Avalanche Quick Hits

Initial observations from Game 5 by Ryan O’halloran, The Denver Post

Mackinnon’s dominance

Avalanche center Nathan Mackinnon’s goal total in Games 1-4: Zero. His goal total on Wednesday: Three. Mackinnon had some extra jump … make a lot of extra jump … from the hop, controlling the puck all over the ice and pressing the pace into the Blues’ offensive zone, finishing with five of the Avs’ 18 shots in the opening period. Mackinnon made it 1- 0 at the 3:51 mark when, after a well-placed pass by winter Artturi Lehkonen, he beat goalie Ville Husso high to the blocker side. He made it 2- 0 on the power play at the 18:23 mark when he played give-and- go with winger Mikko Rantanen, shoving the puck past Husso. And finally, with 2:46 remaining, Mackinnon completed the hat trick with an all-world goal.

PK more than OK

The only way for St. Louis, on road ice against a superior team, to extend the series was taking advantage of its power-play situations. But the Blues whiffed on their first three opportunities and totaled only five shots, declining the opportunity to carve into the Avalanche’s lead. Through two periods, the Avs’ leaders in shorthanded ice time were Devon Toews (3:51) and Erik Johnson (3:38) on the back end and Darren Helm (3:54) and Andrew Cogliano (3:31) up front. Cogliano filled the role expected of him when he was acquired by San Jose at the trade deadline, duties that will be even more critical in the next round (particularly if high-powered Edmonton is the opponent).

Uh- oh

Here we go again for the Avs in the second round? Not yet … but, whew, what a disappointing loss (and let’s call it for what it is — a collapse). Up 2- 0 in the second period. Up 3-1 entering the third period. Up 4-3 with a minute remaining. But St. Louis, the Stanley Cup champion only three years ago, showed its grit, want-to and character by flipping the script late in the second period and carrying it over into the third period, where it controlled the play. Now the scene shifts back to St. Louis for Game 6 and the angst of Avs fans will be an 11 on a 1-10 scale. The Avalanche are undefeated on the road this postseason (4- 0) and it’s time to show its core of players have learned from the last three postseasons and can prevent a Game 7.