Did the Avs Win the Trade?

The Colorado Avalanche's last three games prior to the Four Nations break were all in Western Canada, and this old Northwest Division fan can't help but enjoy when the Avs go there. The Avs were division foes with the three teams in that area for 15 years before the divisions were realigned to their current look. The trip began on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, and that game saw the Avs blanked by Thatcher Demko. Next up, it's back-to-back in Alberta, and the first half of the double dip sees us in Calgary against the Flames.

The matchup is quite interesting for both teams. The Avs are still in the #1 Wild Card position, but the Flames slipped behind the playoff line very recently. The Flames and the Canucks have been back and forth for the #2 Wild Card position, and they needed a win... badly.

Mackenzie Blackwood was in net against Dustin Wolf, and the Avs were in penalty trouble already. Samuel Girard was in the box for hooking, and during the penalty kill, Calvin de Haan fires the puck over the glass. So it's 5-on-3 for the Flames very early, and that leads to Jonathan Huberdeau scoring easily. 1-0 Flames, and the Avs kill off the 5-on-4. The Avs pressed for the tie, and it was Sam Malinski late in the period. However, it was challenged for offsides, and yeah, this was an easy one. Offsides by quite a bit. No goal, and after 20 minutes, the Avs are down one.

In the second period, we do tie it for real this time, and it's Cale Makar. Seriously, I'm so grateful that we have Makar. Best defenseman in the league, on tap to becoming one of the greatest blueliners in league history. The goal was his 20th, giving him three 20-goal seasons before turning 27. There's a reason why he gets compared to guys like Bourque, Coffey, and Orr. There's a reason why I never get accused of being biased when I say Makar's the best defenseman in the league. The assists came from Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews, so yeah, all three Avs players who will represent Canada in the Four Nations Face Off got together for that one.

The good times didn't end there, as later on, MacKinnon's shot landed off the back of Wolf, and that allowed Artturi Lehkonen to tap it in. So the Avs had the lead. Even better, we finally received our first power play, but nothing came of that. After that, we commit delay of game again, and it's MacKinnon. That gets killed off, and after a melee of penalties, the Avs received a late PP in the period, and that cashes in. Martin Necas tips in a MacKinnon shot, and that makes it 3-1 for the Avs! For Necas, that's his second goal since the trade, it was also MacKinnon's third helper of the period, and Makar had the other assist.

The third period seemed to fly by, only one penalty was committed, and that was by Calgary. Avs power play was killed off, but later on, Necas managed to break away and score his second goal of the game! It was 4-1 and time was winding down. Rasmus Andersson (whose long range goal from the 2022 playoffs I still remember) got on the board, and the assists came from Martin Posipil and our old boy Nazem Kadri. Still love that man. Wolf was pulled for the extra man, but the time quickly ran out on the Flames.

I think it's safe to say that we won the trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. Even though it cost us Mikko Rantanen, I was elated when learned that Martin Necas was in this deal. I know how good he is. I've see him as a Hurricane; he's a point scoring dynamo. In seven games with the Avs, Necas has eight points (3 G/5 A) and is a -1 in that stretch. Necas had a three point night, and so did MacKinnon, whose league leading point total increased to 83. What a win and a performance from the Avs following that shutout loss, and we'll be back at it on the following day, this time in Edmonton.

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