If we’ve learned anything about the Avalanche, it’s that each segment of games seemingly takes on a life of its own. They won their first six games before losing five of seven — all in regulation. They then won seven of eight before failing to record a victory during this three-game road trip spanning four days. Such is how it goes during an 82-game season loaded with ebbs and flows.
Aside from taking on a rested team 19 hours after the buzzer sounded on the first leg of the back-to-back, the Avalanche were also without superstar defenseman Cale Makar on Sunday, falling 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings. The game was knotted up at 1-1 until the Kings finally took the lead and piled on the goals in the final 6:34 of regulation. They outshot the fatigued Avs 23-5 in the third period. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev made 34 saves — 20 in the third period — in the losing effort.
Colorado finished 0-1-2 on the road trip after losing its first two games both in overtime and the shootout. It collected two of a possible six points and heads back home for a lengthy five-game homestand with a 15-7-2 record despite scoring first in each of the three games.
Already without defenseman Samuel Girard (personal leave), the absence of Makar has thinned the Avs’ blueline even more. Josh Manson was elevated to the top pair alongside Devon Toews and rookie Sam Malinski was inserted into the lineup. In his second career game, Malinski played 18:09, which was third behind Bowen Byram (22:04) and Toews (27:38).
Colorado’s forwards have seemingly hit a wall offensively. Mikko Rantanen hasn’t scored in six games, Valeri Nichushkin was held to one assist during the road trip and Nathan MacKinnon had just one goal and two assists — putting up just a point in each game — despite playing a whopping 76:15 in three games (25:25 per game). The aforementioned trio that makes up the team’s top line has seen an unheralded amount of ice time in recent weeks. Simply put, if they’re not scoring, you’re likely not going to win many games.
The lone goal in the first period belonged to Manson. He joins Toews and Byram as the only goal scorers in the weekend-long back-to-back which began Saturday in Anaheim.
Head coach Jared Bednar told reporters in L.A. before the game that Makar would miss Sunday’s matchup with a lower-body injury. The superstar defenseman missed the entire overtime period on Saturday and played just one shift in the final 6:01 of regulation. It is unclear at this time if Makar’s absence will stretch into Tuesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks at Ball Arena.
It’s the first game Makar has missed all season. He’s off to a spectacular start, recording seven goals and 27 assists in 23 games. His 34 points are the most among defensemen and fifth overall in the league.