The Colorado Avalanche are on an Absolute TEAR

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The Colorado Avalanche are doing something right now, that has absolutely put the NHL on notice. They currently sit atop the Central division, four points ahead of the Nashville Predators, while having played four games less than the Predators. The Avalanche after their covid break from December 16^th to December 31^st, have gone 12-0-1 earning points in 13 straight games.

The Avalanche last home loss, was a 5-4 overtime loss, against the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 3^rd… The insanity of rattling off 16 straight home victories is historic. The Avalanche are currently generating the longest active home win streak, and they currently have the 5^th longest home win streak in the history of the NHL. The 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings have the longest streak ever, with 23 straight games. Then the Boston Bruins from the 29-30 season won 20 straight, which was tied by the 75-76 Philadelphia Flyers. Then the Boston Bruins of the 70-71 and 75-76 seasons won 19 and 16 straight respectively.

With three of the top five home win streaks, belonging to the Boston Bruins franchise, it only makes sense that the Colorado Avalanche next home game will be against tonight! With a victory against the Bruins at Ball Arena, the Avalanche will move into 5^th all time, and continue their unbelievable streak.

This current home win streak is impressive and could potentially go down as the best streak of all time the way this team is currently playing from top to bottom. Cale Makar is on a historic pace for a defenseman, putting up numbers that when extended through the regular season rival the best seasons ever played by any NHL defenseman in history. Our second line center is actively leading the team in points with 52-points, has the second highest points per game behind only Connor McDavid, and the 5^th highest points total in the NHL. We currently have six double digit scorers on the roster and Nathan MacKinnon is somehow not one of them. Devon Toews is leading the NHL in +/- with +34.

The Team is currently the number one goal scoring offense in the NHL. They run the 9^th most effective power play in the NHL with 24.8% efficiency. We are leading the NHL in shorthanded goals with six total. Our goalies haven’t had to be amazing from a save percentage or goals allowed perspective, considering the team has score 4+ goals in 28 of the 40 games played, but they have recently gotten healthy returning Pavel Francouz, who is 6-1 in his seven starts. The Goal tending has been drastically improved over the last month with three shutout performances, two one goal games, four overtime victories, and two shoot-out victories.

Sitting at 29-8-3 through the first 40 games of the season, the Avs have the second most points in the NHL behind only the Florida Panthers who have played three more games than us. This Avalanche team has the best line in Hockey. They have the best starting defensive pair in hockey, they have the best second line center in hockey, their goalie tandem might be the hottest in the league currently, and they are playing with a different fire than in the past.

In past years, this roster was heavily reliant on the first line to score, the defense to prevent scoring to win games, and were shown to fold when the physicality and playoff style hockey would start to emerge. This roster now can score on any line. They have a toughness and a no-nonsense mentality that has shown to elevate the roster from a finesse squad with video game number talent only, to a squad with that same talent but is backed by grit and toughness to win any kind of game. Bringing in a bruiser like Kurtis MacDermid has proven to be an invaluable asset, as a guy that will go to war for anyone on the roster, saving Gabriel Landeskog from that kind of dirty work.

Anyone who has watched a Colorado Avalanche game this season has seen that this roster is simply built different. They have battled and overcome injuries to key players with MacKinnon, Makar, Byram, Devon Toews and Pavel Francouz all missing time among many others missing games here and there. They have star power, depth, youth, veteran leadership, grit, talent, goal tending, and a great head coach with championship accolades at every level of hockey except the NHL up to this point. The Avalanche have a date with a Stanley Cup Finals in 2022, anything less than that will be a failure, and if the top two teams in the league make it, they would have a rematch against the Florida Panthers! #GoAvs

About Post Author

Aaron Hubert

Major Colorado sports fan who was once, for an entire year, a paid writer covering the entire Colorado sports scene. I grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, a huge fan of all the professional sports Colorado had to offer. I played Football and Basketball in High School. I attended Colorado State University for undergrad, earning my degree in Business with a concentration in Computer Information Systems. I work as a professional Product Manager in the software development space for Fanatics.com the sports apparel company. I am a Fantasy Football and Fantasy Hockey participant, not sure if that will ever be worked into these writings, but keeping my option open! I really enjoy the process of being a huge fan of sports, being a passionate Colorado sports advocate, and using social media and writing to express my beliefs and opinions about sports.

aaronh92@hotmail.com

http://www.centennial-sports.com