Cale Makar's heroics push Avalanche across finish line

As Colorado’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks developed tonight, there were plenty of interesting storylines that seemed to take center stage for a time.

First, the Avs jumped all over the Hawks and built a 2-0 lead after a dominant first period that could have been 3-0 without an excellent save from Marc-Andre Fleury to stonewall Tyson Jost on the doorstep.

That save helped propel the game into its second phase, which was the Hawks pushing back and making it a 2-1 game as they were the better team in the second period.

Then came a third period where the Avs put themselves behind the eight ball by giving Chicago a lengthy two-man advantage, which they capitalized on via an Alex DeBrincat one-timer.

DeBrincat scored on the other power play after getting the five-on-three goal and it put the Avs down 3-2.

At that point, the story was a game the Avs were thoroughly in control of that had not only slipped away but they were now in very real danger of losing in regulation.

Colorado flipped the script once again, however, as Erik Johnson tied the goal by following the classic hockey axiom of getting a puck on net and hoping something good happens. It worked as an otherwise innocuous-looking shot attempt found just enough of Jake McCabe’s skate to deflect in past Fleury and tie the game at 3.

Entering overtime, it was a wonder how the Avs would find to lose this game because not only have the Avs been atrocious in overtime the last three seasons, but the Hawks were somehow already 6-4 in the extra session this year.

Instead, the Avs dominated faceoffs, survived a Jonathan Toews shot that beat Darcy Kuemper but rang off the post (karmic justice after the Avs hit four posts, two in overtime alone).

Then came Cale Makar’s moment.

From his first NHL game, the third game of their playoff series against the Calgary Flames all the way back in the spring of 2018 (I call them the Before Times), Makar has consistently made big plays for the Avalanche.

It hasn’t always happened, of course, but there have been enough glimpses of his superhuman capabilities that moments like tonight are going to line his career highlight reel. He’s a special player and right now, nobody knows that better than poor Kirby Dach.

You see, Dach is the poor forward who followed Makar up the wall as Makar carried the puck seemingly out of harm’s way. Then, Makar cut back hard, ditched Dach and deked Fleury just hard enough that the future Hall of Fame goaltender bit hard on the forehand and saw Makar go backhand and finish top shelf.

Just like that, the hockey world stopped and appreciated the moment. Social media exploded. My brain did, too.

If you’re reading this, you’ve no doubt watched the Makar goal. Normally, I don’t post clips in postgame stuff but, I mean, come on.

Elite play by Cale Makar to win the game in overtime 🥬🥬🥬 pic.twitter.com/cCbxdDVSKN

— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) January 5, 2022

You know the word you produce when you smash your face on the keyboard and roll it across? It looks something like aawsfredgjyuilohuilkiouliooil.

That’s the noise the hockey world collectively made as it stopped to appreciate Makar’s brilliance.

He had bailed out the Avs from losing a game they shouldn’t have. Ultimately, they didn’t, and they moved within striking distance of the division lead despite having games in hand on, well, everybody.

I’ve written countless words about how special Makar is. This is another reminder, sure, but his ascent into the truly elite territory is genuinely breathtaking at times.

His winning the Calder and then coming a very close second in last year’s Norris Trophy voting feels like unfinished business. That’s just hardware Makar doesn’t really care about, though, and you know what he’s really after.

As special talent has accumulated in Colorado in recent years, it is Makar’s realization of his nearly-limitless potential that has put renewed faith in Colorado’s ability to genuinely chase a Stanley Cup and usher in a second golden era in the last 25 years.

There isn’t much analysis to be had from my seat in this one. I’m just taking in the moment and appreciating a special moment from a special player. Whenever Makar’s career is over, the goal he scored tonight will be a major feature in his highlight reel.

I think for tonight we can stop obsessing over what this win does or does not mean for Colorado’s preparedness for the postseason and just enjoy the shine of a truly great moment.

TAKEAWAYS

• Erik Johnson with five goals on the season and Nathan MacKinnon with just three is simply not something I saw coming. I would’ve guessed MacKinnon would have had five goals the first week of the season before guessing EJ would have more goals than MacK on the morning of January 5.
• MacKinnon’s three goals continue to be an interesting talking point. Some are frustrated because that’s just not enough goals for your superstar player. On the flip side, however, MacKinnon has failed to score in just one of the 19 games he’s played this year. With 28 points in those 19 games, he’s on an 82-game pace of a 120-point season. Of course, at this current rate, 107 of those points would be assists. He’s still shooting and he beat Fleury twice tonight only to find the post behind him. It’s an interesting conversation as to whether it really matters if MacKinnon’s points are distributed as goals or assists, just so long as he keeps producing at an elite rate.
• It was a great ending but I do want to say something in particular in this space. I occasionally go out of my way to give love to Tyson Jost, sometimes because I know it drives a couple of our commenters crazy but mostly because I love watching him play and appreciate him for what he is. That said, he made two game-changing plays tonight that both went against the Avs. His failure to finish on the backdoor play from unbelievable passing from Makar and Devon Toews kept the Hawks in the game. Then his delay of game penalty in the third when they were halfway through killing a penalty? Just not good enough. He simply isn’t good enough to overcome poor decisions and execution like this. A bad night for Jost. Now you can’t say I never criticized him. You know who you are 😉
• I feel for Darcy Kuemper. He didn’t really do anything seriously wrong in this and three pucks ended up behind him. I can nitpick some things here and there and I’d love a save on the second DeBrincat goal but he’s a high-end shooter wide open in the slot. As much as I’d love a save, I’d love for J.T. Compher to not cosplay a matador and actually attempt to play some defense there.