Domination in the desert: Takeaways from Avalanche’s 5-0 victory at Arizona – The Denver Post

For the first time in a seven-game stretch, the red-hot Avalanche on Saturday collected points without using a comeback. Colorado improved to 6-0-1 in its last seven games by dominating the Arizona Coyotes 5-0 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

“I liked the way played throughout the whole 60 minutes, the consistency of our game. And it helps when you when you’re playing with the lead, to be able to do that,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said.

Colorado rallied to defeat the Coyotes in a shootout on Friday in Denver. The Avs came from behind to force overtime at Nashville on Tuesday before losing, and they rallied to defeat the Seattle Kraken on Monday at Ball Arena for their fifth consecutive comeback victory.

They’d rather play with the lead.

Takeaways from Saturday at Arizona: 

“Kuemps’ return.” Avs goalie Darcy Kuemper played his first game against his former team, and it came at Arizona. He had a relatively easy night in net, stopping all 20 shots to collect his first shutout with Colorado.

“It was a special game. It was probably a little bit more emotional than I expected,” Kuemper said. “A lot of good memories and feelings in this building. So to come back here and get a win like this was awesome. The guys were unreal. Yeah, it was a special night.”

Western Conference leaders. The victory gave Colorado (24-8-3) a Western Conference-leading 51 points — tied with Nashville but with four games in hand over the Predators (24-12-3).  The Avs have a conference-high .729 winning percentage, significantly higher than Nashville (.654).

“To get to this point and to be able to put it all together for one night is good, and now we’ll use that as sort of a benchmark for our team on how we want to continue to play here in the near future,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “I like what we’re doing at this point in the season. I’m really happy with where our team is at. Now we have to find ways to get incrementally better as the season goes on.”

Landeskog’s return. Top-line left wing and team captain Gabe Landeskog returned after missing the three previous games this week because of COVID protocol. He tested positive Sunday and Monday but was asymptomatic. He couldn’t skate but worked out on his own.

The top line contributed four goals, two apiece from center Nathan MacKinnon and right winger Mikko Rantanen, and Landeskog had an assist and three shots in 18:17.

“(Landeskog) really helps with that with those guys, the specific chemistry they have. It’s a big difference when you pull one of those guys off that line and you have to substitute somebody else in,” Bednar said. “It’s just not the same. It doesn’t set our depth up the way we want it to. But he was really good in his return.”

Everyone was involved. Fourth-line forwards Tyson Jost, Logan O’Connor and Mikhail Maltsev were each zero in plus-minus and only combined for three shots. But their puck pressure and possession made them unsung heroes of the game.

Their forecheck/possession time in a 2-0 game directly led to Nazem Kadri’s goal midway through the second period. The Jost line changed in the offensive zone and the Coyotes defenders were gassed. It led to a turnover that created Kadri’s goal.

And the continuous puck pressure and possession time gained off turnovers made Colorado’s defensemen defend less and attack more.

“I really liked her team’s commitment to check and get above pucks,” Bednar said. “I thought our tracking and reloads were really good which allowed our D to stay up and sort of shut down the rush attack a lot, keep us going in the right direction. And then as the game went on our forecheck got better and better and we started forcing them into some turnovers and helping our offense.”

Next up: The Avs, who will take Sunday off, host the Minnesota Wild in a 1 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Day affair on Monday at Ball Arena.

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