The Avalanche closed out of a busy week Saturday night with its opponent observing another comeback win at the Pepsi Center.
Colorado had outscored the Chicago Blackhawks 16-6 from the previous few meetings and required some contribute to the third period Saturday. But the Avs failed when it counted most for the next time.
The Blackhawks scored three third-period aims to skate 5-3 winners. Patrick Kane, Kirby Dach and Dominik Kubalik felt over a six-minute span in the half of this next period, and the traffic tacked in an empty-net tally.
“I don’t know exactly what it is. Pretty solid defensively the whole game and we didn’t manage their wave,” said Avs goalie Philipp Grubauer, who allowed three goals. “There were a couple breakdowns so we have to figure out that for certain … Tough pill to swallow to get certain. ”
Colorado withdrew a direct Thursday at a loss against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Long way from I’ll tell you that,” Avs captain Gabe Landeskog said. “I don’t know what’s going on right now. We seem to be fragile mentally for a certain reason. I don’t think we’ve got reason to be. You fall you at home at Carolina, a hockey team — and that’s Chicago when they begin believing the puck and we don’t perform we want to playwith.
“We got to adhere to that which ’s functioning. But that’s frustrating. See it and I got to sit down and see what occurred. It’s not just the breakdowns about the aims. We re simply not enjoying good. But it’s not the end of the world for us. We ought to be confident moving forward. ”
Matt Calvert scored just two goals for Colorado. Defenseman Ryan Graves had the Avs’ primary goal and assisted on Calvert’s.
Nathan MacKinnon watched his points series end.
“We got a tiny stubborn with the puck. Actually ” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “The commitment from our forward to emerge help our D (turned into a problem). Instead, they ’re down, therefore that they re placing four, five men back. ”
The Avs were rookie defenseman Cale Makar to its seventh consecutive game because of an injury that is upper-body, believed to be his shoulder. But Makar participated in Saturday’s morning skate and Might return Monday at the Vegas Golden Knights.
Colorado begins its Christmas break Tuesday and return to action Friday against the Minnesota Wild at the Pepi Center.
Footnote. MacKinnon on Saturday was named Central Division captain for next month’s NHL All-Star Game weekend at St. Louis. MacKinnon is a all-star for its fourth year and Central Division captain for the second year in a row. He did not play last year because of a minor accident. Another divisional captains are Edmonton’therefore Connor McDavid (Pacific), Boston’therefore David Pastrnak (Atlantic) and Washington’therefore Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan). The complete all-star rosters will be released in the coming weeks. … Avs defenseman Nikita Zadorov was at the starting lineup despite being benched late at Thursday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Zadorov was benched for conduct that was off-ice that was inappropriate.
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