Kraken @ Avalanche Wrap-Up: I feel worse

At the end of last night’s loss, I wrote that the point was ok and the bleeding had been slowed. I still believe that but there is a new thought in my head with bigger ramifications for the playoffs. Can the Avalanche hold a lead, can they hold a lead in games that rarely have more than a one-goal difference in score?

During the game, there wasn’t a particular player that stood out, other than Georgiev. The team is just off. They are winning games. Their record over the last 10 is good and they are in a fairly secure playoff spot when you factor in the games in hand. When does the team get the opportunity to play as the team they were built to be?

Last year, the Avalanche were a great team that had a few things to clean up and bring the new players into the system. This year, the issues this team face are more than just clean up and polish. They are the kind of issues where 2-3 weeks of playing together will build some confidence for the team and the fans. To be clear, a quarter of the season remains and these are professionals and this team knows what it takes to win the cup. I trust Bednar and the players to right the ship.

The part that makes me uncomfortable is seeing teams like Boston, Carolina, and Toronto play like the well-oiled machine that was the Avalanche last year. Thankfully, all those teams are in the east. Along with this reality, I have to admit that I’ve stopped looking up in the standings and starting looking at the gap between the 8th spot and the 9th. Not that I think the Avalanche will miss the playoffs, but when my internal hockey monologue is dominated by the problems with team faces on and off the ice, I’m thinking about the team being able to fix those issues before the bottom of the playoff rankings catches the Avalanche. I stand by the idea that The Avalanche are the best team in the west, IF, they have everyone on the ice. Even if we exclude Landeskog, I have faith in the Avs being the best in the west.

This is where it gets antsy for fans. We have to wait for the next game to see things get ironed out. Georgiev went from giving up 7 goals to having a good night last night. It’s fine, everything is fine.