Dater: How Could This Happen - Again?

Game 7 loss could set team back a while

A conversation with myself about the Colorado Avalanche.

Was that the biggest gut-punch loss in Avs history last night, a game in which the Avs had a two-goal lead with time ticking down to just 12 minutes left in the third period?
It’s right up there. It might be. There was just so much hope for this Avs team, to get back to Stanley Cup glory. I mean, you had the perfect storyline developing, with Gabe Landeskog coming back, a new goalie who helped right the ship midway through the season, a bunch of other “win now” moves by Chris MacFarland that all looked good on paper.

The 7-0 Game 7 loss to Detroit in the 2002 Western finals was a gut punch, but that series was truly lost at home in Game 6 when they could have closed the Wings out. The back-to-back Game 7 losses in Dallas in 1999 and 2000 were certainly gut punches, with the 2000 one hurting the most of the two. But the Avs didn’t blow third-period leads in either of those games. This one, they did. So, yeah, actually, I would say this was the biggest gut-punch loss in Avs history.

“You put your heart and soul into the whole year, and the series. You’re in a good position, and it slips away on you. It’s tough,” Jared Bednar told reporters after the loss.

Why didn’t the Avs win this series, against a team missing its top goal-scorer and best defenseman?

Well, we can start with the power play. Avs went 1-for-their-last-18 in the series, including doing zippo on a four-minute double-minor in the first period last night when Jamie Benn was sent to the box. Not only did the Avs pass the puck too much, but their shooting accuracy was horrible. They simply missed the net innumerable times. They didn’t capitalize on rebounds enough.

They got a substandard series from Cale Makar, which certainly didn’t help. He had one goal and five points in the seven games. Not his usual production, and he also had some lapses defensively, last night. Was he hurt? He right hand was pretty bandaged up, it looked like. But his skating seemed fine. He just didn’t play as well as he usually does, and it hurt.

The second line was a little too spotty in the series, and that hurt too. Hate to say it, but Landeskog was pretty invisible last night, with no points and no shots in 20+ minutes. Brock Nelson just was never great in the series, either. Losing Ross Colton hurt their depth, but that can’t be used as a good excuse.

Meanwhile, Dallas went 2-for-4 on their PP last night. And, guess who was their best player down the stretch in the series? Mikko Rantanen, 11 points in the final three games. Eleven. A hat trick in Game 7.

That added an extra layer of pain to the gut.