The worlds best hockey player enjoyed colleagues surrender the lead three times before losing 5-4 in overtime versus Dallas. Force-fed another bitter Game 7 pill to choke down, Kid MacK sat stone cold, processing the loss, his eyes raging with 1,000 what-ifs and 1,000 regrets that stuck around after the sudden death of a championship dream.
In 2020, a year all of us wish to never see anything like once again, a lot of stories both great and small are informed of perseverance, due to the fact that simply making it through all of it in some cases appears like victory enough.
In one essential regard, uncertainty makes MacK like the rest people in 2020. Hes trucking so tough with every ounce of energy towards tomorrow that looking beyond the next twist in the road runs out the question.
Yes, coach Jared Bednar was justifiably happy with a Colorado team that declined to stop in spite of losing seven– count em– 7 crucial players to injury, from captain Gabe Landeskog to defenseman Erik Johnson and both of top its goalies, leaving brave third-stringer Michael Hutchinson to take the loss in Game 7.
Colorado cant win a championship unless Avalanche basic supervisor Joe Sakic gets MacKinnon more aid. And the place to begin is between the pipes.
” We wished to win it this year,” ideal winger Mikko Rantanen said. “But its too late now.”
MacKinnon is a generational talent, as worthwhile as Sidney Crosby or Sakic to have his name engraved on the Cup. Whichs exactly why this is a skill it would be a weeping embarassment for the Avs to waste.
In the year when the NHL, like everything else in sports and life, has actually been challenged to the max by COVID-19, the coming months will be as uncommon as the undesirable four-month hiatus the league took before developing a bubble in two Canadian cities to resume play.
” We can make any reasons we want: injuries, this, that or the other. Our goal was our objective. And we didnt accomplish it. It hurts. It (stinks). I took a look at our men faces after the game, I could see their frustration.”
” We just could not keep the puck out of our internet this series,” MacKinnon said.
But as Bednar strolled in the dressing room after a goal by unlikely Dallas hero Joel Kiviranta scored 7 minutes, 24 seconds, into overtime against a gassed Colorado defense, the coach saw the no-excuses truth.
Christmas? Possibly. Do not get your hopes up.
Despite lighting the light with crazy pinball action in what will be recorded as the 6th highest-scoring playoff series in NHL history, the Avs were a disturbingly inept 4-of-32 on the power play. Even even worse: Colorado surrendered 28 objectives to Dallas
Heres the rub. In sports, as in life, biding time till next year only invites regret.
” I do not even know,” MacKinnon admitted, “when next season starts.”
The excellent news: MacK is still a Kid. He celebrated his 25th birthday in the bubble Sept. 1.
Sakic did not win the Cup till after his 26th birthday– and also not up until after the Avalanche traded for first-rate goalie Patrick Roy.
Using the 1,000-yard look of a defeated guy, Nathan MacKinnon refused to budge from the Avalanche bench as another season ended with him no closer to raising the Stanley Cup.
Sorry, Kid. This old pet respectfully disagrees with your evaluation.
Heres a glance: The pandemic, which is costing the NHL millions simply to phase this tourney, will lure lots of franchises to trim payroll rather than spend in totally free agency. It figures to be a purchasers market.
” We set out at the start of the year with the goal to win the Stanley Cup, and we didnt attain it,” Bednar said.
Get to work, Joe.
I admire the faith MacKinnon, who produced a Gretzky-esque 25 points in 15 postseason video games, showed for his young boys in the space, by exhibiting grace in defeat.
” In regards to assessing our group, I dont think we need to change anything,” MacKinnon insisted Friday, minutes after the Avs were bounced from the NHL bubble far earlier than they anticipated. “If we have the precise same team next year, I think we can win it next year.”
Theres nothing wrong with Philipp Grubauer or Pavel Francouz, except neither goalie is rather trustworthy enough to win the 16 championship game needed to secure a championship.
Theres a genuine possibility strong goalies will be readily available. Here are 2 tested net-minders that capture my eye:
Possibly theres a goalie Sakic likes much better, and perhaps he might use some of the companys skill stockpile to trade for an all-star between the pipes.
Please do not inform me the Avs are going to stand pat, relying on Lady Luck will so kind as to let MacKinnon do all the heavy lifting of winning a Cup by himself.
Possibly. Do not get your hopes up.
” We can make any excuses we want: injuries, this, that or the other. Our objective was our objective. I looked at our guys faces after the game, I might see their disappointment.”
At age 29, Robin Lehner has actually ended up being the goalie Las Vegas trusts more than Marc-Andre Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup champ. And just how much does Corey Crawford, who has ridden in 2 triumph parades through downtown Chicago, have in the tank at age 35?
