The dust has finally settled from a wild and wacky NHL trade deadline and the league is back to business as usual. For the Colorado Avalanche, that means another home game and another home win - probably.

Not so fast. The Vancouver Canucks had other ideas on Wednesday night. Vancouver broked a 0-0 scoreless tie in the third period eventually winning 3-1 to stun the mighty 'Avs.

Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller scored 1:52 apart early in the third period. While Jaroslav Halak stood tall making 32 saves for the win.

Colorado has more than a 25 point lead in the standings but when a playoff spot is on the line in the West every night is going t be a dogfight.

This was a fast-moving game and it felt like one the 'Avs could come back to win. Colorado is the NHL's best team at coming back in the third period and when Nazem Kadri cut Vancouver's lead to 2-1 it felt like a certainty they would do it again.

Halak stood tall and Bo Horvat added an empty-net goal to seal the 'Avs fate.

It was just the fourth regulation home loss of the season for Colorado. The NHL's best team is now 25-4-3 at Ball Arena and 45-14-5 overall. They still have a hefty lead in the Central Divison. Second-place St. Louis trails Colorado by 16 points.

After not losing a single game in regulation in February. The Avalanche are just 6-4-1 in the month of March.

I mean it when I say every game is going to be a dogfight from here on out. Five clubs are within 10 points of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference playoff race.

Fifteen of Colorado's final 17 games are against a team either in a playoff spot or within striking distance of a playoff spot. This should be the perfect playoff primer for the 'Avs.

It has to be all business from here on out. Three straight second-round playoff exits should be enough to keep this team pumping.

The 'Avs will host one of the non-playoff teams on Friday when the Claude Giroux-less Flyers come to town.

Thanks for reading,
Steve

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