Miikka Kiprusoff outplayed his Colorado counterpart in the biggest game of the season for both teams
- Image by Dave McLean via Flickr
It’s the little things that are going wrong for the Colorado Avalanche as the playoffs approach. Friday night versus the Calgary Flames was no different.
The Avalanche had their chances, moving the puck well, attacking with speed through the Neutral Zone, and generally controlling the flow of the game. However, the Avalanche simply failed to convert good scoring chances into goals throughout the game. And the little breaks that decide games all went Calgary’s way.
The first goal of the game went to the Flames, and the blame falls half-and-half on the Colorado coaching staff and Craig Anderson.
The Avalanche were battling for the puck at the far point in the Calgary Zone when Colorado called for an inexplicable defensive change behind the play. This was the 2nd Period, so the Avalanche bench was nearer to the play and further from its own goal. The Flames broke free with the puck and an immediate 2 on 1 developed right past the defensive change.
The Avalanche couldn’t get back into the play fast enough, and Craig Anderson overplayed (again!) a simple move across his crease. Calgary’s Nigel Dawes scored easily shooting back across Craig’s movement, which had just vacated half the net.
Miikka Kiprusoff outplayed Craig Anderson throughout, but it was the closing period goaltending that was truly decisive.
Anderson was scored on again, this time on a partially-screened, partially-tipped shot from the high slot. Craigers could have made the save, but it would have needed to be an outstanding play. He didn’t and the Calgary lead stretched to 2-0.
Rene Bourque, AKA the Colorado Killer, got the tip-in for his 6th goal in 6 games versus the Avs in ’09-’10. Rene simply elevates his game against the Avalanche, and he got to play hero tonight as a result.
The Avalanche turned it on through the remainder of the period.
Colorado was outskating, outpassing, and outplaying every Calgary player… except Miikka Kiprusoff. The Flames’ goalie made three brilliant saves, and his right post made a third.
Brandon Yip, in his first game back from injury, and Chris Stewart, who got the first assist on the Avs’ only goal, both skated with speed and authority throughout the final frame. But it wasn’t enough, and Anderson’s failure to make one tough save and one amazing save was the difference.
In the rare instances where Calgary was able to establish possession in the Avalanche Zone, the Flames ate up big chunks of clock. Their boring, muckish board play is their strength, though, and it stymied Colorado’s quick-hit attack late in the 3rd.
The final score was 2-1 Calgary, and now the Flames have tied the Avalanche at 89 points.
Colorado still leads for the 8th and final playoff spot by virtue of their greater number of wins, division series win over the Flames, and a game-in-hand. However, the Avalanche have a lot of tough games to close out the season. Three of their final five are at home. That helps. One road game is in Edmonton, a trappish but winnable contest. That helps too.
Right now, though, even with all of those plusses, the Avalanche have still lost 7 of their last 8 games. They are playing at a playoff intensity level, but can’t control their own energy. Colorado’s offense, for all its raw power, looks skittish. Determined, yes, but still uneven at the moment of truth.
From Craig Anderson on down to Ryan O’Reilly (who had an outstanding game that resulted in 0 points), the Avalanche do not seem ready for a Stanley Cup Playoff series.
So, with 5 games left in the regular season and needing every point they can muster, Colorado’s mettle will be tested every other night for the next week and a half. If the Avalanche can rediscover their offensive timing, and if Craig Anderson & crew can harness their excess energies, Colorado will be there for the playoffs in mid-April.
If both of those things don’t happen, the Avalanche will have a lot of time to look back on how it all went wrong down the stretch for this young, talented Colorado team.
