Avs Game 21 Grades - Home Losses Adding Up

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The Avs gave up very early goals in both the second and third periods, and lost another game on home ice, this time to the Nashville Predators by a score of 5-3.

How did each player perform?  Let’s find out…

Tyson Barrie (D) – Part of me is wondering if a more structured system has neutered Barrie a bit.  When the Avs got down in the third and he was given more freedom, he looked a bit more like himself, but the rest of the game, not so much.  He got beat in front of the net on two of Nashville’s goals.  He was on the ice for 16 scoring chances by Nashville tonight.

Francois Beauchemin (C) – He had some bad breakout passes all throughout the game, including a terrible one that hit a streaking Rantanen in the foot and resulted in a turnover in the first, but defensively, he did fine tonight.  I don’t understand why the coaches use him more when the team is down a goal.

Rene Bourque (B) – The line struggled with possession, but another two points for Bourque, and another goal where he gets to the front of the net and deflects it.  Hard to complain about his play this year.

Joe Colborne (D) – I saw Colborne hit a guy behind the net tonight, so that was a first, but I didn’t notice him much other than that, which is a common theme this season.

Blake Comeau (B) – Comeau has been a bright spot since returning, which is good because he was a real sore spot before that.  He continues to be effective on the forecheck and in the offensive zone.

Matt Duchene (D) – He picked up an assist, but it was more perimeter play from Duchene tonight.  He scored most of his goals in front of the net this year, but since his injury, hasn’t been going there much.

Mikhail Grigorenko (B) – Grigs seems to have received the message from the coaching staff, as he was second on the team in shots on goal, and scored another goal from right in front of the net.

Jarome Iginla (C) – He looked abysmal on the power play when he was out there, but 5 on 5, is doing just fine as the third wheel on his line.

Erik Johnson (D) – He looked like a guy who was probably in bed all day yesterday.  Not as much energy tonight, and very little rushing of the puck.  His penalty in the third period was almost comical.

Nathan MacKinnon (D) – He went head to head with the Predators best players and got smoked in the process.  He’s having a good year on faceoffs, but he had a tough time other than that this evening.

Andreas Martinsen (D) – Martinsen is another guy whose game has dipped over the last two weeks or so.  His physical play has gone way down, and that’s what his game feeds off of.

Cody McLeod (D) – It was a nice fight, I guess, and the timing of it was pretty good, but he was lost on the first goal of the game and in general, cannot do anything with the puck.

John Mitchell (B) – Another good game from Mitchell in terms of possession, but he’s got to be getting frustrated with his inability to score.  He’s doing a lot of things right.

Calvin Pickard (F) – The first two goals were pucks that he needs to stop, he was flopping around the ice on the third goal, and I don’t know what he was doing on the fourth.  That may have been his worst start in an Avs uniform.

Mikko Rantanen (A-) – Bless Mr. Rantanen, who was a bright spot tonight.  He created the first goal with a great zone entry, and did the same on the second with another nice zone entry.  He’s getting more and more confident and the skill is just shining through.

Carl Soderberg (F) – He found his way to the 4th line at times tonight, and when Bednar spoke of passengers after the game, it’s hard to think he wasn’t speaking of Soderberg.  He’s been underwhelming this year, to say the least.

Fedor Tyutin (C-) – His lack of speed caught up with him on the second Nashville goal, and he fumbled a won faceoff prior to the Preds third goal.  Still, he’s been providing some offense, surprisingly, and picked up another assist tonight.

Patrick Wiercioch (D) – That fourth Predators goal is not one that Wiercioch will want to see again.  He was way too soft on the zone entry, and got beat badly.  Was on the ice for 12 scoring chances for Nashville.

Nikita Zadorov (C) – When he stops to think instead of moving his feet and using his instincts, he makes mistakes, and he did on the Preds first goal.  Other than that, he picked up a much needed point on a nice low point shot on Bourque’s goal.  He had the best possession #’s among Avs D, and only was on the ice for 2 scoring chances against, lowest on the D.

The Avalanche continue their home stand on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The game starts at 7 PM MST.