The Avalanche came charging into the second round of the NHL playoffs juiced up from a megawatt power play that had converted 28.3 percent of its chances against the Dallas Stars in five games. Then the Avs ran into a hot Pacific Division team and their power play was shut down faster than Three Mile Island.
It was the 2004 playoffs when the Avs’ power-play success rate was cut from 28.3 to 11.1 percent by the San Jose Sharks. Colorado dropped the first three games against the Sharks, staged a two-game rally, then fell in six games.
Sound familiar? For Avalanche fans, it should. The similarities between that series and this year’s against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are eerie.
Defenseman Rob Blake, who played one of the best games of his Avalanche career Tuesday night in Game 3, credited Anaheim defenseman Scott Niedermayer for much of Colorado’s troubles.
“Niedermayer pretty much controls that whole penalty kill every time he’s out there, so we’ve got to find a way to get around him,” Blake said.
The Avalanche of 2004 saw a 17.2 percent drop in power-play efficiency from the first to second rounds. This year the difference is 17.9 percent, as the Avs are 0-for-19 against the Mighty Ducks after getting three power-play goals against the Sharks (3-for-27 overall) in 2004.
Colorado hopes for some success in perhaps hockey’s most important playoff statistic in tonight’s Game 4. Otherwise, it will be lights out. The Avs have never been swept in a playoff series and want to be able to keep saying that after tonight. The power play probably needs to get off its current 0-for-28 schneid if that is to happen.
“Obviously we haven’t done the job as a power-play unit,” said Avs captain Joe Sakic, who has one assist in the series. “Our power play has to find a way to get the job done.”
One of Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville’s maxims came true in Game 3: If you don’t convert on your 5-on-3s, you don’t win the game. The Avs had two 5-on-3 advantages but let the sport’s best opportunity slip away in a 4-3 overtime loss.
“Score,” was what Quenneville said when asked what his team needed to do on the power play. “That may be sarcastic. … But we have to find a way to put the puck in the net.”
Quenneville tried mixing things up in Game 3, including moving Blake down low and playing Alex Tanguay on the point. Nothing worked.
Avalanche veteran Andrew Brunette said power-play success boils down to work – and a little luck.
“We got some bounces in the first round, and a bounce or two (Tuesday) night on our power play, and it’s a totally different situation right now,” Brunette said. “But the bottom line is we have to come ready to work as hard as we have and try to win just one game, nothing else. Otherwise, we’re going home.”
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
