After a really great performance against the Dallas Stars that still ended up with a 2-1 loss in the shootouts, the Avalanche need a bounce back to snap their three-game losing streak, and there’s no better team than the Chicago Blackhawks.
It was a dominant performance all around: production on the power play, even strength, and 100% on the penalty kill secured the two points and the first team to secure a playoff spot.
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It was a great start for the Avalanche, keeping the Hawks on their heels and creating most of the chances early on. A lot of close shots within the crease, nothing too far out. Getting bodies in front of the net to try and get the eyes of Soderblom and slap in the rebounds, but he has been doing a good enough job getting enough on these shots to keep them out.
The Hawks’ best chance came from an early breakaway opportunity by Andre Burakovsky, but Mackenzie Blackwood did a great job on the read and the shot and saved it. It’s Martin Necas who opens the scoring as he rockets a shot just past the hash marks from a great play from Valeri Nichushkin. It’s a forehand-backhand pass to Necas as the shot hits Soderblom’s shoulder and bounces in, 1-0.
Dominic Toninato is called for slashing, and the Avalanche capitalize on their first power play of the game as Brock Nelson redirects Makar’s slap pass just past the blue line, and hits the top shelf and in, making it 2-0. Jack Drury is called for hooking, but the Avalanche kill off their first penalty kill of the game, ending the period 1-0, and shots 19-5 in the Avalanche’s favour by the end of the first period.
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It was another good start to the period for the Avalanche, who continued their pace and forced the Hawks to adjust. The Hawks capitalize on a defensive break as Ryan Greene finds Wyatt Kaisder behind the defense and beats Blackwood five-hole to make it 2-1.
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Brock Nelson is called for hooking, but the Avalanche kills off the second penalty kill of the night. Despite another strong period, just keeping the Hawks to six shots on goal in the period, Soderblom is keeping them in the game, despite coming into the game with a .876 SV%, but stopping 32 of the 34 shots he has seen
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Ryan Donato is called for tripping, and the Avalanche capitalizes on their power play opportunity once again. Necas finds Nathan MacKinnon right in front of the net, who quickly sends a backhand pass to Nazem Kadri near the right hash marks and blasts it in to make it 3-1.
Sam Rinzel is called for a delay of game as he sends the puck over the glass in his own zone, but the Avalanche can’t go three straight on the power play. Though it’s going to be Valeri Nichushkin capitalizing on MacKinnon stealing a bobbling puck from Levshunov and quickly shoveling it off Nichushkin to make it 4-1.
Levshunov, not too long after, takes a high-sticking penalty, just two minutes. Still, the Avalanche can’t convert on this power play either. Blackwood with another breakaway save, this time on Levshunov.
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The Avalanche hold on with the 4-1 lead and secure the victory over the Blackhawks, securing their 100th point and becoming the first team to lock in a playoff spot. Also, with their 100th point this season, it is the fifth consecutive season with a 100+ point season, which set a franchise record.
The Avalanche are back in action on Sunday, March 22, against the Washington Capitals.
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