Check out the scoresheet and you see that Gabriel Landeskog was credited with one assist Saturday in the Avalanche's 6-3 win against Chicago at the Pepsi Center.
Statistically, that's true, but his influence on an outcome that followed Friday's 7-0 embarrassment in Las Vegas went much further.
First, Landeskog stepped up as team captain during what Nathan MacKinnon called a brief meeting to emphasize that this team could not allow the blowout to affect the rest of the season.
"We had a little meeting that it wasn't going to be like it was last year, that no one can have the mindset, 'Here we go again,' " MacKinnon said. "Gabe reiterated that to us. I don't know if anyone was thinking like that, but (he wanted to) just make sure (we realize) it's a brand new season, totally different players."
The Avalanche moved to 6-5-0, and 71 games still remain, so there's no telling how the rest of the season will go, certainly not based on one impressive bounce-back performance.
But knocking off the Blackhawks -- they've lost three games in a row, by the way, and five of their past six -- was a significant step in the right direction.
"We talked about it right after the game (Friday)," Landeskog said. "You know, (stuff) happens and it was a tough one, but it’s a matter of how we respond and I think we responded the right way.
"I’m proud of this group, the way we came back and the way we answered the call. And obviously after losing 7-0, it’s tough on the confidence and it can be tough for a group. It can make a group all of a sudden spread in different directions and get a little fragile, but we kept it together and I’m proud of the way we showed up.…
Not only that, coach Jared Bednar's decision to put Landeskog on the top line with MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, each of whom had one goal in the first 10 games, paid off handsomely. His addition helped cleared space for his new linemates, and they had their best games of the season with two goals and an assist apiece.
"Really came to play tonight," said St. Louis Blues scout Dave Taylor, who has been attending so many games at the Pepsi Center he could be paying rent (he isn't).
MacKinnon, who had 18 shots in the first 10 games, went for seven against the Blackhawks. Rantanen had three shots and Landeskog one, which he turned into a MacKinnon goal early in the second period.
After taking a shot that goalie Anton Forsberg stopped near the right post, Landeskog flipped the rebound across to MacKinnon to the left of the net for his second goal and a 5-0 lead.
"The big guns led the charge," Bednar said. "That line -- Landeskog, MacKinnon, Rantanen -- they were flying right out of the gate. They wanted to make sure we got off on the right foot and they led us to victory. They had big parts to do with our special teams again (too)."
MacKinnon and Rantanen each had a power-play goal, the Avalanche went 2-for-5 with the man advantage and killed all five Chicago power plays.
"Mack and Mikko needed a little spark and it certainly worked," Bednar said. "That's sometimes why you juggle things around when it isn't working, just to maybe catch lightning in a bottle."
Backup goalie Jonathan Bernier had his best game of the young season with 39 saves. He stopped 20 of 21 shots in the third period.
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"Performance," Bednar said when asked why defenseman Nikita Zadorov was scratched for the second game in a row. "We're picking our lineup based on performance, it's that simple. His attitude's been fine, but we're playing the guys that are consistently playing the best. That's where we are now, that's what we're going to do the rest of the year. We're playing to win."
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The Avalanche on Sunday reassigned forward Andrew Agozzino to AHL San Antonio. He didn't play Saturday because Alexander Kerfoot was cleared to play after taking a hit to the head Friday.
Rocco Grimaldi, who also was recalled from the Rampage, had an assist and an important third-period goal while at right wing on a line with Sven Andrighetto and Matt Duchene.