Close Only Counts in Horseshoes and...

Avalanche are valiant in comeback, but it's still a loss and mistakes keep piling up

Game 39
Panthers 5, Avalanche 4
Ball Arena | Tuesday, January 10, 2023

What a game! What an entertaining game! What a terrible game!

Sure, the Avalanche pulled even in the third period after trailing by three to energize the crowd at Ball Arena Tuesday night. However, at the end of 60 minutes, the Panthers had a 5-4 win and the Avs had nothing to show for it but effort.

From a Colorado perspective, this game was marred by countless mistakes that ended up costing the home team on the scoreboard. Hell, even in the midst of the fevered-comeback bid in the final frame, they were making costly mistakes on plays that led to what we hoped were good goals.  That, and they got hosed at the end by the refs, who missed a high stick to the face of J.T. Compher but called Mikko Rantanen for interference. Yeah, Mikko should have controlled his emotions better there, but come on. Let’s face it, the refs had a hand in this win for Florida.

That said: no excuses. The Avs, ultimately, beat themselves with another mistake-filled effort.