Avs-Kings Grades: Horror show

The Colorado Avalanche lost 3-1 on the road to the Los Angeles Kings. Below are player grades.

Mark Alt (C-) – I didn’t really mind him tonight but there were a few more hiccups than in previous games. He’s been fine enough to stay in the lineup at least.

Sven Andrighetto (B) – Lack of finish is the holding thing holding him back from breaking through as a real offensive force in the NHL. He’s a lightning quick (not necessarily fast) skater who is great on his edges. His hands are quick and he has a high skill level, which was on display tonight with his ridiculous pass to Kerfoot. Nights like tonight are the ones that scream “top six NHL player.”

Tyson Barrie (B) – Barrie was poor on the power play but his even strength numbers really stood out. He was a positive shot-driving force at even strength and the team was at its most dangerous when he was on the ice.

Jonathan Bernier (F) – This was not the night the Avalanche needed from Bernier. You can argue about the quality of the second goal (I thought it was soft)

Gabriel Bourque (D+) – The fourth line got crushed but Bourque did plenty of crushing of his own, doling out five hits and showing himself as one of the few Avs to match the physicality of the Kings.

Blake Comeau (C) – This line just sort of disappeared but wasn’t terrible at the same time. They simply existed.

J.T. Compher (D) – Not a good night at even strength. I did like some of his contributions on the power play and in the 6v5 situation at the end of the game. He’s a competitive guy.

Samuel Girard (A) – Loved his game tonight. He was very good defensively and moved the puck well on offense. This was a banner game for Girard. The coaching staff clearly agreed with his heavy deployment. This was a glimpse into a star’s future.

Tyson Jost (B-) – I thought he was competitive and solid tonight. His skating is bothersome and against a heavy team like LA it really shows up.

Alexander Kerfoot (B+) – He has returned from the dead. Really solid return from the fourth line. He was great tonight.

Gabriel Landeskog (F) – NOT. GOOD. ENOUGH.

Nathan MacKinnon (F) – Seriously! Not good enough! What has happened to this line??

Patrik Nemeth (D) – Weak defensively. In a game against a big, heavy team, Nemeth should be able to step up and match that physicality and thrive. Instead, he looked overwhelmed by the moment and shrank from the challenge of the Kings.

Matt Nieto (C) – Not much to say here. I did see him get rocked several times while trying to make a play and I appreciate his toughness. He

Mikko Rantanen (F) – Are we sure he played? Seriously, though, his hesitance to shoot on the power play has made them very predictable and easily defended. What makes them dangerous is when he’s putting fear into opponents and right now he’s simply deferring when the opposing PK gets aggressive on him at all.

Carl Soderberg (C) – A guy who is physically built to handle this matchup instead just wilted like the flower from Beauty and the Beast. It’s kind of sad to watch a player whose mindset betrays the potential his frame offers.

David Warsofsky (D) – I’m going to come off as his biggest hater when all is said and done and I am telling you that I can absolutely live with that. The upside is theoretical only. The reality hasn’t shown any upside to exist.

Colin Wilson (F) – It’s obvious he isn’t healthy right now and isn’t prepared to contribute to this team’s playoff race. It was a ROUGH night for him despite the assist.

Nikita Zadorov (B) – I thought he handled himself well in a hostile, physical environment. He had no issues throwing huge hits and making plays all night. He was effective on both ends and I really liked what he brought to the table overall.