Dater: Avs Look Like They're Getting Their Confidence Back - Slowly

Georgiev is the difference

In our time together at the Denver Post, Terry Frei and I had an inside joke that playfully mocked how many times other sportswriters used the cliche “What a difference a (fill in the blank) makes.” For a while, even, I would cut out the cliche in the newspaper stories they appeared and keep them in an envelope. It wasn’t long before that envelope became pretty thick.

So, let me make myself clear when it comes to the current state of the Avalanche: “What a difference a week makes!”

Since losing 7-6 in Game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets, the Avs have outscored the Jets 11-4, including 6-2 in last night’s big win at Ball Arena. Suddenly, goaltending isn’t the big story with the Avs. It’s with the Jets.

Likely Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck is now the story. Helly’s goals-against average, after three games, is 5.05. The save percentage is .871. After a couple days where Alexandar Georgiev was just brutally castigated in the media (my hand raised), now it’s Jets fans saying “What the Hellebuyck?”