If it somehow still wasn’t apparent heading into Tuesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks that the Avalanche were in need of goaltending help, then it certainly is now.
Backup goalie Hunter Miska surrendered four goals on seven shots in one period before getting replaced by starter Philipp Grubauer. The Avalanche went on to score six unanswered goals to defeat Anaheim 8-4 at Ball Arena.
But one thing is very clear: The Avalanche need a backup goaltender. One that isn’t named Hunter Miska.
One that could be a serviceable backup for Grubauer, who started 22 of the team’s first 26 games, boasting an impressive 15 wins, 1.91 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
Grubauer, who wore the crown as Tuesday’s savior, stopped all 15 shots he faced in relief and watched as the Avalanche exploded offensively with a goaltender that could back them up when needed. Grubauer’s 16th win is second in the NHL.
“Grubi has been focused and he wants the net,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s in that mode right now. He’s on top of his game and playing really well for us. I made the decision to try to give him a little bit of rest going into the Minnesota series and I thought this would be a good opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Miska’s performance Tuesday could be the nail in the coffin for his playing days with the Avs — at least for the foreseeable future. Because goaltending help could potentially be on the way, and soon.
How soon? Perhaps sooner thank it took Bednar to pull Miska.
“I made the decision with a couple of minutes to go in the period,” Bednar said. “I’m not putting Grubi in cold. At that point, it’s up to our team to get us through without giving up a goal but we weren’t doing a very good job of it.”
Bednar also said his job as the coach is to play the guys he has on his roster. For general manager Joe Sakic, however, supplying his coach with reinforcements is expected of his role.
Sakic is exploring goalie options in the market, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN.
The April 12 trade deadline is quickly approaching. But Sakic’s options are not limited to just trades. A number of serviceable backup goaltenders have changed teams on the waiver wire this season — including Aaron Dell and Anton Forsberg — the latter of which was placed on waivers by the Winnipeg Jets earlier on Tuesday.
If Sakic chooses to go the trade route, two names stick out, LeBrun reports. Both are familiar faces. One has had great memories at the formerly known Pepsi Center. And the other? He’s not the most well-liked goaltender around town but could also be the one to help with Colorado’s backup goalie struggles.
The two names in question are San Jose’s Devan Dubnyk and Detroit’s Jonathan Bernier.
Bernier, 32, enjoyed a successful campaign with the Avalanche in 2017-18, even starting in the playoffs after an injury to then starter Semyon Varlamov. Bernier is a pending unrestricted free agent who has a winning record (7-6-0) and a .912 save percentage despite playing on the lowly Red Wings.
A former long-time Minnesota starter, Dubnyk is likely a rental trade piece at the deadline. Dubnyk has a losing record (3-6-2) on another team primed for the lottery but is 2-1 in his last three games with a .958 save percentage.
“He’s got a 10-team no-trade list but I think for the right contender and right fit he’ll certainly waive,” LeBrun said of Dubnyk on Tuesday. “A couple of teams that come to mind for me are Colorado and Washington, potentially.”
Regardless of whether the Avs turn towards the waiver wire or trade market for a goaltender, it is expected that Sakic will shore up the position in some way.
Miska surrendered three goals on his first five shots. The fourth goal he conceded was a shorthanded penalty shot to Ducks forward Derek Grant.
“Poor puck management,” Bednar said of the two breakaways Anaheim had while shorthanded that led to the penalty shot. “Not very good decisions on a power-play breakout. We tried to make something out of nothing and turned two pucks over and they went the other direction.”
With Grubauer in goal to start the second, the Avalanche started to mount a comeback. Superstar Nathan MacKinnon scored on a carryover power play just 61 seconds into the third period to put the Avs ahead 5-4.
MacKinnon has scored in three straight games after scoring just once in his previous seven.
“We got a deep enough team where we can hold down the fort when he gets a little cold,” said center Nazem Kadri, who had a team-high four points. “He’s so gifted, he’s going to get his goals. He’s just staying with it and at the end of the day it’s going to come for him.”
Colorado began to mount its comeback in the second period after killing off an early penalty. Top-line winger Mikko Rantanen and Kadri scored to tie the game before the second intermission. Kadri also scored in the first period, finishing with two goals and two assists.
Defenseman Samuel Girard and forwards Andre Burakovsky, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Brandon Saad also scored.
Colorado, who has won four straight, shifts its focus to a two-game series against Minnesota. The Avs trail the Wild by one point. Both teams are riding winning streaks (Minnesota, five).
Grubauer will likely start both games, injuries notwithstanding, as Sakic and the Avs search for a capable backup before playing on back-to-back nights in Arizona starting Monday.
