Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Need to keep the pressure on

April 16, 2019, 8:12 PM ET [8 Comments]
Rick Sadowski
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Avalanche aren’t taking anything for granted heading into Game 4 of their Stanley Cup playoff series with Calgary at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday.

Sure, they have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round affair, but a loss on Wednesday would square the series and turn it into a best-of-three with two games in Calgary.

My NHL.com game story on MONDAY’S 6-2 WIN

“I think everyone knows how important this is,” Ian Cole said Tuesday. “A win or a loss, that’s quite the turning point, whichever situation you find yourself in. We need to make sure we’re doing a good job and doing the things that got us to this place. I think everyone is aware of those things.”

Cole has been in this situation before and can pass along what he’s learned in 65 games of playoff experience that include winning the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017.

“I think everyone’s handled it pretty well, to be honest,” he said. “I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel or anything, it’s pretty simple. It’s just a matter of doing the right things and (having) more desperation and more intensity than the other team. That’s what we’re going to try to do.”

A handful of players took part in a very optional “practice” session Tuesday the day after the Avalanche’s second win in a row.

Defenseman Samuel Girard skated while wearing a non-contact jersey before the session after sitting out Monday with an upper-body injury.

“He’s a little bit better today, so we’ll see what he feels like tomorrow,” coach Jared Bednar said.

Forward Derick Brassard didn’t play Monday because of illness and was told to stay home.

Rookie defenseman Cale Makar, who scored his first goal on his first shot in his NHL debut, was given a much-deserved day off after a wild 72-hour stretch that included winning the Hobey Baker Award on Thursday while a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts, playing in the Frozen Four over the weekend in Buffalo, signing with the Avalanche and flying to Denver on Sunday before suiting up Monday.

Here's my NHL.com story on MAKAR’S SMASHING DEBUT

“This is a team that I thought was a fantastic hockey team and has a bright future,” said Cole, who signed as a free agent last summer. “I think you saw that last night even with Cale coming in. We have more guys coming in that are going to be huge contributors to this team and I think the future is something that we’re very excited about.”

That’s for the long term. The immediate goal is to win Wednesday and seize control of the series, though the Avalanche can’t expect to launch 56 shots on goal again.

“I think we have to have the same mentality again tomorrow,” said Mikko Rantanen, who scored his first playoff goal Monday. “We were hungry right from the start, the power play was clicking for the first time this series, the penalty kill was good, so we have to keep it that way. Everybody played a really solid game.

“We know it’s an important game for them. They don’t want to go (down) 3-1 going back home. We need to take energy from the crowd the way we did last night and finish our chances.”

It will help if the Avalanche can continue to limit the damage inflicted by the Flames top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm, held to a goal and three assists so far. Norris Trophy favorite Mark Giordano has one assist.

“We’re not going to try to focus on one guy or two guys, but we’re certainly going to try to contain them with team defense where we limit space and limit time,” Cole said. “When you have guys that have been as successful this year as those guys have been, you’re certainly trying to key on those type of players, guys that have that many points, guys that can create as well as they can.

“You’re never truly going to completely shut them down, but you try to limit their chances and limit their opportunities as best you can. So far we’ve done a pretty decent job, but the job’s not over. We still have two more games to win.”



Join the Discussion: » 8 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Rick Sadowski
» One-year deal for Johansson
» One more postseason disappointment
» Bednar cleared to coach tonight; MacKinnon Hart finalist
» Cale Makar a Norris Trophy finalist
» Jost: Do or die Game 5 tonight; Kadri suspension upheld