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Published Apr 01, 2026 • Last updated 26 minutes ago • 4 minute read
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Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche gets a step on Vancouver Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek in second period of Dec.2, 2025 game at Denver. Photo by Matthew Stockman /Getty ImagesArticle content
An avalanche can occur without much warning.
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However, in the NHL, signs were posted long ago about how the Colorado Avalanche can overwhelm the opposition as an annual Stanley Cup contender that is rolling to easy and intimidating victories.
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The league-leading club scored five goals in the first period Monday en route to a 9-2 pummelling of the Calgary Flames, who were on a six-game points steak, but snowed under by relentlessness of the NHL’s top-ranked offence. It’s led by Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon, who is one snipe shy of 50 goals, and continues to be the game’s most complete competitor.
What does this mean for the last-place Vancouver Canucks, who venture into Denver on Wednesday on the front end of tough back-top-back tests? Taking cover comes to mind in being on the cusp of finishing in 32nd place.
Colorado is 24-7-5 on home ice, and Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar issued a warning about how smartly his club starts. It has set the league standard by scoring 89 goals in the first period. The Canucks have given up the fourth most, at 73.
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“Getting on the board early and trying to jump on teams has always kind of been a hallmark of our successful home record, and we just addressed it,” Bednar said post-game Monday. “We have some games we need to win to secure first (place), and we don’t want to leave it to the bitter end.
“So let’s make the most of these next couple home games and put ourselves in a good spot.”
Let’s put it this way: If you want to draw a comparison to this edition of the Avalanche, dial it back to the 2010-2011 season when the Canucks dominated as President’s Trophy winners and should have captured the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship.
Daniel Sedin and Alex Burrows celebrate one 41 goals by the Swede in 2010-11 NHL season.
That intimidating club led in goals, power play efficiency, and was third on the penalty kill. Daniel Sedin put up 41 goals and 104 points to win the scoring title and Ryan Kesler also had 41 goals. Roberto Luongo led his goaltending peers with a sparkling 2.11 goals-against average and .928 saves percentage.
The Canucks knew the Avalanche were destined to become a contender because of how quickly MacKinnon was developing after being selected first overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. Now at age 30, when many players start to lose a step, he motors on.
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When MacKinnon winds up and wills his way past prone defenders, his release at speed is as impressive as getting into shooting position for a lethal one-timer. On Feb. 26, 2018, he had two goals, one assist, nine shots and 19 attempts in a 3-1 triumph over the visiting Canucks.
At that time, Daniel Sedin said this of MacKinnon, whom he lauded for possessing the best heavy and accurate shot at speed: “He does it all, from standing still to top speed — I wish I had that,” the former Canucks winger told Postmedia.
The Avalanche also has dynamic two-time Norris Trophy winner in Cale Makar, who suffered an upper-body injury Monday and didn’t return for the third period. He absorbed a heavy sideboards hit in the defensive zone from huge 6-foot-8, 235-pound forechecking winger Adam Klapka.
Makar’s recovery status was listed Tuesday as a day-to-day. He is third in NHL blueliner scoring with 75 points (20-55).
Here are three things to watch Wednesday:
Vegas defenceman Rasmus Andersson beats Kevin Lankinen in second period of 4-2 win on Monday in Las Vegas. Photo by Ethan Miller /Getty Images1. You can’t make up collapse stuff
The domino effect of second-period disasters is one of the lasting sagas of a season gone sideways.
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It’s the byproduct of roster rebuild pain and tossing young blueliners into the deep end of a development pool. They are taxed to gain position, box out, avoid stick-checking, and getting caught up ice. And when opposition defencemen pinch down low to create matchup problems, you get Monday in Las Vegas.
A 2-1 Canucks lead late in the second period turned into a 3-2 deficit as the Golden Knights struck twice in a span of 1:17. First, Victor Mancini was caught on a pinch, blueliner Elias Pettersson delivered a sideboards hit on Ivan Barbashev in retreat, and Shea Theodore was left all alone to score. Then nobody picked up Reilly Smith open at the back door for another easy tally.
The Canucks have allowed a league-high 106 goals in the second period and scored just 59, a league low.
2. Bend but don’t break defensively
A collective will to suppress the Avalanche is imperative. Gap control will be crucial because the Canucks can’t allow Colorado to easily wheel through the neutral zone, set up shop, and shift into swift scoring sequence mode.
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Staying out of the penalty box will also be just as critical. Colorado is only 25th in power-play efficiency with an embarrassment of riches — MacKinnon has 11 man-advantage goals — and the Canucks are last on the penalty kill. Colorado did strike twice on the power play Monday and is on an 8-for-22 run in the last seven games (36.3 per cent).
3. They shoot, EP40 blocks shots
Give centre Elias Pettersson credit for never forgetting the axiom that good defence leads to offence.
It hasn’t totally played out with just 15 goals and only 46 points, but he does lead the Canucks in scoring and all NHL forwards in shot blocks. Pettersson has hit the century mark and needs 14 more blocks in nine remaining games to eclipse the mark set by Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres with 113 in the 2024-25 season.
Bet on Pettersson breaking the record.
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