Northern Exposure

The Colorado Avalanche were coming off a very impressive win at home over the Nashville Predators, in what was Mackenzie Blackwood's Avs debut, but once again, we were back on the road. At least, this time, it's a three game trip, and it is in the West. Can't get any more West in this continental land mass than the Pacific Time Zone, and that's where the Avs would be for the next three games. The first of those three was a trip to the Canadian side of the Pacific Northwest, the city that hosted the 111th Grey Cup and this year's Survivor Series: Vancouver, British Columbia.

It's always big when the Avs face the Canucks, mainly because the latter's groove has returned recently. Also, it's a battle of the premier defensemen. Cale Makar vs Quinn Hughes. Two high level Norris candidates, with Makar winning the trophy in 2022 (along with the Cup and Conn Smythe), while Hughes is the reigning Norris winner. Hughes wasn't the only award candidate for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko was definitely up for the Vezina last year, and that's who was in the net for Vancouver against the aforementioned Blackwood.

Blackwood was having his typical Blackwood performance; stopping a lot of shots. Avs had not one, but two power plays in the first period, but both PPs were killed off. Any hopes for a scoreless first period were dashed when Kiefer Sherwood made it 1-0 for the Nucks in the 17th minute. Danton Heinen and Pius Suter had the assists, and 1-0 was the score after 20. In the second period, the Avs really pressed, but couldn't get anything going. We ended up on the PK twice, but thankfully, we knocked them both off. Then, we went on the PP late. This was our chance to even it up. Instead, a turnover ends up on Sherwood's stick, and he breaks away and puts it in. So the former Avs player was up 2-0 over Colorado, and his second goal was a shortie. Yikes.

2-0 was the score after 40. Even so, we could score at least two, right? We had problems even getting one. Demko was the brick wall that he was last year. The extra attacker didn't result in anything but Sherwood completing the Natural Hat Trick, really sticking it to us, holy moley. Now the countdown was on for Demko to get the shutout. Thankfully, Valeri Nichushkin prevented that, with the goal coming at 19:14 in to the third. So that took some of the sting off this defeat.

Again, at least we didn't get shut out. Even so, I've heard talks about the Avs power play being flat for the last several games, and it definitely showed here. 0-for-4 on the PP, and even worse, we gave up a shortie. I am patiently waiting for that moment where the Avs show out and go on a winning tear; I've seen it before. In our Cup year, January was our magical month, and that month is almost here. Funny how one problem is solved (goaltending), yet another arrives (power play). We need to fix that PP ASAP!

So the Avs are one down on this three game Pacific swing. Next up is back to back games in California; first a visit to San Jose (Thursday), followed by a trip to Anaheim (Friday).

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