Avs-Panthers Player Grades - MacK Attack

SUNRISE, FLA. – The Colorado Avalanche snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday night at the BB&T Center (formerly known as National Car Rental Center, Office Depot Center and BankAtlantic Center) with a 7-3 drubbing of the Florida Panthers.

The Avs played 11 forwards, seven defensemen and one goalie. How did they fare? Let’s take a look…

Gabe Landeskog (B) – He played nearly 21 minutes, despite getting drilled into the boards in the first period, from behind, by Jonathan Huberdeau. How that wasn’t a penalty, I have no idea. But at least we have the competent Department of Player Safety to look toward for potential retribution, right?

Nathan MacKinnon (A) – We all were treated to one of those great shake-and-bake, split-the-D, make-the-goalie-look-like-the-fool goals. And it was a uuuugggge goal, too. The Avs were kind of just farting around out there, down 2-1, when MacK seized the game and beat James Reimer like a rented mule to tie it. The Avs calmed down and outplayed the Cats from here. Let’s admire that goal again:

Mikko Rantanen (B+) – Mikko got the Avs off to a good start with a rebound putback goal. He still gets a little too casual with the puck in the neutral zone for my taste, but his play in the offensive zone was on point tonight.

Erik Johnson (A) – He left the ice after taking a blocked shot, and so there was a lot of worry right after the game. But breathe easy y’all, I’m told he’s OK. He scored for a second straight game (a lucky deflection, but so what) and was his usual big, mobile self.

Sam Girard (C) – Of the seven D-men that suited up for Jared Bednar, Girard played the fewest minutes (9:18). There were long stretches in the first period, in fact, where he sat planted on the bench. Has Bednar lost some faith in Le Petit Prince? I doubt it’s that serious, but there’s no question Girard’s play hasn’t had that ‘wow’ factor of his first few games.

Tyson Jost (C) – Not much to speak of statistically, but I thought he was pretty responsible defensively at least. He continued to get some power-play time for the second straight game. Putting the puck in the net (one goal in his 18 NHL games) continues to be a struggle, however.

Alexander Kerfoot (B+) – He played only 11-plus minutes, but his deflection of Tyson Barrie’s point shot put the Avs ahead to stay in the second period. I thought he was good with the puck, making nice transition plays. He has nine goals now on the season.

J.T. Compher (A) – He made a great crossing pass to set up Colin Wilson’s third-period goal that really salted the game away, at 5-2. He added another assist and was really strong on the penalty kill in his 3:12 of SH time.

Nikita Zadorov (C) – He was caught flat-footed on Denis Malgin’s breakaway goal that put Florida up 2-1 in the second, and just wasn’t too involved offensively. He did settle down to play mostly mistake-free defense after the Malgin gaffe, though.

Mark Barberio (B+) – I thought he was…good…tonight. He played 16:10 of solid defensive hockey and added an assist. Since being benched by Bednar for one game, he has responded with better play. That’s a testament to his professionalism.

Matt Nieto (A) – A three-point night for Neets (an empty-net goal and assist on another empty-netter, but hey…). I thought he was good on the PK, especially on that four-minute Barrie penalty in the second.

Carl Soderberg (A+) – He had a three-point night, but was even better defensively, especially on the PK. He had a team-high six shots on goal and appears to have gotten his groove back.

Blake Comeau (A) – Along with linemates Soderberg and Nieto, he was outstanding, with two assists and strong work on the PK. He really has had a nice bounce-back year to this point.

Anton Lindholm (C+) – I still am feeling pretty nervous when he has the puck these days, but he had a better outing than the previous game in Tampa. I think he still needs to keep learning how to process the game faster in his head, and I think that comes with experience, especially on defense.

Tyson Barrie (B-) – He made a really bad decision going in for a change at the end of the first period, which exposed a gaping hole on the left side that Aaron Ekblad expoited with a tying goal with 2.7 seconds left. But he helped make up for his with the primary assist on Kerfoot’s go-ahead goal.

Patrik Nemeth (B) – A nice showing from the big Swede, who got an assist and was a plus-1 in more than 18 minutes. He plays with a bit of an edge, which I think this team needs as much of as it can get.

Colin Wilson (A) – Real nice game for Wilson, who scored a goal and was strong on the puck overall. He makes a lot of good fundamental decisions with the puck, such as always making that extra stride hit the red line to avoid icing.

Sven Andrighetto (B) – He got an assist and skated hard, though he played only a little more than 13 minutes. He can still drive you a bit crazy with his decision-making in the offensive zone, but for one night at least, he was fine.

Semyon Varlamov (A-) – Florida put 42 shots on Varly, which is too much. One of the goals against was a breakaway and another came after a boneheaded line change. The other goal came late in the game when it had already been decided. When it was 2-1 Florida, I thought Varly got stronger and wouldn’t allow his team to blow this very winnable game.