Avs-Predators Game Six Grades: Derailed roller coaster

The Colorado Avalanche season ended with a 5-0 loss to the Nashville Predators. Below are the final player grades of the season.

Sven Andrighetto (C-) – Have to finish those scoring chances, Sven. One of the few players with good underlying numbers but they needed real offense tonight, not just chances.

Mark Barberio (F) – While the high-profile turnovers from game one weren’t there, he simply got crushed at even strength. Just crushed. Shots were 21-7 in favor of Nashville with him on the ice.

Tyson Barrie (C) – His shot share was respectable but like with Andrighetto, Barrie needed to finish. The lack of juice from Barrie all series long was a real problem.

Gabriel Bourque (C-) – Following a hot start to the series, Bourque slowly got worse and worse as the series went on. He was a total non-factor tonight.

Blake Comeau (F) – His blind back pass led directly to a Nashville goal, even if it was a soft goal given up by Hammond. That’s a play Comeau can’t make. Per usual for this series, this line got destroyed at even strength.

J.T. Compher (C) – I just didn’t notice Compher much tonight until the postgame locker room when he sat by himself just staring off into the distance. Certainly can’t accuse him of not caring.

Samuel Girard (C-) – I really didn’t think he was very good tonight. He got blown by on the outside and those plays concern you given his skating ability. He tried to make a few things happen offensively but nothing was doing.

Andrew Hammond (F) – This was a really unfortunate way for the fairy tale story from game five to end. The defense in front of him was atrocious, especially early, but two of those goals found their way through him. A true bummer.

Tyson Jost (C-) – Being harsher on the grades today just because of the importance of the situation so despite being part of Colorado’s best scoring chances of the day, Jost is getting the same grade as Andrighetto. Have to finish, especially against a great defensive team that is playing well.

Alexander Kerfoot (C) – Like Compher, he wasn’t a player that stood out to me positively or negatively.

Gabriel Landeskog (F) – By far his worst game of the series, Landeskog brought the thunder physically but was not a factor beyond that.

Nathan MacKinnon (D-) – It looked like the huge minutes he’s played this series finally caught up to him at times. He was lazy on changes and after the first period seemed disengaged entirely.

Patrik Nemeth (F) – Turnovers were abundant and Nashville feasted on him when he was on the ice. Following one of his better performances in an Avs uniform, this was an unmitigated disaster.

Matt Nieto (C-) – Too much is being asked of Nieto and he was very quiet in this series. Tonight was more of the same.

Mikko Rantanen (F) – There’s been rampant speculation about Rantanen fighting off an injury in this series and while he didn’t completely confirm it following the game, he left breadcrumbs that indicated he was definitely hurt. Obviously.

Duncan Siemens (INC) – Just seven minutes of ice time…that’s not enough to try and give a defenseman a grade.

Carl Soderberg (D+) – If he’s going to be your defensive stopper, he needs linemates that are appropriate for that role. Comeau and Nieto are miscast in that role and while Soderberg was admirable in his bounce-back season, he just isn’t the guy Colorado is asking him to be.

Colin Wilson (C-) – His first season in Colorado was nothing short of a mess. Colorado needs to clearly define his role next season to give him a better chance to be successful.

Nikita Zadorov (B-) – He had strong shot metrics and scored a goal that was ultimately called back because of Soderberg goaltender interference. I don’t have much of an opinion on the call but it was a great finish from Zadorov. His defense of Rantanen, who took a reckless knee from Ryan Ellis, was indicative of how tightly knit this group was this season. It might have been over the top but even in a blowout loss, he wasn’t about to let Ellis take liberties with one of his teammates.

On a personal note, thank you to all of you who have read and commented on the grades throughout the season. They will return next season!