The Colorado Avalanche needed a bounce-back game from Alexandar Georgiev in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night — and that’s exactly what they got.
After posting a .696 save percentage and allowing seven goals in the opener, the Russian was superb at Canada Life Centre two nights later, making 28 saves on 30 shots and propelling the Avs to a convincing 5-2 victory.
Georgiev shared a terrific response to the excellent performance afterwards.
“I tried to imagine that feeling, winning the first game of the series for us,” the netminder said with a smile, according to NHL.com’s Tracey Myers. “Trust the game and enjoy the atmosphere. I tried to approach it as a new game, definitely, after the last one.”
Georgiev allowed a goal to Jets’ center David Gustafsson just over three minutes into the contest, and it looked like it could be another long night for the veteran. But he locked in after that, making a couple of huge stops and not allowing another goal against until halfway through the second period. That would be the last goal he would concede.
Georgiev was completely locked in for Avalanche in Game 2
“They showed so much support to me over the last couple of days,” Georgiev said of his teammates. “A very rough first game, obviously. I just felt so much trust in the room from everybody and I appreciate it so much. It helped me reset, to know that they have got my back. I know I’ll help them out as well during this playoff. It was huge from them. I appreciate it.”
Georgiev did his job on Tuesday night, and the Avalanche’s prolific offense did the rest.
Artturi Lehkonen tipped in a Cale Makar shot to knot the score at two with five minutes left in the second frame, and it opened the floodgates. Zach Parise scored just three minutes later before Nathan MacKinnon found D-man Josh Manson out of the box with just seconds left in the period. Manson made no mistake in what was one of the few breakaways he’s ever had at the NHL level.
“Yeah, that felt good,” the blue liner explained after the game, per Myers. “I mean, first of all, glory to God. I don’t get those often and just to be able to put that away, it was nice. It was obviously not my best effort, Game 1 defensively. I wanted to focus on that, and those things happen sometimes like that. So, it was nice.”
Valeri Nichushkin sealed it with an empty-net goal late in the third, and the Avalanche are heading back to Denver with home-ice advantage back.
Alex Georgiev, Avalanche back in driver’s seat
Despite another Vezina Trophy-caliber season from Connor Hellebuyck in 2023-24, the Jets star goaltender has struggled in the playoffs over the last two seasons. He was downright bad against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and after allowing six goals in Game 1, he gave up four more on 31 shots in Tuesday’s loss.
The Russian out-duelled the American on this occasion, and if that keeps up, it’s going to be very difficult for Winnipeg to slow down Colorado’s fantastic offense — which scored more goals than any other NHL team this regular-season.
Avs head coach Jared Bednar was very happy with his goaltender’s bounce-back performance.
“Fifty percent of the questions I’ve had over the last three days with three media availabilities are going to be about ‘Georgy,’” the bench boss said afterwards, per Myers.
“But to be able to fight through that, get focused on what he needs to do, I thought he was outstanding. And he deserves all the credit because our team was better, but it wasn’t that much better. But he was much better, and he gave us a chance to win, and we did win and now we have to go repeat it.”
The series now shifts to Ball Arena in Denver — a place where the Nuggets just won both of their games against the Los Angeles Lakers in their NBA Round 1 series.
The fans in Colorado will be hoping for similar results from their NHL club in Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday, respectively. And after a superb Alex Georgiev performance, the Avalanche look to be back in the driver’s seat ahead of two crucial tilts in the Mile High City.
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