Avalanche lose yet another late lead in 2-1 loss to Ducks

HIGHLIGHTS

GAME RUNDOWN

The Colorado Avalanche kicked off a quick two-game California trip with a game against the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night. Puck drop was scheduled for 8 p.m. MST but somebody must have forgotten to inform the Avalanche because they were a complete no-show during the first period. The numbers were astounding as Colorado took three penalties, were outshot 22-3, and were outshot in all shot attempts, not just ones on goal, by an astounding margin of 38-4.

Thanks to the brilliance of netminder Calvin Pickard, the game remained in a scoreless tie after the first period. Colorado actually showed up for the second period, outshooting Anaheim 7-0 to start before things got weird. An Anaheim turnover led to a booming slap shot from defenseman Eric Gelinas, who missed the net and hit the glass. Boy, did he ever hit the glass, breaking it and causing a delay in the action.

Nobody could predict the incompetence that followed, however, as the arena staff at the Honda Center did not have a properly sized piece of glass to replace the broken pane and they had to cut a new one as the delay stretched across 20 minutes. Inexplicably, they cut the glass incorrectly and the officials decided to call off the rest of the period, sending the teams back to the dressing room with 9:48 remaining in the second period.

The aborted second half of the second period eventually did restart and Colorado continued to push their momentum, though Anaheim did actually push back this time around. The Ducks took a penalty and Colorado made them pay as Nathan MacKinnon flew through the neutral zone, chipped the puck in and Matt Duchene got to it and tapped it across the front of the net where Gabriel Landeskog put it past netminder John Gibson for the 1-0 lead. Colorado killed another penalty, their fourth of the game, and took a lead into the third period for the third consecutive game.

The third period started out pretty even and a huge hit by Nikita Zadorov on Jakob Silfverberg meant he had to fight someone and when he took on Josh Manson, it was clear to everyone on the planet Manson’s jersey was not tied down and despite it coming off during the fight, no penalty was called on the obvious infraction. Minutes later, Landeskog was called for an extremely dubious hooking call. On their fifth power play of the night, Hampus Lindholm predictably scored to tie the game because if the Avs didn’t have horrible luck they’d have no luck at all.

Because it’s just how the season has gone, one turnover from Zadorov turned into a game-winning goal by Anaheim with just over two minutes remaining as Nick Ritchie beat Pickard through a screen of three Avs players. As they have failed to do all season, Colorado did not score with the goaltender pulled.

THREE STARS

1. Nick Ritchie
2. Hampus Lindholm
3. Calvin Pickard

PLAY OF THE GAME

The Ritchie goal. Because why not.

TURNING POINT

The delay of game when the glass broke is the only possible winner here. What a bizarre sequence and an unheard of display of incompetence from the crew at the Honda Center.

BY THE NUMBERS

WHAT’S NEXT

Colorado wraps up its quick California roadie Saturday night when they travel to San Jose to take on the Sharks. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. MST.