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Soderberg continues to excel

December 7, 2018, 4:30 PM ET [3 Comments]
Rick Sadowski
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • RSSArchiveCONTACT
How about some props for Carl Soderberg?

The quiet Swede is, well, quietly having what is looking like a career year.

Soderberg scored two more goals Thursday – one shorthanded -- in the Avalanche’s 5-2 win in Florida. He’s fourth on the team in scoring with 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 29 games .

Soderberg is on pace to surpass his career highs for goals (16) that he set with Boston in 2013-14 and matched last season with the Avalanche; and for assists (39) and points (51) set with the Avalanche in 2015-16.

He has four goals and two assists in the past six games, with six goals and seven assists in the past 14.

*****

Coach Jared Bednar made a surprising line change in the third period and it paid off.

He split up the big line, moving NHL scoring leader Mikko Rantanen to a line with Tyson Jost and Alexander Kerfoot, and promoting J.T. Compher to his spot at right wing with Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon.

Compher tipped Landeskog’s shot/pass behind Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo to break a 2-2 tie. Soderberg followed with his second of the game and Landeskog scored into an empty net to complete the scoring.

“The regular traction that I expect out of (the big line) wasn’t there,” Bednar told reporters.

It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll use the revamped lines in Tampa on Saturday in the final game of the four-game trip.

Compher has seven goals in 13 games, four goals in eight games since returning from a head injury.

*****

Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves and is 7-0-2 in his past nine starts. He’s matched the longest streak of his career without a regulation loss. He also went 7-0-2 in 2016-17 with Washington.

Rantanen, who scored in the first period, has five goals and 13 assists in a 10-game point streak, passing his previous career high of nine games set at the start of the season. He remains the league leader in points (47) and assists (35).

The Avalanche are 11-5-2 on the road this season; they were 15-19-2 on the road last year.




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