Recap: Colorado’s power play costs them another game

The Colorado Avalanche dropped the third game of their current seven-game home stand to the Toronto Maple Leafs, by a final score of 4-3 in overtime. Colorado’s power play, once again, failed to capitalize in a late game opportunity to seal a victory. Instead, the squad lost their third in the last five games.

First Period

Colorado had early jump in this one but Toronto would be the one to kick off the scoring in this game. Easton Cowan threw the puck towards the front of the net in an effort to get a back-door tap-in goal, but the puck would end up deflecting into the net off of Brent Burns’ skate to give the Leafs the lead.

The Avs would answer back before the period ended, courtesy of an absolutely ridiculous move from Martin Necas to get free from Jake McCabe and find Cale Makar with a cross-ice pass, and Makar made no mistake on the shot to even the score.

Before the period ended Brock Nelson would continue his hot streak after that to give Colorado a 2-1 lead, as Nathan MacKinnon was able to find him right in the slot off of a face off play on the power play.

Second Period

The home team started getting a little lax in their play as Bobby McMann would tie the game up for the Leafs, when he beat out every Colorado player on this play, and created a breakaway for himself and managed to put the puck past Trent Miner. And that’s how the second frame would end in a 2-2 tie.

Third Period

The Maple Leafs struck first in the third period to take the lead back after that, as Auston Matthews quickly scored at 4-on-4 to give Toronto a 3-2 lead. He was buzzing all night and finally got one on the board.

Necas would tie this game back up for Colorado, though, as Nathan MacKinnon was able to find him right out in front of the Toronto net, and Necas was able to put the puck home to tie the game at 3-3.

The Avalanche would get a really late chance on the power play to try and win the game in regulation, but they were unable to convert on it sending the game to overtime.

It took almost the full five minutes to settle the game as both teams traded rushes. Nathan MacKinnon should have ended but he hit the post. At the other end he gave the puck away and it would be William Nylander who ended up winning it in overtime for the Maple Leafs in a 4-3 final score.

Takeaways

You got a point, fine, I can be happy enough with that. And yes, before I start, I acknowledge that you’re missing some key players right now with injury as well, which is going to affect things. All that being said, your power play cost you this game, in my opinion. It wasn’t even a bad statistical night for the power play, as the Avs went 1/3 on it. However, you were given an absolute gift of an opportunity to win this game very late in regulation and head out of the building with two points instead of one, and instead of turning that situation into an absolute shooting gallery and putting everything on net to try and get one to bounce into the net late, you, and stop me if you’ve heard this one before, pass the puck around the zone, looking for a perfect passing play, resulting in you not not being able to capitalize and win that game.

Overtime was a bit of a mess too, the Avs weren’t able to really generate anything beyond the one chance from MacKinnon that barely stayed out of the net. Outside of that, it felt like they were in survival mode the entire overtime period. As I said, ultimately, you got a point, I can be happy enough with that, but it really feels like you gave a point away tonight, and it was because of your power play. It’s January, you have plenty of time, but you need to figure something out by the time the playoffs roll around in the spring.

Upcoming

The Avs get three days off before taking on the Nashville Predators on Friday, January 16. Puck drop will be at 7:00 p.m. MT.