After an explosive start to last season, followed by clinching the Central Division, to be let down in a bittersweet overtime Game 7 loss to divisional rival Minnesota, everyone expected great things from the season. Those great things have yet, and if things continue in this fashion, will not be seen this season (insert sigh here). As an ever-hopeful Avalanche fan, I have watched the Avs have outstanding games like last week’s 4-1 win over Chicago and 5-4 victory against Tampa, and think, “Alight, this is it. This is the moment when we are going to turn it around”. Yet am only to be let down the following night with a lackluster and nearly embarrassing performance, such as our 2-5 fail against Nashville last night.
Matt Duchene said earlier in the season in relation to their poor start that is was like the team was still hung-over from last season. Well if that is the case, then we have all seen the Hangover Part I, II and III, and lets be honest, they should have stopped after the first one. The hangover excuse may be an explanation to the slow start for the year, but what’s the excuse now? One of the obvious reasons is the lack of offensive productivity from guys like MacKinnon and Duchene. Defenseman, Erik Johnson, has 12 goals for the season, compared to Mackinnon’s 13, and Johnson hasn’t played since January 21st because of an injury. Not that MacKinnon is the sole problem, with his first hat trick on Sunday and a goal in last night’s game, he may very well finally start raking in the points. At least one can always hope.
Whatever the problem is, looking at the current standings, it is becoming harder and harder to hold the faith that we will squeak into the playoffs and prove that we still are the knock out team that we were last season. The only thing that I can be sure of is that the man behind the bench, while he may emulate a stoic persona, we all know that Patty only has eyes for one thing, and we can be assured he will not stand by and watch his club flop season to season.