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Avalanche move on to second round in playoffs

Originally posted on The Rink | By Brennan Vogt | Last updated 5/1/24

The Winnipeg Jets were facing elimination for the first time in the series against the Colorado Avalanche. It was time that they had to step up and Colorado did not step back at all themselves. Colorado would only step up their game even more to eliminate the Jets and move on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Valeri Nichushkin got the party started again and Artturi Lehkonen only added to it. Nathan MacKinnon was not the only one that had to contribute this round and it showed in a complete team effort. Here are my takeaways from the 6–3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

Takeaways

— Nichushkin and Lehkonen led the way for the Avalanche. They are the only set of teammates to have five-game goal streaks to open the playoffs. Tonight, Lehkonen was credited with a goal that Neal Pionk deflected. Nichushkin opened the scoring for the Avalanche in the first period. Both have been essential to the team and four-game win streak Colorado had to take the series.

— Scoring came from all around the team, not just the top-three or top-six. Goals came from 12 different skaters during the series. Two of them, Yakov Trenin and Casey Mittelstadt, are trade deadline acquisitions. Zach Parise, who had to step into the first-line role with Jonathan Drouin injured, had two goals. Eleven players provided assists in the series as well, proving even more that scoring is being spread out.

— Alexandar Georgiev proved everyone wrong. Everyone was calling for the man’s head after a game one disaster, but he shut out the noise. If anything, Georgiev used the criticism as fuel to fire. He allowed seven goals in the first game and has not allowed over three goals every game thereafter. He would finish the series with a .900 save percentage and 3.03 goals allowed an average. That is high, but with the rate that the Avalanche are scoring, it is more manageable than seven.

Conclusion

The Avalanche fan base was extremely worried after game one in the series. Now they are the most confident I have ever seen them. Georgiev has improved to win the hearts of the fans back. The depth soring is some of the best that we have seen since…well 2022. Am I saying that this will be the year again? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Colorado is playing some of the best hockey that they have all year. The Avalanche now will head home and await the results of the Vegas-Dallas series. Who would you prefer?