Avs Game 5 Grades: Outbattled

Dryden Hunt – INC We’ve always said in this space that we aren’t grading guys when they play under five minutes. Hunt got to Denver about 3 AM and had a short video session and one morning skate to figure it all out. It’s no wonder he only played 4:27.

Bowen Byram – A-

Defensively, Byram was very good in his promotion alongside Makar. Offensively, he finished with a goal and an assist as he factored in both Avalanche goals. It was another reminder what a talent he truly is.

Andrew Cogliano – C

I didn’t have a huge problem with Cogliano in this game and would’ve graded him a little higher but he couldn’t put home a Newhook feed early in the game that should’ve been a goal. It was a good defensive play, but if Cogliano is going to continue to play alongside skill guys, he has to make skill plays.

J.T. Compher – C

Everything about Compher’s game was just okay, but he played over 19 minutes and managed just two shot attempts and wasn’t involved in any scoring chances of any kind offensively. He and Newhook are trying to find a spark as a “2C” but this is consistent with Compher’s career when playing up in the lineup.

Pavel Francouz – B-

I thought Francouz was mighty good in this game up until the game-winning goal. I’m just not sure what he’s doing as MacDermid at least forced Kuhlman wide on the play and the angle was cut down entirely. How do you give that up five hole?

Samuel Girard – C+

Another guy whose game was just fine to me. I saw the puck moving off his stick quickly and he skated out of some danger in his own zone, but did little to stem the tide when the Kraken were pushing hard. Was more aggressive than we’re accustomed to seeing running the second power play unit.

Erik Johnson – F

The ‘F’ stands for “flailing” as much as “failing” because Johnson got in trouble several times tonight and instead of keeping his wits about him, he went down and just flailed wildly. It was quite ineffective. He and Manson continue their brutal showing as a PK pairing.

Martin Kaut – F

Started on the “second” line and finished on the fourth, just barely above the cut-off line for getting a grade. I imagine him failing to corral and successfully exit the defensive zone on back-to-back shifts, one of which led to a goal against, had something to do with the demotion.

Artturi Lehkonen – C

He had a nice wraparound opportunity on the first shift of the game and then wasn’t seen or heard from for the majority of the game. Got moved down in the lineup for the middle of the game before the end of the game. Very quiet night.

Nathan MacKinnon – C

Was involved in some opportunities, but didn’t capitalize on any of them. He was skating hard and using his body, but was far from the dominant player we’ve seen so far this year.

Cale Makar – D

Like MacKinnon, Makar just wasn’t the impact guy we’re accustomed to seeing most nights. Pucks were sliding off his stick, which has been a weird theme for him to start this year, and he wasn’t aggressive at all offensively. A passive Makar is an ineffective Makar.

Josh Manson – D

At first blush, I thought Johnson was the guy to blame on Seattle’s first goal. I’ve watched it a few times after and Manson abandoning the center of the ice to attack a player with no shooting threat is a very questionable call. Had a great scoring chance and missed the net by what appeared to be several feet.

Jayson Megna – INC

Like Hunt, he played under five minutes. Somehow was on the ice for a goal against despite playing just 4:30. That’s a nightmare for a fourth line.

Alex Newhook – C

This grade is complicated. On one hand, Newhook was by far the most impactful he had been all season on offense. He was robbed twice by Philipp Grubauer and had a couple more scoring chances slip away from him. You love him being involved in that, but he needed to finish something. He didn’t, then took an offensive zone penalty in the final minutes to keep the Avs from ever mounting a late-game push to tie the game. There was a lot of good, but the big penalty at the end and lack of finish brought this grade down.

Valeri Nichushkin – B+

Two assists and looked very good again. His game appears to have taken another step forward and his two-way impact is as good as it ever has been.

Logan O’Connor – C

I continue to struggle with LOC’s game. He doesn’t look comfortable, he’s not making much of an impact anywhere, and I don’t love anything he’s doing. The opposite of Newhook, I didn’t love his game but his big contribution was the play to kickstart the game-tying shorthanded goal by Byram. Great play there, lacking elsewhere.

Mikko Rantanen – C

Almost tied the game at the end with that cute little chip play he likes so much when standing alongside the goaltender, but it hit the post instead. It was an average game beyond that.

Evan Rodrigues – B

I think Rodrigues has slowly been getting a little better and this was easily his best game as an Av. Got his first goal in Colorado, which was nice, but overall was a much more effective two-way player. Strong night.

Kurtis MacDermid – D

The Avs are going to be worn out at the top of the roster if the negligence of the fourth line continues and their sixth defenseman only plays 8:46. MacDermid got beat in a footrace by Kuhlman on the game-winning goal but he did as well as he really could in that situation. His biggest problem remains he’s just not very good, especially on defense. His skating is a gigantic outlier on this team. He definitely won his fight with Oleksiak, though.