The Avalanche’s season series with the Islanders was a story of opposites.
Last year’s Avalanche team would have preferred the type of game that transpired during the first meeting — an unpredictable affair in Long Island, where not even a three-goal lead was safe — but this current iteration seems plenty comfortable in lower-scoring nail-biters.
After 65 minutes without a goal, the Avalanche beat the Islanders 1-0 in a shootout Monday night, completing a split of the regular-season matchups. In the first installment, Colorado blew a 3-0 lead in a 5-4 loss. This time, Evan Rodrigues maneuvered past the unflappable Ilya Sorokin for the lone shootout goal, and Alexandar Georgiev kept New York from scoring on all three attempts.
The Avs (16-11-2) have outshot their last three opponents a combined 117-73 after finishing with a 46-26 advantage over New York.
“I loved the commitment in our game tonight. I thought the guys were checking hard,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “Got better as the game went on, and I thought both goalies were really good tonight. And Georgie again shines in the shootout. Real patient.”
Rodrigues has contributed key moments in all three games since returning from an injury that sidelined him for nine contests. He scored a third-period goal in his first game back and assisted Alex Newhook’s game-winner in his second. Now he’s to thank for Colorado’s second point in a battle without breakthroughs. As he moved to his backhand during the approach, Sorokin slid his right blocker across the crease and bit at the puck with his glove.
But Rodrigues skidded to a halt and juked Sorokin, giving himself an easy forehand finish.
“I saw that (Sorokin) was kind of giving me the blocker, and I almost think he was trying to bait me into going blocker,” Rodrigues said. “So once I pulled it, I kind of knew he was going to extend and really try to get across. And I figured if I pulled him to my backhand, I could get him with the cutback.”
Avalanche goalies coach Jussi Parkkila pre-scouts the opposing goalie before every game, including shootouts and breakaways. He briefs assistant coach Ray Bennett, who is on the bench with the team. Rodrigues consulted Bennett and video of Sorokin on an iPad before his shootout attempt, Bednar said.
“He’s obviously a crafty guy, and there’s lots of deception in his game,” Bednar said of Rodrigues. “I think you see it five-on-five tonight as well. He makes it look like he’s going to shoot sometimes, and the he’ll slip a pass to somebody in the open to create space in the offensive zone. Tonight on multiple occasions, he gets creative and he’s got this deception. Next thing you know, he’s taking it around the back of the net and finding ice. … It’s part of his toolbox.”
Neither team exactly barraged the opposing goalie with consistent high-danger chances for the first half of the game. But the Avalanche grasped control throughout the second period, outshooting New York 15-5 during an 18-minute stretch with a trio of close misses.
Artturi Lehkonen doinked one off the crossbar during an Avalanche power play. Ben Meyers, playing excellently in the last seven games since his call-up, deflected a shot across the crease and toward a wide-open far post — but it shaved the outside of the pipe. Then a Sam Girard shot was barely saved by the outstretched left blocker of Sorokin, who had an extraordinary night.
For the second consecutive game, Colorado didn’t allow a goal in the first two periods, a feat accomplished only three times in the first 28 games. Georgiev was in net for both of these two.
“Just incredible the past two games. He’s been great,” Rodrigues said. “Nashville game, makes a huge save at the end of the game to keep us ahead, and today he doesn’t allow a goal in regulation, overtime and shootout. So that speaks for itself.”
As the stalemate was drawn out, Bednar was mish-mashing his lines. Three players were in the lineup who didn’t play the previous game: Jacob MacDonald (back after a healthy scratch), Kurtis MacDermid (back from injury) and Martin Kaut (back from the AHL). MacDonald and MacDermid joined Kaut to compose an unusual fourth forward line, after forwards Jean-Luc Foudy and Charles Hudon were returned to Loveland.
MacDonald played just 1:36 of ice time, and MacDermid played 3:52. Meanwhile, Cale Makar eclipsed 30 minutes, and Compher was over 26 in just his second game in the No. 1 center role.
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