For two periods, it certainly looked like the Colorado Avalanche had a bounce-back game in store against the Golden Knights. Colorado’s second half of a back-to-back was going well in Las Vegas. Then, in the third period, the bottom completely fell out of the team from the net outwards.
Here are the key takeaways from the Avalanche’s stunning 4-3 overtime collapse in the penultimate game of the regular season.
Playoff Nopefuls
The Avalanche have put its fans through quite the roller coaster as the regular season winds down. The final stretch of the season should be a time for the fine details to come together and the team to tighten up loose ends as they prepare for another push towards Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Instead, Colorado has been embarrassed on home ice twice in the last four games — first to their Central Division conquerors in the Dallas Stars, then (after a brief respite against the Minnesota Wild) their round-one playoff opponents in the Winnipeg Jets. For a fleeting moment, it looked like they would be righting the ship in Las Vegas, taking a three-goal lead into the third period with starting goaltender Alexandar Georgiev looking sharper than he has in considerable time.
Then the wheels came off the bus. Georgiev has shown a startling propensity to have nights where “when it rains, it pours”, and Sunday afternoon was no exception. After surrendering a backhand wraparound goal to Ivan Barbashev, Georgiev’s body language immediately gave away that the net was open for anyone’s taking. Two William Karlsson goals and a Tomas Hertl overtime tip later, the game was over.
Same Goalie, Different Game
Georgiev, at least this season’s version of him, is not a good enough goaltender to be the Avalanche starter. If they are serious about a postseason run, it is time to sit Georgiev for the final regular season game against Edmonton. If rookie backup Justus Annunen shows consistency in that game, he absolutely should be your Game 1 starter.
It is among the more exhausting narratives for anyone following the Avalanche this year that Georgiev is being relied on as if he were a true elite starter in the realm of Connor Hellebuyck, Juuse Saros, or Igor Shesterkin. The facts do not support this. While many will urge us to avoid blaming a goaltender for allowing goals when the defense in front of him is not stellar, they are simply wrong. We need to stop lending credence to excuses not rooted in reality.
Don’t trust the overwhelming evidence of the eye test? Fine. Georgiev saved 26 of 30 shots and posted a 0.867 save percentage on Sunday afternoon. On a deeper analysis, Georgiev was tested by a talented Golden Knights team, which posted an expected 2.34 goals against. The Avalanche netminder faced five high-danger scoring chances on Sunday as his defense managed to minimize dangerous opportunities for Vegas. He saved four of these for a high-danger 0.800 save percentage in all situations.
Thanks to the Avalanche defense having a resurgent game even without Samuel Girard (who remains in concussion protocol), the majority of the scoring chances that Vegas was allowed were of the low-danger quality. The Avalanche allowed seven medium-danger opportunities; Georgiev saved five of them.
The Avalanche allowed 17 low-danger shots as the Vegas Golden Knights were forced to resort to low-quality shots. Georgiev saved 16 of those 17. Georgiev, in his current form, is unplayable.
Looking Ahead
Colorado will conclude their regular season on Thursday, April 18 at Ball Arena, hosting the Edmonton Oilers (48-25-6). Coverage will be provided by ESPN; puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MDT.
(Featured Image Credit: AP Photo)
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