After their 3-0 win in game one, the Colorado Avalanche sought momentum by holding on to the Arizona Coyotes in game two to start a matinee back-to-back. The Avalanche had to fight through a much more push back from Arizona in this game, but still patience remained for Andre Burakovsky to make up the difference late in a 3-2 final.
The game
Arizona came up with a much more concerted effort to start the game, but Nathan MacKinnon finally got his first shot on goal in the series and it was a beautifully going post and in to get the Avalanche on board at 3:40.
Shortly after a failed game in the Colorado power, the Coyotes rode another wave of momentum and finally converted their first goal of the series at 16:49 with courtesy from Clayton Keller, whose shot was leaked by no less Philipp Grubauer and the Avalanche de loose puck could not grain. The first period ended in a 1-1 draw.
Again, the Avalanche paid back just a little over three minutes into the second frame, this time from Tyson Jost, who has been sitting in his first game since the St. Louis round match for Joonas Donskoi, who was surprisingly unfit to play. Jost made a fantastic tip play on a Cale Makar point shot to put the second score on the board.
But that lead would not last long, as some confusion in the defensive zone resulted in Michael Grabner hanging on to another puck past Grubauer a little over a minute later.
The rest of the second period was played as the Avalanche tried to clear their way through multiple penalties and misses, but still ended up 2-2 on the board as time passed.
Finally in the third period, the Avalanche returned to their game despite another unusual power play. They worked through the pressure of Arizona and tight control to create some chances and then the dam suddenly broke. Andre Burakovsky jumped on a rebound from a Nazem Kadri shot and put the puck in the open net with three more minutes left in the game.
That was all the Avalanche needed to take the game 3-2 and now a 2-0 series lead.
Takeaways
It was not Colorado’s best effort and credit for Arizona for playing a much more assertive game that put them on top of the final score 32-28. But what matters on the scoreboard are goals and the Avalanche were only one better after going through a hectic second period to find the difference maker. Also kudos to Burakovsky for finding a way to contribute after he was moved from the topline and thereby significantly reduced his ice age.
Same story for Tyson Jost who hadn’t played in almost two weeks and was a scratch for the first time in his NHL career but was ready to make an impact. Not only did he score, but left the team inside with a 75% Corsi For and added three shots on goal in just over ten minutes of ice time. Jost added some missing energy to the group that is missing for most of the game and will have to continue during the back-to-back.
In addition to Donskoi’s absence, Vladislav Namestnikov left the game near the end of the second period soon after an awkward tumble with MacKinnon. Head coach Jared Bednar certainly did not have much to offer as an update for both after the game saying only “incomplete” and “day-to-day”. Given the tight schedule and the game of the morning, it is possible that the Avalanche will have to dive into their reserve players.
Upcoming
The aforementioned back-to-back continues with the Avalanche “trying” the Coyotes for a 1pm MT puck drop to start game three.
