Avs-Kraken Game 7 Studs & Duds: Game over

Studs

Nathan MacKinnon

This individual gave it their all to make things happen. Despite having the first goal taken away and the second goal disallowed due to offside, they persisted and gave an outstanding performance throughout the game. 

From the beginning, this individual showed an exceptional level of skill and determination, knowing that they needed to play a central role in any potential comeback by Colorado. Their efforts were evident in every shift, right up until the very end. 

Although they ultimately lost the game, it would be unfair to place the blame solely on this individual, as they clearly gave their all. Anyone who watched the game and didn't come away feeling like this person deserved more support rather than criticism should consider finding another sport to watch.

Mikko Rantanen

Like MacKinnon, Rantanen played with full force throughout the game, leaving everything on the ice. Despite their efforts, they were unable to solve the skilled goaltender, Philipp Grubauer. Rantanen displayed impressive physicality all night, adding to MacKinnon's already dominant presence and creating a formidable force for the Avalanche when they were on the ice together.

The only thing missing was the desired outcome, as the process was truly dominant. It is noteworthy that these two players nearly managed to single-handedly defeat the Seattle Kraken in Games 6 and 7, despite the Kraken being a strong hockey team. This demonstrates just how exceptional MacKinnon and Rantanen are on the ice.

The champion spirit

When the Colorado Avalanche fell behind 3-2 in the series and played a demoralizing third period to end Game 5, it seemed as though the team had lost its fighting spirit. After facing countless challenges throughout the season, it appeared as though the team had finally hit an emotional wall and was unable to push through.

However, the Avs were able to bounce back and dominate possession hockey in the next two games. Even players down the lineup who had struggled in previous games were able to break even in possession. Although Alex Newhook didn't score, he had a strong game despite being part of the comically bad luck that led to the game's first goal.

Overall, the team's effort was undeniable. While some players may have been ineffective at times, there was no lack of effort from top to bottom. Despite facing numerous setbacks, the team never quit and continued to fight relentlessly, reminiscent of the myth of Sisyphus.

Duds

Any concept of a lucky break

Throughout the series, the Avs faced a barrage of unfortunate events that seemed to be heavily stacked against them. The Kraken lost Jared McCann to injury, but Colorado lost Cale Makar for Game 5. The Avs also lost Darren Helm and Andrew Cogliano to injury due to dangerous hits that went unpunished. 

This resulted in Colorado becoming even more top-heavy and lacking in depth-scoring, as trusted veterans who scored crucial goals in last year’s playoffs were unable to play. 

Moreover, the Avs suffered an emotional blow when Gabe Landeskog was shut down for the postseason, and Val Nichushkin left the team for personal reasons. Josh Manson’s injury issues also returned, and he had a poor series, receiving a significant amount of penalties, including the one that led to the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 4. 

Manson eventually left the Avs before the series ended, further adding to their injury woes. The Avs were so depleted by the end of it that Brad Hunt played as a forward for just 41 seconds in Game 7.

In Game 7, Colorado dominated puck possession and all meaningful shot metrics, but Seattle scored two goals due to some bad luck and poor decisions. Seattle’s first goal was particularly frustrating, as it hit two Avalanche players before going into the net. 

Additionally, the Avs had a goal taken off the board due to an offside call, which was the second such call against them in the series. Ultimately, the Avs were unlucky throughout the series, but they also made some poor decisions and played poorly at times. 

Seattle dominated the things that a team couldn’t control, and that's always a part of postseason success. Luck always plays a role, and the Avs were on the wrong end of it. 

When facing a skilled, scrappy, and high-character team like Seattle, anything can happen, and the Avs were unable to avoid the nonsense that came their way.

Colorado’s depth

This critique focuses on the Colorado Avalanche's lack of depth production in their series against the Seattle Kraken. While some of the Avs' lesser-known players, such as Evan Rodrigues and Alex Newhook, had their moments, the team as a whole struggled to produce in a series that consistently came down to one-goal games.

Seattle's strength was their depth, which ultimately prevailed in the series. Colorado, on the other hand, relied heavily on their elite talent, who did show up to play, with the exception of perhaps Cale Makar who could have performed a bit better. The biggest letdown was the lack of production from the depth players.

It wasn't just the forwards either. Defensemen Sam Girard and Bowen Byram had five assists between them in seven games. Among the forwards who played significant minutes, only Matt Nieto, Logan O'Connor, Lars Eller, and Newhook managed to combine for just one point.

J.T. Compher, in particular, was a major disappointment. Despite playing more than 20 minutes in every game, he finished the series with just one goal and one assist, with his only goal coming from a breakaway due to an opposing player falling down. He was expected to elevate his play and be a top-six impact player in the playoffs, but failed to do so, much like his performance against Vegas two years ago.

In tonight's game, the Avs dominated in shot metrics, yet Compher had a poor performance, being outshot 15-22 at 5v5 and having an expected goals percentage of just 25. This was a major letdown for a player who had a career-high 52 points in the regular season and was known for his clutch performances in the postseason.

Overall, while some players had their moments, it was disappointing to see eight out of the 12 forwards fail to produce any offense in the seven-game series. This ultimately led to the Avs' downfall, proving that relying too heavily on elite talent without a strong supporting cast is a recipe for failure.

Unsung Hero

Alexandar Georgiev

In the Game 7 loss, it would be unfair to blame Georgiev for the defeat as he made some crucial saves, especially when the Avs were pressing hard in the third period and giving Seattle quick counterattack opportunities.

Georgiev's performance in the series was decent. He finished with a .914 save percentage, and while there were a couple of goals he could have stopped, he was far from being a liability. In fact, he was on the verge of stealing Game 4 before a Manson penalty in overtime shifted the momentum of the game.

Overall, Georgiev's performance in the series did not make him a standout player, but given the workload he faced throughout the season and how he handled himself in this series, the Avalanche can feel comfortable with him as their starting goaltender for the next two years at a salary of under $4 million. While he may not have won over many fans in this series, he did not raise any significant concerns either. It would have been nice to see him go for a goalie goal in Game 6 when he had the opportunity, but that's in the past now.