Colorado Avalanche: Calgary Flames Explode for 5 in the Third, Win 6-5

The Colorado Avalanche took a 4-1 lead into the third period against the Calgary Flames.  The Flames exploded for five straight as the Avalanche dropped back-to-back games.

Hockey statistics can be an amazing thing.  With not that many games under their belts, the Avalanche can move several spots in statistical rankings with one bad game.  In this case, one bad period.

Semyon Varlamov, for example went from tops in the NHL for save percentage and second in Goals Against Average (GAA)  to fifth and sixth respectively with Thursday’s third-period collapse.  Just that quickly, an NHL goaltender goes from elite to question mark.  The nice thing is that there are 82 games in the season and Varly will have plenty of opportunity to overcome the Thurdsay meltdown.

We can assume that Philipp Grubauer will take the net on Friday in Vancouver while Varly licks his wounds.

One the offensive side, there were some positives to take away, first goals for Vladislav Kamenev and Sheldon Dries in the second had the Avalanche rolling. Kamenev scored on a short-handed break. Captain Gabriel Landeskog added his 11th goal of the season and there were goals from Carl Soderberg and Colin Wilson for some much-needed Colorado scoring depth.

The back-to-back losses are Colorado’s first of the season and raise questions about whether the top-heavy Avs have enough grit to stop the bleeding in games like Thursday night’s.

It’s just one game in a  long season but after looking unbeatable to start the season, the chinks in the Avs armor are beginning to show.  They rely too much on the top line and the goaltender.  They surrender a ton of shots and are outshot most nights.  A trend that goes back years for the Avalanche.

It creates a situation where none of those four players can have an off game and see their team survive.  If Varly is off, the Avalanche lose.  If the MacLaRan line falls, there’s no consistency behind them to pick up the slack.

I’m going to get MacLaRan to catch, by the way.

Colorado travels to Vancouver for a Friday night matchup with the hot, young Canucks.  Let’s hope we can see some push from Grubauer and the Avs youth to secure a win.