Now, that was heart.
I’ve covered the Colorado Avalanche most of the time since they came to town in 1995, and that might have been the gutsiest, biggest show of pure heart I’ve ever seen from this team on Wednesday night in Game 4 against Nashville.
A team without its No. 1 defenseman. A team without, in my opinion, its No. 2 defenseman. A team without its No. 1 goaltender. A team without its third-line center for some of the third period because of yet another blindside cheap shot to the head by a Nashville Predators player. A three-goal deficit in that same third period.
Everything was against the Avs. It would have been perfectly reasonable to expect them to pack it in, lick their wounds and, like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, try to come out Friday night in Nashville with guns blazing for one last stand.
They didn’t pack it in. They stood and fought. And as anyone with working eyes could see, they had the supposedly invincible Predators reeling the entire third period. They were just trying to do the rope-a-dope and get out of Denver with what finished a 3-2 win. Only a lucky crossbar saved Pekka Rinne and the Predators from having that game tied up at the end. Former Predator Colin Wilson clanged a shot off the iron. Otherwise, we’re all probably still watching overtime hockey right now, as I type.
Hell, even Von Miller was inspired, jumping around in his front-row seat, waving a white pom-pom like the rest of the crowd at the Pepsi Center.
No matter what happens Friday night – and it’s gonna be akin to Butch and Sundance with their six-shooters coming out against the full Bolivian army, trying to get a win in that madhouse – this Avs team now has a firm tenancy in our hearts.
That was the real deal in that third period, all guts. Nashville was lucky – lucky – to get off the ice with that win. Yes, they earned that 3-0 lead entering the period. They get full marks for what was a dominant forechecking scheme that forced all kinds of turnovers from the short-handed Avs defense in that first period. For the first time in the series, the Avs were the ones on their heels at the start of the game.
The Predators finally exploited the Avs’ exposed underbelly with Lancelot-style precision in Game 4. Without workhorse No. 1 defenseman Erik Johnson and without supremely gifted puck-handler Sam Girard, the Avs’ defensive corps were like a waiter trying to carry a tray full of too many drinks at last call. Just too wobbly, too many perilous obstacles getting in the way. Eventually, somebody is going to bump into the waiter and the tray of drinks is going to smash all over the floor.
The Predators’ game plan was simple: Attack the hell out of the Avs’ defense on the forecheck, get in deep and swarm around the Avs’ puck-handler. That strategy carries some risk; If you don’t get in fast enough, if you allow time and space to the puck-handler, that could leave you vulnerable outside the swarm area to outlet passes.
Peter Laviolette gambled that the Avs’ D wouldn’t be able to get the puck to the forwards if they could get in deep enough on the forecheck, and he won that gamble.
By the end, though, Laviolette had to call a timeout and chewed his team out. They were getting worked by a rag-tag lineup that included a journeyman third-string goalie.
If this was to be the last Avs game of the season on home ice, they gave the fans one hell of a good show at the end. The Avs may well go down Friday night.
But, we know this much about these guys now:
It won’t be without a fight.
0 Comments (15 conversations)
ThreeLeggedDog
Really good work, Dater
Botchcassidy
Great read AD. You sound fired up, this series has made me feel nothing but pride for the guys.
lilbower
Love this. Wonderful article.
Adrian Dater
AuthorGlad you liked it
Skyler Thomson
This is what I needed to read! Thank you!!!
Nicole Roy
Mr Adrian…the reason why I love reading you
hockeyhacker5
All thumbs up!
ebriff
Great read, AD. It’s a bit of conflicting feelings this morning. Wish they had come out harder to start the game, but it’s hard to be mad at this team’s effort in the end especially considering the tough situation they were in. We all knew they had a huge uphill battle from the start of this series. To lose Girard and now Bernier and still show this much fight is something to be commended. I couldn’t be prouder of my team, no matter what happens Friday. Go get ’em, boys, and hold your heads high!
Lande is such a great Captain, as it’s so apparent how he has brought this young team together with his on ice and off ice leadership. Disappointed by the result but our boys played with a ton of heart again as they have throughout the series. As I left the Can last eve, I was already excited for next season. If we can bring game 6 back to Denver, that would truly be icing on the cake. As always, great article, Dater.
bjjones05
Well written, and so proud of the Avs!! They are showing that the team is more than the sum of their parts!
Jose
Written with the same heart shown by the Avalanche. Wouldn’t it be nice if we were surprised with an AVs win next game. We have nothing to lose.
Eric Schlelein
First off: I’m a huge Avalanche fan. I’ve been cheering as loudly as anyone in this series, but I have to say I disagree with your take here. I think that was one of the most disappointing games I’ve seen out of this team all year. They spent 50 minutes chasing Nashville’s game, so intent on making a big hit or a statement check that they forgot how to make or receive passes. They didn’t do any of the things they did to make them successful in Game 3. They spent the last two days saying how they weren’t going to get chippy after the whistles were blown, and then completely forgot all that and just tried to match Nashville’s thuggishness. You can’t play ten minutes of a hockey game and expect to win.
And the fans booing Subban every time he touched the puck. Okay, I get it. He’s a thug and a nuisance, but booing him every time he does something plays right into his hands. He LOVES that shit. He loves to be the bad guy, and he feeds off all that negativity.
The Avs didn’t deserve to win that game, and if they keep playing like they did last night, they don’t deserve to win on Friday.
Chris DeMott
I think your being a bit harsh. “Deserve” doesn’t always play out on the stat sheet. Take a look at the goal-tending stats in the games that they lost, take a look at the the starting rosters (4 of the Avs starting 6 D either spent most of the year in the AHL or were picked up on waivers) and take a look at the puck luck Nashville had in games 1 and 2. This team, by most expert accounts, shouldn’t even be playing right now. They didn’t “chase” because they lost focus or took 50 minutes off, they just got dominated by a team that was supposed to do that to them. And, I would point out that this was probably overdue. The Avalanche have outplayed the President’s trophy winners for much of this series without getting rewarded with many timely goals or saves. Regardless of what happens in game 5, I think Avs fans should remember this season as one of the truly special efforts by any Avs team.
Heavy Metal Avs Fan
I have to say that as disappointed as I was feeling after the game I feel really proud of this team and just hope they can get the win Friday night and really make Nashville nervous. Like you said in the article AD, Nashville barely escaped that game with a win and as far as I know that team is damn near fully healthy or at least they have all players available to play. The Avs are missing some truly key pieces. Just wait until next season when the Avs are fully healthy to see how they match up to some of the upper echelon of teams in the league. I know I can’t wait but for right now we sill have a least one game to go. Go Avs!!!
Icenine
You really captured the spirit of the thing.
Nels
Stupendous article AD. Except I think that the Hamburgler’s play last night and in the Philly game (two 1st period goals were totally understandable) have shown that we should take him more seriously than “journeyman”. He came into a really tough situation last night and locked it down. He hasn’t given up a goal in his last 3 periods of play. Thats 3 out of 4 periods he’s spent in the NHL this season. Why isn’t anyone taking this guy more seriously?
Andrew_Windermere
Probably because he’s been a sub .900 AHL goalie the last 3 seasons
Andrew_Windermere
Subban has been mediocre to awful all series. Playing into his hands or not, booing hasn’t made a difference.
AD, your articles like this are why I subscribed to BSN Denver right away. I did not want to miss your commentary. While I was frustrated with the Avs play against the Preds forecheck, you correctly describe the issue…the poor puck handling by the Avs D. In particular, I thought Barrie was awful. I still think they should make him a forward. I stood and applauded as the Avs left the ice because after watching the train wreck of last season, it’s almost hard to believe the turnaround this year. Hat’s off to a team with a ton of heart. Hoping for a Game 6, but if that was it…what a satisfying season of hockey. Can’t wait for next year! Thanks, AD!
adriandater
Thank you very much