Avs Game 3 Grades: Grubauer stones the Bruins

It wasn’t their prettiest game of the season, but the Avs got it done against a very good Boston Bruins team, winning 4-2 behind a tremendous performance from their goaltender Philipp Grubauer. The Avs are now off to a perfect 3-0 start and look to finish off the homestand on Saturday night with another win against the Arizona Coyotes.

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

Erik Johnson – C-

A tougher night for EJ, as he, like a lot of the other Avs defensemen tonight, had some big time flubs with the puck mixed in with good play. A swing and a miss on a bouncing puck at the offensive blue line led to a 2 on 1 in the third period that forced Grubauer to make not one, but two great saves. He did end up with four shots on net at even strength, but ultimately, ended up with the lowest CF on the Avs D at 38%.

Cale Makar – C 

Makar picked up an assist on the MacKinnon goal, but he was really up and down tonight. He got bailed out by the goaltender interference challenge taking back a goal that was caused by him turning over the puck and falling over. Despite having some serious issues, he had the Avs highest CF% at 70%. How about that?

Matt Calvert – B

Is there any more perfect fit right now on the Avs than the Calvert/Bellemare combo? Calvert made a great play on the forecheck taking the puck away from Brad Marchand just prior to the Bellemare goal, and was a menace down low late in the game.

Valeri Nichushkin – D

Tonight was the first game where Nichushkin stood out, and not in a good way. He looked a little out of it and didn’t have much of an impact on the game. With Wilson coming in and looking as good as he did, there is no room for error. The only player that did not register a shot attempt.

Nikita Zadorov – C

Like Makar, there were some serious “huh?” moments. He had some awesome defensive plays in the first, then lost his guy on the opening goal. Then you go to the fancy stats, and see he was second on the Avs in ICF, with five shot attempts, and finished second with a 62.5% CF. The penalty on him in the second was a questionable call, to say the least.

Tyson Jost – B

The “keep Tyson Jost at center” fans certainly have some good evidence to back them up after his performance tonight. He looked confident, and drew yet another penalty tonight. His only downfall was his work in the face-off circle. Other than that, a real solid night for him.

Colin Wilson – B

Looked like a man who did not want to come out of the lineup again. Made some really smart plays offensively and looked good in his own end too. Like last year, he had chances to finish and couldn’t but played a really solid game overall.

Ryan Graves – B-

I liked his game, for the most part. He and Barberio had some serious issues in the first period but calmed down after that. His read on the penalty kill where he decided to dive into the corner and leave the front of the net was brutal, but because the entire play was called back for offside, it literally does not exist from the record of the game. Offside challenge sure helped him tonight.

Nathan MacKinnon – B-

He has five points in three games, and yet, there sure looks like there’s another level or two to go for him. He looked visibly frustrated at times tonight and didn’t have as much space through the neutral zone as he usually does, but even despite all of that, finished with a goal, an assist, and a 61% CF. Ho-hum.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – B

He wasn’t brought in for his goal-scoring, but you aren’t going to argue with two goals in three games. He’s a character in the locker room, and sure is a nice veteran to have on a very young team.

Mark Barberio – B

For the entire first, he looked in over his head. After that, he looked like a different player, in a good way. He was using his skating ability, jumping into the play, and getting chances offensively. If he plays like that, he’ll get plenty of chances to step into the lineup this year.

Samuel Girard – B+

He’s evolving into the Avs #1 defenseman in front of our eyes. The coaching staff is using him with everyone and getting him on the ice as much as they possibly can. Led the team with almost 22 minutes of even-strength ice time.

Joonas Donskoi – B

Donskoi is going to be one of those guys that frustrates me because he doesn’t shoot as much as he should, but he’s been a dynamite pickup so far. Lots of controlled zone entries, and a perfect screen on the game-winning goal tonight.

Matt Nieto – B-

Nieto had a relatively quiet game overall but managed to have a crucial shift late in the game, helping control the puck down low and keep the puck out of his own end. He would have had an assist on a great pass in front to Wilson, but Wilson just tipped it over the net. Also missed a late chance on a pass from Makar.

Nazem Kadri – B-

It was almost like a tale of three games for Kadri. A great first, a really tough second, and a really strong finish. He had some turnovers in the second period and looked a little frustrated after some plays didn’t finish, but if he keeps playing as he has, the points will come.

Gabriel Landeskog – B

Brandon Carlo still doesn’t know where Landy is after his head fake led to him walking right into the Bruins zone before MacKinnon cleaned up the garbage. Landy almost did it again in the second, but Halak stopped him from a beautiful goal.

Andre Burakovsky – A-

The only reason it wasn’t an A is that he got caught watching on that first Bruins goal. Other than that, easily his best showing in an Avs uniform. Threw a huge hit in the first period, made some plays all over the ice, and his effort through all three zones on the game-winner is exactly what the Avs are hoping to see moving forward.

Mikko Rantanen – B

Ho-hum, another point for the Big Moose. That line almost seemed quiet at even strength tonight, and yet the Avs controlled the majority of the play with them out there, even against the Bruins top defensive pair.

Philipp Grubauer – A

The Avs young and inexperienced D has needed to be bailed out at times this year, and Grubauer sure did that a lot tonight. He was their best player and stood tall all game. Even with the two goals against in the first period, he made some saves to keep it close and let his team get back into it. A very encouraging start to the season for him.