Good & bad: Avalanche play exceptional hockey, stomp New Jersey

From the opening puck drop, the Avs quickly imposed their will. They had eight shots on goal before the 10-minute mark and had the Devils playing on their heels. Lehkonen eventually opened the scoring at 8:54 with a hard-working play in the crease.

His 24th of the year, Lehkonen leads the team in goals.

But hot on his tails is MacKinnon following a multi power-play goal effort. MacKinnon struggled to score on the power play for most of the season, going months without a tally before breaking through right before the break.

The NHL’s leading point producer was quick to point to the Necas acquisition as the driving factor in the newly found power play success.

MacKinnon is up to 23 goals on the season and became the first player in the league to 90 points.

“I’m going to the net a little bit more with Marty. I watched a lot of video on him when he came here, and he was so good on the half wall. So I don’t want to hog it too much,” MacKinnon said. “I think a little rotation is always pretty good. It confuses then a little bit. Couple easy ones. I usually don’t get those, but just a different look.”

Good: Late-Game Onslaught

If you stick with it, the goals will come. And they did three different times.

For 40 minutes, the Avalanche were having one of those games where, whether big saves, shots off the post, or pucks trickling through the crease, they just couldn’t capitalize on their many, many chances.

But then the third period happened. MacKinnon doubled Colorado’s lead with his first PP tally before Hughes ended the Blackwood shutout bid. Rather than letting that goal push them back on their heals, the Avs instead pushed right back, and continued to do all the things that helped make them successful.

They drew another penalty and MacKinnon scored again with 5:46 remaining. That’s when it felt like the game was won. But then two more goals went in from the depth forwards who have struggled for months. Mittelstadt was rewarded on a beautiful backhand goal, with assists going to Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton. Then, the fourth line came out and combined on a fifth goal where Miles Wood and Parker Kelly got the helpers on O’Connors tally.

The depth forwards deserved to be rewarded. This could help jumpstart their production.

“It helps with confidence and morale,” Bednar said. “If you’re feeling good about your game and you know you’re playing hard and playing well, part of it is you got to get rewarded every once in a while. ”

Bad: Missed the Mark on the 5-on-3

Is it okay to criticize a first period power play that went on to score twice in the third?

I’m doing it anyway.

The Avalanche were basically gifted a 58-second 5-on-3 after Hughes shot the puck over the glass on the PK. Makar and MacKinnon did an exceptional job of running the point and collapsing everyone to below the circles. The puck movement looked great, too.

Only one problem persisted: You can’t pass your way to a goal. The Avs passed up far too many opportunities to put the puck on goal and it resulted in a missed opportunity both on the two-man advantage and the remainder of Hughes’ penalty after the fact.

Valeri Nichushkin, who returned after missing 21 games, wasn’t on the top unit except for a quick stint on the first third-period tally. When he is, the top unit should get back in the habit of putting as many pucks on goal and allowing Nichushkin to battle in front for a rebound. And that’s if his big body doesn’t take the goalies eyes away on the initial shot.

Refer back to MacKinnon’s comments on what Necas has brought to the power play. You suddenly have different looks from the half way and could be adding Nichushkin’s giant frame in front of the crease.

Make it happen.