Avs Game 38 Grades: Mild Effort

Pierre Edouard Bellemare – A

Don’t blame these guys. Another two goals from the line that should be the fourth line, is used as the third line but is actually the second line for this team. Bellemare was also dominant in the face-off circle.

Andre Burakovsky – D

Since he’s come back from his injury, Burakovsky has been way too invisible, for the most part. That line really hasn’t looked itself, other than the Vegas games, and isn’t creating a ton. Just two shot attempts for Burakovsky in this one, and one of them on net.

Matt Calvert – A

Calvert was quick to blame himself after the game for the second Wild goal, but he was in his usual spot in front of the net causing havoc and scoring two goals. Also threw a big hit late in the game to try to create something.

Ian Cole – C-

I thought Cole was brutal in the first, with multiple turnovers, but also ended up picking up an assist. He didn’t really do much to move the screen on the third goal, but I don’t think he’s much to blame there. In the third, he didn’t play too much.

J.T. Compher – D

This is just a guy with zero confidence in his shot right now. In the third period, he had a great chance to walk in and let it rip, but instead chose to pass it off to Zadorov on the wall. Zadorov passed it back and Compher waited too long and got his shot blocked. The fourth line had a rough first, overall.

Joonas Donskoi – D+

Donskoi had eight shots on goal, so I can’t hate on the process too much there, but that’s also a massive surprise to me. We’re looking at several games now without a Donskoi goal and one point in his last eight games, so he’s slumping at the moment.

Pavel Francouz – F

Easily his worst game of his NHL career. A lot of bad goals given up in this one and the one that was disallowed was really weak as well. Just not a good showing from him.

Samuel Girard – D-

The reality is that teams just don’t respect his shot, and it shows. You watch teams just cover that top line and Makar, but they’ll let Girard take as many shots as he wants too because teams don’t fear it. He got caught turning the puck over trying to drop it to MacKinnon at the blueline and had to take a penalty himself. Rough night overall from him. The only thing I liked was his step up that helped create Landeskog’s goal.

Ryan Graves – B-

Graves shoots from literally anywhere and did it again tonight, but also had some really ugly turnovers that got bailed out. Overall, though, he was far from an issue in this one.

Erik Johnson – B-

That pair had far and away the best shot metrics for the team, and EJ was solid. The flip up to the neutral zone on the game-winner is iffy, but that was also a nothing shot that you need your goalie to stop.

Nazem Kadri – D

After a strong game in Vegas, he had another quiet one tonight. Just not enough created at even strength. He was given a ridiculous embellishment call late in the game that could very well have changed the result of the game, as the Avs would have headed to the power play. Sometimes you get reputation calls and that was one he did not deserve at all.

Tyson Jost – C-

That fourth line was brutal in the first period. They were stuck in their zone every shift until about halfway through the second. Jost almost had a ridiculous baseball goal off a face-off but Dubnyk headed it away. I also thought he tried to play physical in this one, with a nice hit in the third period along the wall.

Gabriel Landeskog – C+

Of the top line, I thought Landy was the best. He was creating chances in the first period and was rewarded with a great goal. Defensively, that line is just not getting it done, though, and Landy lost his battle to the much smaller Zuccarello on the game-tying goal.

Nathan MacKinnon – D

Another goal from him, on a play very similar to the goal he scored against Chicago, which they disallowed. No real consistency there from the NHL. Beyond that, a relatively quiet night, and defensively there just isn’t enough of late.

Cale Makar – D

Makar admitted he didn’t have a great night after the game, and it’s hard to disagree. That being said, he was rusty after a few weeks off, so you had to expect it. The turnover on the game-tying goal may have just been a part of that rust.

Valeri Nichushkin – B

No shot attempts is disappointing, but more good work down low and a nice assist from his board work on the Calvert second goal. Another strong game from him.

Matt Nieto – D

Nieto was uncharacteristically sloppy in the defensive zone in the first period, with some turnovers he doesn’t usually make. No shot attempts from him on the night.

Mikko Rantanen – F

Mikko was really quiet in this one, to the point where I barely noticed him at all tonight. He hasn’t seemed himself since that four-point game in his return, and defensively, he’s just not good enough. The Avs need more from him.

Nikita Zadorov – C-

The puck bounced over his stick prior to the Wild power play goal, but I had a bigger issue along the wall. Felt like he could have gotten to that puck there. Did a good job to create a two on one in the second period but got way too fancy. Overall a pretty quiet game from him.