There were no problems with the plumbing Saturday night at Ball Arena, but the Avalanche’s opponent still needs a plunger.
Mikko Rantanen and Alex Newhook scored in the second period, Alexandar Georgiev saved 25 of 26 shots and the Avs never trailed in a 3-1 win over the division rival Predators.
Colorado (16-11-2) has picked up at least one point in four of the last five games, while Nashville has lost six in a row dating back to early December — shortly after an Avalanche-Predators game was postponed due to a water main break caused flooding at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
The Avs are 7-2-1 in the Central Division this season, including a 2-0-0 mark against the Predators.
The critical moment they needed this time arrived in the dying moments of the second period, from a player whose struggles this season have been well-documented.
“Definitely been frustrating at the start of the year,” Newhook said. “Not what I kind of hoped for or was kind of expecting. But just try to build off it. It’s not going to be smooth all the time.”
Back to playing alongside recently recovered forwards Evan Rodrigues and Valeri Nichushkin, Newhook was already having an impactful night. He drew the penalty that resulted in Rantanen’s goal, which broke Colorado’s 0-for-18 power play drought at 8:38 of the period. Still, that’s not what’s been on his mind lately: “We’ve been talking with him about some stuff,” coach Jared Bednar said. “I think he’s a little frustrated that he hasn’t been scoring. Scorers want to score.”
Nichushkin forced a Nashville turnover along the boards, and the puck Rodrigues got to the puck for a 2-on-1. Only, he didn’t know it was a 2-on-1.
“I thought I was actually alone,” Rodrigues said. “Then Newy was yelling for it. So tried to stop, give him some time to catch up to me.”
Rodrigues waited until the last second. He knew he wanted to pass as he started to coil into a shooting motion. “Great deception,” Bednar calls it. Rodrigues calls it “one of my go-tos.”
“If I could get the goalie to even drop one leg, I figured (Newhook) would have time to find the corner,” Rodrigues said.
He slid a slippery pass to Newhook on his left. The winger went top shelf for his seventh goal and 12th point in the last 21 games — a crucial increase in production since Newhook’s first eight games without a point.
“If he doesn’t say anything, (Rodrigues) won’t see him, because he’s behind his left shoulder, right?” Bednar said. “Newhook does a great job. D-zone coverage, getting to a puck, chipping it, knowing the D’s going to pressure it. And still working up the ice quickly to stay part of that (rush). I thought he was really good tonight.”
Newhook started the season on a line with Rodrigues and Nichushkin — but he was trying out at second-line center. A lot can change in a little time: The trio is reunited, but Bednar’s conversations with Newhook have led them to a firm conclusion, at least for now: “I like him better at the wing. I think he skates better at the wing,” Bednar said. “When he’s on the wing, he tends to do what he did tonight.”
Despite those scoring frustrations, Newhook is suddenly two goals behind second place on the Avalanche roster.
Nobody has any delusions of catching the team leader, though: Rantanen holds a 12-goal advantage after scoring his 21st Saturday. Stationed at the left faceoff dot, it was a perfectly placed shot into the far post top shelf, seconds after he missed off the post.
At the 29-game mark of the season, this was only the fourth time the Avalanche didn’t concede a goal in the first two periods, and only the fifth time going consecutive periods in a game without an opponent scoring.
Georgiev allowed as many leaks as Nashville’s arena. It was a solid bounce-back night for him after recent struggles. He entered this game with an .876 save percentage in his last six outings.
“It just seemed like he was seeing everything tonight, and he was in good position,” Bednar said.
With 37 seconds remaining, he made an outstanding glove save to rob Nashville’s Filip Forsberg of a game-tying goal. It left Forsberg laughing in disbelief before the ensuing faceoff. Makar quickly scored an empty-netter to seal the win.
“Just going in my mind that they had two shooters up top with one-timers,” Georgiev said. “I was trying to read the pass.”
