With the Colorado Avalanche coming off their second four-day break in two weeks, there was an expectation of rust as they played just their sixth home game of the year tonight against the Nashville Predators. The leaders of the western conference were also coming off a four-day break so the brisk pace of play at the outset was a mild surprise.
That play did not go in Colorado’s favor, however, as Nashville jumped out to a nice shot advantage early on despite the Avalanche getting the game’s first power play.
That Predators pressure resulted in them finding the net first when noted Avalanche killer Colton Sissons got lost in a shuffle of bodies and Sam Girard was unable to locate him in time to prevent him from banging home a rebound to give Nashville the 1-0 lead.
Nashville kept pouring it on the Avs and Sissons beat Semyon Varlamov under his blocker with a half-slapper that Varlamov would no doubt like a second chance on. The goal was just the 25th of Sissons’ career but his seventh against the Avalanche in just 10 games. Sissons, you might remember, also demonstrated his bizarre mastery of the Avalanche with six points in their six-game playoff series (he had none in Nashville’s seven-game series against Winnipeg).
The 2-0 Nashville lead held up through the first period but didn’t stand for long as Ian Cole scored 1:29 into the second period. Nashville challenged the goal as Sam Girard had made an awesome spin move at the blue line and the puck may or may not have come all the way out of the zone (it looked inconclusive to me, I’m sure some of y’all will disagree) but the crew in Toronto clearly saw enough to call it no-goal and the goal was wiped off the board.
Colorado would eventually get a goal that counted but not without a little controversy on that one either as Matt Calvert tipped a Girard slap shot that was initially waved off immediately for a high stick. The referees conferred and changed their on-ice call to a good goal and the play went to review but the goal stood after the review, making it 2-1 for real that time.
An increasingly physical second period wound down and saw Mikko Rantanen take a lazy (and soft) slashing penalty that turned into a disaster. Sissons tipped a Kyle Turris shot past Varlamov for the hat trick with just three seconds remaining left in the second period.
The third period started with a predictable slow pace as Nashville looked to grind their two-goal lead into an easy two points. The Avalanche spent a few minutes playing into the hands of their opponents but a great pinch by Ian Cole led to a Colin Wilson goal with 12:21 remaining in the third period. Because Colorado couldn’t score goals without controversy tonight, the play went to a replay. Upon further review, it was called no goal as the play was determined to be offside (my opinion: I didn’t see a conclusive view) and Colorado lost their second goal of the night.
Colorado never really mounted a serious threat the rest of the way and an empty-net goal by Nashville brought the game to its final conclusion of 4-1.
Since it became a topic of discussion after the game, I’ll drop it here as well. In the last four years, Colorado is now 3-11 in games officiated by Eric Furlatt (0-8 in the last three years) and Nashville is now 10-2 in the last four years in Furlatt-officiated games.
0 Comments (10 conversations)
PK
Someone got a nice gift basket after the game tonight…
MaxPrime867
what a fucking joke..
first called back goal – there was no white between the puck and the blue line.
2nd called back goal – there was no conclusive evidence Kerfoot was offside.
Cerveau
I think the NHL should allow each team to refuse a referee up to, say, twice per year.
It would act as feedback for the ref.
Jose
I won’t argue about the offside calls, but the penalties to Rant and Big K were both really soft. I like the new emphasis on scoring, but I don’t like the fact (my opinion) that the refs are determining the outcome of more games.
jrynders
The worst part about the first reversed goal was the lack of a penalty on the Nashville player for sticking his leg out and tripping Girard on the spinarama. Somehow you can review the offsides but not the penalty. The officiating is so inconsistent this year. Plus, can someone show Jost and Kerfoot how to drag your skate across the blue line?
JDC15
Leave it to the NHL to make NFL replay look competent. The one thing the NFL has gotten completely right is ‘conclusive proof’ to over turn a call. On neither goal, especially Wilson’s was there conclusive evidence either way so the original plays should have stood.
texasavfan
The conclusive evidence can be stated quite easily – “You are NOT Nashville, and NO you won’t be allowed to beat them.”
Nels
I wonder what people would think of how good the Avs and the Preds were in general if the Avs and Preds switched roles as far as who is the NHL’s princess darlings and who is in the doghouse. Maybe the Avs would be perennial cup favorites and the Preds would be struggling for a playoff spot?
Folks please try to remember that conspiracy isn’t theory, it’s what you do in a boardroom, or your own head, to attempt to maximize profits and efficiency. It’s the underlying foundation of Capitalism, like it or not, our society is built on trying to figure out ways to take other peoples money/time/energy.
Also we’re all human and have our own preferences and likes and dislikes, right? Maybe some, or lots, of the Refs and “Situation Room” folks are Canadian’s and they didn’t like watching a CO team beat up on their precious Canadian team(s) for the first decade. Perhaps they have a lingering bias. It’s possible.
Still it’s fun to watch and see if the Avs can overcome their BS. I think mainly we’re just dealing with the same problems as with most big business though. The goal isn’t necessarily to give the consumer a good/honest/responsible product, alot of the time it’s just to make $
Lemonlimey
you nailed it Nels
hanksta2
On paper, the Avs are not as deep as Nashville yet. In reality, they’re not as experienced in any area from coaching to players on the ice.
Were the calls shitty? Yes. But regardless, the Avs simply aren’t at that level yet, and teams at that level overcome bad refs.
Chris DeMott
I do not buy into the conspiracy talk because that’s just not how it works, the guys in Toronto have too much going on to worry about giving an edge to any given team, let alone Nashville (a smaller market club). But in the NHL, there is a pretty good chance you’re going to lose if you get two goals called back and it seems that the Avs have had more than their share of those this year. As an Avs fan, I have to look at games like these the same way I would look at shooting percentage, PDO etc… and assume that the bad penalty luck that they have had early this season will eventually even out. If I’m Bednar, the power play would be getting heavy focus right now so that calls to come turn into points.
Bob_W
I felt like Nashville took a lot of icings. Then I wondered if it was by design. Ice the the puck without worry because the Avs can’t win a faceoff to save themselves.