Val's Hat Trick Helps Avs Take 3-1 Series Lead

Nuke gets first career hat trick as Avs have Jets on the brink.

“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” - Mark Twain… and now every member of the Avs after the late-season slide.

Colorado was once again dominant, taking Game 4, 5-1, and pushing its series lead to 3-1. Dating back to the regular season finale, the Avs scored at least five goals per game. There will be time for a more in-depth recap later, but let’s do some instant analysis in the minutes following the Game 4 triumph.

And by instant analysis, I mean: I watched the game, played knee hockey with my son, wrote this, ate dinner, cleaned the kitchen, came back to my computer to proofread it… and then post it. So the use of “instant” is subjective at best.

Anyway, here are some thoughts:

• Instant analysis: The Colorado Avalanche are really good. When they want to be.

• Colorado’s offense is clicking. And it’s not because of Nathan MacKinnon or Mikko Rantanen, either. After a hat trick on Sunday afternoon, Valeri Nichuskin now is tied for the league lead in postseason goals with six through four games against the Jets. Artturi Lehkonen isn’t far behind with four. Those two players have been the straws that have stirred the drink in the team’s current 3-1 series advantage.

• Val was deadly in front of the net on the power play today. Perfect positioning. How is that his only career hat trick?