AVSLOOP™ - Colorado Hockey News
Big Goals, Bigger Moments
Avalanche 9, Oilers 1: A forensic on-ice dismantling at Rogers Place
Rogers Place sounded like a library by the third—save for the Colorado bench, which hummed like a machine shop. What began as a measuring-stick became a chalk outline: Avalanche 9, Oilers 1. The kind of scoreline that doesn't just end nights; it starts meetings.
The Record (names and facts, correctly filed)
Final Score
Colorado Avalanche 9, Edmonton Oilers 1
Four Two-Goal Scorers
Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Parker Kelly, Jack Drury
MacKinnon's Night
4 points (2G, 2A); one goal straight out of the penalty box, one off a two-on-one in the third
Edmonton's Lone Goal
Connor McDavid (PPG, 2nd)
The Second-Period Saw (how the game actually broke)
Second-period break: After a 2–0 first (two Makar lasers from the same spot), Colorado piled four in the second
Goaltending, Edmonton: Stewart Skinner pulled after 4 GA on 13 shots; Calvin Pickard in relief
Depth punches: Gavin Brindley (returning from a concussion) and Parker Kelly (Sherwood Park local) turned pressure into points
- Makar's copy-paste: Two near-identical wristers from the right lane, high blocker—created off Devon Toews quick touch passes off set plays.
- Returner's touch: Gavin Brindley (University of Michigan product) attacked inside ice for a rebound put-back.
- Shot-pass clinic: Jack Drury deflected a purposeful point shot through traffic—call it drawn-up violence.
- Oilers' crease management: Colorado authored the dangerous ice; Edmonton surrendered it.
Colorado's Depth: Not cameo work—method acting
Parker Kelly
(Camrose family in the building): Two goals, including a shorthanded dagger, plus an assist—first career three-point night.
Gavin Brindley
Fresh legs, fast mind. Inside-position goals look simple only after you win two battles to earn them.
Jack Drury
Times the slot like it's a train schedule—arrives on the half-beat, not the downbeat.
Apex Predators Still Hunt
- Nathan MacKinnon: The league's pace car. Four points; now leads the scoring race (22 points). The box-exit goal was a jailbreak; the third-period wrister was a death sentence.
- Cale Makar: The Norris winner bent geometry twice in the opening frame, then kept Edmonton guessing with backside movement that reshaped the kill.
- Support cast that matters: Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen, Devon Toews, Josh Manson, Sam Malinski, Jack Ahcan—clean exits, on-time entries, and shot-lanes that didn't require prayer.
Edmonton: Where it unraveled
Discipline
Five first-period penalties. That's not edge; that's abrasion.
Interior defense
Gave up the house; Colorado moved in.
Historic defeat
Largest defeat since Jan. 2009 (10–2 vs. Buffalo).
Schedule pressure incoming
Columbus on Monday, then a seven-game road trip. If the "spark-from-embarrassment" game exists, this has to be it.
Context & Continuity
Colorado has now won 4 of 5 in Edmonton—first time in nearly two decades.
The rivalry is usually a one-goal knife fight (8 of the previous 10). This was a sledgehammer.
The Captain in the Room
Gabriel Landeskog had a first-period tally erased on an offside challenge; he's still hunting that first regular-season goal since March 2022. The scoreboard didn't need it to validate his orbit—the group played like their center of gravity is back.
Box-within-the-Box: Three Plays that Tell the Story
01
Draw → Toews touch → Makar lane (twice)
weak-side winger cheated wall, not lane.
02
Brindley rebound
two bodies win the vertical stack, rookie wins the last inch.
03
Kelly SHG
reads Bouchard's hand, accelerates early, sells forehand, roofs backhand—presentation > power.
RGQs (Really Good Questions)
Do you park your weak-side winger in Makar's lane on O-zone draws and live with the wall loss?
Against Colorado's speed, are Edmonton's D-pinches worth the exposure without earlier F3 support?
If you're Colorado, how much of the second-period avalanche is repeatable structure vs. individual brilliance—and are you comfortable with that ratio in May?
What's Next
Avalanche
Vancouver tomorrow (with Mackenzie Blackwood likely). One regulation loss in 14 to start the season; structure travels.
Oilers
Columbus Monday (8:30 ET), then the seven-game away test that will either cauterize this wound or widen it.
CTA (for coaches & analysts)
1
Steal Colorado's faceoff timing
Steal Colorado's faceoff timing for Makar's lane—teach the touch-to-lane pass, not the flat D-to-D.
2
Audit your PK lane coverage
Audit your PK lane coverage vs. backside activations; Colorado turned that seam into a toll road.
Avs 3 – Lightning 2: Regulation Win
The Avalanche secured a significant regulation victory against the Lightning, dispelling "OT demons" for the night. This heavyweight matchup showcased Colorado's ability to close out a game in 60 minutes, despite a wobble in the third period.
Early Game & Kucherov’s Strike
Initially, Tampa Bay controlled the middle of the ice, dictating play with their depth lines and aggressive puck pursuit. This led to Nikita Kucherov capitalizing on a stolen rim play, beating Wedgewood short-side for a 1-0 lead. It was a detail-oriented goal that caught the Avs reacting rather than imposing their will.
Landy's Spark & Power Play Adjustment
Gabriel Landeskog's timely scrap served as a critical emotional reboot, galvanizing both the bench and the arena. Following this, the Avs' power play adjusted, moving from perimeter circling to aggressive net-front attacks. This shift led to Logan Olofsson's first goal, leveling the score and signaling a change in Colorado's approach.
Olofsson's Double & Colton's Revenge
Olofsson quickly added his second goal off a Drury attempt, finding a soft spot in coverage. Malinski's crisp stretch pass then set up Ross Colton, who used his speed against his former team to rip one bar-post-in. Two goals in 73 seconds flipped the game, turning anxiety into a palpable buzz from the crowd.
Wedgewood's Quiet Heroics
Pavel Francouz, serving as backup, witnessed Wedgewood's unheralded brilliance. Facing numerous point-blank denials, deflections, and scrambles, Wedgewood made several saves that had no business being made, especially in the chaotic final minutes. His "chaos control" was the silent anchor preventing another overtime collapse.
Postgame Insights & Key Takeaways
Despite a late scare from Brayden Point, the Avs kept attacking, avoiding the recent "OT PTSD." Landeskog owned the mic postgame, reflecting on his fight ("not the smartest, but needed rest") and the team's hungry roster. This game delivered clear messages:
Script Flipped
The Avs can now win one-goal games against heavyweights without collapsing into overtime.
Depth Shines
Olofsson, Colton, Malinski, and Wedgewood made significant contributions to the win.
Landy's Influence
Landeskog's heart, honesty, and leadership are fully back, impacting the team's dynamic.
While not flawless, this win against a strong Tampa team indicates the Avs are playing good hockey and have room to improve, a promising position in the league standings.
#AVSFAM
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Avalanche Sign Tristen Nielsen: Speed Over Size Strategy
Size isn't a strategy. Speed is. Avalanche sign Tristen Nielsen (2 years, through 2026–27). A 5'10", 192-lb buzzsaw with playoff miles and a full-throttle motor. He's producing in Loveland, he's wired for pace, and he fits Colorado's "arrive first, compete longest" identity.
Quick Facts
1
Who
Tristen Nielsen
2
Contract
2 years, through 2026–27
3
Current Form
Producing in Loveland, wired for pace
4
Pedigree
5'10", 192-lb buzzsaw, playoff miles
5
Style
"Full-throttle motor", "arrive first, compete longest" identity
Why This Makes Sense for Colorado
Fits the Avalanche's tempo-driven system.
Adds crucial depth to the roster.
Aligns with their retrievals philosophy.
What He Brings vs. What He Doesn't
Brings
- Relentless forecheck pressure
- Exceptional speed on the ice
- Potential for an effective penalty kill role
Doesn't
- Top-six NHL production (yet)
Key Stats
2025 Calder Cup Champ
Proven winner with championship experience.
7 Points in 7 GP This Season
Showing strong offensive output recently.
Consistent AHL Production
Reliably contributing at the American Hockey League level.
Bottom Line
Low-risk, identity-fit signing. If the motor scales up, Nielsen becomes a trustable playoff shift who extends offensive zone time and gives the PK bite.
#AVSFAM
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Colorado sprinted out of the gate 5-0-1 before eating four straight OT heartbreakers to land at 5-1-4 through ten—proof that the 5-on-5 engine is humming while the finish needs polish. Nathan MacKinnon is driving pace and production, Martin Nečas has clicked as a transition-and-touch catalyst, and Cale Makar’s minutes remain the compass. Scott Wedgewood steadied the crease during Mackenzie Blackwood’s rehab, with depth call-ups keeping the blue line afloat amid injuries (Girard, O’Connor). Bottom line: elite process, fixable endings. Read the full game-by-game archive →
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