Avalanche Win In Final Seconds

The Colorado Avalanche were coming into last night on the second half of a back-to-back in which they beat the Maple Leafs in OT. The Avalanche were riding a three-game winning streak, while the Ottawa Senators were on a three-game losing streak. In the end, the Senators fought tooth and nail to stay in the game with the Avalanche, but Colorado would prevail. The Avalanche would win in the final seconds of the game.

First Period 

It did not take long for the Avalanche to welcome rookie goaltender Mads Sogaard to the league. On a face-off win with Cale Makar coming in from the point, he received the pass from Mikko Rantanen and snapped it in easily. The fact that they won the draw was the most important part of the play. Then, five minutes into the period while on the power play, Colorado was cycling the puck. Rantanen sent it over to Makar on the slot and he whipped the shot with Valeri Nichushkin sliding in front of the net. Nichushkin got his stick up and got the deflection to allow the goal. The power forward has been working on deflections all season long and showed right here that practice makes perfect. Late in the period, Ottawa was on the power play, Tim Stützle sent a pass across the crease to Drake Batherson for a deflection past goaltender Jonas Johansson. Ottawa just kept the puck moving and kept Colorado on their heels to make it 2-1. 

Second Period

In what truly became an odd period, The Avalanche for the most part dominated. Colorado was able to score three goals in the period and Ottawa just one goal. It was a defensive breakdown that led to the Ottawa goal. Samuel Girard pinched up to attack the play as well as Alex Newhook. Bowen Byram went off the right side to help but left the center wide open for Shane Pinto to get a pass and break into the zone. The last goal for Colorado was a bizarre one. The Avalanche tried to ice the puck but it hit a man on the wall and an official called off the icing. Sogaard covered the puck for a second and then uncovered it (with no whistle). Lars Eller rushed up and pushed it in for his first in an Avalanche uniform to make it 5-2. 

Third Period

In a period that became somewhat chippy, Colorado surrendered two and still holds on. In a rush for Colorado that they turned it over on, Ottawa came rushing back into the Avalanche zone. Brady Tkachuk brought it down to the outside hash marks, but there was confusion on who should cover him. Initially, Alex Galchenyuk had him and gave up to leave him wide open to make a pass to Stützle who shot it. Travis Hamonic would tip it in and make it 5-3. For the last goal of the game, not much could be done, Ottawa was cycling the puck while on the power play. They managed to get it over to the left side circle for Stützle to rip a shot but Tkachuk had set a screen in front of Johansson. Devon Toews may have been able to clear him but risked a push into Johansson.

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Conclusion

What may have seen like an easy game, turned out to be a little harder than initially thought. A couple of defensive lapses were the issue last night, but Johansson kept the Avalanche in it. He had a spectacular save with seconds left in the game to keep Colorado ahead by one. What also was a little bit of a physical game, the Avalanche knew how to handle it because of last season’s playoffs. 

JONAS JOHANSSON SAYS NO!!!

The @Avalanche get the 𝗪. #GoAvsGo@TonyLuftman | @Rupper17 | @MarkDParrish | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/6gkdVxcHwn

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) March 17, 2023