Despite beating the St. Louis Blues and locking down the top spot in the Western Conference, things felt a little off for the Colorado Avalanche. Injuries have already become a concern and the news that Nazem Kadri could “miss some games” only raised those concerns to another level.
It would have been all too easy to sleepwalk through Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames (and it nearly happened at the end) but the Avalanche found a way to win, coming away with another clinching victory.
Bring on the Curse
The biggest news from this game is that the Avalanche clinched the President’s Trophy, the fourth time they have managed the achievement in franchise history. We have all heard about the curse of the trophy and how tough it is to win the Stanley Cup, but the Avalanche have defied it before.
The 2000-01 team ran the table from start to finish, winning the President’s Trophy and going on a dominant run that culminated in winning the Cup, the first such victory in the illustrious career of Ray Bourque.
The curse is a talking point but it does underscore how difficult it is to be “on” for 82 regular season games and throughout four playoff rounds. The Avalanche have constructed a roster to take them deep into the playoffs and show that the curse isn’t to be taken seriously.
A Rebound for Blackwood
Though he will likely be the backup to potential Vezina candidate Scott Wedgewood, eyes were focused on Mackenzie Blackwood coming into this game. He dropped a game against the Blues on Apr. 5 and had given up six in an ugly loss to the Vancouver Canucks in his previous start.
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Despite Wedgewood separating himself, it was important for Blackwood to redeem himself in this one. Facing 29 shots, including a flurry in the final minutes, Blackwood acquitted himself well (albeit against one of the worst teams in the league).
It is imperative that the Avalanche go into the playoffs with two goalies they can lean on. Blackwood hasn’t been consistent this season, so it was nice to see him at least have one positive start coming down the stretch.
Necas Driving the Offense
Though Nathan MacKinnon is the one leading the league in goals, Martin Necas has been the one driving the offense of late. At times, it feels like MacKinnon is spinning his wheels where as Necas has been finding ways to be impactful on a consistent basis.
He had an excellent night against the Flames, scoring a goal and adding two assists in the process. In the 23 games since the league returned from the Olympics, Necas has scored 16 times. He has been one of the best scorers in the entire league during that stretch.
Necas is just two points away from hitting the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. He has meshed well with MacKinnon’s frenetic speed, showing a smoothness that goes well with the brute force skill that his superstar teammate brings to the table.
Rest Over the Last Few Games?
The question now becomes how head coach Jared Bednar handles the final four games of the season. Will the stars have a reduced workload? Will they play at all? With injuries to Kadri and Cale Makar, will they be back before the playoffs?
The “rest vs. rust” debate is real, so Bednar has to find a balance between keeping his guys fresh and running the risk of taking them out of their groove. It’s a good problem to have but one that must be managed to keep the Avalanche ready when the playoffs begin.
