Colorado and Vancouver started their NHL seasons weakly. The reigning champions have managed to turn the tables, while Vancouver’s crisis deepens. Everything points to Bruce Boudreau being the first coach to be fired.
The Colorado Avalanche are starting to get going after their lackluster fall. The team defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4–1 on the road and took their fourth straight victory. Before the streak began, Colorado had lost seven of eight games.
Mikko Rantanen gave Colorado a 3-0 lead at the halfway mark. He took advantage of a rebound in the power play and found the back of the net from a small angle.
In the scoring protocol, Rantanen was noted for 1+1 and Nathan MacKinnon for 0+2. MacKinnon made a comeback at the turn of the year after missing nearly a month due to injury. He has scored in seven straight games where it has been 4+11=15 points.
The Sagittarius League
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton 39
2. David Pastrnak, Boston 35
3. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado 32
3. Tage Thompson, Buffalo 32
5. Jason Robertson, Dallas 31
Rantanen, who is eighth in the scoring league, has been recorded for 32+26=58 points in 44 games. Should the pace continue through the season, Rantanen will land on 60+48=108 points.
Artturi Lehkonen had zero in the scoring record, but with his 23 minutes was the game’s ice time leader on the offensive side.
In Colorado’s goal, Aleksandr Georgiev impressed by saving 28 of 29 shots. Colorado had to do without injured star quarterback Cale Makar for the second game in a row.
Colorado moved into a playoff spot for the first time in a long time. Dallas is first in the West with 61 points in 47 games and Colorado, despite its faded autumn, still has every opportunity to be the best in the West.
| Law | Matches | Point |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Colorado | 44 | 51 |
| 9. Calgary | 46 | 51 |
| 10 pieces. Louis | 46 | 49 |
| 11. Nashville | 45 | 48 |
| 12. Vancouver | 45 | 39 |
For Vancouver, there has been only one victory in the last seven games and in practice the playoff hope is extinguished. To go to the playoffs, about 95 points are needed and to get there, Vancouver would henceforth need to average 1.5 points per game.
Vancouver head coach Bruce Boudreau has been the talk of the town in recent days. The betting tip is that Boudreau will be the first NHL coach to be fired and rumors suggest that former Arizona coach Rick Tocchet could soon take over.
Bruce Boudreau before the game against Colorado.
Photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports/All Over Press
Bruce Boudreau
Boudreau knows what’s coming and Vancouver’s club management has been criticized for how they are handling the situation.
– See you tomorrow – I hope, Boudreau said after the game against Colorado.
Kasperi Kapanen injured
In the second game of the night, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 4–1. In Pittsburgh, defenseman Jeff Petry was back from a six-week injury layoff, and starting goaltender Tristan Jarry was between the posts for the first time in three weeks.
Jarry impressed big by saving 44 of 45 shots. In the home team, Jake Guentzel, with 2+1, was also a strong contributor to the victory.
Kasperi Kapanen was not in Pittsburgh’s offensive line-up. He is out with a lower body injury that will take weeks to heal.
In 35 games, the Finn has been noted for an approved 6+11=17 points, but purely in terms of play, the season has been shaky. Kapanen has played just 11.45 minutes per game, the lowest mark since the 2017-18 season when he established himself in the NHL.
Results
Pittsburgh–Ottawa 1–4
Vancouver–Colorado 1–4
COL: Artturi Lehkonen 0+0, +/- 0, 23.01
COL: Mikko Rantanen 1+1, +1, 20.09
