Final game story is . In their third-to-last game of the season, the Avs beat Nashville 3-2 on Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center.
Joey Hishon broke a 2-2 tie 7:06 into the third period on a 1-on-2 rush generated by linemate Marc-Andre Cliche. Hishon was promoted to the Cliche-centered third line after winger Dennis Everberg suffered a likely season-ending shoulder injury:
Hishon had two shots and was plus-1 in 10:50. He played 1:39 on the power play.
I’m no cheerleader, but anybody who knows what Joey Hishon has gone through has to be really happy for him. To know him is a bonus.
— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers)
Jordan Caron played just 3:19 (five shifts) and had no shots (and only one hit). Fellow fourth-liner Freddie Hamilton played 4:51 (seven shifts) and had zeros across the board (except losing one faceoff). Max Talbot is missed. Hamilton has some upside but the Avs clearly have talent or confidence issues on their fourth line. The Talbot trade to Boston, along with Paul Carey, for Caron and a sixth-rounder looks like a steal for the Bruins. Carey for Caron in itself is a win for Boston. Time will tell.
Ryan O’Reilly had another solid game (goal, plus-1, three shots, 16-9 faceoffs, two takeaways). If he had played this good from the get-go …:
Defenseman Nick Holden was second on the Avs in ice time (23:40). He was plus-1 and a penalty killer on Nashville’s power-play goal. In the final minutes of the game and Nashville on a 6-on-5 attack, Holden had time and space but tried to ice the puck — high and hard off the glass. The blanket “high and hard” or ringing it from behind the net is so scoutable. Why forecheck when you know the D is going to try to clear it hard off the walls? Why defend the middle? Not sure if that was a set play, because it followed Nashville’s time out, but Brad Stuart (team-high 24:24) was doing the same thing at the time. The Avs might be better off using Tyson Barrie in those situations, to make a play up the middle to avoid the obvious.
Gabe Landeskog “is definitely proud of the guys” after being outshot 9-1 to begin the game:
Jarome Iginla had his team-high 27th goal and played 22:02, most among forwards
Avs coach Patrick Roy said the 3-2 win over Nashville was “very entertaining for our fans”
