AVALANCHE WINS THE FIRST GAME OF THE 2024-25 SEASON 4-3 IN OT!

DENVER, CO – Exhale.

Just five games into the young season 24-25, the Colorado Avalanche would have rightfully been on the verge of panic mode. And maybe they were behind closed doors. But it was never apparent to the outside world, from the management to the coaching staff. What was evident was the confidence and belief that the only way out was through passage and that the journey would not take much longer. A journey that ended tonight with a courageous, inspired and characterful 4-3 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks.

However, the game was not without drama.

Filed firmly under the heading of “You can’t make this up,” the Avalanche came out of the gates looking like it was Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. They were in full shooting mode from the start of the puck and it looked like the reward was coming. Lukas Dostal, the Anaheim goalkeeper, understood the task and mastered Colorado’s performance with an outstanding performance. He wasted some early good chances as the Avalanche peppered him with more rubber than the 25 at rush hour. Although the work was light at the other end of the ice, Alexander Georgiev clearly had his groove back. Some testers and some early saves clearly said the goalkeeper was most comfortable this year.

Then…at 6:05 of the first period, things got weird.

An attack from the net resulted in a puck in the crease that appeared to be covered by Georgiev from all angles. The officials kept the game alive past the 2 count and there was a scramble in the goal crease to clear or freeze the puck. Ultimately the whistle didn’t blow and Leo Carlsson made it 1-0 through no fault of anyone in burgundy and blue.

The first 20 games were coming to an end and the Avalanche were in total dominance mode, outscoring the Ducks 18-7. Shake off the initial balance sheet and stick to the plan. But at 7:36 p.m.… even more bad luck. In one of the more confusing scenarios I have witnessed in 37 years of hockey life, the puck was shot out of bounds and hit the net behind Georgiev. The players let go, the DJ played the music, the official brought, pulled back, brought again, and then pulled back again while letting the whistle drop from his lips while pointing at the aforementioned net. When the whistle didn’t blow, Sam Girard was stunned and cleared the puck out of the zone, handing it off to Anaheim, who went on offense when Ryan Strome scored to make it 2-0.

Colorado’s bench was rightly angry. The puck was out of play. However, because the puck left the zone, the move could no longer be challenged or reviewed and stood. Ultimately, the Avalanche had to continue playing until the final whistle, but the officials’ indecisive behavior and decision-making were also to blame. It is unacceptable for four referees to miss the main target of attention on a playing surface and move their way off the playing surface, but the period of play would end with Colorado trailing by 2 despite outshooting their opponent 3 to 1.

Second-line center Casey Mittelstadt continues to impress. And in the second period, he received a beautiful pass from his winger Nikolai Kovalenko, who took him to a breakaway and cut the lead to 1 after a pure demonstration of hand found the net at :57. The goal also marked Mittelstadt’s 200th career point in, ironically, his 200th consecutive game. He had a chance to tie the game with five minutes left in the period, once again with his gloves on full display, but Dostal made the save and the period ended with the Avalanche conceding a goal but once again outscoring the Ducks 3-1 in time (17-3).

Enter Ross Colton.

Playing as a left winger with Nathan MacKinnon in the center and Mikko Rantanen up front on the right and scoring three points this season made a statement. The Avalanche needed players other than the current Big 3. Mittelstadt filled that void, and at the :35 mark, Colton did the same on the power play with help from the guy who had previously scored. Mittelstadt made a clever pass with his hands close to his body, which Colton shot into the net, tying the game at 2-0.

Eleven minutes later he would strike again, this time with the help of his top friends to take the lead. Both Rantanen and MacKinnon picked up helpers after a perfect setup that Colton took full advantage of. The Ducks immediately sensed the urgency. After the Avalanche dominated all puck possession, Anaheim pushed back, but Georgiev was firmly in the zone and held strong.

The final five minutes were played primarily inside Colorado’s zone, with two late penalties and an eventual empty goal keeping the Avalanche in their zone and outnumbered. It was a complete buy-in from Colorado, with every player on the ice blocking shots and sacrificing their bodies. It was a Herculean effort that will set a new benchmark that the Avalanche will reference often this season.

The 18,071 people in attendance and everyone who had a vested interest, be it casual, emotional or otherwise, in the avalanche collectively had an increased heart rate in the waning moments of regulation. Troy Terry, Highlands Ranch native and Colorado hockey darling, quelled the optimism by blasting a shot past Georgiev with :13 to play, tying the game and sending it to free hockey.

Colorado was in full force from the start of the five-minute overtime period. A wonderful toe save from Dorstol and two posts, including one from Girard, made for one of the most entertaining overtime periods I’ve seen in a long time. There was a feeling that the game belonged to the Avalanche. I mean, the hockey gods definitely had a say at some point!

And that’s what they did.

The MVP did what most valuable players do: be valuable. Extremely. In a game that wasn’t a “must-win” but more of a “must-need” game, the Hart Trophy winner found a way and secured his team’s first win of the season. MacKinnon, one of the best scorers in history, took a pass from Rantanen, marched into the zone, cut to the net and pushed the puck past Dostal on the Avalanche’s 49th shot for the win.

Relief, reward and validation for their hard work will now carry this team into the next five games. And that’s what this season is about. Take it in 5 game increments. They will travel to San Jose on Saturday for a Sunday game against the Sharks. The 3-game road trip will serve them well and provide a good opportunity to get their season back close to .500.

Extra points for the defense tonight. All six were as solid as they have been all year and I particularly liked the pairing of de Haan and Sam Malinsi. There is a budding chemistry and I look forward to watching it develop further.

Enjoy the win and see it in the memory bookmarks as a potentially huge turning point in a young season.