Colorado used Minnesota to show the world what a real Stanley Cup contender looks like

There are statement games and there’s whatever the Colorado Avalanche just did to the Minnesota Wild.

Following a 5-1 thrashing two nights ago that featured the Avs dropping 54 shots on goal and generally embarrassing the Wild, it was fair to expect some pushback from Minnesota. This was a team that had been playing some of the best hockey in the league coming into this series, after all.

But fast forward just 4:31 into the game and the Avs were already up 1-0 and leading 9-1 in shots on goal. From there, the Wild didn’t ever really muster anything of their own. To give in to the cliche, they were simply buried underneath an avalanche, of, well, Avalanche goals in a 6-0 loss.

It was again the top line from the Avs doing the heavy lifting today as their tour de force two nights ago just continued right along today. This was another reminder that when the Wild leave Denver, they may go right back to winning the majority of their games but when push comes to shove, they simply don’t have a player, let alone three of them, at the caliber of Colorado’s top line.

Rookie sensation Kirill Kaprizov may well get there pretty soon as he appears headed for an easy Calder Trophy victory as the league’s best rookie but he’s not in the class of Colorado’s three-headed monster. Even if you think he is, there certainly isn’t anyone else riding shotgun that can keep up with him.

That’s really where this two-game series got away from the Wild. Despite having an excellent defense with guys like Jared Spurgeon, Matt Dumba, Ryan Suter, and Jonas Brodin, they couldn’t contain Colorado’s top line.

Not even close.

Not even a little bit.

Not even at all.

After combining for ten points on Thursday, Colorado’s three-headed monster combined for another seven this afternoon. When you consider the quality of the Minnesota defense, arguably their greatest strength, this destruction is why the trio has long been lauded among the league’s elite lines.

I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat myself to stress the importance: this was a big series. The Wild were looking like one of the unexpected division contenders in the NHL and they were coming into Denver with a chance to make a statement that they belonged.

What they found was a motivated Avalanche team playing its best hockey of the season and getting just enough good luck to go along with their dominant possession.

What they found was they aren’t even close to Colorado. Not yet. Maybe in a year or two when the Avs have to lose guys to free agency and some of the Wild’s young talent breaks into the league.

Maybe.

But today? This series pushed the Avs to 4-1-1 against the Wild on the season and this was the third blowout win for the Avs this year.

Minnesota is a pretender. Most contenders start by pretending to be the real thing before growing up. Look at Colorado two years ago.

On the other side of the ice, this was the Avalanche team we expected coming in. Granted, this level of domination was a little much but when you’re hot, you’re hot. That’s just how the game goes sometimes.

Looking ahead, Colorado gets a back-to-back against Arizona where they have to avoid the major letdown potential of that series before a highly anticipated set against the division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.

This series was Colorado’s first test as they head into the second half of their season to see where they are against their top competition.

Colorado aced this test. Onto the next.

TAKEAWAYS

• I was very curious what the Avs would look like against a team with two solid goaltenders. Cam Talbot has long been a quality NHL netminder who just couldn’t quite get his game to his highest level often enough to be a true starter on a contender but he’s still a good goalie. Then you have one of the early revelations of the season, Kaapo Kahkonen, who was the AHL Goaltender of the Year last year. Seeing his jump to the NHL was going to be interesting and he’s been spectacular. Watching the Avs absolutely light these two guys up was really something just a week after struggling to score against Cal Petersen and the Arizona Coyotes. It speaks to the potential of this team when it’s at its apex. The Avalanche can be special. Too often this year they haven’t been but the past two weeks have been a major breakout for the club.
• Philipp Grubauer is almost boring in his consistency this year. Exactly what you want to see from him. He has always been at his best when he’s locked in and tracking pucks well. Economy of motion at its finest. He isn’t a great goaltender for highlight-reel saves because he’s so frequently reading the play and putting himself in prime position to make the stops look so…routine.
• Cale Makar is such a special talent. My goodness. Even the little things he does can be hilarious when you see him live because even on the ice against the best of the best, he stands out as a guy who just separates himself as different. The Avs survived his injury and with guys like Toews and Girard around, they are built to withstand Makar having some problems here and there, but when Makar is healthy he is a complete game-changing force. An absolute superstar on defense. The Quinn Hughes stuff was fun and cute last year but you see where they’re headed right now in their careers and it really reinforces how special Makar is. Hughes is one of the best offensive defensemen to come along in the last 30 years and Makar’s two-way excellence dwarfs Hughes. That’s no disrespect to Hughes, of course, but a testament to how special Makar is. He’s going to contend for the Norris Trophy this year, barring further injury absences.
• On the back of five power plays, Minnesota broke the 30-SOG barrier today, ending an 18-game stretch of the Avs preventing their opponent from getting to 30. The Avs have only given up 30 SOG to their opponents five times this year, twice to the Wild.
• A final note that I included in my trade story but adding here for extra signal boost: The Avs are chartering a flight to get newly-acquired Jonas Johansson to Denver. That makes him a viable option to play for the Avs in the Arizona back-to-back as the private flight means Johansson will not have to quarantine after arriving in Denver. The Avs felt a sense of urgency to get someone in right away and this at least makes Johansson an option. If he doesn’t go, Adam Werner will likely be the next in line to get a look in net.