{"id":508077,"date":"2026-03-17T16:34:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T16:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/508077\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T16:34:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T16:34:20","slug":"cracks-showing-in-colorado-mackinnon-delivers-blunt-message-after-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/508077\/","title":{"rendered":"Cracks Showing in Colorado? MacKinnon Delivers Blunt Message After Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

DENVER \u2014\u00a0The Colorado Avalanche have spent most of the season establishing themselves as one of the NHL\u2019s elite teams, which made Monday night\u2019s 7\u20132 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins feel especially out of character.<\/p>\n

Colorado looked out of sync in ways that have been rare this season, and Nathan MacKinnon didn\u2019t hesitate to address it afterward.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ve just been making so many mistakes,\u201d MacKinnon said.<\/p>\n

At this point in the year, some inconsistency isn\u2019t entirely unexpected. With roster changes following the trade deadline and several regulars still out of the lineup, the Avalanche are navigating a period of adjustment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of new guys, and a lot of old guys out,\u201d MacKinnon said.<\/p>\n

There are also structural elements that haven\u2019t helped. Colorado has recently been dressing seven defensemen, a setup that can disrupt rhythm\u2014especially when defensive pairings and forward lines are constantly changing.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSeven D, I don\u2019t like seven D,\u201d MacKinnon said. \u201cI think different D pairs every shift is not great, different forward lines every (game) a lot of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

That lack of continuity was evident against Pittsburgh, where defensive breakdowns and miscommunication led to a season-high seven goals against. It was a rare night where the Avalanche didn\u2019t resemble the composed, structured team they\u2019ve been for most of the season.<\/p>\n

More than anything, MacKinnon pointed to a broader issue with the team\u2019s overall rhythm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flow is off for sure,\u201d MacKinnon added. \u201cA lot of new faces, and 11 and 7 isn\u2019t what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MacKinnon<\/p>\n

MacKinnon had a goal last night, but the Penguins scored 15 seconds later. Credit: Ron Chenoy<\/p>\n

He emphasized that chemistry remains at the core of the team\u2019s identity, and the constant changes have made that more difficult to maintain.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe chemistry matters,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s no one\u2019s fault, it\u2019s just different. New teams and a lot of different line combinations lately for everybody. It\u2019s hard. It sounds like an excuse. Tonight was just bad, too. We just played bad.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we had a pretty good start. It was one of those nights that just sucked.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the setback, Colorado still has time to regain its footing before the playoffs. The focus now shifts to reestablishing chemistry, settling on consistent lineup combinations, and tightening up the details that have defined their success.<\/p>\n

The urgency ramps up quickly.<\/p>\n

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The Avalanche face a critical matchup Wednesday against the Dallas Stars (42-15-10), who sit just three points back in the race for the Central Division title.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a big game,\u201d MacKinnon said, referring to Pittsburgh. \u201cWe got Dallas Wednesday now. That was a game we kind of had to win, so hopefully we can bounce back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colorado caught a slight break Monday as Dallas also suffered a loss, falling 6\u20133 to the Utah Mammoth. Still, Wednesday\u2019s matchup looms large and could carry significant weight in shaping the Central Division race\u2014and the Avalanche\u2019s path heading into the postseason.<\/p>\n

\"Image\"<\/p>\n

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