Recap: Avalanche annihilate Red Wings behind Cale Makar hat trick

8 months ago  /  Mile High Hockey

Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images


Just an absolutely insane game after an insane day in Avalanche history. Wow. That’s it, that’s the recap.
But actually going into this one, the Colorado Avalanche showed up and showed out against their old-time rival Detroit Red Wings in a gargantuan 7-2 win at Ball Arena Wednesday night.
In front of a national audience, the Avalanche showed what this team can do - even shorthanded and not exactly complete as they were in this game. A total team performance led by a dominant first line led the way. Let’s go over the greatness this game had, shall we?
First Period
The ball would get rolling early, and wouldn't slow for the entire period. Artturi Lehkonen committed a questionable hooking penalty, which was easily finished off by Robby Fabbri on a tip in front to grab the early Red Wings lead.


Fabs with the redirect! pic.twitter.com/wSdOQUrAB3— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 7, 2024




But, the Avs responded with a fiery response. Miles Wood couldn't finish a rush into the zone, alongside a Ross Colton slot shot after he sent two Detroit defenders into each other in the near corner.
It would be none other than Cale Makar getting Colorado on the scoresheet though. His shot from the blue line made its way through traffic - including Lehkonen who initially thought he deflected it - and tied the game up.


It’s Cale Makar! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/igW621Klrx— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




Chances continued to fly from Lehkonen, Josh Manson, Mikko Rantanen, and Nathan MacKinnon. Somehow, they all missed the net, were blocked, or saved brilliantly by Alex Lyon. With the game moving a million miles an hour, it would be David Perron swimming upstream and finishing off his rebound on his third try to grab the lead for Detroit.


DP cleans up the rebound pic.twitter.com/tzTZz49xq0— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 7, 2024




But the Avs would not be denied. Ondrej Pavel, called up for this game from the Colorado Eagles, had a good look in front which was denied. They wouldn’t have to wait for very long with Mortiz Seider throwing the puck over the glass, and MacKinnon tying up the game just seconds into the man advantage.


4️⃣0️⃣ for the #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/FWntrBkHUj— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




The wild first concluded with another penalty kill for Colorado thanks to a Pavel tripping call. Alexandar Georgiev came up big with perhaps his biggest save of the season on Fabbri to keep the game even at two heading into the middle frame, still with 19 seconds left on the kill.


#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/pwVDF7XgGn— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




Second Period
Pavel’s penalty from the first period was killed off, and he nearly scored his first career NHL goal coming out of the box on a couple of chances. It was followed up by chances galore from the ever-so-dominant top line but they couldn’t break the tie.
It took another Seider puck over the glass to give Colorado the lead on the power play. This time, it came from Lehkonen who got a great pass from Rantanen behind the net to put it home.


What a feed from Mikko Rantanen to Artturi Lehkonen to get the lead! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ZLnm0BJLim— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




All hell broke loose afterward, looking like the days of old between the Avalanche and Red Wings. Ross Colton was on the receiving end of a sucker punch by Olli Maata after taking a cross-checking penalty. When he and Maata came out of the box, they went to the front of the net to create a huge stir after running into Lyon.


Are we sure this isn’t the 90s anymore? Yeesh #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/gefj8zT7Q7— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




With four minors but 5-on-5 play, the Avs controlled the play going forward, particularly through the top line. Makar found himself rushing in for a rebound in front, which he finished on the backhand to double the lead.


It’s Cale Makar - AGAIN! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/OeW2Fr8ysU— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




The lethal Avs man advantage would get another shot late in the period when Josh Manson drew a holding penalty on Jake Walman. Once again, it would be Makar getting the puck through traffic and in to complete his hat trick.


ITS CALE MAKAR X3!!! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/5TeFDD3FU5— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




Makar’s third goal was the first hat trick of his career. On top of that, it was the first hat trick by an Avalanche defenseman since 1999, when Sandis Ozoliņš last did it - the fourth in franchise history. And there was still a whole period to go with a game already full of drama and the Avs up 5-2!
Third Period
With James Reimer coming in to replace Lyon to start the period, he would be kept busy thanks to a four-minute high-sticking penalty by Joe Velano on Lehkonen. Colorado couldn’t convert despite chances from the usual suspects of MacKinnon, Makar, and Lehkonen.
There would be a scare for the Avs though, as it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Zach Parise would have Colton shoved into his legs by Seider, leaving him down and injured. He hobbled down the tunnel, but miraculously came back and kept on trucking.
It might’ve fueled Colorado, because moments later they would strike again. Jonathan Drouin would rush in on a 2-on-1 and release a beautiful wrist shot into the top corner to extend the lead.


Beauty of a shot from Jonathan Drouin! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/DvZVHgDjW7— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




The chances didn’t stop, with Parise getting a great look on an Alex DeBrincat high-sticking penalty but was denied. To top off a perfect night, Jean-Luc Foudy got his first career NHL goal on a rebound in front, with a rising backhander to end the game with six unanswered goals, a 7-2 win, and a season-high 54 shots on goal.


Congratulations to Jean-Luc Foudy for the first career goal and touchdown! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/gDcDr6Mytp— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 7, 2024




Takeaways
Where do we even begin? In the 600th career game behind the bench for Jared Bednar, his team delivered massively. MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 31 games and is now only 10 games away from the record. It came with four assists on the night and is now four points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov for the league lead in points at 109. He was part of a major first-line performance. Makar got his three goals and assist, along with a quiet four-assist game for Rantanen as well. It was all top-line for the Avs tonight, and it was phenomenal, to say the least.
The only real negative was the loss of Chris Wagner, who fell awkwardly in the second period. He did not return to the game, officially being ruled out with an upper-body injury. While he and the fourth line was far from a standout, it is a significant loss in a spot where the Avs could look to trade for somebody before the deadline. There was also a scare with Parise being hurt by a Colton shove by Seider into his legs, but he somehow came back no worse for wear. Hopefully, he is okay long-term.
Speaking of the trade deadline, we should’ve seen the craziness of this game coming after the wildness leading up to the game. The Avalanche got busy 48 hours before the official deadline on Friday at 1:00 p.m. MT, trading away Ryan Johansen and a 2025 first-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round pick. This led to an even bigger move, with Bowen Byram going to the Buffalo Sabres for Casey Mittelstadt. With two roster spots empty for tonight, both Pavel and Foudy did their part before the two new players join the team likely for the next game. With a shorthanded squad along with several returns and new faces joining the team, this result only shows the Avalanche will be extremely dangerous moving forward.
Upcoming
Speaking of the next game, this short homestand wraps up Friday night against the Minnesota Wild. The likely debuts of Walker and Mittelstadt get underway at 7:00 p.m. MT....

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