The sense of urgency for a return to winning Avalanche hockey has reached new heights.
Colorado practiced Friday fresh off a 10-day road trip that concluded with four defeats and one win. It piled on to a miserable stretch in which the Avs have lost 10 of 12 games. They haven’t won in consecutive outings since late November and are trending toward mediocrity at 21-18-8.
Now, just three home games — Kings on Saturday, Predators on Monday and Wild on Wednesday — stand between the Avs and the All-Star break to establish momentum before the NHL season’s second half.
“Itap three playoff games,” winger said. “We should look at it like that.”
What ails Colorado ranges from sub-par goaltending ( ranks No. 30 in the NHL with a .906 save percentage) to lack of reserve scoring (the Avs’ top line accounts for 76 of the team’s 159 total goals). Among the worse indicators of their now six-week slide? Half of Colorado’s last 10 defeats were against teams with losing records.
“It starts with our competitiveness and being ready to play,” coach said. “Itap got to be every night. Itap not every night right now. … If itap not there, then there’s no use looking at anything else. Thatap got to be a prerequisite to the game.”
Colorado began the season with the NHL’s eighth youngest roster (26.3). On Thursday, the Avs sent Tyson Jost, 20, down to the AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles after a slow start to the season. The Avalanche selected Jost No. 10 overall in the 2016 draft.
“I think thatap an easy excuse to say, ‘We’re young now, we’ll figure it out,’” defenseman said. “I think for too long now we’ve been hoping things are going to change or hoping that things work out or hoping that things get better. And we’re not playing well enough, quite frankly.”
Of course, it hasn’t been all bad for Colorado. The top-line trio of Rantanen, center and winger will each represent the Avs for All-Star festivities Jan. 25-26 in San Jose, Calif. Itap the first time three Colorado teammates will be featured since 2004 (, Rob Blake and ).
“Obviously our top line has been fantastic,” Cole said. “If there is one thing we can rely on, itap those guys, but unfortunately I think we might rely on them a little too much. Thinking, ‘Hey, we’ll just get through it and those guys will win the game for us.’ We’ve all got to take a more active role.”
If the season ended Friday afternoon, though, the Avalanche would still be in the playoffs as the third seed in the Central Division. Bednar called it “miraculous” and “in no other year do you go through a stretch like we went through and be anywhere near a (postseason) spot.”
Colorado aims to capitalize on that good fortune with a strong 2019 finish.
“Look at the standings,” Bednar said. “Everyone is packed in within three points of one another fighting for this playoff spot. So every game is going to be of the utmost importance. We’re in a position now where we’ve got three before the break. Itap a home-loaded schedule the second half of the year because of what we went through in the first half. Itap going to be a real important home stand.”
