Moral victories with the Colorado Avalanche
“My concern however is that the Avs are going to get steam rolled by a battle tested playoff team specifically due to those previously mentioned defensive deficiencies. And by some of the lazy defense that was on display all season long, it’s clear that it will be the Avs undoing in a seven game series. “
Big game? Yes. Biggest game of the season. Probably. Phrases and words not associated with the Colorado Avalanche in some time. And yet, here we are with only a handful of games left in the 2014 season and we are speaking in superlative terms like these once again.
No one is crowning the Avs Stanley Cup champs just yet. And don’t think I’m complaining when I say things like people were planning the parade the other night when the team beat the Chicago Blackhawks on the road. Fans were elated, and there was certainly a certain chest-puffing that came from beating the defending champs in their own building, but the next game against Detroit gave me pause as it seemed the Avs struggled for most of the game against the depleted Red Wings squad. Still, the team won and showed the resiliency that we’ve come to expect from this Patrick Roy led team.
But the real test would be against the team the Avs have still not beaten this season and which also holds the top spot in the western conference: the St. Louis Blues.
Moral victories are never something you want your team to win, but I’m pretty sure the Avs won one Saturday as it fell to the Blues 2-1 at Pepsi Center. For a team that has been dominated by its chief Western Conference rival all season long, it was certainly encouraging that the Avs hung with the Blues all game and maybe even outplayed them for many stretches during the contest. The Avs hit three posts and the Blues got one lucky goal to go with another caused by a boneheaded defensive gaff by Nate Guenin.
So considering the burgundy and blue have been battered by the hard hitting St. Louis squad in its previous three meetings, forgive me if I think this was an encouraging development for a future playoff clash with the Blues down the road.
My concern however is that the Avs are going to get steam rolled by a battle tested playoff team specifically due to those previously mentioned defensive deficiencies. And by some of the lazy defense that was on display all season long, it’s clear that it will be the Avs undoing in a seven game series. I just don’t think they have the horses to hang with a team like the Blackhawks in the playoffs as well as any team that has clocked more hours than this young Avs team. I was happy the Avs didn’t go crazy at the trade deadline because I think the core they have is something that shouldn’t be disturbed. But the need for a more dependable, rock solid blue line, is going to come back to haunt them. This year anyway.
But it’s ok. No one, and I mean no one, thought the Avs would be this good this season. So if it takes another year to shore up the defense to properly make a run at the Stanley Cup, we’ll wait for it. And we’ll enjoy all those moral victories along the way.
