Avalanche Call-Ups Making Impact As Eagles Edge Wranglers 2-1
Trent Miner's 31-save performance and a two-goal night from Taylor Makar powered the Colorado Eagles past the Calgary Wranglers, highlighting the continued impact of the Avalanche's AHL depth.
Video Transcript
Are they back to being the team to beat when it comes to the Stanley Cup?
Yeah, I think so.
I think that couple things there.
One is as an Avs fan, I'm happy they had that slump, 'cause I was getting a little nervous of the Tampa, whatever year that was- Right the Boston, for these teams who just have no adversity and then somehow end up down 3-1 in the first round, and that's the story.
But I think a lot of it comes to Logan O'Connor's an important guy for them that people don't talk about, especially on the penalty kill.
He made his season debut, I think, the Pittsburgh game.
Ross Colton's another good guy.
And I think a lot of it, too, comes down to, I mean, I sound like a broken record on here, but Landeskog returning to the lineup.
Mm-hmm.
Like, he just is such a difference maker for the rest of that team, and I think him coming back, I think he's been back for three games now, has a huge impact on how they play and how they look as a team.
Mm-hmm.
How about you, Ryan?
How you feeling about those Avs?
Yeah.
I think, I think they're the favorite, but it's, it's not a runaway favorite, because as we've talked about basically every week on this, the Central is a meat grinder.
And, you know, they will have the advantage of not playing Dallas or Minnesota in the first round, in all likelihood, and Dallas and Minnesota will have to play each other.
so you know, hypothetically, Colorado's gonna be in a better spot heading into the second round, assuming they beat whoever they face in the wild card.
but you'd rather have that path, right?
Like, you'd, you'd rather not have to face Dallas or the Wild based on how they're playing.
But, you know, you've got McKinnon, you've got Makar, you've got two goaltenders you trust.
You know, you have all those players that Drew mentioned that, that helped them in their return.
I can certainly see the Avalanche playing for the Stanley Cup.
it is, it is the most likely scenario in the West.
No- no one else- damn- They have Guys, they also have Nicholas Wa who's got three goals in nine games.
One more goal than Nazem Kadri has scored.
Like, what are we seeing out of these, like, these guys who just came in and You know, I, I guess maybe it took a little while for Kadri to find his game, but, like, Nicholas Wa's got three goals.
Did he even score three goals with the Leafs this year?
No, I don't think so, and I think that Kadri, I think Kadri's finally gonna go back to the middle, which as a guy who played both, I think I mean, he's a fantastic hockey player, but he's clearly a center iceman, and I think that, I mean, he did whatever he could.
But he's definitely a guy who's really good at bringing the puck through the middle of the ice and isn't great, I would say, as a wall guy, kinda getting his feet going.
So I think that him getting back into the middle's gonna be huge for him taking off.
But he has gotten their power play rolling.
I mean, their power play since he's been back, he- their p- their first power play, which has been horrible all year, especially with the talent they have, seems to have found their rhythm.
So I think that that's something that's gonna help them a lot come the playoffs as well.
