missed by Reilly Smith. Maybe the toughest game I’ve graded this year between the extreme swings of brilliance and mistakes.

Patrik Nemeth (C) – I thought he was again pretty rock solid in most aspects of the game. Against a team that forechecks like Vegas, however, you absolutely cannot give them second chances. He did that a number of times tonight in failing to clear the zone. Beyond that, he was good defensively.

Matt Nieto (B-) – He missed five weeks and there were moments where the timing was obviously not quite there. Overall I thought he acclimated well, especially when you consider the speed and intensity of the game he returned in. Just in time for what should be mayhem on Friday night!

Carl Soderberg (D) – Where has this guy gone?

Colin Wilson (C-) – Instead of disappearing like Soderberg, Wilson seems to be finding ways to play a major impact in games every night. Sometimes that’s been good and other times he struggles a bit more tonight. This was another example of giving a guy credit for being in the right places to help create good scoring chances and taking credit away for badly botching them. I’d rather he be on the end of botched scoring chances on offense, though, so not all bad.

Nikita Zadorov (C) – I’m just not sure how to grade Z tonight. The turnovers were a mess. Way too many of them, way too casual with the puck, way too disappointing overall. But he picked up an assist on the game-winner and played generally solid defense and was by far the best Av in shot share tonight. How to settle all of that up? Give him my most neutral grade and…shrug it off, I guess. Odd night for Z.