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Flames’ Josh Jooris checks Avs’ Jarome Iginla. (Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY — The Avalanche was 0-3 on the power play in a 3-2 loss to Calgary Monday night, and that’s been the norm in a season in which Colorado’s 13.5-percent success rate on the PP is the second-worst in the NHL.
“We had our chances, and I wish there was a recipe to it,” said Alex Tanguay, who had one of the Avalanche’s (even-strength) goals. “We just haven’t been able to produce all year on the PP. . . We try and move the puck, we had some looks, (Jarome Iginla) had the shot that went through the crease, it could easily have hit me or (Ryan) O’Reilly and gone in. You look at the chances, the way we battled tonight, yeah, maybe the power play wasn’t up to snuff, but I thought we played a solid gave and deserved the same result that they did, but unfortunately, there was only one team that could get that.”
Captain Gabe Landeskog, who had his 11th goal in 18 games, said the Avalanche’s two shots on goal on the power plays wasn’t indicative of the pressure quotient.
“The first two power plays we had in the first period, Tyson (Barrie) had three or four from the top, and some missed the net, but I think that’s a shooting mentality,” said Landeskog. “No doubt, our power play needs to be better and that’s the moral of the story this year.”
Said Avalanche coach Patrick Roy: “We moved the puck well. They defend well, they blocked a lot of shots, and I thought our power play did a lot of good things out there. Obviously, (the Avs) didn’t score … but at the same time, I thought we moved the puck well. They did a good job winning faceoffs. Every power play we had, they won the faceoff and we were burning 20-25 seconds on every one of them.”
Footnotes:
— Although veteran center Jesse Winchester, who hasn’t played this season after suffering a concussion in an exhibition game at Calgary, came on the trip, he didn’t suit up against the Flames.
Joey Hishon, who hadn’t played the previous five games because of neck and elbow injuries, did return to the lineup, though, and centered the fourth line between Daniel Briere and Jordan Caron. Freddie Hamilton was scratched.
Briere suffered an injured foot when blocking a shot and was limping badly after the game in the dressing room and on the walk to the bus. The eye test was that he’s unlikely to be able to play against Edmonton.
— The Avalanche is practicing Tuesday afternoon in Edmonton, and then won’t have a morning skate Wednesday before meeting the Oilers in a 6 p.m. game.
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or twitter.com/TFrei
