SAN JOSE, Calif. — Good effort, tough loss for the Avalanche late Thursday night in San Jose, where the Sharks emerged 4-2 winners at SAP Center. The game story includes the Avs’ playoff fate — which will be determined in their regular-season final Saturday against St. Louis at the Pepsi Center.
The Avs will remain in San Jose until Friday morning, choosing to get a full night’s sleep instead of traveling and returning to Denver around 3:30 a.m. They will not practice Friday but have a morning skate Saturday.
THREE STARS
- Martin Jones. Sharks goalie (23 saves) made some game-saving stops.
- Logan Couture. Had a goal and an assist for San Jose.
- Joonas Donskoi. Sharks forward made a great play to produce the game-winning goal.
coach Jared Bednar after 4-2 loss at San Jose. Their playoff fate will be determined Saturday against St. Louis at the Pepsi Center.
— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers)
WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
The tight game featured just three combined power plays, and each team scored one goal with the man-advantage.
NEXT UP
St. Louis, Saturday, Pepsi Center 7 p.m.
TAKEAWAYS
Nine-game drought. Nathan MacKinnon’s Hart Trophy candidacy is slipping like the Avs’ playoff hopes. MacKinnon’s goal-scoring drought grew to nine games Thursday — although the star center had a handful of Grade-A chances and a shot off the crossbar in the third period.
Colorado is just 2-5-1 in its last eighth games — a direct result of MacKinnon’s offensive woes.
The last game of the regular season will determine the Avs’ playoff fate, and if they defeat St. Louis in regulation on Saturday at the Pepsi Center, they’re in. If the Blues lose in regulation Friday at Chicago, Colorado will make the playoffs with a regulation or overtime win against the Blues.
Colorado defenseman Tyson Barrie was minus-3 in a game-high 28:02. It’s high risk, high reward for Barrie, who had a second assist on Mikko Rantanen’s power-play goal.
Colorado outhit San Jose 23-18 but the Sharks blocked 28 shots to the Avs’ 18. Both teams had six giveaways.
