The Colorado Avalanche received a clear reminder last game about the importance of playing until the final buzzer.
As the Avalanche prepare to play host to the Vancouver Canucks in Denver on Wednesday, they are coming off a shocking 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators.
Just as the Avalanche appeared destined to run their winning streak to four games, the Predators scored a pair of goals 16 seconds apart in the final minute of regulation to hand Colorado a stunning defeat.
"A lot of us were turning pucks over, myself included (Monday), in just funny spots," Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews said. "It's what you have to clean up against good teams and a team that works hard and checks hard like they do. They turn it around quickly on you."
It was the first time this season the Avalanche lost a game in which they held a lead. Colorado had gone into the clash having outscored the opposition 28-13 in the third period.
That said, the Avalanche are not fretting too much. They remain one of the league's powers, with a litany of skaters who are rolling offensively. Not only are their stars filling the nets — such as defenseman Cale Makar (who has one goal and 15 assists during a seven-game point streak) — but the supporting cast is making its mark, too.
Valeri Nichushkin has scored five goals in a four-game spree and Andrew Cogliano has goals in three consecutive games.
"Obviously, (an) unfortunate result when you play that hard and you're in position to win the hockey game with a few minutes left," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "We failed to get a few pucks out. We failed to block a couple of shots with the six-on-five. They get one. It can happen."
The Canucks begin a three-game road trip back on the right side of the win column after claiming a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and wife Meghan Markle on hand.
Vancouver snapped a modest two-game skid that followed an impressive 10-1-1 run that has the Canucks battling for the top spot in the Pacific Division.
On the surface, a close win against the last-place Sharks may not appear much of an achievement, but coach Rick Tocchet was happy with how his players gritted out the victory.
"These games test your fortitude in the sense that it's OK it's 0-0," Tocchet said. "(The Sharks) have played well the last few weeks. ... You can't get frustrated and you can't sell the farm on every play. Sometimes it's good to have those games where it's 0-0 halfway through the game."
It is also good the Canucks have the league's most potent offensive attack, and the stars continue to deliver. Captain Quinn Hughes collected one goal and one assist against San Jose to put him into the top spot in the league's scoring race with 30 points — no small feat for a defenseman — while J.T. Miller scored once and is now on an eight-game point streak in which he has collected six goals and seven assists.
"It doesn't really mean much at the end of the day," said Hughes, who also boasts an eight-game point streak, recording four goals and 10 assists during that stretch. "I want to be in the playoffs and be on a successful team and successful organization. We've been successful to start the year and have to keep going."
—Field Level Media