“Goals Under Review” - April 4th
Colorado Avalanche @ San Jose Sharks
The plan was to do a regular Goals Under Review for this game, but I’m going to skip to the end. This will be a review in three parts. The Good, the annoying, and the look ahead.
The good starts with the result and PLAYOFFS BABY! The Avs won 4-3 in OT and qualified for the playoffs. They also took over first in the division thanks to the tie-breaker AND MacKinnon finally reached the 100-point plateau thanks to the OT goal that did all the things. The Avs started the game well, scoring two goals in the first period. One from Jack Johnson of all people and the other from Evan Rodrigues. I don’t expect goals from Johnson and if E-Rod gets going and has points to add for the playoff run, woah boy, things are looking good. The look of the team as they skated through the first period was quick, crisp, and business-like. The exact look they had last season.
This is where we get to the annoying part. Mikko Rantanen is sitting on 49 goals and once the team was up by 2, they started to try and feed Mikko. Jumping to the end, if you look at the scoresheet, you will see that Mikko is not one of the goal scorers. I would also like to point out, as we’ve already mentioned, this game went to overtime. I want Mikko to get 50 goals this season. I want to see the team’s reaction when he gets there. I stayed up to see the game on TV so I could see a potential reaction. I bet the players on the team want Mikko to score 50 more than I want him to. What I don’t want to have happen is to LOSE THIS GAME BECAUSE 50 GOALS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOCKING IN A PLAYOFF SPOT OR LEADING THE DIVISION!
I’m watching this game and I’m seeing decent to good chances get passed by in order to make the extra pass to Mikko. You know what, a lot of those passes were making it through and Mikko had some really good chances in this game. part of me is at peace with this. I’m also watching the other team, specifically the goalie. Kaapo Kahkonen is having a better-than-average game for himself. The stats say he was playing better than average and my eyeballs were saying he was playing better than average. I would even say he was playing a great game for himself. The game would have been 5-0 after the first period if not for the game he was having. Playoff clinch and division lead are on the line in this game. The other important games on the night were decided, the Avs knew what they were playing for, they had all the information, then they tried to get cute for 50.
I’ve seen enough hockey, I know what happens when the other goalie is goaly-ing, the skaters start to get chances and some of those chances go in the net I would prefer it did not occupy. Then, the team that isn’t going to make the playoffs believes they can be a spoiler. The Avs had the choice to put the game away or get their boy to 50 and their choice led to OT. A game they would win in OT but a road I would not be happy they traveled. How do you scold the players for a win and wanting this benchmark for their teammate? I don’t believe this mindset will exist in the playoffs, now that we know they are going. However, in order of importance, the job right now is, Division Crown, get healthy, make the playoffs, 50 for Mikko. There are 6 games left in the season, Mikko will get his. I find myself frustrated when my goals within the game don’t match the decisions I see being made on the ice.
But honestly, is Bednar going to walk into the locker room and say “I know you all want Mikko to get 50 but keep your eye on the prize”? No, I don’t know how you keep a locker room saying that out loud. Is this game different if our Captain is on the bench? Maybe. The Avs avoided a bad loss and their reward is the top of the division, in the drivers seat, which brings us to the view ahead.
The Stars have a game against Vegas and two against a Blues team that is playing well and are perpetual spoilers. The Wild have 3 games against teams on the edge of the playoffs, two of those are on the road. The Avs have three more on the west coast trip then the Oilers, Jets and Predators. The Avs have probably the more geographically challenging schedule but I’m happy not to have Vegas on the list nor the Blues. Being first in the Division means not having to play one of the Wild or Stars in the second round. I believe the Avs are better than both teams in a seven-game series but you tell me we can skip one of these teams by winning the division, 50 goals, in this game, does not seem worth chasing. Get the way, put the weaker team away, and get out of the game with fresher legs and healthy bodies.
However, a win is a win is a win. GoAvsGo
