Arizona Coyotes fans probably thought they were watching a replay of Game 4 on Wednesday. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a replay. The Colorado Avalanche thrashed the Coyotes 7-1 in back-to-back games to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Even though the Coyotes managed to win one game, the Avalanche dominated the series. Colorado outscored Arizona 22-8, and their powerplay went 7-20, an absurd 35% scoring rate.
“We’re a hungry group,” said Nathan MacKinnon, assistant captain of the Colorado Avalanche, in the Game 5 press conference.
Before the NHL halted their seasons in March, the Avalanche struggled to keep their stars on the ice. Key players such as Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen, and Nazem Kadri missed a total of 76 games this season. Yet, the Avalanche still finished second in the Western Conference and only two points back from the St. Louis Blues.
The constant for the Avalanche this season has been Nathan MacKinnon. The Hart Memorial Trophy finalist, the award given to the league’s most valuable player, ranked top ten in goals, assists, points, and points per game during the regular season. His unreal offensive ability plus his recent growth on defense is a huge reason the Avalanche rank top five in Goals For (237) and Goals Against (191).
Now that the Avalanche are healthy, they are ready to dominate the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The healthy line of MacKinnon-Landeskog-Rantanen has torched the league since the restart. All three players have combined for 31 points in eight games, with MacKinnon leading the NHL in playoff points. The Avalanche have not surrendered a goal with all three of them on the ice.
While MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen form one of the most dangerous top lines in the league, the recent surge in the Avalanche’s plays has come from newcomers.
Nazem Kadri, who is tied for first in playoff goals, has warranted extra attention from opposing coaches and players this season.
“[Kadri] is one of those guys that can help out in all areas of the game,” Landeskog said about Kadri’s impact on the team.
Coaches are still trying to figure out rookie sensation Cale Makar, who finished second on the team in points. Other contributors such as Andre Burakovsky, J.T. Compher, and Joonas Donskoi also provide excellent scoring chances.
The depth of the Avalanche suffocates opposing teams as coaches nor players can take a shift off. The Avalanche’s young core is anchored by experienced veterans. Opposing teams have to anticipate Colorado’s scrappiness and speed, but their game plan goes out the window with MacKinnon’s ability to dangle through an entire defense.
As the Avalanche skated off the ice in San Jose after a disappointing Game 7 loss, the atmosphere in the locker room was not despair. It wasn’t the end of a dynasty, but perhaps the beginning of a new one.
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