The Colorado Avalanche go to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday on the heels of arguably their most disappointing efficiency in what has been a standout season.
The Avalanche sit atop the league standings, 9 factors forward of their closest rivals, however wish to rebound after a dismal 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday within the second outing of a four-game street journey.
Colorado has managed just one win in 4 video games and two in seven (2-3-2) amidst what has been a dog-days portion of their season.
“You are going to face adversity, there is no query, proper?” Colorado coach Jared Bednar mentioned. “We have now to discover a solution to bounce again once more after which string a few video games collectively. However it by no means hurts to undergo somewhat little bit of a stretch the place it’s a must to push and play your finest, and you bought to reply.”
Colorado, the stingiest staff within the league defensively, has surrendered 5 or extra objectives in three of its final six outings.
However that isn’t the one disappointing side of Wednesday’s conflict.
Colorado was held to 4 pictures on aim within the first interval, the bottom for a interval this season. Then the Avalanche mustered the identical quantity within the second body.
Even after solely managing 18 pictures on web in Ottawa, Colorado leads the league with a mean of 34.6, a full 2.5 greater than the Carolina Hurricanes, who sit second in that stat.
“We could not actually preserve sustained O-zone time to even get pictures,” mentioned ahead Parker Kelly, whose late second-period aim tied the sport at 1-1. “So not adequate for us tonight, and we’ll need to grind one out tomorrow in Montreal.”
The Canadiens wish to construct on a 3-2 time beyond regulation win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday – the primary a part of a two-game homestand.
Montreal, which holds the Japanese Convention’s first wild-card place, snapped a two-game shedding skid by recovering after surrendering a late lead.
“We’re enjoying some actually good groups,” coach Martin St. Louis mentioned. “You have to be calculated, what you do with the puck and your decision-making within the third (interval), and I assumed we had been.”
The Canadiens boast a powerful 17-6-0 report towards Western Convention opponents, however that isn’t the one noteworthy run.
Ahead Cole Caufield tallied for a sixth consecutive recreation, the longest goal-scoring spree of his profession. Caufield, who reached the 30-goal mark, has netted 11 factors (9 objectives, two assists) in his run.
“That is how hockey goes. You possibly can go a few video games and not using a aim. I identical to the place my recreation is at proper now,” Caufield mentioned. “I believe I am getting a whole lot of possibilities.”
Curiously, sooner or later after goaltender Jakub Dobes was spectacular in a 32-save efficiency, the Canadiens fired goaltending coach Eric Raymond on Wednesday and promoted Marco Marciano.
Netminding has been a difficulty all season for Montreal, which is close to the underside in staff save proportion and objectives towards.
“That is an unlucky a part of the enterprise,” president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton mentioned. “We have had some success with the goalies beneath Eric. This is not a one-person reflection. It is an organizational resolution we made to have a brand new voice and transfer ahead. Marco has historical past with our goalies. Some success. We simply felt presently it was the correct transfer.”
-Area Stage Media
