Sakmann News, Entertainment and Sports
SNES Blog Network
Heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Colorado Avalanche fans had every reason to be nervous about the team’s first round matchup with the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets won all three […]
Heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Colorado Avalanche fans had every reason to be nervous about the team’s first round matchup with the Winnipeg Jets.
The Jets won all three regular season games against the Avalanche this season, with an aggregate score of 17-4. Two of Winnipeg’s wins came in Denver at Ball Arena, most recently with a dominating 7-0 win on April 13 near the end of the regular season. This loss was far from inconsequential for Colorado, as the loss ultimately helped Winnipeg secure home-ice advantage in their opening round playoff series against the Avalanche.
Then Game 1 rolled around, and despite a stellar six-goal performance from the offense, Alexandar Georgiev let up seven goals, prompting fanbase outrage and calls for an immediate and/or indefinite change in net.
With Pavel Francouz retiring ahead of the playoffs and Justus Annunen battling illness, the Avalanche didn’t have many options outside of sticking with Georgiev.
But the reports of Georgiev and the Colorado Avalanche’s demise were greatly exaggerated: the 2022 Stanley Cup Champions bounced back in Game 2 with a decisive 5-2 win in Winnipeg to eliminate the Jets’ home-ice advantage for the series. In Game 3, the offense continued to churn, and Georgiev only let in two goals once again.
Game 4 continued these trends, with the Avalanche scoring five goals or more for the fourth-straight game and Georgiev allowing just a single shot in to the net.
Artturi Lehkonen opening up the scoring on a wrist shot 8:10 in to the game, with his fourth goal of the series, assisted by Casey Mittelstadt.
The Jets answered five minutes later as Nate Schmidt scored his first goal of the series, assisted by Mason Appleton and Logan Stanley.
Valeri Nichushkin broke the 1-1 tie with a tip-in redirection, assisted by Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon.
Makar scored next, on an unassisted breakaway, to become the Avalanche’s all-time leading scorer in the postseason from a defenseman position.
Nino Niederreiter was called for roughing against Sean Walker with 1:00 left to play in the second period, and the Avalanche quickly capitalized with a power play goal: Nichushkin found the back of the net on a sweet assist from Lehkonen and MacKinnon, their third and fifth assists of the series respectively.
A deflated Winnipeg team couldn’t get any offense going in the third period either. Georgiev didn’t face an insane amount of shots (27) but he made 26 saves, a 96.3% success rate. Fans rained down “Georgie” chants late in the game, as they did in Game 3, showing their support for the goalie through the ups-and-downs.
For good measure, Nichushkin scored once again on an empty-netter with 0:13 left in the game, prompting hats to rain down on the ice at Ball Arena for Nichushkin’s first career NHL hat trick, including regular season and postseason.
The Avalanche won Game 4 by a score of 5-1 to win their third straight game against the Jets, taking a 3-1 lead in the series. Colorado will have three chances to close out this opening round series, starting in Game 5 in Winnipeg on Tuesday. If the Jets keep their season alive with a win, Game 6 would be Thursday back at Ball Arena in Denver. Game 7, if necessary, would take place on Saturday, May 4, in Winnipeg.
The winner of this series will play the winner of the Dallas Stars-Vegas Golden Knights series, where the defending 2023 Stanley Cup Champions lead 2-1.
Will the Avalanche wrap up their first round series against the Jets in Game 5, or will the series start to go the distance? Is Colorado capable of a deep playoff run? For more Avalanche, Colorado sports, and general sports news, be sure to follow Sak Sports Blog on Twitter or on Facebook!
Header Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Be sure to follow Sak Sports Blog on Twitter or on Facebook for more NBA and NFL updates!
Sakmann News, Entertainment and Sports 