It has been an uncharacteristically tough go of things for the Colorado Avalanche of late. Over their 10 prior games, the Avalanche sported a very un-Avalanche-like 4-4-2 record, getting blown out multiple times over that stretch.
After beating the Detroit Red Wings 5-0 on Saturday in Detroit, the teams returned to the ice in Denver on Monday night. Though a shutout occurred yet again, it was the Avalanche on the wrong side of ledger, falling 2-0. Here are the takeaways.
The Offense Has Looked Sluggish
Including this latest loss to the Red Wings, the Avalanche are averaging just 2.9 goals per game. Comparatively, they are giving up 3.7 goals per game in that same stretch. For a team that leads the league in both goals for and goals against per game, it has been a stark shift.
To an outsider, the Avalanche have looked worn down. Injuries have taken their toll to the point that the Avalanche find themselves mixed in with rumors for more than a few players. They don’t play with the collective jump that they had for much of the season, settling for space along the walls and lacking that explosive transition game.