Avalanche can’t make up all-too-usual early deficit in 3-2 loss to Coyotes

One of these games, the Avalanche will score a game’s first goal. Or even the second.

Unfortunately, for the third straight game, they didn’t on Monday, surrendering another 2-0 lead — this time, to visiting Arizona en route to a disappointing, 3-2 loss.

“I don’t think we had a very slow start. I think we had a pretty decent start; we had some good jump,” team captain Gabriel Landeskog offered. “It was better than the last few games against Anaheim, and I thought tonight wasn’t horrible, but we still have another gear, no doubt.”

The Avalanche would do well to find it, especially in the first period. While they’re certainly hampered by a truly alarming spate of injuries, head coach Jared Bednar indicated that his players had better not be counting on reinforcements behind star center Nathan MacKinnon anytime soon.

“It’s a fine line between winning and losing for us right now,” Bednar said. “Part of that is the injuries that we have. We’ve got to find a way to win with this lineup, with maybe just one addition of Nate — because as far as I know, that’s all that’s coming back in the near future.”

Goaltender Philipp Grubauer had a sloppy evening, allowing three goals on only 14 shots, making for a woeful 78.6 percent save rate, though it’s worth noting that the Avalanche have leaned on Grubauer to start 19 of the team’s 23 games with no relief in sight, even though Colorado won’t have more than a single day off between games for the rest of the season.

“I mean, I am not disappointed in the effort. I’m disappointed in the result. We’re not looking for moral victories, and we got to find a way to win — and we didn’t find a way to win tonight,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “I’m not going to judge our team all the time on just results, but it’s a results-oriented business, and we need to find a way to capitalize on some of our chances.”

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NEXT UP: Avalanche (13-8–2, 28 pts) vs. Coyotes (12-10-3, 27 pts) | Wednesday, Mar. 10 at 7:00 p.m.

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TEAM NOTES

• The Avalanche improved their league-leading position in shots allowed (25.7) by permitting Arizona a season-low 14 attempts on Monday. Unfortunately for the Avs, three of those shots went in the net during their loss.

• Colorado had trouble with both Arizona goaltenders. Darcy Kuemper started and stopped 17-of-19 Avalanche shots before leaving with an injury early in the third period. The Avs had even worse luck with backup Antti Raanta, who stonewalled all 16 of Colorado’s shots. “It seems like right now we’re playing games, and we’re making every goalie that we play look like they’re an All-Star,” head coach Jared Bednar said after the game. “So we can’t continue with that. We have to find a way to start capitalizing on some of our chances, and get it moving a little bit, and make it tough on him to see pucks.”

• After Monday’s loss, the Avalanche are a pedestrian 1-1-1 one-third of the way through their season-long (and franchise record) nine-game homestand. The Avs have trailed 2-0 in all three games.

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PLAYER NOTES

• Nathan MacKinnon is expected to return to the Avalanche lineup on Wednesday, insider Adrian Dater revealed on 104.3 The Fan’s “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar” Monday night. MacKinnon was injured on an illegal hit to the head from San Jose forward Joachim Blichfeld last week. Blichfeld was subsequently ejected from the game and suspended for two more by the NHL.

• Mikko Rantanen has taken over the top-line center position in Nathan MacKinnon’s absence due to injury. Rantanen had an assist in Monday’s loss, but is expected to slide back into his usual position at right wing on Wednesday. At the game’s final horn on Monday, a frustrated Rantanen snapped his stick in half before leaving the ice.

• Valeri Nichushkin scored the Avalanche’s first goal on Monday night, extending his scoring streak to three games. He’s scored three goals and added one assist over that span.

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THE FINAL WORD

“Knowing Mack over the last few years, when he gets to this point, he’s chomping at the bit, ready to go.” — Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, on Nathan MacKinnon’s recovery. MacKinnon is expected to play against the Coyotes Wednesday.

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INJURY WATCH

• Conor Timmins (upper-body injury) missed the Mar. 8 game.
• J.T. Compher (upper-body injury) missed the Mar. 6 game and has not played since.
• Bowen Byram (upper-body injury) was placed on injured reserve on Mar. 6.
• Nathan MacKinnon (upper-body, head) was knocked out of the Mar. 3 game and is not expected back until at least Mar. 10.
• Cale Makar (upper-body injury) missed the Feb. 27 game and has not played since.
• Dennis Gilbert (facial injury, COVID-19 protocol) was placed on injured reserve on Feb. 20. He is expected to be out until at least late March.
• Erik Johnson (upper-body injury) left the Jan. 30 game and is week-to-week.
• Pavel Francouz (lower-body injury) has yet to play this season and remains on injured reserve.

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LAST NIGHT’S LINES

FORWARDS:
Top Line: LW Gabriel Landeskog, C Mikko Rantanen, RW Valeri Nichushkin
Second Line: LW Brandon Saad, C Nazem Kadri, RW Andre Burakovsky
Third Line:, LW Tyson Jost, C Jayson Megna, RW Joonas Donskoi
Fourth Line: LW Matt Calvert, C Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, RW Logan O’Connor

DEFENSEMEN:
Top Pair: LD Dan Renouf, RD Devon Toews
Second Pair: LD Samuel Girard, LD Jacob MacDonald
Third Pair: LD Ryan Graves, RD Greg Pateryn

GOALTENDERS:
Starter: Philipp Grubauer

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