Alex Tanguay, Jarome Iginla, and Tyson Barrie earned the Colorado Avalanche ‘s three stars for the week ending on Jan. 18 as the club managed a 1-1-2 record in the first four games of its current five-game road trip. The Avs lost to the Washington Capitals in regulation, fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in a shootout, beat the Florida Panthers, and were edged by the Tampa Bay Lightning in a shootout to earn four out of eight available points on the week. The Avalanche can make it a successful road trip with a win Monday night over the St. Louis Blues.
Without further ado, here are the Avs’ three stars for the week that was:
First Star ★ Alex Tanguay, Left Wing
Tanguay scored one goal and registered a team-leading three assists while skating on a line with Jarome Iginla and Matt Duchene. The Tanguay/Duchene/Iginla line applied consistent pressure throughout the week and has stood out as the team’s best unit since coach Patrick Roy put the trio together. Tanguay buried his own rebound on the power play for Colorado’s lone-goal in Washington. The 35-year-old added a key assist on the Avs’ first goal in Carolina to start the rally and help the team steal a point by forcing overtime. Tanguay continued to impress with a great pass from his knees for the primary assist on Nick Holden’s game-winning power play goal in the third period against the Panthers. He went on to add his team-leading 31st point with another assist later in the period. Tanguay also leads the team with a +5 plus/minus rating on the season.
Second Star ★ Jarome Iginla, Right Wing
Iginla – a notorious late starter – continues to heat up as the season goes on. He scored a goal and added two assists with a team-leading 17 shots on goal to go with +1 plus/minus rating on the week. His fight with Ryan Callahan in Tampa Bay was a big reason the Avs were able to comeback and earn one point that night as the bout energized a lethargic Avalanche bunch. Iginla helped spark the Avs comeback in Carolina as well with a chip pass high out of the offensive zone corner to Matt Duchene, who one-timed the puck past Anton Khudobin for Colorado’s first of two third period goals. The 37-year-old sealed the deal against the Panthers with his team-leading 13th goal of the season late in the third period. With 30 points, Iginla is just one point shy of Tanguay’s team lead.
Third Star ★ Tyson Barrie, Defense
Barrie continued to be an offensive force from the blue line with one goal and two assists, both of which came on the power play, while logging the second highest ice time (23:27) on the club during the week. The fourth-year pro tallied a goal and an assist in the Avs’ win over the Panthers. On his goal, Barrie patiently skated the puck in from the point to the high slot before going top shelf on Roberto Luongo. He also picked up an assist on the game-winning goal in the third period. Barrie’s 24 assists lead the entire Avalanche and are the sixth most by a defenseman this season in the NHL. He leads all Avs defenseman with 28 points.