The beginning of Saturday’s game felt a little too much like de ja vu. Just as the Avalanche had done two nights prior, they peppered the opposition with shots. But for most of the game, they had to chase a one-goal deficit.

But unlike Thursday, the game-tying goal came, the go-ahead goal followed, and an empty-netter sealed any chance the Chicago Blackhawks had of getting back into it.

Colorado defeated Chicago 3-1 at Ball Arena, thanks to two goals from Cale Makar and the all-important game-winner from Gavin Brindey. Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas each pitched in with two helpers.

“I don’t find that our team gets frustrated when the flow of the game or the rhythm of the game is in our favor,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “They don’t worry too much about the score.”

Brindley scored the go-ahead goal for the Avs early in the third period. It was a point shot from Sam Malinski that set up the play, and Brindley capitalized on the rebound at 7:31. His sixth goal of the season was also his fourth game-winner. Brindley had not scored in 26 games before this.

“It was a great shift, and he gets rewarded by doing the right things,” Bednar said.

Just 30 seconds into the game, Jason Dickinson went in all alone and beat Mackenzie Blackwood, but not the crossbar. His shot hit the iron behind Colorado’s goalie and came right back out. The Avs took some time to find their footing after that. And before they could, the Blackhawks had already taken the lead.

Devon Toews was called for hooking at 6:10, continuing a pattern of minor penalties coming out of the Olympic break. Even with the third-ranked penalty kill, Colorado has not been all that great on the PK in these games either. Just 21 seconds into the power play, Connor Bedard fired one past Blackwood to make it 1-0.

It took nearly two full periods for the Avs to knot things up. They outshot Chicago 14-4 through the first 20 minutes despite many of their shots coming from the outside. Shot volume hasn’t been an issue for the Avs, but getting into dangerous areas to make things difficult for the opposition has been. That eventually changed in the later stages of the game.

Spencer Knight had some good saves, but nothing that really stole the show to that point. The Avs got their first look on the PP late in the first and carried over to the middle frame. The Blackhawks kill that one.

After getting called for too many men on the ice, the Avs drew another penalty, this time a slashing on Bedard. After a brief 4-on-4 stint, the Blackhawks killed that penalty, too.

Andre Burakovsky was handed a minor for tripping at the 5:30 mark of the second. Again, the Avs did not capitalize.

With 2:14 remaining in the period, Oliver Moore also took a tripping penalty. The Avs had their looks on the PP yet again, but could not capitalize. Fortunately for Bednar’s club, they still used that man-advantage opportunity to tie the game. Just five seconds after Moore exited the box, MacKinnon found Makar with a diagonal pass through the crease.

Makar’s wrist shot beat Knight with 8.3 seconds remaining. The PKers were gassed and hadn’t yet gotten the chance to change.

The relief on Makar’s face said a lot.

“I think we still would have got it in third,” Makar said. “I felt like we were grinding all the way from kind of halfway through the first and into the second, and doing so many good things, and we just weren’t getting the right bounces.”

Makar had another opportunity on the PK but passed it off to a teammate. He eventually added the empty-netter, securing his 18th career multi-goal game and the victory for Colorado.

Good: Blackwood Hung In There

Having not faced much in terms of shots, the Avs needed Blackwood to be on his game when the opportunities came. He did exactly that.

Blackwood gave up the early goal to Bedard, but didn’t let Chicago add to the lead. The score remaining 1-0 for nearly 40 minutes of play made it easier for the Avs to not get frustrated. It was a one shot game, and it’s largely because Blackwood did his part.

Blackwood improved to 4-3-0 in his last seven games

Bad: Penalties Keep Coming

Bednar said after the game that the number of penalties Colorado is taking, which is up to 16 in three games, won’t be something difficult to correct. And I agree with him.

But it doesn’t take away from the fact that the Avs possessed the puck a lot against Chicago. They had more high-danger opportunities and better looks. They only gave up 15 shots. Yet they still took four minor penalties.