Maybe a new defensive-zone coverage system will be the answer to the Avalanche's problems in their own end and help out the offense at the same time. Coach Patrick Roy and his players hope so, anyway. They'll try a zone defense rather than man-to-man starting tonight against Toronto at the Pepsi Center.
They have to try something. The Avalanche have been spending way too much time in their end and permitting too many shots on goal, an average of 35.5 per game.
The Avalanche were outshot a combined 70-40 in the last two games, regulation losses to Anaheim and Vancouver.
"We're going to make some changes," Roy said after the morning skate. "The fact that we're spending too much time in our end becomes a problem and you always try to find solutions. We need to find a way to play that our players are going to be very comfortable with, and that's what we're going to work on.
"I think it's going to simplify a lot of things. There's going to be more support (from the forwards) in our zone. We might not be perfect tonight, but these guys have been playing the zone for pretty much their entire career. I think it's an adjustment that could be made pretty easy in some ways. We practiced a bit with it this morning and I think we're going to be fine with it." The Avalanche heads into the game, which will complete a three-game homestand, in last place in the Central Division with a 3-6-5 record. They open a four-game road trip Saturday in Philadelphia.
Reto Berra will make his first start in goal since a 4-3 overtime loss to Florida on Oct. 21. Defenseman Zach Redmond will be in the lineup as a replacement for injured Brad Stuart (hamstring) after sitting out the past four games. Roy said he expects Stuart to be out for two weeks.
"A lot of times we're not giving up a lot of chances, but we're giving up a lot of shots," Matt Duchene said. "It's discouraging and it hurts our morale. We'll see how (the new system) goes and I think it will benefit our team and get us back to playing on the rush. We've had no rush chances and we're not in the O-zone enough creating what we can create. I think the last two games have been two of our worst that we've ever played under Patrick.
"The way I approach it is I'm ticked off and I'm not happy with what's going on, but I still have the confidence in this team and myself that things can get right back to where they were last year. It takes one game, two games, a couple shifts even and you can get right back there. You have to be ticked off and unhappy about what's happened, but you have to have the confidence that you know you can change it."
Center Jesse Winchester (concussion) took part in the morning skate without a non-contact jersey, but Roy said he continues to experience "good days and bad days," and won't play until he is symptom-free for between five and seven days.
Forward Patrick Bordeleau (back surgery) skated with a red non-contact jersey and remains sidelined indefinitely. Roy said defenseman Ryan Wilson (shoulder) is getting close to returning.
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Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle, told that Avalanche players held a team meeting Tuesday after giving up five consecutive goals in the 5-2 loss to Vancouver, expects them to come out hard.
"When things aren't going the way you'd like them to go there's going to have to be 'enough's enough,' " Carlyle said. "We know what this hockey club has done last year and it's pretty much the same group. I'm sure they're challenging one another inside that room. I'm sure the coaches and management are challenging everybody that this is unacceptable. We expect more of a concentrated effort from their group."
Jonathan Bernier is expected to start in goal for the Leafs.
Forward Carter Ashton was suspended for 20 games Thursday by the NHL for violating the terms of the NHL/NHL Players Association Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the suspension is accompanied by mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment. He'll lose $169,185 in salary.
Ashton, who has no points in three games this season, released the following statement through the NHLPA:
"I suffered an asthmatic spasm in late August while in a training session getting prepared for the 2014-15 NHL season. One of the other athletes I was training with gave me an inhaler in order to help open my airway, which provided me with immediate relief from my asthma attack
"I kept this inhaler and used it a second time early in the training camp upon experiencing another asthma episode. Unfortunately, I incorrectly assumed that there were no problems associated with the use of this inhaler and I used it without checking to see whether its contents were permissible under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. "I now recognize that I ingested Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance, through the inhaler. However, at no time was I seeking to gain an athletic advantage or to knowingly violate the terms of the program. I used the inhaler in response to exercise-induced asthma, a condition that my doctor with the Toronto Maple Leafs has since diagnosed and he has prescribed me with an inhaler.
"As a professional hockey player, I recognize that I am responsible for what I put into my body, and I will not appeal my suspension. While I am extremely disappointed that I have let my teammates, our fans and the Maple Leafs organization down, I will work very hard during my suspension to stay in game shape so that I can help out the team when I am able to return.…
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Here's how the Avalanche lineup looked in the morning skate:
FORWARDS Ryan O'Reilly - Matt Duchene - Jamie McGinn Gabriel Landeskog - Nathan MacKinnon - Jarome Iginla Alex Tanguay - John Mitchell - Dennis Everberg Cody McLeod - Marc-Andre Cliche - Max Talbot
DEFENSEMEN Nick Holden - Erik Johnson Zach Redmond - Tyson Barrie Jan Hejda - Nate Guenin
GOALIES Reto Berra Semyon Varlamov
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Check out Save by Roy, an in-depth look at the Avalanche's surprising 2013-14 season. It can be purchased on amazon.com and wherever books are sold. It's written by Denver Post sports reporters Adrian Dater and Terry Frei.