The pattern for the Avalanche has become all too familiar: fall behind by one or two early goals, play with passion to tie the score or climb within a goal, fall apart with sloppy play in the third period.
It happened again Thursday in a 3-2 loss to Columbus. Down 2-0 in the first period -- goalie
Semyon Varlamov kept it that close with some big stops -- the Avalanche used second-period goals from
Blake Comeau and
Sam Henley (in his NHL debut) to tie the game.
Then, after killing off three consecutive penalties that gave the Blue Jackets 5:21 of consecutive power-play time in the third, including two brief two-man advantages, they kicked the puck around and
Boone Jenner scored to put Columbus ahead.
Comeau batted
John Mitchell's shot into the net with 2:09 remaining in regulation, but the goal was nullified when it was determined through video review that he used a high stick.
"It's nice that we battled back, but we gave up (37) shots," Comeau said. "We can't count on Varly to stand on his head every night. It's just poor puck management, turnovers through the neutral zone, sloppy defensively. We made it 2-2 and we have to find a way to come out of it with a win."
So the Avalanche (9-12-1) have lost the first four games (0-3-1) of their five-game homestand heading into Saturday's game against Dallas.
They cancelled a scheduled practice Friday, allowing players to work out off the ice. Maybe it's just as well the way things are going.
Some news:
Rocco Grimaldi was recalled from San Antonio after Henley and
Gabriel Bourque were returned to the Rampage. Grimaldi is the AHL team's leading scorer with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 19 games.
Henley played 5:18 and scored on his only shot Thursday. Bourque played 13:21, 2:55 as a penalty killer, and had one shot.
Defenseman
Eric Gelinas cleared waivers and remains with the team, for now anyway.
Also, the Avalanche will hold their annual
Toys for Tots drive before Saturday’s game. Children’s toys and monetary donations will be accepted at the entrances to the Pepsi Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. MT
Varlamov is scheduled to start against the Stars.
*****
"We have fits and starts of really good hockey, but it's not long enough," Matt Duchene said. "We have to make sure that we're the team that's taking control; it's just more of a killer instinct, more of an attitude to make things happen instead of worrying about making mistakes."
The Avalanche have scored the first goal six times in the first 23 games, going 4-2-0. The Blue Jackets, in contrast, have scored first 16 times in 23 games, going 11-2-3.
"It's the start of games, the start of periods (when) we're just not ready, as ready as we should be, and I'm not sure why," Duchene said. "It'd be nice to strike first and dictate the game a little more. I think that's a big key to success in this league, playing with the lead and dictating the game. We have to be more determined to do it early.
"We're a team, but at the same time we're a group of individuals. As an individual you have to make sure you're ready to go, that you're playing to the best of your ability every night. It seems like the games we win, we've got 98 percent of the team going, the games we lose we've got 50 or less. You can't have half your team show up."
The Avalanche too often play their best when they're playing catch-up, hardly a recipe for success.
"That's kind of the attitude we had last year," Duchene said. "Down the stretch we went 0-6 to finish. Nobody wanted to be the hero and everyone was trying not to be the goat. Trying to be the hero doesn't mean trying to do too much, but it means doing your job and playing the way you know how to play, the way we need each guy to play to try and win games.
"That has to change. We have to be on our toes and be ready to dictate the game and not let them dictate us."
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • 
Join the Discussion:
»