The Colorado Avalanche have been playing well lately, needing every point they can get in the race for the second seed in the Central Division. They have won seven of their last eight games, the only blemish being a shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild. The Avalanche had already beaten their opponent on Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-4 in an earlier meeting.
The Avalanche played well, controlling the play most of the way, but couldn’t get the job done. A late play involving one of the officials ultimately led to a 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs. Let’s get right into it with the three biggest takeaways from a tough loss to a good Maple Leafs team.
The Avalanche Outplayed the Maple Leafs
Not every loss is the same. This is one loss that feels a bit frustrating because the Avalanche clearly outplayed the Maple Leafs, but the difference wound up being Joseph Woll in net. There’s not much you can say when the opposing goalie turns away 38 of 39 shots on the night.
With the playoff push and Cale Makar chasing history, the Avalanche may be collectively gripping their sticks too tightly, but it’s hard to ask for more. They dominated for a period and a half yet walked into the dressing room after the second period in a 1-1 tie.
The Maple Leafs made things feel a bit closer to even as the second period progressed, and you could feel the Avalanche beginning to press a bit. There isn’t a ton that can be done when you run into a hot goaltender, and the Maple Leafs got one of the very best performances of Woll’s career.
Games Like These Are a Good Test
In playoff races like these, it can feel extra tough to drop a tight game like this one against the Maple Leafs. With so few games remaining, even one point can mean the difference between facing the Dallas Stars in the first round or staring down a matchup with the Winnipeg Jets.
But let’s look at the silver lining here. Matchups like these are a good test, a way to get acclimated to playoff life before the postseason begins. The Maple Leafs are a good team, despite what their doubters will tell you. These games, especially where the Avalanche played well without actually scoring, are necessary.
Good teams remember games like these. They find a way to come through in the big moments because they’ve been there before and seen what it takes to win. This leadership has won a Stanley Cup. They have been in situations like these before. Let it be a lesson prior to the playoffs about what this team is.
Bad Bounces Happen, but Blackwood Needs to Make That Stop
The major talking point coming out of this game is the short-handed goal by Steven Lorentz. With the Avalanche on the power play early in the third period, the Maple Leafs cleared the puck, which hit one of the officials attempting to get out of the way. It was enough to stop the puck, giving the Maple Leafs an impromptu 2-on-1, with Lorentz absolutely sniping a shot over the shoulder of Mackenzie Blackwood.
This is one of those situations that happens in hockey. The officials do a good job of staying out of the way, but they sometimes just can’t do anything about it. Yes, it stopped the clearing attempt that would have likely amounted to nothing, but it ultimately falls on Blackwood.
The shot from Lorentz was a nice one, but Blackwood cheated a bit too hard to the shot, leaving open that top corner. Blackwood was brought in to shore up the goaltending situation, and he has. But this is one of those shots that needs to be stopped 100 times out of 100, and it wound up being the difference.
Shake it Off
There is nothing to be done here but shake off the loss and move on to the Ottawa Senators. There aren’t many “gimme” games remaining on the schedule, so the team can’t afford to dwell on this loss. Games against the Senators, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings – teams competing for a wild card spot – can feel like wins, but desperation makes any team dangerous.
This is a strong, deep team, and they will be difficult to play against in the playoffs. That said, the playoff path is going to be a difficult one. The Avalanche need to find ways to get wins even when pucks aren’t bouncing their way.
