Avs Game 3 Grades: Powerful

Nicolas Aube-Kubel – C+

He had one issue along the boards in the first but managed to avoid the big ones like he had last game. Pretty quiet game overall, with his best shift coming in the third in the offensive zone that ended with a good backcheck to force a turnover.

Andre Burakovsky – C+

Drew a penalty, and then took one of his own, where his free hand was pretty clearly doing some tugging. I think offensively he wasn’t as great tonight, but the effort continues defensively. He’s been blocking shots like he’s Logan O’Connor.

Bowen Byram – B-

He’s had some good looks offensively this series and had another in this one where he couldn’t get a great shot on net. Would love to see him bury one. Kind of lost Duchene a bit on the first goal.

J.T. Compher – C

Took a beating in the face-off circle. It would be nice to have another center option on nights like that on his line but doesn’t look like that’s going to be happening because the team is rolling.

Pavel Francouz – B-

I didn’t love the first goal he gave up, and he always makes me a little uneasy, but that’s a tough spot to come into. Made a huge save at the end of the first period on an odd-man rush.

Samuel Girard – B-

Thought he had some sloppy breakouts in the third, not even with a heavy forecheck but just bad passes on his part. One thing I will say is he looked a little better in the offensive zone than he has the first two games.

Darren Helm – B+

His only issue was a failure to get a puck deep just prior to the Josi goal. He had it in the neutral zone and just took too long to get clear and got it taken away. Beyond that, the fourth line were buckhounds and he was good in the face-off circle.

Erik Johnson – B

Threw his body around big time in the third period with a couple of perfectly timed hits along the wall on the right side. Not as good as his first two but still generally solid.

Nazem Kadri – B

Had a nice look in the first that he came close to burying, so the gift in the second period feels good. The backhand look to Landy on the game-winning goal was perfection.

Darcy Kuemper – INC

Holy cow is that a terrifying injury. Happy to hear that it doesn’t seem that serious, but eyeballs are not to be messed with. If he says he’s good to go next game, you go back with him, unless there’s something lingering.

Gabriel Landeskog – A

Had a rough turnover in the first but I’d say he more than made up for it. Four points, the game-winning goal, and looked more comfortable with the puck on his stick. Didn’t take long for him to get back up to speed, I guess.

Artturi Lehkonen – B+

He is Don Koharski’s favorite player apparently because everything he does is wrong crashing the net. That was a perfect center net drive on a three-on-two for the game-winner.

Nathan MacKinnon – B+

Only one point in a playoff game?!? What the heck is wrong with him? Loved the rush a dish to Rantanen in the third, and then the pure hustle back to outmuscle Forsberg in the neutral zone. He’s determined right now.

Cale Makar – B+

I would say it’s very difficult to follow up a 20+ shot attempt performance because that cannot be the standard, but a solid game overall.

Josh Manson – B+

Another really strong performance and the audio stuff with him is always a hoot. Did have a questionable pinch at the end of the first that Francouz bailed him out on. Those are the pinches he’s avoided the last several games so hopefully that stays away.

Valeri Nichushkin – A-

The Avs shot generation with this guy on the ice this series has been insane, and nice to see him rewarded with the empty-net goal. It seems like he’s developed some good chemistry with MacKinnon. His agent must be loving this.

Logan O’Connor – B+

That was a heavy hit he took at the end of the second from Forsberg, so happy to see he’s doing okay. The fourth line was really good spending most of their time in the offensive zone.

Mikko Rantanen – B

Even with the points, I thought it was a ho-hum performance from Mikko through mostly two periods. He passed a puck out of the zone in the first and generally didn’t look great. Then he hit the crossbar and seemed to get angry. In the third, he had one shift where he tossed Carrier around behind the net, and then went to the front of the net and tossed him around again. Would love to see him truly break out next game, which is weird to say given he has five points.

Nico Sturm – B+

Seeing him take so few face-offs makes me wonder how bad that arm is right now. He was quite good down the stretch for the team in that spot, but Helm seems to be handling it okay.

Devon Toews – A

A total squeaker on the goal that really put it away, but that’s the aggressiveness you get from Toews, even with the lead. He saw an opportunity to push the play and took it. He tried again the next shift because that’s the only way he knows how to play.