Game Journal Colorado Avalanche @ Ottawa Senators

Mar 16

Colorado Avalanche @ Ottawa Senators

First Period

Slow start to the game, can’t say that’s unexpected. The Avs have had one good rush with a dangerous chance. I’m just glad Toronto was the front end of this back-to-back

GOAL!!! Cale MaCalder. A sick shot off the post, great drop pass. This is exactly what the team needs. Get the early lead and play good defense. Push for the multi goal lead early and make the mountain too tall to climb.

I need to do a better job of appreciating Nathan MacKinnon. The way he gets through the defense is a joy to watch. Avs fans are so lucky to have this collection of talent. So much for us to appreciate and lok back on in the next 20 years.

CALE MAKAR!!! With the assist, Nichushkin scored on the tip on the Power Play.

Bedsy Round One: Colorado, they scored, twice. Avalanche 1-0-0

Score: Colorado 2-0

The Avs are living in the Senators’ zone. I was going to say this was the ideal start but Johnson just took a penalty. Ottawa does not have a shot yet in this game. If the Avs turn into the shot suppression team they were like last year, woah, very excited.

The Avs killed off the penalty, but it was close. They were a very tired team for the last 30 seconds. When Logan O’Connor stops taking strides you know the rest of the boys on the ice are in trouble. ALERT! I just saw the other team get kicked out of the faceoff circle, mark your calendars. That was only slightly sarcastic.

One of the Ottawa players took a big hit from Cale MaKnock-you-down, then cross-checked Cale in retaliation and took a penalty.

Bedsy Round Two: Tie, Colorado had a Power Play but Ottawa got their first shots, had their own Power play, and started to get into the game. Avalanche 1-0-1

Score: Colorado 2-0

Avs have not had a very good Power Play. Ottawa has had the best chance and Johannson just bailed out the Avs Power Play with a great save from a close shot.

Avs will go on the Penalty Kill and it feels like killing this off and making it to the end of the period up two goals might be…..end…..of……game, maybe? That would be 0/2 on the Power play for Ottawa and they don’t look dangerous at 5-on-5.

And the penalty has been killed off. OMG, on the replay, Makar had a goal-preventing pass block, take control and cleared the puck. He is insane.

Bedsy Round Three: Tie. Colorado is putting the clamps on but the energy has dropped. Ottawa hasn’t looked dangerous but they have some shots not, they are making the effort. Not enough from either to give the round. Avalanche 1-0-2

Score: Colorado 2-0

This game is getting sloppy. It isn’t chipping but players are reaching and we’re one bad bounce away from a rush for either team. Not comfortable to watch when your team is up by two goals.

Side note: there are 10 goals scored in the first 15 minutes of the Montreal @ Florida game. I am so glad I did not add that to today’s Goals Under Review article.

Okay, Avs are on the Penalty Kill to end the period. Please see my prior comments about this possibly being game, question mark. If I’m on the ice I’m not thinking this way, but there is nothing on the ice I see from Ottawa that makes me think they are going to outscore the Avs by 3 the rest of the way.

As soon as I say that, Ottawa runs a really pretty passing play to the bumper. They miss the shot, but score on the next shot, ugh.

Bedsy Round Four: Ottawa, they scored, Tied 1-1-2

Score: Colorado 2-1

Second Period

Avalanche have geared it down at the start of the second period. I hope this is more about being set defensively and not taking the opponent lightly. Ottawa is accepting the invitation and they are pushing for the equalizer. Colorado is holding the line on defense but there is no possession for Colorado on the offensive side of the RED LINE!

GOAL!!! Gut punch for Ottawa. Great play from the Avs to get the shot from MacKinnon from the top of the zone and a lovely tip-in from Mikko. A classic Avs goal.

Bedsy Round Five: Colorado, they scored. Avalanche 2-1-2

Score: Avalanche 3-1

The Avs are getting some great zone time after the Senators were on their end of the ice for most of the rest of the period. Colorado wants to put this game away. They were close last period and aren’t messing around with this second bite at the apple.

I will add, the bottom six are playing well. They are making a showing in the offensive zone. I like what I’m seeing in the threat they are showing and the effort on offense. Something else in this game is the shot suppression or lack thereof in this game. The Senators are on pace for 30+ shots in this game. A standard number but we all have to cool it on the idea that the shot suppressor Avs are back in time for the playoffs. There is still time to string some low-shot games together, but that won’t be today, I don’t think.

Bad defensive coverage of a pinch and the Senators have scored again. I get the push for the 4-1, just, ugh. That play was ugly. Good on the Senators for converting their chance.

Bedsy Round Six: Ottawa, they scored. Tied 2-2-2

Score: Avalanche 3-2

A terrible turnover by Eller. Haven’t seen him yet in this game, not the intro I wanted. Rodrigues is playing like a madman in this game. I like the effort I’m seeing. This game has turned into Ottawa feeling like they have hope again. This is a race to the next goal and the roads after that goal are very different.

This game has gone sloppy again with pucks in skates and a neutral zone back and forth. I’m not feeling great right now. Just wanting for that fluky goal to go in for Ottawa.

Bedsy Round Seven: Tie, both teams had chances, but neither stood out. Tied 2-2-3

Score: Avalanche 3-2

Huge goal, just a huge goal for Rodrigues. A sick shot for a player that really needed one while he is playing with the top line. During the celebration, Mack looked genuinely happy for Rodrigues. His teammates have been there before and they are happy a player working as hard as he has gotten himself a goal.

Turns out the fluky goal went to the Avalanche and Eller got his first goal with the Avs, welcome to the team goal sheet Lars! The three-goal lead is secured, can the team carry it to the end of the period?

Bedsy Round Eight: Colorado, they scored, twice! Avalanche 3-2-3

Score: Avalanche 5-2

Third Period

Life took me away from the start of the period, but Ottawa scored, what more do we need to know?

Bedsy Round Nine: Ottawa, they scored. Tied 3-3-3

Score: Avalanche 5-3

The Avs finally get a zone entry and Nichushkin has the most Choo Choo chance in the zone and missed the goal. The Avs are starting to look tired out there. They can get control of the puck in the defensive zone and they don’t have the legs to get out of the zone with speed.

Bedsy Round Ten: Colorado, they stabilized the control game and had a couple of dangerous moments. Ottawa didn’t really show anything during this set of five minutes. Avalanche 4-3-3

I just want a feel for how down-shifted the Avs are going to play the rest of this game. How much can they get away with? Brady Tkachuk is an on-ice scum. he took Byram to the ice. I hope neither of the Tkachuk brothers ever wins a Stanley Cup. I don’t like the way they play hockey. I would have a hard time rooting for them if they were on my team.

Senators are going to have a Power Play for a phantom penalty. This isn’t what the Avs need with seven minutes left in the game.

Brady “blades near the face” Tkachuk scored and it’s a one-goal game. Now we get to worry about the empty net part of the game.

Avs getting lazy with the puck in their own zone. This is not a good sign for the last six minutes of the period. When I’m hoping for even just a clear with this far to go, not a great feeling. How dead are the Avs legs right now?

Bedsy Round Eleven: Ottawa, they scored. Tied 4-4-3

Bad turnover by Girard. The legs look completely gone the Avs. Logan O’Connor tried to get the two-goal lead back with a breakaway. This is some desperate hockey at this point. I have to be honest, I’m happy to get one point out of this game.

Cale makes a great pass to O’Connor for a breakaway but the save is made. I’m so glad Cale Makar is on my team.

Brady Tkachuk is on-ice scum. Did I say that already, it bears repeating. He felt the need to take shots at Nichushkin as he was leaving the ice. We now have 4-on-4 for the rest of regulation. Ugh, the Avs take a tripping penalty with forty seconds left. Looking at the replay, that was a garbage call. This game is more stressful than it needs to be. This is going to be a mad scramble for the win in regulation. At least the Avs won’t have to worry about icing if they have a chance to shoot at the empty net.

Nervous, here we go.

I don’t know what happened but the ref waved off a goal and there are four seconds left. THIS IS STRESSFUL. If the Avs win this game it is thanks to the pads of Johansson. I love his place in Avs history. It’s such a weird story but I love it.