Right Where We Wanted Them

So this was definitely a game to remember!

The Colorado Avalanche had a great New Year's Eve, winning big over the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets. It's a New Year now, but the Avalanche still have that same groove, as we entered our game against the Buffalo Sabres. This was the second and last meeting of the season, and we all remember how the first game ended. The Avs trailed 4-0, but went on to win 5-4 in regulation in Buffalo, which was part of the Sabres' 13-game losing streak.

Scott Wedgewood was in net against Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and this was quite the back and forth game to start with. Avs were getting the shots, and so were the Sabres. The first penalty of the game went against the Avs, and of course it was Josh Manson. Sabres' power play cashed in; Jeff Zucker made it 1-0 for Buffalo, and four minutes later, Zucker would assist on another goal. Who scored it? None other than Bowen Byram. This was his first game at Ball Arena since we traded him for Casey Mittelstadt, and of course, he received a tribute video, especially since Byram played a key role in our 2022 Stanley Cup. Nine points--all assists, each one of them important.

Buffalo led 2-0 after 20 minutes, and I immediately thought about the first meeting: "We have them right where we want them." That vibe increased when Nathan MacKinnon put us on the board, but it was challenged for offsides, and it was. No goal. We continued to press, but a Ross Colton penalty resulted in another power play goal for Buffalo, and it was Zucker again. So the Avs were down 3-0 against Buffalo.

Again: "We have them right where we want them."

We did get that first goal in that frame, but it was Cale Makar who put it in. Jonathan Drouin and Devon Toews assisted; remember those names. Avs trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes, and 65 seconds into the third, Ross Colton made it 3-2, with Samuel Girard getting the lone assist. We could not drink it in, as less than half a minute later, Wedgewood was down in pain, and Zach Benson actually scored. This was strange. Play should have been stopped, but not only was the whistle not blown, a goal was scored and counted. A huge scrum followed between the teams, but despite the brawl, no penalties were called at all. Jared Bednar decided to challenge for Goalie Interference, a huge gamble that did not pay off. Goal counted, and Buffalo went on the power play as a result. That got killed off, thank goodness.

Avs received a power play that later became a 5-on-3 very quickly. On the two-man advantage, Mikko Rantanen scored, with the assists coming from Nathan MacKinnon and Casey Mittelstadt. So it was a one-goal game once again. We tried our best to tie it up, but much later, Zucker completed the Hat Trick. With 3:51 left in regulation, the Avs were down 5-3. Do I have to say it again?

"We have them right where we want them."

Avs pulled the goalie, Mackenzie Blackwood (who entered in relief for Wedgewood), for the extra attacker with about three minutes left. We were down two. It became one again. Makar scored his second from MacKinnon and Toews to make it 5-4, but we were not done yet. Blackwood was pulled again. Avs pressed, but thankfully, every time the Sabres got the puck, they missed the empty net. Icing. Two or three times, Buffalo committed icing, which helped us. Even so, time was running out. It was down to 30 seconds, than 20, then 10. Rantanen passed the puck to MacKinnon, who made a pass of his own, and then...

HEEEEEEEEEEEERE'S JONNY!!!!!

Jonathan Drouin tied it up with 7.7 seconds left in regulation; the first time that the game was ever tied! So just like that, we had overtime in the Avs and Sabres' first game of 2025. Buffalo actually did have a two-on-one breakaway that did get evened up, and very shortly afterwards, Devon Toews managed to steal the puck from Tage Thompson, and broke away and put it in past Luukkonen, at just 48 seconds into overtime!

We did it again!!! It wasn't 4-0 this time, but it was still a massive comeback! We were down 3-0, 4-2, and with under four minutes left in regulation, we were down 5-3. Pulled the goalie, scored, pulled him again, scored again with under eight seconds left. Went to OT, broke away, and game over. This is exactly what I asked for when I said that we needed a hot stretch. Six straight wins, and a huge comeback win to cap it off! I'm dead serious, the Colorado Avalanche are the most dangerous team in the league right now.

Next up for the Avalanche, the homestand continues on Saturday against the Canadiens, and concludes on Monday against the Panthers. After that, it's a three-game Central Division road trip in Chicago (Wednesday), Minnesota (next Thursday), and Winnipeg (next Saturday).

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