The Avalanche hasn’t trailed during its seven-game winning streak and its remarkable month-long success in penalty killing has last season’s worst NHL team on the playoff bubble with games in hand over most teams in front of it.
With 51 points, Colorado has multiple games in hand over Minnesota and Dallas, which are tied for the two Western Conference wildcard playoff spots with 53 points.
On the PK, the Avs were 2-for-2 Monday against the and have now killed off 48 of their last 50 disadvantage situations. Their PK is now 131-for-155 (84.5 percent) on the season, second in the league behind the (87.1). On home ice, the Avs’ penalty-kill leads the league at 92.1 percent (70-for-76).
“We’re having fun — winning is fun,” Avs defenseman said after Monday’s 3-1 triumph at the . “We have a really tight group. Guys really care about one another and I think you see that on the ice. Everyone is binding to their roles and getting the job done when they step out there. Itap a lot of fun
to come to the rink right now.”
1,500 milestone. Colorado-based NHL referees Dave Jackson and Brad Watson worked Monday’s game, and Jackson was honored during the second media timeout for becoming just the sixth ref to work 1,500 games in the league. Jackson and Watson both live in Highlands Ranch and had their families at the game.
Jackson, 53, has worked the most games among active referees, and Watson, 56, is the oldest. Jackson is retiring after this season but Watson last week agreed to work another year.
Footnotes. Anaheim forward J.T. Brown, who was claimed off waivers from the on Sunday, made his Ducks’ debut on the second line with center Ryan Kesler. … Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano saw his 830-game ironman streak end after being issued a two-game suspension by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Sunday. Cogliano, 30, had never previously missed a game since entering the league in 2007 at age 20. … Former Avalanche defenseman , who was bought out by Colorado last summer, was scratched by the Ducks. … Colorado’s lone healthy scratch was defenseman David Warsofsky. Forwards , and defenseman remain out with injuries.
