Recap: Avalanche stave off frustrating defeat with late game heroics, overcome Sharks in shootout

11 months ago  /  Mile High Hockey

Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images


Colorado outshot San Jose 52-21 in the contest. Did you miss this feeling?
The Colorado Avalanche defeated the San Jose Sharks in the Shootout by a final score of 2-1 and advanced to 2-0-0 on the young season. What was overall another sloppy, yet typical offensive show by the Avs was frustrating for the majority of the game, as poor ice conditions, an outstanding performance from Sharks netminder MacKenzie Blackwood, and numerous grade-A scoring opportunities unsuccessfully finished made this game play out a lot differently than the stat sheet would suggest.
First Period
The Avalanche came storming out of the gates once again tonight, establishing their high-tempo style onto the game early on. This led to a tripping penalty by Sharks defenseman Matt Benning just over three minutes into the contest, and from there the Avalanche took things to another level. Their first power play was the perfect example of a power play where you do everything right, except score a goal. After an offensive clinic from the Avs on the man advantage, the game remained scoreless, but the Avs were in full control of the pace of play, as the stars were shining once again and had the Avs at a shot advantage of 8-1.
Despite the consistent pressure from the Avs however, it was the Sharks who broke through on the scoreboard first. Just under nine minutes into the contest, the aforementioned Benning found himself with the puck at the point, and he fired a wrister towards the net. The shot was deflected by forward prospect Thomas Bordeleau and past Alexandar Georgiev for his first career NHL goal; an awesome moment for the youngster.


You never forget your first in the NHL. #NHLFaceOffCongrats, Thomas Bordeleau (@Thomasbord71)! pic.twitter.com/hQkZ7wGd1K— NHL (@NHL) October 15, 2023



The game neutralized a bit after this goal. The Avs would get another power play opportunity shortly after the Bordeleau goal but didn’t execute this man advantage as well as their first. There was a close call in the crease off a Nathan MacKinnon shot, but the Avs were unable to sniff out the rebound and went into the locker room down a goal after 20 minutes of play.
Second Period
The second period saw the Avs come out with a simple philosophy: Pepper MacKenzie Blackwood with shots. While the overall tempo of the game slowed down after intermission, the Avalanche were able to create numerous scoring opportunities throughout the period by firing the puck on the net. Blackwood was giving up rebounds on just about every puck that came his way, but the Avs were unable to sneak one past the netminder.
The physicality of the period ramped up, with plenty of the attention centered around newcomer forward Miles Wood. While making a play on the puck early in the frame, Wood inadvertently drove Bordeleau into the corner of an open bench door, and the collision left both players down on the ice holding their midsections. While both players missed a shift or two, they both remained in the game, and for Wood, he was hungry for more. Later on, he would bury Benning in the corner chasing down a loose puck, but outside of the physicality, there wasn’t a lot to talk about in this period.


Scary moment as Bordeleau gets hit into an open gate. Luckily he has just returned to the bench. #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/vrObHRXLAo— SnipeCity420  (@SnipeCity420) October 15, 2023



Tempers flared from the Sharks side following a Luke Kunin high stick on MacKinnon while the Sharks were already on the penalty kill, but the Avs were unable to contribute on both the short 5-on-3 and the overall powerplay, with Jonathan Drouin taking a holding penalty in the process. On the Penalty Kill, the Avs almost got their big break after Logan O’Connor sprung a 2-on-1 odd-man rush, but rang the iron with his shot. From there the clock would expire on the period.
Third Period:
With only 20 minutes to strike, the Avalanche continued to fire everything they could on the net, and it showed on the shot counter. Early on, Artturi Lehkonen rang a point-blank slot opportunity off the post, and the frustration continued to mount from there. The Avs continued to generate chances, but as the period progressed, the energy started to die down. As the Sharks got into their defensive shell to protect the lead, the Avs continued to dominate puck possession, but the tempo the Avs were playing with slowly faded away.
With frustration at a climax and the clock waning, the Avalanche on their 50th shot on net of the contest finally solved MacKenzie Blackwood. With traffic in front of Blackwood, Cale Makar wired a wrister past the pool of bodies, and into the back of the net; tie game with just under 90 seconds to go in regulation. The two teams would skate out the final moments to take a point and decide this game in extra time.


YOU LOVE TO SEE IT FROM CALE MAKAR! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/4qHgcmDJKC— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) October 15, 2023



Overtime + Shootout:
In overtime, the Avs controlled possession from start to, until Nathan MacKinnon took a kneeing penalty on Center Fabian Zetterlund. This gave the Sharks a 4-on-3 powerplay with just over three minutes to go in Overtime, but the Avs stood strong and killed it off. They would get their own 4-on-3 opportunity, albeit with only 31 seconds on the game clock, but were unable to generate a solid scoring chance. The game would go to the shootout tied 1-1, but with the Avs outshooting the Sharks by a whopping 52-21.
In the shootout, Mikko Rantanen sniped a snapshot top right corner over the glove of Blackwood as the Avs forced the fate of the game onto the stick of Sharks forward Mike Hoffman, who was unable to sneak one by Georgiev. What was once trending towards a frustrating loss for the Avs became a gusty, relieving, come-from-behind victory.


Mikko Rantanen with the into the top corner to win it in the shootout! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ysyW5Ib9Z0— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) October 15, 2023



Takeaways:

Regardless of the outcome, the Sharks owe MacKenzie Blackwood a VERY expensive steak.
The star trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar looked dominant once again tonight, however were a bit casual and loose for a game they were behind for so long in. I felt the details in their game slowly began to fade as the clock wained, and they continued to be unable to solve Blackwood.
The Avalanche outshot the Sharks 52-21 in shots on goal and had 111 overall shot attempts.
Alex Georgiev won his 100th career NHL game tonight, accomplishing the feat in 180 career starts. Congratulations Georgie!


Upcoming:
The Avalanche are back in action Tuesday night after another two-day layoff for a meeting with Philipp Grubauer, Andre Burakovsky, and the Seattle Kraken. Puck drop is at approximately 8:00 p.m. MST on ESPN. ...

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