Avs Game 30 Grades: Easy peasy

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – A

The Avs needed something from their bottom lines early in this game, because the top lines just weren’t going, and the fourth line gave it to them. Bellemare nearly had a goal the shift before he scored and was able to break the curse by beating a goaltender. The fourth line earned their marks tonight.

Andre Burakovsky – C

Kind of starting to feel like any time Burakovsky gets the puck and gets ready to shoot, that it has a chance to go in. That’s how deadly his shot is. Beyond the goal and another 3 on 2, that line actually kind of struggled but I thought Burakovsky was the best player between the three of them.

Bowen Byram – C-

Still not seeing much offense from him, although I’m hopeful that him jumping in prior to that meaningless fifth goal may spark something, but it did feel like, especially in the second period, that the Byram/Graves pair got stuck out for some longer shifts defensively. Loved his hit on Garland in the first.

Matt Calvert – A-

Maybe he’ll be the next one to break through with a goal because we all know he’s earned one. The first goal was a picture-perfect cycle play, from a coaching standpoint, and outside of his penalty in the third, he had a really good night.

J.T. Compher – B+

I have bagged on Compher a lot, but I think he’s a much better winger than center, so his injury might have been a blessing in disguise by letting Jost take that 3C role. He looked good on the fourth line and made a smart play which his dump in selection prior to the first goal. He struggled to hit the net, but given how his year has gone, I appreciate him attempting seven shots. It’s something he hasn’t done enough of.

Joonas Donskoi – A

Donskoi is riding some crazy luck right now, with pucks just finding their way into the net with him around. The empty net was funny enough, but the late goal was icing on the cake. Even before that, he was shooting a lot more than he has most of the year, with seven shot attempts overall.

Samuel Girard – C

Didn’t love his game offensively but another strong outing defensively. Honestly, given how the last several weeks have gone, seeing him barely scratch 20 minutes is kind of wild.

Ryan Graves – D

With the Avs D almost back to complete health, it’s weird how much he sticks out on the breakout with missed passes and icing the puck. Felt like tonight was a struggle for him on the breakout after a real solid game the other night against Minnesota.

Philipp Grubauer – A-

Seemed to lose his net a little just prior to the only goal, but made some big saves with not a lot of action, including Kessel getting in alone behind the defensemen early and then the breakaway in the third period. Now, do the Avs do the unthinkable and play him in both games of the back to back? I wouldn’t, but they haven’t committed either way yet…

Tyson Jost – A

Really feels like that third line is starting to develop an identity, and Jost is a big part of that, with he and Nichushkin just hounding the opposing team’s defense. Yeah, it was a meaningless goal, but that pass by Jost late to Donskoi was as confident with the puck as he’s looked in a long time.

Nazem Kadri – D

Funny, as he went weeks with grade-A scoring chances and couldn’t buy a goal, and then you have a game like tonight, where he doesn’t have a very good night and a puck bounces off his chest and in. That’s how it goes sometimes.

Gabriel Landeskog – D

The first line was probably the worst line on the ice, and Landeskog really struggled with the puck most of the night. When they wanted to, they were able to out-skill the Coyotes, but they were discombobulated most of the game.

Jacob MacDonald – B

He seems to pinch every time at the offensive blueline, but it’s not burning him just yet, and at this point, there would have to be a big drop-off in his play for him to exit the lineup. Felt like he might have been their best defenseman.

Nathan MacKinnon – D

He’s dominated the Coyotes the last year, but tonight just did not look totally engaged. Luckily, against a lesser team, the guys behind him were able to back him up. Great net drive to take away Raanta’s attention on the Mikko goal.

Cale Makar – C

Had his chances, including a dominant shift in the second period where he went around the world a few times, and then finished it off by springing Kadri for a breakaway, but the power play work was not great, and the shots just were not hitting the net.

Valeri Nichushkin – A

His forechecking is out of control, and in the second period, he put on a clinic, creating multiple turnovers on his own just by sheer determination. Really do wonder how much the conditioning issues Bednar talked about him having before training camp really played a role in his start to the season.

Mikko Rantanen – C

Beautiful goal, and easily the best of the players on the big line, but when he cuts to the middle like he did in the third period and has a clear lane to shoot, I don’t want him dropping the puck to anyone, even if Nathan MacKinnon is calling for the puck. That’s his signature move, and the way he’s shooting right now, he should be wiring it every chance he gets.

Brandon Saad – D

The Avs got dominated with him on the ice, giving up 12 shots on goal compared to the three shots they created. That’s rare for Saad and seemed to just have a really tough night after a string of great ones from that second line.

Devon Toews – C

For two periods, I actually didn’t really like his game all that much. He was fine, but actually got caught a few times on some pinches. His skating, however, allowed him to not get beat terribly on those chances. I said on the podcast that against a more talented team, the Avs might have been in trouble tonight, but guys like Toews can get away with average games against lesser teams like the Coyotes, and that’s what happens in a long season.