One more win and the Avalanche can move on, survive the first round of a Stanley Cup playoff series for the first since 2008, when they eliminated Minnesota in the first round.
It could happen as early as Friday when they face the Calgary Flames in Game 5 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Colorado won their third consecutive game Wednesday, rallying for a 3-2 overtime win at the Pepsi Center, to grab a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
My
NHL.com story on Wednesday’s
ANOTHER OVERTIME WIN
“Everyone knows that the last one that you’re trying to get to close out a series is the hardest one,” coach
Jared Bednar said. “It’s a proud team over there, a really good team. They have a lot of character, are very well coached. It’s tough and now we have to go to Calgary and try to win another hockey game.”
The Avalanche made it hard on themselves again, needing to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the third period and
Ian Cole’s delay-of-game penalty in overtime before
Mikko Rantanen one-timed
Carl Soderberg’s cross-ice pass behind goalie
Mike Smith (49 saves) 10:23 into the extra period.
“We’ve done it before and it feels like we’re always digging ourselves a little bit of a hole, especially the last 15-20 games of the season,” said goalie
Philipp Grubauer, who made a remarkable left pad save on Flames forward
Mikael Backlund 2:35 into overtime.
“We were always a little bit down, one goal or two and we always came back. It shows really the fight in this group and character in this group. Unbelievable.”
The Avalanche had to come from behind several times during their 8-0-2 run down the stretch to earn a spot in the playoffs, experiences that have served them well in this series.
J.T. Compher scored late in the third period in Game 2, setting the stage for
Nathan MacKinnon’s overtime goal for a 3-2 win. He scored at 8:10 of the third period Wednesday to pull the Avalanche within 2-1 and Rantanen redirected MacKinnon’s setup on a power play with 2:50 remaining to send the game to overtime.
“We’ve done it a few times this year and there’s a belief in this room that no matter what the score is, we can come back,” Compher said. “We stuck with it, we didn’t panic, we kept playing our game and turned it back on them in playing offense.
“That last 10-15 game stretch (during the season) was playoffs for us. We’ve been playing like this for over a month now and we just got to continue to have that belief in this room.”
Even if it takes 50-plus shots two games in a row. They had 56 shots on goal against Smith in a 6-2 win Monday and needed 52 on Wednesday to pull out the win.
“I’ve learned that we believe; our belief system is strong, we want to win, our will is there and when you keep pushing, anything can happen,” Bednar said.
The Avalanche have used a balanced attack to seize control of the series – eight players have at least two points – but MacKinnon and Rantanen are leading the charge, combining for six goals and five assists. Let’s not ignore
Matt Nieto (two shorthanded goals, two assists) or Compher, who has two key third-period goals.
“I think the last couple games have been better, so now we just have to keep rolling,” Rantanen said. “We’re playing really well, not just me. Every guy on our team has been playing really well, so it’s been fun.”
And as well as Smith has played in the face of a nightly barrage – he’s made 99 saves the past two games and has nothing but frustration to show for it – Grubauer has done more than his part at the other end of the ice with a 2.09 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
“The chances were giving up is a good amount,” Bednar said. “The first 10 minutes of the second period (Wednesday) we weren’t great, but when we needed the key saves and the big saves, we’ve gotten them, no bigger than the one in overtime.
“It was an unbelievable save to be able to get his pad up, not just once but I think twice on that particular play and then we get a big block from (
Erik Johnson) in front to keep it out of our net and survive and go on to win the hockey game.
“You need your defensive guys to step up too, and that’s what Grubi is, he’s the last line of defense and last night that save was huge.”
Bednar said “it’s likely” the lineup will stay the same Friday, though
Derick Brassard and
Samuel Girard made the trip. Brassard missed the past two games with an illness, Girard with an upper-body injury.
“Girard skated again, he’s getting better,” Bednar said. “Everyone’s coming on the trip with us and then we’ll just keep re-evaluating in the morning and again at night and make decisions based on their health.”
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