The Colorado Avalanche focused on adding forward depth in the offseason but it has been someone already on the roster giving the team supplementary scoring.
Logan O’Connor is a grinder and penalty killer, but for the past two games he has found the back of the net with short-handed goals. That has helped Colorado win its first four games, including the home opener on Thursday night, and it will go for a 5-0 start when the Carolina Hurricanes visit on Saturday night in Denver.
Both teams played Thursday night, with the Avalanche blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 while Carolina fell at Seattle, 7-4. Colorado has given up just four goals in the first four games and Thursday night was the type of game it played on its way to winning the Stanley Cup two seasons ago.
The Avalanche’s game starts with their quickness and limiting chances, and both were on display against Chicago.
“We’re using our speed and playing to our instincts,” O’Connor said. “It just gives teams less time and space.”
They outshot the Blackhawks 41-18 — and 34-11 after the first 10 minutes — and swarmed all over the ice and kept the pucks away from goalie Alexandar Georgiev.
“It’s a lot of fun to play that way, when you’re on the attack for most of the night,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “Just do the right things on the checking side so you can get back on the attack. It’s how we sell it and guys mostly like playing that way.”
While the Avalanche have been shutting down opponents, the Hurricanes have been playing 1980s-style hockey — plenty of goals and lackluster defense. Carolina has scored the most goals in the NHL (23), but it has also allowed the most goals (24).
The ability to score keeps the Hurricanes in most games, but Thursday night the Kraken kept adding to their lead.
“We always think there’s a chance no matter what. We think we have a team that can score in bunches,” said Seth Jarvis, who is tied for the team lead in both goals (four) and points (six). It’s a matter of keeping it out of our net right now.”
Carolina, which has won three of its five games, opened the season at home but after that win embarked on a six-game road trip that continues at Colorado and wraps up at Tampa Bay on Tuesday night, when all 32 teams will be in action.
The Hurricanes have given up at least three goals in every game.
“It’s just become a 50-50 game, the way we’re playing,” Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. “We’re just kind of hoping we’re going to outscore a team and hoping that we’re going to get a few more chances and find a way to beat them with our skill, and it’s just not working.”
The Hurricanes have played the last two games without center Sebastian Aho, who has been out with an upper-body injury. With Aho out of the lineup Carolina opted to use 11 forwards and seven defensemen against Seattle. He could miss Saturday night’s game.
–Field Level Media
