This has been a solid string of matchups against division rivals since the Olympic break ended, and the Avs are headed back on the road after going 2-1-0 in their first three games back.
A little housekeeping before the game started, and that starts with an update on Joel Kiviranta, who left the game against the Minnesota Wild early after taking a hit into the boards from Zach Bogosian.
Coach Jared Bednar provided an update to Altitude Sports Radio in a pregame segment, saying that Joel Kiviranta suffered a concussion in the game and has entered concussion protocol. He did not play in the game tonight, and Zakhar Bardakov drew back into the lineup.
Mackenzie Blackwood got the nod in net again tonight, opposite Spencer Knight on the other side of the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Overall, a pretty low-event game at Ball Arena. Mackenzie Blackwood was huge for the team and came up with some key stops through the full 60 minutes.
Connor Bedard found the scoreboard first, capitalizing on a power play opportunity courtesy of a hooking penalty assessed to Devon Toews.
Chicago went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.
By the end of the second period, Cale Makar changed that with an untimely goal (only because it came four seconds after the power play ended), tying things up just in time to bring this game into the second intermission tied at 1.
Gavin Brindley is tonight’s savior, scoring the game-winning goal for Colorado by cleaning up a puck in front of Spencer Knight. Cale Makar found the empty net with 1:27 remaining in regulation, and this late-afternoon game ends with a 3-1 win by the Avs in front of a home crowd.
Gavin Brindley ROCKS
Of the six goals Brindley has scored this year, four of them have been game-winners.
Before the break, Coach Bednar mentioned that he thought Gavin Brindley was someone he felt could benefit from the break and use it as a “get right” opportunity.
Since returning, it’s only been a matter of time until one went in for him.
“Yeah, that was a big one,” Brindley said following the game. “I think, just getting hurt in that New York game kind of set some things back, and good to just get back in the swing of things, and that was just a big one, just confidence-wise.”
Bednar gave a lot of credit to the poise of the fourth line tonight and how they were able to contribute with limited minutes, and even talked through giving both him and his linemate, Zakhar Bardakov, more ice time as he likes the difference they’ve made on the ice with the minutes they’ve been given recently.
“It’s not easy for a young player that’s used to playing a lot. A challenge, oftentimes, especially in the first half of the year, it’s something that they have to grow through, is keeping their focus, staying ready. You know, their name gets called a lot, and then they don’t go. I put other people out and then that, that kind of can be deflating, but you gotta stay ready for when your name is called, and I think [Bardakov and Brindley] have done a better job as the year has gone on of making the most of their ice time, even with big gaps in between their shifts, but I think [Brindley] is a guy that like both those guys, they want to make a difference and they want more ice time. And so it’s a good start. He gets out there tonight, both guys make a big impact in the game by getting that goal. So I’ll start out next game, try to play them a little bit more and keep him into the game a little bit longer.”
