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Vancouver Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov (91) and Colorado Avalanche’s Josh Manson (42) fight as Canucks’ Jack Johnson (3) watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov (91) and Colorado Avalanche’s Josh Manson (42) fight as Canucks’ Jack Johnson (3) watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
Colorado’s two-game winning streak came to an end on Tuesday night when they couldn’t solve Thatcher Demko and fell to the Vancouver Canucks 3-0.
Here are three takeaways from the evening.
4 Nations Conundrum
Cale Makar has been absent from the last few practices the Colorado Avalanche have held. He’s managed to play in the games, but one has to wonder if he’s dealing with something that the team is trying to manage.
At the other end of the ice on Tuesday you had Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes. Actually, you didn’t, because Hughes missed his second straight game due to what is believed to be a lower-body injury. The team is hopeful he’ll return to the lineup before the 4 Nations Face-Off, but it doesn’t sound like a guarantee.
A few NHL players already have pulled out of the tournament, which begins Feb. 12, due to serious injury but the Alex Pietrangelo situation is an interesting one. The Golden Knights defenseman withdrew from the tournament last week due to an ailment, an ailment that he has been playing through. Instead of playing in the tournament, Pietrangelo decided to withdraw so he can prepare for the stretch run of the NHL season.
If you’re the Canucks or the Avalanche or any other NHL team for that matter, it’s a difficult situation. NHL players haven’t been allowed to represent their country for a long time and want to be able to do so. Teams don’t want to take that away from the players, but there’s still a large chunk of the season left that they have to think about. It will be interesting to see if any other players drop out in the next week.
J.T. Miller moves on
It’s been non-stop drama in Vancouver this season with J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson allegedly feuding, but that drama came to an end late last week when Miller was dealt to the Rangers.
Before he was moved, the Avalanche were one of many teams to do their due diligence on Miller, who has been a point-per-game player for the past five seasons. The Canucks ultimately went in a different direction, but Avs general manager Chris MacFarland is exploring all options when it comes to improving his team. It doesn’t seem like the team is 100% sold on Casey Mittelstadt in that second-line center spot, although Mittelstadt has looked better of late.
Ice-time observation
This is a small observation, but something worth sharing: in each of Colorado’s last three games, Bednar has thrown the Mittelstadt line out onto the ice last each period. The top line is obviously the top line and will see more ice-time than everyone else, but it’s telling that the second line isn’t really being used like a second line.
It also speaks for how well Jack Drury has adjusted to life with the Avalanche. Spreading out the ice time isn’t a bad thing, but you know coach Jared Bednar is waiting for Mittelstadt to force him to play that line more.
Avalanche 0, Canucks 3
What happened: The Avalanche faded as the game went on and couldn’t find a way to get a puck past Thatcher Demko.
What went right: Colorado had plenty of chances to score early in the game, hitting three posts in the first period. Martin Necas hit two posts, including one on an odd-man rush with Nathan MacKinnon. Unfortunately, none of the Avalanche’s chances went in the net and that was a sign of things to come.
What went wrong: It had been a while since the Avalanche lost someone to injury, so you could say they were due. Josh Manson left the game in the second period and did not return due to a lower-body injury.
Miles Wood is in the lineup to provide energy but took it a bit too far on Tuesday, taking multiple bad penalties. His penalty early in the third gave the Canucks a power play, where they were able to extend their lead.
Canucks goal scorers: Debrusk (19), Boeser (17), O’Connor (7)
Between the pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood didn’t get any goal support but played a solid game, stopping 28 of 30 shots.
What’s next: The Avalanche will see the Calgary Flames for the first time at the Saddledome on Thursday at 7 p.m.
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