Avs Game 20 Grades: Bonk

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – C+

Getting shot attempts, but definitely doesn’t look to be putting much fear in goalies as none of them are hitting the net. Had a great chance in the second period in the slot but missed the net completely. Did like the fourth line overall.

Andre Burakovsky – B+

Burky looks back, even though he was held off the scoresheet tonight. He hit Saad backdoor early in the game that led to a post and is shooting the puck with more consistency of late. It’s what you love to see.

J.T. Compher – C-

Really nice play to break up a pass and start a 2 on 1 with the late penalty kill, but nothing to show for it. It does seem like he’s trying to shoot more, but that line is still a black hole offensively. Defensively, no real problems with him.

Joonas Donskoi – C-

It’s wild how little he gets used up front, but the staff has been really top-heavy with their usage of the top two lines and he seems to be the guy who gets pushed down. Didn’t notice him a ton tonight, but learned through the San Jose broadcast that his nickname is apparently “The Donfather”. Okay then.

Samuel Girard – A+

I think Sam would love it if every game was in San Jose, as he eats them up. In now 13 career games, he has nine points and four goals. That’s 25% of his goal-scoring production in his career. The Avs controlled 70% of the shot attempts with him on the ice tonight. Just unfair.

Ryan Graves – B-

The shot selection from him is frustrating, as it kills a lot of plays, and there are still a few too many turnovers in the defensive zone, but he buckled down after an abysmal performance the other evening and gave the Avs 24 minutes. Credit where credit is due.

Philipp Grubauer – A

Grubauer didn’t really have to do much of anything until the third period, and then he started to make some great stops, including the two on one late that he got his glove on. Nice bounce-back performance from him, although I think he was mostly hung out to dry there.

Tyson Jost – B-

Another guy who needed a bounce-back performance after a tougher game on Monday, where his turnover essentially started the comeback, and he did so. Another great penalty-killing game, and nearly had a shorthanded breakaway late but lost the puck at the last second.

Nazem Kadri – B+

The lack of finish is starting to get frustrating, but he’s still producing shots and picking up points, with two assists. Hit the post relatively early in the game, but the fact that he continues to get these high danger chances is a sign that things will start to go his way soon enough.

Gabriel Landeskog – A+

Landy was very transparent in the postgame, admitting he didn’t like his game for a while, but four points tonight will help ease the pain. Most of it is pretty subtle stuff, but a big face-off win on the Girard goal, which really helped push this game to the finish line. Three straight games where he’s scored right in front of the net. You take it all day.

Jacob MacDonald – B

I really feel like this is a bomb waiting to explode, as this guy just takes so many risks at both ends of the ice that it will eventually burn him. That being said, how can you not appreciate the depth he’s providing this team right now. He was insanely high event tonight, with 41 total shot attempts while on the ice for only 13 minutes, but it was mostly at the San Jose net, so you take it. Took a penalty after a turnover and somehow didn’t get a penalty after his turnover in the third. He scares me, but it’s working right now.

Nathan MacKinnon – A

Frustrating first period, and then he started to move around the ice a lot more and next thing you know, had some mojo back. According to Landeskog and Bednar, he appears to be fine for now, but hopefully nothing comes up tomorrow after the dirty hit he took.

Valeri Nichushkin – C

This man will never score again. I’m convinced of it. It’s easy to see why he went a full year without scoring a goal, as things are just dying on his blade, but he’s still a tank defensively and that brings value.

Logan O’Connor – B+

I really liked O’Connor and noticed him a ton in this game. That’s how it should be, because his skating is noticeable, and if you don’t see him much, it’s because he wasn’t using his best asset. He at least tried to go after the culprit on the MacKinnon hit late and deserves some kudos for that.

Mikko Rantanen – A+

After a brutal showing, bounces back with a four-point game. Beyond the points, I loved seeing him get physical and use his body in the corner in the second period. Yes, he had to do it because of his turnover, but great backcheck to stop Evander Kane in the first on a mini-breakaway.

Dan Renouf – D+

It’s hard to harp on a defenseman in a game you dominated and won 4-0, but somehow Renouf ended up with a 25% shot share when everyone else was above 50%. That means he just kind of dragged everyone else down. I did like his physicality, although he got away with some blatant interference early in the game.

Brandon Saad – B

The second line was great and was one line that consistently was creating chances offensively and doing so around the paint. Loved the backcheck by Saad with a few seconds left to preserve the shutout for Grubauer. That’s winning hockey right there.

Conor Timmins – C+

Timmins still plays hockey like there are bees chasing him around the ice, but he seemed a little more stable tonight. Not perfect by any means, though, and you can tell he’s afraid of getting beat at the offensive blue line.

Devon Toews – A

I know the Islanders were in a cap crunch but two seconds for Toews looks ridiculous right now. Great pinch down low on the opening goal to keep the play alive, and just before the Girard goal, he pinched in the offensive zone to help keep possession and get an offensive zone face-off. What a player.