A Lot to Pack In

So I'm a tad behind on the Colorado Avalanche recaps, and I already explained the reason why in an earlier story, which you can check out here. In the time that passed, the Avalanche's homestand was completed, with two highly important four-point games within the Central Division. We were coming off winning an important game against the Dallas Stars, and now we had to deal with two more division rivalry games.

So without further ado, here's how they turned out.

January 20 (vs Minnesota)

Thank God this game was on early in the day. When the clock struck noon here in the West Coast, it was time for the second meeting between the Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild. We won the first meeting in blowout fashion on the road, now it was time to get it done here. Mackenzie Blackwood was in net against the great Marc-Andre Fleury. We were having trouble getting shots in this one. It was a battle between brothers in this game. Jake Middleton scored for Minnesota, while brother Keaton Middleton was in the box later on. It was 1-0 Wild after 20. As the second progressed, I found myself pleading for goals. Well, that and the refs to not pick on us. Finally, with 1:08 left, it was our MackVP tying it up.

It was 1-1 after 40, but early in the third, Yakov Trenin gave Minnesota the lead back, because there's a rule: if an ex-Avs player is facing off against us, he has to score. Less than two minutes later, Brock Faber made it 3-1, and Fleury--as he has done for his entire career--did the rest. I can handle losses, but there are three teams who I can't stand to see the Avs lose to, and on that Monday, we lost to one of them. We needed this one, because we could have moved up to third place with a chance to move into second with this one, but it was not the case. Oh man.

January 22 (vs Winnipeg)

I said this before, and I'll repeat it: it seems like Connor Hellebuyck has made some sort of vow to never give up a goal to the Avs ever again. Ever since we shelled this guy in last year's playoffs, the man has been an impenetrable fortress. Six full periods without scoring on him. It became seven after the first period ended scoreless. We knocked on the door in the second period, and finally... finally... Hellebuyck was beaten. Who else but MacKinnon? So we had a lead in this one, but at 10:56, Morgan Barron tied it up. At the near end of the 2nd, it was Gabriel Vilardi who made it 2-1 Jets.

We needed something in the third period, and it was Cale Makar who tied it up barely over seven minutes in. Game ended up going to OT, and we needed to get the other point in this game. It took only 17 seconds for that to be kiboshed. Neal Pionk won it with one hell of a shot, and the assists came from Vladislav Namestnikov, and yes, Hellebuyck. Hell(e)'s bells.

Well... at least we scored on him? Two goals on Hellebuyck in three games against him. Yet we destroyed him when it really counted, so there's that. Overall, the homestand ended up pretty average. A .500 record in the homestand; five points in five games (2-2-1). It includes going .500 in the three divisional four-point games that we needed to win--defeating Dallas, losing in regulation to Minnesota, and losing in OT to Winnipeg. We had a chance to gain a grand total of 12 points in those three games, but we only earned three points, and remain one point behind Dallas for third place.

And recently, we learned that one big name will be off on a different journey in this league:

This was shocking. Some say it shouldn't be, but I was stunned. There had been talks about Mikko Rantanen and a new deal, but they had been tenuous. Plain and simple; nothing had been settled. Moose wanted a big deal, but we couldn't give it to him. So on January 24, it was done. Mikko Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal that also included the Chicago Blackhawks. The Avs received Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and a pair of draft picks. Necas had been very amazing for the Canes, and it's quite fitting that Drury is now part of the team that his dad played on and won a Cup with. But I'm not gonna lie: I'm gonna miss Moose with the Avs.

To any Hurricanes fans reading this, let me say this. You will love Rantanen. If you enjoy big clutch goals, if you enjoy Hat Tricks left and right, if you enjoy a huge load of power play points, you will love Rantanen. He's a dynamo for sure.

Thanks for everything, Mikko, especially for 2022.

The Avs will now head East for three games; we'll be in Beantown on Saturday, in MSG on Sunday, and finally, in Long Island on Tuesday. Should be quite the interesting road trip.

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