Avalanche looking to bounce back from shutouts in 3-game homestand
Avs take on the Devils next at Ball Arena
Don’t let their record fool you.
The Avalanche (7-3-0) begin a three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Devils with measured frustration. They were shut out in three of their last four, with road losses to Pittsburgh (4-0), Buffalo (4-0) and Vegas (7-0).
There’s no panic in the Avalanche dressing room — “You don’t win the Stanley Cup or make in the playoffs in November,” forward Andrew Cogliano said — but a recent standard of excellence that won a Cup is now missing from this new-look roster.
“As of late, it’s not good enough. That’s the only way of putting it,” Cogliano said. “We’re not individually doing enough to make sure we’re playing the right way at times. Making the right, simple decision. It seems like we’re complicating things in moments when we don’t have to. It seems like every team is gunning for us in terms of their play, and they make it count when we give opportunities.”
It’s easy to spot the simple mistakes that spiraled into catastrophe. Like on Sunday, in the Golden Knights defeat, when a lazy Valeri Nichushkin turnover along the boards in the Avalanche zone turned into a quick 3-0 deficit. Just one of many examples that make the team cringe while watching film.
“Our structure pieces are there at times and then they just fade off. At times, we look like we’re creating, and then we’re turning pucks over at bad times,” defenseman Devon Toews said. “We’re trying to make plays and trying to play fast. At times, we’re trying to do too much with it right now. That’s kind of forcing us on our heels and giving up odd-man rushes.”
Cogliano didn’t mince words when expressing the need for teammates to look within for necessary change. He said that “we know how we play here and know the level of commitment it takes.” Toews echoed that sentiment, failing to use building chemistry with new teammates as an excuse.
“No. We’re ten games in (after) a two-week training camp,” Toews said. “We should have our game and know what our game looks like. That’s the issue right now. We don’t know what our best game looks like. We don’t feel like we’ve gotten close to it in any game.”
They’ll have another chance Tuesday with an 8 p.m. puck drop against the upstart Devils at Ball Arena. New Jersey is missing star forwards Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes with injuries. The Avs are focused on solving their own issues. Colorado’s leading points producer Mikko Rantanen (14 in 10 games) has an idea for how to solve them.
“When things are not rolling, you’ve got to simplify a little bit,” Rantanen said. “Play a little dirtier hockey and try to get dirty goals. And defend your net like it’s your last day on earth.”
Coach Jared Bednar missed practice Monday with an illness, per a team spokesman. Forward Fredrik Olofsson was added to the injury report (upper body) and is considered day-to-day for return.





