Being on the road for 27 of 35 days is challenging. Even more so when the long stretch of games ends with a back-to-back. But the Avalanche found a way to come through again on Friday, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 at Honda Center less than 24 hours after securing two points in San Jose.
Was it the best performance? Certainly not in the first period, or the early stages of the second. But thanks to goaltender Scott Wedgewood, Colorado was able to escape a mediocre start nearly unscathed.
Wedgewood didn’t let in a goal until early in the second before Jared Bednar’s club responded with a shorthanded tally. Then the rest was history.
“I like that we came around after the first period. They outplayed us in the first period — out-chanced us,” Bednar told reporters in Anaheim. “They were the more quicker team, more desperate team.”
Wedgewood finished the night with 29 saves as Colorado was outshot 31-23. In the first period, he made 12 saves while Ducks goalie John Gibson faced only five shots at the other end.
It was the type of clutch performance the team was rarely getting from its goalies earlier in the season. But similar to Mackenzie Blackwood in his starts, Wedgewood continues to do his part in keeping the game within reach.
Colorado’s penalty kill also was a huge factor. They killed all five opportunities, keeping Anaheim off the scoresheet in 10 full minutes of power play time. And on top of that, Parker Kelly’s shorthanded goal evened the score at 1-1.
Prior to Kelly’s tally, Nathan MacKinnon took a high stick from Olen Zellweger. Shortly after that, a backhand clear attempt from Avs blueliner Keaton Middleton also caught MacKinnon in the face. The officials called the penalty before discussing it amongst themselves and calling it off. They thought the errant puck was the only contact. But a replay showed otherwise.
Colorado took a penalty moments later but got the shorthanded goal instead of going down by two. It was a game-changing moment.
Valeri Nichushkin added another goal for the Avs just over four minutes later. And early in the third period, Cale Makar scored on the power play off a feed from MacKinnon to double Colorado’s lead.
The Ducks got one back before MacKinnon put the game away with an empty netter. It’s the second straight 4-2 victory for the Avs on two consecutive nights. And in both games, Colorado was a perfect 5-for-5 on the PK and had a power play goal.
Special teams hurt the team in Vancouver but has since gone 3-for-8 on the PP and a perfect 10 successful kills on the PK.
Good: Wedgewood is Colorado’s key piece of the PK?
Colorado’s PK has seemingly turned a corner. Is it something they’re doing differently? Or is it simply just better goaltending?
“Seems like we’ve got a couple guys here now who are really in tune with the penalty kill,” Bednar said of his goaltending, referring to the play of both Wedgewood and Blackwood. “Since the goalie switch we’re getting the saves we need, we’re getting the whistles we need.”
Bednar noted that goaltenders, like players, have strengths and weaknesses. He felt that his previous goaltending duo wasn’t as strong as they should be on the PK. But that’s since changed.
Wedgewood is 4-2-0 with the Avalanche and boasts a sparkling .932 save percentage. He’s allowed just 11 goals in five starts plus the majority of the game against Buffalo. An all-around consistent effort from the first of two goalie acquisitions.
Bad: Those darn slow starts
On one hand, the goalie is keeping you in it. But on the other hand, what is it about those sluggish slow starts this season? Colorado has just 28 first-period goals in 35 games, which is middle of the pack in the NHL. But the 44 goals the Avs have surrendered in the opening period? It’s one fewer than San Jose for the most in the NHL.
This is why Wedgewood and Blackwood deserve praise for making those early saves. Even when the Avalanche aren’t scoring early, they’re doing their best to ensure the other team doesn’t, either.
