The Colorado Avalanche secured critical points during their matchup with the Detroit Red Wings, dismantling the visiting NHL rivals at Ball Arena. However, following the team’s third win in a row, head coach Jared Bednar delivered a firm message to Nathan MacKinnon and the rest of the locker room.
The Avalanche continue to be unstoppable on home-ice during the 2024-25 NHL season, boasting a ten-game winning streak in The Mile High City. The Red Wings witnessed MacKinnon and the Avs’ wrath as they were dominated enroute to a 5-2 loss.
The loss really hindered Detroit‘s playoff chances as they squandered a key opportunity to cut the deficit to one point behind the WC2 Montreal Canadiens. Colorado, on the other hand, continues its impressive form, though they are still some steps behind the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division.
The Avalanche conceded the first goal to the Red Wings but quickly responded, netting four consecutive goals to seize control and fend off the visiting team. After the game, coach Bednar made something clear to MacKinnon and the rest of the team about their performance, sending a bittersweet message.
“I liked our game. It was a little bit of a slugfest for us tonight. I don’t think we had great energy,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said, via NHL.com. “We didn’t have the energy that I’d like to see out of our group, but it was a pretty good hockey game.“
In-depth analysis
While the Avs will gladly take the win at home, to extend their perfect streak in Denver to ten games, Bednar pointed at some critical aspects of the game.
“I thought we were making pretty good decisions for the most part. We checked for as hard as our legs would let us. We did some good things, we got dangerous at times. If there was one knock in our game, I think we were a bit loose with our rush coverage. Some guys played really good, some guys were just OK.“
SURVEY Who would win in a potential First Round playoff series?
Who would win in a potential First Round playoff series?
already voted 52 fans
Playoffs
A Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round clash between the Avalanche and the Dallas Stars feels inevitable. Colorado has proven to be a wagon in the NHL, especially when playing in front of their fans. Therefore, earning home-ice advantage during the first round could be huge for MacKinnon and the Avs’ chances against the Stars.