Avs can't overcome bad start and David Pastrnak gets the hat trick

Colorado’s fate in Boston was decided in the first period. Running with the same lineup from the Ottawa game, the Avs received reinforcement between the pipes in Alexandar Georgiev, but it wasn’t what anyone hoped in their 5-2 loss.

Forty-four seconds into the game’s start, David Pastrnak threw the puck to the top of the crease from behind the net. After Pastrnak struggled in their last matchup in Denver, he was due to have a big game.

Cale Makar had the reach on the play, but Charlie Coyle got his stick on the loose puck and stopped Makar from retrieving it. Pastrnak was able to tag in and wrist the puck around on net with a spin.

Under five minutes into the period’s start, Jack Johnson failed to clear the puck around the boards after Boston dumped it in. Hampus Lindholm threw the puck to the far-post for Morgan Geekie.

Geekie tossed it across the crease and Jakub Lauko backhanded it past Georgiev. Too many Avs skaters moved wide to confront Lindholm, including Sam Malinski, caught a little lost in space who tried to race back to his lane.

Shortly after their first powerplay expired, the second unit remained on the ice. Malinski teed up Devon Toews up at the left-circle for the one-timer and it pinged off the back-wall. Miles Wood collected it and stuffed it backdoor past Jeremy Swayman. Wood was right where he needed to be and delivered another important goal after scoring in Ottawa.

Wood was a bright spot in this game. His line with Ross Colton and Logan O’Connor had the best possession metrics and they never stopped working.

Later came the moment of controversy. Pavel Zacha carried the puck deep into Colorado’s end and sent it to Parker Wortherspoon at the blueline. Wortherspoon sailed the puck toward the net and Jake Debrusk caught it in the slot with his stick blade and angled it in.

The play was reviewed for offsides, but the goal was upheld. NHL PR asserted that Zacha had possession and control of the puck before his skates crossed the edge of the blueline. The Avs successfully killed the delay of game penalty from the challenge, but the reasoning was a little suspect looking at Zacha’s entry and lack of control over the puck.

Georgiev allowed three goals on eleven shots. Two goals in the opening five minutes hurt the Avs, but their response wasn’t so much the issue. Boston led the shots battle in the first, but the Avs kept it closed and matched their high-danger opportunities.

The Avs launched their comeback inside the second period. O’Connor carried the puck along the perimeter and passed to Makar at the point. Makar gave the puck to Josh Manson opposite him, Manson wristed the puck to the net, and Nathan MacKinnon banged it home.

MacKinnon extended his point streak to 10 games after also posting a 19-game run earlier this season. He is the first Avalanche player to have multiple double-digit point streaks in the same season since Joe Sakic in 2005-06.

Late penalties from Manson and Coyle gave both teams the chance to start the period four-on-four, but the Avs continued to struggle on the powerplay.

Special teams didn’t have enough of impact. Their top unit in particular struggled to create anything meaningful through two opportunities (one shot on net) and their kill allowed a goal-against on one of three.

But, their second period was dominant. They won the possession, shots, and faceoff battle – but good teams don’t make comebacks so easy.

Boston locked it down in the third period. They allowed only four shots on net and one high-danger chance.

Josh Manson took a high-sticking penalty in his end late in the period, and Georgiev made the smart decision to leave the crease to touch the puck and stop the play right as Boston came on strong.

Colorado held Boston to five shots through two kills, but Pastrnak snuck inside him uncontested and converted on the man-advantage. Debrusk stepped ahead of Girard and fed a seam pass to Pastrnak at the opposite post.

The timing of the penalty really shut the door on this game.

By the end, Pastrnak jostled MacKinnon in his own end and threw him off enough for Coyle to take the puck from him. Coyle passed to Pastrnak to complete the hat trick into the empty net.

Goaltending was a difference maker in this contest. Swayman made more saves on dangerous chances despite allowing more rebounds, and that’s the difference: 32 saves to 26.

It wasn’t a perfect game from Colorado. Dangerous mistakes costed them in the first period, but they really needed a save.

After Georgiev earned the Ottawa game off, it was hoped he’d be well rested. He’s started 37 of their 46 games. He’s on pace to start 66 games at that clip – a career high – and yet, his current save percentage sits at a career low (0.896).

I believe Georgiev is better than this, but that’s simply a belief until it’s met with action. He’s headed to the All-Star Game and needs to do some soul searching.

There’s still three games on the schedule to attend to before then, so before he’s off on his goalie-meditation retreat, he’ll be called upon again. He’s also three games removed from a shutout.

He needs to channel the things that brought him success last year and just a few games ago against a good Vegas team.

Colorado has an afternoon in Philadelphia before they return home. It’d be nice to finish this road trip 3-2-0.